Tuesday Tip - Affordable Adornments

I can think of no better addition to a carefully selected wedding day ensemble than authentic jewelry.

Unfortunately, a gorgeous diamond necklace and earrings is not in the wedding budget for most of us... until now!

Check out Adorn Brides. They offer authentic necklaces, bracelets and earrings ranging in value from a few thousand dollars to over $60,000.00. What makes the pieces even more special? They are available to rent! What a concept!!

Tuesday Tip - Bathroom Baskets

Even though the scale of entertaining guests at a wedding is different than entertaining at home, you should take every opportunity to extend the same hospitality and concern for your guests' comfort as you do at home. But how do you do that when you have not a couple of dinner guests but a couple of hundred??

One way is to anticipate your guests' needs. Consider placing a basket of essentials your guests may need in the bathrooms of your reception venue.

Here are some examples of what to include.

WOMEN'S BASKET

Single Dose Pain Reliever Packets

Antacids

Emery Boards

Feminine Hygiene Products

Small First Aid Kit with Bandages

Sewing Kit

Hair Spray

Hand Lotion

Bobby Pins

Safety Pins

Clear Nail Polish

Lint Roller

Contact Lens Solution

Dental Floss

Mouthwash with Small Cups

Breath Mints or Gum

MEN'S BASKET

Single Dose Pain Reliever Packets

Antacids

First Aid Kit With Bandages

Hair Gel

Lint Roller

Safety Pins

Contact Lens Solution

Dental Floss

Mouthwash with Small Cups

Breath Mints or Gum

Tuesday Tip - Linen Sizes

Knowing what size linens to order for your event can be tricky, but it doesn't have to be. Many rental companies have great on-line charts that tell you exactly what size linens you need to order. You just have to have the right information.

Start by measuring your tables. If you are working with a venue, they should be able to tell you the measurements of their tables. You need to know the diameter of round tables and the length and width of rectangular tables. Then use an online chart (click to see a great one from bbjlinen) to determine what size linens you need to order.

See. That isn't so hard!

Tuesday Tip - Inspiration

What's a Tuesday tip? - A tip to make your event, easier, more efficient, more sophisticated or more spectacular.

What better place to start than with advice from the one and only Preston Bailey. Earlier this summer I attended engage08 in Celebration, Florida, a "high impact business symposium" for the wedding industry. The seminar was intimate by design (fewer than 100 in attendance) and there were some absolutely amazing people there, magazine editors, high end designers, consultants, resort managers, photographers, and other wedding professionals. Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts, a highly talented, experienced and in demand consultant to the wedding industry, orchestrated the event and it was amazing!!

One of the highlights of the event was a two hour session with world renown event planner and entertaining expert Marcy Blum and event designer extraordinaire Preston Bailey. Their humility, insight, humor, experience and willingness to share was absolutely amazing.




Preston gave each person at the conference a copy of his book "Inspirations". In it are pages and pages of exquisite events. In the introduction he talks about the sources of inspiration for his beautiful designs. Here is a quote I found very insightful "More often than not, my fabulous clients... have been the inspiration for the ideas that bloom into the flowers of my design. In planning any event, a salient part of my process is to sit with the clients and get to know them. And, to put it bluntly, get into their heads. I strive to unlock their storehouse of fantasies. I want to get a glimpse of their dreams."

This same principal applies to any event, from the simple to the extravagant. A celebration should reflect those being celebrated. Do you love travel and exotic locals, use that as your inspiration. Have you always loved roses, use them in abundance! Are candles your thing? There's no better, less expensive way to bring up the romance of your event. Sources of inspiration are everywhere, magazines, television, the Internet, other people's parties.... they're all great . But if you want your celebration to be memorable and unique, the most important source of inspiration is YOU.