Events Blog

Unless you have specifically noted, either verbally or on your invitations, "no children" under a certain age; it's probable that you will have at least a few young guests at your wedding reception.  Unfortunately having young guests sometimes means having the issues associated with them (outbursts, taking over the dance floor, etc.) To prevent the possibility of problems plaguing your peaceful event, we suggest a few simple ideas to help make the event enjoyable for both you and the youngest guests on your list!

 

 * Special Seating - we like to call this the VILP section; very important little people.  If possible, keep child seating away from the main dinning room, but don't make them feel like outcasts or they won't want to sit there!  Decorating with special table linens, centerpieces and even giving them special seating cards will entice them to stay at their own VIP tables.  Special non-alcoholic drinks in fun, bright colors and cool party favors can't hurt either!

 

* Menu - for most young children, eating something new is not an easy task.  Therefore, why force strange food on them at your event?  Asking your caterer for a kids menu will save you from having hungry, cranky kids and will save you money.  Most caterers will gladly offer you a kids menu selection, which is much cheaper than your general guest selections.  Entrees range from hamburgers, chicken fingers, grilled cheese to hot dogs & fries.  These selections keep kids happy and satisfied.

 

* Games & Activities - idle hands and minds can cause nothing but trouble, so keep them occupied!  Why not include games and activities on the table for kids to use.  Covering the table in white paper and giving them crayons is always a fun idea, but doodle books, mazes & word finds are also fun. Make sure your games don't have too many small parts; that's just asking for a mess! It's also great to have the games go with the event theme if you can.  For example; if you theme is a beach wedding, why not give each young guest a beach pail with their name on it, filled with activities!

 

* Supervision - while it's great to give the kids enough activities to keep them busy, it's not a great idea to leave them on their own too long at your event.  To ensure that everyone enjoys the reception to the fullest, hire an "non-guest" to supervise the children during the reception.

 

With their very own seating area, special menu, activities to keep them occupied and adult supervision, your young guests will be happy and your event trouble free! Knowing that the kids are enjoying themselves is going to allow your guests to have a lot of fun themselves - giving you an awesome reception!

 

Another ball has dropped and 2012 is upon us; Happy New Year!  However the ball in Times Square wasn't the only bling to be seen this past week.  With the holidays comes a whirlwind of wedding proposals. Research indicates that over 1/3 of all engagements in the U.S. happen between Thanksgiving & New Year's Eve. All of those engagements bring new trends and ideas for 2012 weddings.  This wedding season it's all about natural decor, illusion necklines and having fun.

   Tree bark, natural colors and leaves.  It might seem like we are talking about a nature painting but in fact, wedding centerpieces are the topic here.  Many brides are using potted plants (which can double as take home favors) as centerpiece mainstays.  Greens and leaves are also very popular, especially given their very reasonable price and durability. Finally don't forget to mismatch.  Centerpieces that don't all look the same are hot, hot, hot. So, don't forget to use different flower types, colors or even elevation levels to make your centerpieces stand out.

   It may have started with the royal wedding but the illusion neckline has now made it's way to the trend meter.  2012 wedding dresses are all about personal style and wearing what you, as a bride, look good in and are comfortable with.  The illusion neckline can make what was a strapless dress or open back, a bit easier to wear for the common bride. After all, confidence is the most important accessory for any woman.  When you feel good in what you are wearing, it shines through.

   The proof is on YouTube and it can be seen on invitations and in reception themes;  brides and grooms want to have fun at their wedding!  Forget the stuffy events of the past; brides want to dance down the aisle to R&B favorites, grooms want to dawn sneakers and bust a move into their reception, forget the formal menu and bring in food trucks with burgers and fries.  It's all about being fun, unforgettable and fancy free. After all this is your big day and it should be your style.  Make it fun, make it creative and most important make it your own!

I have to share a secret with all of you.  One of my favorite parts of the wedding reception is the cocktail hour.  I know what you are going to say, that it sounds crazy.  Most people feel that the cocktail hour is simply the buffer time between the ceremony and the reception. It’s misconceptions like that which have led the cocktail hour to lose face in the whole planning process! Cocktail hour is sometimes overlooked in the hustle and bustle of planning the intricate details of the reception dinner.  I say let’s spotlight the cocktail hour!  When it comes to this little hour between the ceremony and reception – I say the possibilities are endless!

            I have two words for you; cocktail couches.  One of the biggest crazes in weddings right now is very informal, creative and trendy seating.  For many high-end events that means custom chairs and tables for the reception.  For brides on a budget however, why not transmit that tend to a smaller scale at the cocktail hour? By creating impromptu seating arrangements with couches, big, comfy chairs, or lots of pillows in colors of your choosing, guests get the feeling of a happy hour atmosphere.  South Florida has several rental companies that are offering custom chairs and tables to spice up any event.

            Attention brides…the cocktail hour does not have to have the same theme as your reception or any other part of your wedding! There is a huge misconception that everything in a wedding has to be matchy-matchy.  That is not at all the case.  Anything goes in today’s wedding, including having two totally different themes; one for your cocktail hour and one for your reception.  This is a great idea for the brides who didn’t have the budget necessary to pull off their original idea, brides who found two really good theme ideas and had a hard time choosing or brides who want a formal reception and a very fun and informal cocktail.  Some of my favorite ideas from recent events include; creating an outdoor lawn game area for guests to play during their cocktail hour, a Hawaiian themed cocktail hour where everyone had to drink Hawaiian inspired drinks out of coconut shells and the very cool 80’s inspired cocktail hour where guests were invited to sport gummy bracelets and dance to Madonna songs. Whatever you them – remember it’s your event, have fun with it and most importantly, don’t forget about that little hour between the ceremony and the dinner, it’s got a lot to offer.  Contact us today if you need help with your cocktail hour or any other part of your event!