BRAVO! Event & Party Rental’s Blog
Just another WordPress.com weblogArchive for August, 2011
EEVA Launches with a Membership Social
We were busy bees last week as we were preparing to throw a party (its what we do best!)
Last Thursday we hosted EEVA’s (Eastern Event Vendors Association) Launch Social. EEVA was a group that formed at the beginning of 2011. It is dedicated to promoting the event industry, enhancing the professionalism and quality of member’s businesses and providing opportunities for learning and networking within our industry.
Victor’s Bistro provided an amazing food selection and Planning Our Day provided the handmade invitations. We also heard some entertaining music from Pee Dee DJ Service.
Victor's Bistro
Victor's Bistro
Planning Our Day
EEVA President Andrea Knapp stated “”We are excited about the opportunity to connect with a talented and diverse group of vendors that offer quality services in our field. We all see a number of small businesses going out of business in this economy. It is so difficult to focus on what you do best and manage the business side of the equation too. We are entering this non-profit arena to work together help businesses in our industry not only survive, but thrive.””
EEVA President Andrea Knapp
EEVA gave away two valuable prizes. Scotty G won an EEVA membership for the rest of the year. The grand prize, a year membership, went to Veronica Law from Your Sacred Moments.
...and the winner is....
Scotty G is so excited about his membership!
It was a great evening of networking, laughter and excitement for a new group filled with fabulous vendors. If EEVA is a group that you are interested in, find out more on their website EEVA or on FACEBOOK .
Caitlyn ( BRAVO!) and Morgan ( Elegant Events by Stephanie Forte)
Andrea Knapp(EEVA President/Photos by Andrea) and Stephanie Forte(EEVA Secretary/ Elegant Events by Stephanie Forte)
Do’s and Don’ts of Wedding Registries
What’s one of the best parts of a wedding? The Gifts! Even if I am not the one receiving the gifts, I love going shopping to pick out the perfect present. Wedding registries make life a lot easier when choosing gifts for someone. Here are some extremely important rules to follow when registering for gifts:
DO
Set up your registry early. Once every one hears about your engagement they will want to send you presents, so make sure that they know what you want or need. Sometimes your guests will forget to take that item off of the list so make sure you update your registries whenever possible; you definitely do not want to be stuck with three extra blenders.
Don’t
Register at just one location. Just because you like shopping online doesn’t mean grandma does so be sure to register at stores that your guests can get in their car and drive to. Choose places that you know have a store near where most of your guests live.
DO
Register for lots of different gifts at various prices. A good rule of thumb is to have a third of your items be less than $50, a third to be between $50 and $150, and a third of your items be $150 or more. If you are worried about an item costing too much then it would probably be better to leave that item off of your registry.
Don’t
Reference your registries on save the dates or wedding invitations. Instead, put your wedding website on the stationary which in turn will lead your guests to your registry. If someone asks you where you are registered or what gift you would like be sure to let them know but do not make it a point of telling someone.
DO
Request non-traditional items if they reflect you as a couple. If you are both outdoor enthusiasts and have your heart set on a pair of bikes, register for them! The guests will feel like they are getting something you will actually use. With that being said still register for traditional items as well. Some guests will feel more comfortable giving you traditional items.
DO
Wait to use presents until after the wedding. If something happens and the wedding is called off ALL gifts must be returned promptly. You should never return something that has already been used.
Don’t
Ask for money outright. If money is what you want don’t register anywhere and people will usually get the hint. If someone does ask you what you want come up with a subtle way of saying it. For instance you could say “We really just want contributions for the house we are trying to buy.”
DO
Write thank you notes within six weeks of receiving a gift. An easy way to keep track of gifts is to make a list of the gifts received, who sent them, the date on which they were received, and the date in which you sent the thank you note.
We want to know, what’s your favorite wedding gift to give or get?
Current Wedding Obsessions
As I scroll through pictures and other wedding blogs I come across ideas and themes that I fall in love with! Although it was hard to just pick a few; below is my list of 5 current obsessions.
1. Using Ribbon as a Backdrop
Use ribbon behind the food table
Use ribbon during the ceremony
Use ribbon to dress up an area
2- Using signage throughout the wedding and reception
Signs can help guest know where to go
Here comes the bride
They can caring your theme throughout your event
They can be a creative way to give instructions to your guests
Or they can be just for fun
3. Not using flowers in your bouquet
4. Mix-Match Bridesmaid’s Dresses
5. Comfort Food at Receptions
Cookie Bar
S'mores Bar
Ice-cream Bar
(!!!!!!) I know
Cereal Bar
Popcorn Bar
What are your current wedding obsessions?
What to Wear? What to Wear?
What am I supposed to wear? I know everyone has had this dilemma more than once in their life. It seems to be an even harder question to answer when you have an event to attend! So here are a few tips and trends to help you figure out what to wear to wedding activities.
For the most part if you know where the event is being held, it is easier to determine whether to dress formal or casual. Almost always a rehearsal dinner is more casual than the actual wedding. So if the dinner is at an upscale restaurant semi-formal would be perfect. A nice pair of slacks or skirt with a dressy top or a dress would work for the ladies and a pair of khakis and button up shirt with a tie would work for the men. If the dinner is an outside BBQ, casual is the way to go. Men could wear a dark pair of jeans with a polo shirt and women could wear a casual dress or capri pants with a casual top. Here are some of the latest trends from www.shoplaroque.com and www.facebook.com/#!/Flirt.Florence.
La Roque
La Roque
La Roque
Flirt Boutique
Flirt Boutique
Tips to remember:
- If the wedding is 6 PM or after it is always formal attire unless instructed otherwise.
- Ladies, never wear white to a wedding!
- If it’s a daytime wedding do not wear black.
- Make sure to avoid club clothes.
- If you have to ask if an outfit is appropriate it probably is not.
- A soft floral dress for a daytime wedding is always a winner!
- Always bring an extra pair of shoes for dancing!
- A wristlet is much easier to keep up with than a huge purse!
Since you will more than likely attend more than one wedding per wedding season, it would be a great idea to buy one dress or skirt that you can accessorize many different ways. One key piece of clothing can be changed into thousands of different outfits!
No matter what the event, be sure to add your own twist to any outfit!
Finding Inspiration on TheKnot.com
From creating your own inspiration boards to finding inspiration from other real weddings, TheKnot.com helps you get inspired for your own wedding!
Creating your own inspiration board is very simple. All you have to do is choose a template, select photos from The Knot’s many photo galleries, add the photos to the template, arrange, and save! Share them with your family, friends, vendors, and others on The Knot. You can create as many as you would like. It’s a great way to show everyone what you have in mind for your own wedding.
Choose a Template
Select Pictures
Preview and Save!
Another great way to get inspired on The Knot is through their many photo galleries. There are thousands of photos separated into several different galleries. They can be separated by color or seasons. You can also find photo galleries with wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, reception décor, flowers, accessories, hairstyles, etc. Once you find inspirations you love add them to your favorites. This way you can have easy access to all of your favorite inspiration.
What better way to get inspired than through other “Real Weddings”? You can even choose a location, style, color, or season to help narrow down the weddings you want to look through. Once you find the ones that inspire you the most you can save them so you can easily find them again.
TheKnot.com even has a DIY photo gallery! They take you step by step on how to create a project with pictures along the way to help you out. This is perfect for a bride on a budget.
We want to know how has The Knot inspired you?
