BRAVO! Event & Party Rental’s Blog
Just another WordPress.com weblogArchive for September, 2011
One Sweet Day
BRAVO! Events (and our taste buds) welcome, Sweet. A Cupcake Company to Florence and the Pee Dee area. I jumped on the Sweet bandwagon back in June when we had a going away party for my co-worker Heather. In that first bite of a Strawberry Cupcake my eyes closed and in that moment I KNEW I was a hooked. Ever since then I have been patiently waiting for Sweet to open and today I will feed my craving.
Sweet’s Cupcakes are not only a great way to celebrate a birthday or a wedding but give them to show thanks to an employee (hint hint) or show your customers your appreciation. Nothing will cheer a friend or loved one up like a cupcake from Sweet.
They offer a wide variety of flavors like
- Salted Caramel
- Lemon Raspberry
- Red Velvet
- Strawberry
- Banana Pudding
- Chocolate German
- Key West Coconut
- Palmetto Cream
- Cookie N Creme
- Gimme S’More
- And Much More
In their store on Celebration Blvd in Florence, they will serve gourmet coffee, Icy cold milk and of course their signature designer cupcakes. Make sure you check them out!
***NOTE: In the process of writing this blog my wonderful boss Elaine Dean, snuck out and picked up a box of Cupcakes! Now off to indulge!
The 2012 BRAVO! Bridal Expo
We are excited to announce the 2012 BRAVO! Bridal Expo! The event will be held at the Florence Civic Center on Sunday, January 8th 2012. The expo will include passed appetizers, fabulous giveaways, musical entertainment, fashion shows, and most importantly a chance to meet with vendors and brides-to-be.
"You guys were so organized and on top of things in the weeks leading up to the expo. Very Supportive!"
"Wonderful job!"
"Everything was very professional!"
"This was a very classy show. You did a fabulous job BRAVO!"
"I am very pleased with this event. I have listened to the comments from the brides and all of them were wonderful. We booked parties and met great potential clientele. Thank you. Can’t wait to work with you again at the next one."
If you did not participate in the Expo in 2011, the vendor feedback was exciting -100% were either extremely satisfied or satisfied of that 25% were satisfied and of that 75% were extremely satisfied with the results of the event- 100% said they would participate again and would recommend the Expo to another vendor. We are moving the Expo in 2012 to the Civic Center as it will be bigger than 2011. We have added surprises in the planning stage so register early!
"Planning, coordination, advertising, and helpful friendly planners help make the expo successful!"
"This was my first expo and I enjoyed myself very much!"
"This was a very classy show. You did a fabulous job BRAVO!"
"I have never attended a show where we had a vendor networking hour. I thought it was very informative."
"The show was amazing, the best Florence has seen in the 10+ years I have been participating in shows. Thank you again for giving Florence the show they deserve!!"
Our website, BRAVOBridalExpo.com will be live later this week. You will be able to register and pay online. In the mean time you can request vendor forms by e-mailing Bridalshow@ BRAVOeventrentals.com.
*Quotes above are from our 2011 survey results and not from the people reflected in the pictures.
Guest Blogger -Sara Wise How to Shop (Smartly) for a Wedding Photographer
When the bacon-wrapped scallops have run out, when the band has stopped playing, when the bouquet has long-since been tossed, what remains? Your eternal love and your wedding photos.
It can be tempting to enlist Uncle Joe or Journalism Student Cami to point-and-click your big day in order to save a couple thousand bucks, but free/cheap won’t look so appealing on the other side of your wedding, when Uncle Joe forgot to remove the lens cover or Cami didn’t use the flash and all of your pictures look like they were taken in an underground bunker at midnight.
Given that your photos are one of the few services that have a life beyond your wedding day (can we say multi-generations?), it is important to entrust this task to a professional photographer. Not just a photog with a current business license, but one who is capable of delivering what you want—gorgeous photographs that perfectly capture the essence of your wedding day. Courtesy of The Bride’s Maid and Myrtle Beach area photography professionals, here’s what to look for when investing in a wedding day photographer:
Experience
An experienced photographer knows a great photo op when she sees one (like your mom looking misty-eyed during the father-daughter dance, your grandparents trying to jitterbug, or that stolen glance you and your new hubby exchange). Experienced photographers also know what lighting styles and angles flatter. They know not to chop off heads or feet in full length shots and to vary poses so your photos don’t consist of three basic looks.
Professional photographers are certified, meaning they’ve gone through extensive technical training and passed a number of challenging tests. Says photographer Brooke Christl (www.brookchristl.com), “[Professional photographers] know what to do in any situation, have back up equipment, and back up plans in case of bad weather or any other problems that may come up on your wedding day.” She adds that it is not unreasonable to ask to see your photographer’s credentials.
An Eye for Style
You wouldn’t dare wear Grandma Eugenia’s wedding gown if it wasn’t your style, would you? The same should be true of hiring your wedding photographer. Look for someone whose style suits you. Study several photographers’ websites, blogs, and albums until you find a photographer whose photos look like something you would want resting atop your mantle or gracing your coffee table. Today’s photographers offer fewer posed pictures, in favor of photojournalistic ones that offer a real, candid account of the day.
Personality
Personality, really? It’s not like you’re marrying your photog. Well, it kind of is. Your photographer is going to be your wedding day third wheel, so to speak, hanging by your side from the moment you zip up your breathtaking gown until you and Darling Hubby drive off into the night. You’ll work closely with him for nearly eight hours, taking direction and doing tons of smooching in front of him; therefore, likeability and comfort are key. Kip Beech of Middle Child Photography (www.middlechildphotography.com) points out that “on your wedding day, you’ll be filled with so many emotions… it’s really important that you are comfortable being yourself around your photographer.” He recommends meeting with several photographers in person to see who you and your fiancé click with (pun intended!).
Another facet of the photographer’s personality that is important: her ability to direct. Brooke Christl advises, “Make sure [your photographer] isn’t too bossy but can give good direction. You want to love your pictures and also have a great time capturing them!” Get a feel for this by meeting with your potential photographer or asking if she knows of a client that would be comfortable letting you observe a shoot briefly to see her in action. You don’t want to spend the bulk of your wedding day with an order-barker or someone who doesn’t tell you (gently) that your tilted head makes you look like you have a broken neck. We’re not all trained models, so having someone who can help you settle into natural postures is important. You don’t want to look slouchy or hump-backed in your photos!
Attention to Detail
Just like the cleanliness of someone’s car tells you something about how clean her house is, checking out a photographer’s portfolio will tell you how detail-oriented she is. If photos don’t have pesky distractions in them (like electrical outlets that could easily have been cropped without interrupting the photo subjects, or a random guest’s foot in an otherwise strictly bride and groom shot), then chances are, she pays attention to these details, either when she takes the photos or during the editing process.
Fine Print
Fine print abounds during the wedding planning process, and there’s no exception here. Before you hand over your deposit, ask to see everything in writing, so you understand what’s included and what’s not. Expect to pay a sitting fee for the photographer’s time. Many photographers provide a disc of all of your images, while others may have a separate fee for this. Often actual prints of your photos are sold separately by the sheet. An enlargement or two may be included in your package; make sure you know exactly how many enlargements, what sizes, and styles (are they flat or wrap-around canvas?).
Given that you’ll have your wedding photos until your 50th wedding anniversary and beyond, a wedding photographer is one of the most worthwhile investments you will make. Choose wisely, Blushing Bride.
Happy Planning.
Sara Wise
Sara Wise owns The Bride’s Maid, a wedding planning company in Myrtle Beach! Visit Sara on her website or on facebook.
Top 5 Most Frequently Asked Questions
As an event consultant we get asked lots of questions about events that people not in the event industry don’t know. Here is a list of our top 5 most frequently asked questions:
5. How many glasses will I need for my event?
We usually suggest 2-3 glasses per person per hour. But even this rule of thumb doesn’t apply to everyone’s glass needs.
We then ask a series of more specific questions to get an idea of a more realistic number ..
- What kind of drinks will you be serving?
- Will there be alcohol?
- Do you want a red and a white wine glass?
- Of your guests how many do you think will be drinking alcohol?
- Are you going to have a specialty drink?
- Are you serving beer in a bottle or a glass?
Bella Lyse Event Designs
BRAVO! Event and Party Rentals
TIPS to remember: Some people will hold their one glass the whole night and some will get a new glass every time they go to the bar. It’s always better to have more than you need than not enough.
4. How many chairs does a certain size table sit?
36" Round sits 2-4 chairs
48" will seat 4-6 chairs
60" Round sits 6-8 chairs
72" table will seat 8-10 chairs
6' tables will seat 6-8 chairs depending if you put chairs on the end
8' tables will seat 8-10 chairs depending if you put chairs on the end
3. What size dance floor do I need?
It depends on how many guests you expect to dance. We suggest having 3 square feet per person.
Bella Lyse Event Designs
Bella Lyse Event Designs
2. What size linen do I need?
- For a 36″ round table you need a 96″ round linen
- For a 48″ round table you need a 108″ round linen
- For a 60″ round table you need a 120″ round linen
- For a 72″ round table you need a 132″ round linen
- For a cocktail table you need a 120″ round linen if you are not tying it, if you are tying it you need a 132″ round linen
- For a 6′ banquet table you need a 90X132″ linen
- For a 8′ banquet table you need a 90X156″ linen
- For a 60″ square table you need a 132″ round linen
1. What size tent do I need?
It all depends on how many people you are expecting, if there will be a band or DJ, if there will be a dance floor, etc. This is the chart we use to help figure out what size tent you need:
See are Tent Basics Blog article to find out more about our tents
BRAVO! Event & Party Rental's Blog 