Event Planning Pro

Trick or Treat

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:14:00 -1200

In the process of making cotton candy I came across a great Halloween idea. By mixing pink and blue sugar together the cotton candy comes out white, making the close resemblance to a spider web. Add some little cheepy spider rings to the deal and your all set. It will have kids wondering, is what you’re offering a trick or a treat? On the cost side your probably thinking, great idea to bad it will cost like a million dollars for a cotton candy machine, and like I could find one. However this is totally untrue, I found a reasonably priced cotton candy machine for $29.00 from target, which is also offered online. If you have kids this will surely be a good investment for future parties. But hey, if your sort on cash (who isn’t now a days) I actual found a recipe to make cotton candy without a machine. I haven’t tried it, but the website is normally pretty reliable. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jacques-torres/jacques-homemade-cotton-candy-recipe/index.html

Things needed to make spider web cotton candy:

Cotton Candy Machine(optional)?

Spider rings (144 pieces) $6.19

Sugar Floss (pink) $5.00

Sugar floss (blue) $500

Cotton Candy cones (1,000) $28.86

$45.05

You may now meet the wedding party

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -1200

As I was scrolling through random youtube videos I noticed a wedding one that caught my eye. I was blown away by this couples originality in their walk down the aisle. It seems to be a huge trend now to bring more attention to the wedding party. I have mostly seen it at the reception after the wedding, but hey this couple has shown me that once again the sky is limit with ways to make your wedding yours. This is also really great way to side step the walk down the aisle with the father if there are complications in that area.

go check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

LovEvolution

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:46:00 -1200

Love Parade, Lovefest, LovEvolution.. Whatever you want to call it was a hit this year as always. LovEvolution is one of the highlighted festivals in San Francisco to see. It’s a rave in the streets of down town San Francisco. It starts as a parade and then all the floats end up in the main civic center square, each blasting its own house music and theme. If you look around you’ll see neon and skin as far as the eye can see. It’s all about dressing up as crazy as possible and feeling the love. It goes from about 11:00 am to 7/8 ish at night. There is also a after rave, but its $77. In fact, this year was the first year they actually charged for the day time LovEvolution. It went from free to $10 dollars, I heard rumors its because of all the clean up, but in my opinion it’s a bit of high markup. However, that’s about the same I would pay to go to the club and there was no way I was going to miss my favorite festival. Overall it was very fun. Some negatives were the extremely expensive food and drink (Had they priced things appropriately I bet they would have made a lot more money and given themselves a much better image). I mean for goodness sakes this used to be a free event and now there expect $10 for entry and $10 for one kabob.. Ya, I don’t think so.. and In fact everyone I knew left to go get food.. another downer was the always long lines for the bathrooms ( you have to expect that though considering that there was thousands of people there). This definitely a must see if your ever in San Francisco though!

Ketubah

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:38:00 -1200

Tradition is the root of everything we know and there is nothing I love more than learning about event one's, obviously.. so just when you thought all the paper work was done the Rabbi has something else:

JEWISH WEDDING CUSTOM: Ketubah

The ketubah is an ancient contract of marriage in Judaism. The document is signed before the wedding and specifies the mutual obligations of the bride and groom. More recently, it is an “artistic symbol” of the couple’s commitment to each other and is traditional for the couple to frame and display the ketubah as a keepsake.

· I think this is a super cute tradition that should be upheld. I mean even if the honeymoon is over that doesn’t mean the promises you made to each other are. Not to get to mushy, but if someone promises to take care of you forever that’s a pretty big compliment. Marriage should be humbling in my eyes.

P.S. If you are going to have this at your wedding or at your clients wedding be sure they pick a design that is going to be something they like and can live with looking at forever.

http://www.licketyknit.com/?m=200509

Mindshare

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:49:00 -1200

In my search for knowledge about event planning I was able to volunteer at LA’s Mindshare. This events whole purpose is to bring people from every neck of the woods together to share ideas. Its fun and genius much like the crew behind it who I got to meet and hangout with. The event was founded by Douglas Campbell, and upheld with the help of his geek squad (in this case being geeky is a good thing).

I went the day before the event to the setup to help where I could and see the whole process from beginning to end. First off the location was great! This really cool old fire house turned into a apartment loft. It is located in the factory district in downtown LA. It had a big spacious room where they could hold presentations and then a nice outer area that was separated so one side had DJ’s and the other side had food, a beer and wine bar, and an big projection screen so people could watch the presentations from outside as well.

the inside area

Entry outside area

2nd out door area

The setup for this event was just the final leg of all the setting up that had to be done. At each mindshare there are new and cool gadgets and knick knacks for people to play with. This month had a laser room challenge, a photo booth, and a pong table. All these fun activities are hand made by the mindshare squad. It was quite a bit of work to just see the physical setup of each thing let alone imagine about the time and dedication that went into making them. In addition a lot of work went into setting up all the audio and television stuff. All the mindshare folks were really excited to have everyone come play especially since once again mindshare had sold out.

The next day everything was lighted, floral arrangements placed, bars stocked, tech toys ready, presentations loaded, and then the people started to arrive. There was a check in at the door where each person would then get their name tag which has not only their name but a unique question they had to answer such as, when I was little I used to…

People of all ages (21+) and types rolled in. Doctors, web designers, artists, dancers, and just people who want to meet other interesting people. Then, the presentations begin:

Jessica Jackley / Founder, KIVA
Microloans to Change the World

Geoffrey Sommer / Aviator & Risk Analyst
Keeping Calm When The Killer Comet Cometh

Ariel Blumenthal / Composer, Founder Sentient Music for Media
Music Environment as a Design Element

Dr. Alex Benzer / Author, Tao of Dating for Women, Tao of Dating For Men
Why Do Smart People Have a Difficult Time Dating?

Jason Porath / DreamWorks Animation
A Short History of Hollywood's Genitalia Coverups

Afterwards everyone just relaxed, talked, and had a few drinks. The event was fun and stimulating for the mind. It was a great experience, everyone enjoyed themselves, and when that happens you have a successful event. I will be going back and you should too!!! So check them out at:

http://www.mindshare.la/

Sushi Cupcakes

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:58:00 -1200

I was browsing through my email when I came upon this cute idea for sushi cupcakes. The first cupcakes are home made so don’t judge them too harshly, but what a fun concept of sushi cupcakes. Wanting to know more I googled it, only to find tons of really great innovated ideas about what materials to use. The only thing better than sushi is other food pretending its sushi, unless your not a fanatic about sushi like I am.

http://www.ireallylikefood.com/698250091/i-love-my-sushi-cupcakes/?ref=FPP

As you could guess these are professional

http://www.debbiedoescakes.net

The “chop sticks” are the perfect touch

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1267639222047482355iOXFIJ

Swedish fish on top of half a powdered donut

www.adorablog.org/2005/02/swedish_fish_sa.html

These are rice crispy treats

sewingchick.blogspot.com/2007/11/whos-up-for-..

They used Sprinkles as rice

soap-queen.blogspot.com/.../sushi-cupcakes.html

superpunch.blogspot.com/.../sushi-cupcakes.htmlIS IT JUST ME OR IS ANYBODY ELSE EXTREMLEY HUNGRY NOW!!?!??!?!?!

The Search Begins

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:16:00 -1200

With summer just around the comer it is time to begin looking for a internship. So I have begun to research and man oh man. Just the pictures of the events are breath taking. Its truly inspiring and it makes me really hope that I hear back some positive responses.

Mardi Gra

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:31:00 -1200

So for this Fat Tuesday i went clubbing. The club is called Club NV, but they have a great Tuesday deal called Two dollar Tuesdays. It is 18 and up and so its a place underage kids can go for a good time even though its a Tuesday and they should be studying for school the next day. There is also a two full bars for the older crowd too. The club is really spacious with an upper level that is a balcony looking over the dance floor with two protruding "cages" which is really just an little extra piece where people can show off some snazzy moves. In addition, there are lots of cubbies of couches for people to hide in in the top and bottom. The dance floor measurement wise was not that big, but there was so much room to expand the dance party off the actual mat it balanced out. The venue also has a coat check, but parking is street parking only.

Highlights: The lighting and environment was nice. They had free masks on the tables that were good quality, which was awesome. The DJ was so so, a basic mix between some electro dance and hip hop.

Low Points: The night is called TWO DOLLAR TUESDAY, so why was i getting charged $10. Your probably thinking well because its a holiday, but the website specifically boasted about how two dollar Tuesday was Mardi Gra theme, can you say rip off. I know that has nothing to with the venue event planning wise, but it says something about the people who run the place because their ability to false advertise makes me question their business ethics. Moving on the venue wise everything was good except that if you wanted to step outside for a breath of fresh air think i hope you don’t mind being elbow to elbow with a billion people who are smooched together in this little baby pin area. If you don’t like smokers than don’t even think about stepping outside because the small amount of air available is flooded with smoke

. - As for going to this club for the two dollar Tuesday i would say that its only two dollars. The crowd has a little diversity, but is mostly kind of ghetto. the music was danceable and with a crowed dance floor it should be good night. However, it has gotten some pretty mixed reviews overall.

Club NV

Neighborhood: SOMA
525 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94107

(415) 538-7977

Modern Fiesta

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:28:00 -1200

Hey there everyone! So the other day i attended a 78th Mexican themed birthday party. The crowd was mostly a mix of 35 and up, there was a band, dance floor, open bar, and buffet style food which was basically just a fajita bar.

Highlights: The decorations were a really cool new take on a Mexican party. The table clothes were dark green, dark purple, and dark red. The table ornaments were Godzilla dolls with miniature sombreros and miniature Mexican blanket draped over their shoulders. In addition throughout the table were church candles with various saints and angels images on them. They provided the perfect mood lighting.

Low Points: The sound system. Having a band is super fun, a couple of people even got up and danced, but then the singers came on. They were all ok, however I couldn’t really tell because the drummer was so loud and the microphones weren’t turned up enough. All the music was classic rock and jazz, definitely danceable for all ages. Too bad someone let the bartender turn on the plasma above the bar because then people became entranced in finding out who was going to win the Oscars.

Tips for next time:

Make a DVD looping video footage of the birthday boy/girl or a montage of people dancing to get everyone in the mood
Do a sound system test yourself by standing back and listening. Don’t rely on the band to do it themselves because they are for 1 bias and 2 not listening to the sound from where the party attendees will be standing.
If candles are going to be on the table, make sure the table clothes are not to long. no one wants there event to go down in flames

What Is Event Planning?

email.nospam@nospam.eventplanningpro.com (BrittanyEmery) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:48:00 -1200

This question actually breaks down into two questions: What kinds of events are we talking about? And, what is event planning?

First things first. Generally speaking, special events occur for the following purposes:

Celebrations (fairs, parades, weddings, reunions, birthdays, anniversaries)
Education (conferences, meetings, graduations)
Promotions (product launches, political rallies, fashion shows)
Commemorations (memorials, civic events)

This list isn't an exhaustive one, but as the examples illustrate, special events may be business related, purely social or somewhere in between.

Now we move to the second question: What is event planning? Planners of an event may handle any or all of the following tasks related to that event:

Conducting research
Creating an event design
Finding a site
Arranging for food, decor and entertainment
Planning transportation to and from the event
Sending invitations to attendees
Arranging any necessary accommodations for attendees
Coordinating the activities of event personnel
Supervising at the site
Conducting evaluations of the event

How many of these activities your business engages in will depend on the size and type of a particular event, which will, in turn, depend on the specialization you choose.

Why Do People Hire Event Planners?

This question has a simple answer: Individuals often find they lack the expertise and time to plan events themselves. Independent planners can step in and give these special events the attention they deserve.

Who Becomes An Event Planner?

Planners are often people who got their start in one particular aspect of special events. Business owner Martin V.K. had a successful catering company before he decided to plan entire events. Many other planners have similar stories. This explains why planners often not only coordinate entire events but may, in addition, provide one or more services for those events.

Event planners may also have started out planning events for other companies before deciding to go into business for themselves. Joyce B.W. planned in-house events for a retail chain for 11 years and then worked for another event planning company before striking out on her own.

Becoming Certified

Consider getting a degree or certificate from a local university in event planning or management. A list of colleges and universities offering educational opportunities in this field is available from Meeting Professionals International (MPI). (See the Appendix for contact information.)

Also consider working to become a CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) or CMP (Certified Meeting Planner). These designations are given out by ISES and MPI, respectively. Many corporations, and some members of the general public, look for these designations when hiring planners. Because of the research and study it takes to become a CSEP or CMP, clients know that these planners are professionals.