hiring an event planner

Photo Credit: Karin Dalziel

Whether it's because you don't have the time, desire, resources, know-how or nerves, hiring a professional event/party planner/coordinator for your celebration can be a lifesaver. They can do the behind the scenes tasks, hire vendors, negotiate contracts, set-up your event, manage your event and guests and may even cut you some money-saving deals.
If you've decided that you want to bring in professional help to coordinate your event, there are many questions you will want to consider before hiring. How do you know what the planner can bring to the table? What exactly can they do for you and your event? PartySpot.com is really a wonderful resource for all things party. Recently I came across this list that they posted called 13 Questions to Ask Party Planners and being a party planner myself, I thought I would share it.

(1) Will the coordinator commit to your budget and not push you in the direction of things you simply can't afford?

(2) Will the coordinator devise a master plan mapping out all the little details, from announcement to zebra-striped decor? (This will clue you in to organizational prowess and a willingness to keep you in the loop on every matter imaginable.)

(3) Can the coordinator name the best and most original locations in your area (that would be suitable to your party size, style, and budget)?

Photo Credit: Evan

(4) Is the coordinator familiar with the best florists, photographers, caterers, bands, and DJs in your price range? Can he/she explain their strong points to you briefly? (Ask yourself: Does the coordinator seem both knowledgeable and passionate?)

(5) Can the coordinator score you some discounts with any vendors? (Coordinators bring volume to favored vendors; often vendors will reciprocate by slashing prices or throwing in extras.)

(6) Will the coordinator read over the vendor contracts for you? What are some common traps to look out for?

(7) Can the coordinator create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process -- vendors, family members, etc. -- what to do and when to do it? How will she/he make sure that everyone sticks to the schedule?

(8) Will the coordinator handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing?

(9) Can the coordinator counsel you on etiquette matters and alert you to hot trends on the party horizon?

(10) Will the coordinator organize delivery, arrival, and setup times with photographer, florist, musicians, caterer/banquet manager, et al?

(11) For the day of the event, will the coordinator be willing to oversee the entire event by supervising vendors, troubleshooting emergencies, and soothing nerves? Can she/he share any anecdotes that required performing above and beyond the call of duty?

(12) Will the coordinator be willing to step in as your advocate, conveying your visions and desires to vendors when you don't feel up to the task?
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It is important to remember that these are simply guidelines. You may not feel the need to ask your planner/potential planner all of these questions. For instance, your event may not require your planner to handle the invitations. There are definitely other things to take into consideration when hiring a planner. What is their educational background? What events have they worked on in the past? What is their main strength/signature style? These may be questions that are important to you!

Make a list of what is important to you about the event and what you can't do on your own. This can help you decide what questions to ask the planner during the hiring process.
Have you ever hired a planner/coordinator/event designer? How did you make your decision?

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party phD: Palm Sunday

Photo Credit: Eric Molina

Palm Sunday is a Christian Feast Day which falls on the Sunday before Easter.
Palm Sunday ranks as one of Christianity's holiest days, second only to Christmas and Easter. It falls on the last Sunday of Lent and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It is called a 'moveable feast' as it is not celebrated on the same day each year. In 2009, Palm Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday April 5th. This day commemorates the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem before his Passion and Crucifixion.

The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah. In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions. The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

The scene of the crowd greeting Jesus by waving palms and carpeting his path with them has given this Christian feast its name. In the Gospel of John, he specifically mentions palm fronds which were a symbol of triumph and of victory, in Jewish tradition, and is treated in other parts of the Bible as such.

Palm Sunday traditions are long-standing. The ceremony begins with the blessing of the palms. The procession follows, then Mass is celebrated. Afterward, many people take the palms home and place them in houses, barns, and fields.

In some countries, palms are placed on the graves of the departed. In colder northern climates, where palm trees are not found, branches of yew, willow, and sallow trees are used. The palms blessed in the ceremony are burned at the end of the day. The ashes are then preserved for next year's Ash Wednesday celebration.

Figs are sometimes considered a traditional Palm Sunday food because Jesus had wanted to eat figs on his journey into Jerusalem. Some people refer to Palm Sunday as 'Fig Sunday' and make foods containing figs. Click here for some fig recipes.

Palm Sunday is an occasion for reflecting on the final week of Jesus' life. It is a time for Christians to prepare their hearts for the agony of His Passion and the joy of His Resurrection.

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- décor

Photo Credit: Shindigz

Depending on the theme of your tasting, you could come up with some interesting ideas for decoration. For example, if you are going with a domestic tasting, you could decorate with patriotic memorabilia, or if you are going for a beers from around the world theme, try setting up a station for each country/region with a little flag and a fact sheet about that country.

If your theme is simply 'beer drinking' [what better theme, really?] then there are a number of really cute decorations available like the beer mug lights pictured above available online at shindigz.com. Set up the tasting area/room so that everyone can sit at the same table as they sample the brews. The beer lights can be strung around the ceiling, or I like to have a string of lights down the centre of the table amongst snack bowls, other decorations and tasting information. Cover the table with a table cloth [try a paper one so you can toss it in the recycling when you are finished, as it will likely be covered in crumbs, beer and sauces!]. I like black or orange because that is the colours of the invitation.


They also have beer mug candles! These would be great set down the centre of your tasting table if you end up stringing the lights around the doorway, chairs or ceiling.

Photo Credit: PartyCheap.com

Tie a few of these beer balloons to the chairs around your table or make/buy a balloon bouquet with one of these balloons and some orange and black plain balloons.

Party Favours

To help your guests with their tasting, provide a little bag full of tasting notes and tips. Just a plain paper bag will do with their name on it and a picture printed from your computer [try the same one you used for your invitation]. Inside the bag, put a sharpened pencil or a pen, some beer score sheets [depending on how many beers you are serving. if you are serving 8, put 8 printed sheets together and punch a hole in the top left corner and tie a black or orange ribbon through it to keep it together] and a list of terms you can use to describe the taste of the beers.

Try this list:

• Amber: Describes medium intensity colored beers, ranging between pale and dark.
• Balance: As with wine, describes how a good beer should exhibit a perfect balance of ingredients, bouquet, texture and aroma. Neither the malty sweetness nor the hoppy bitterness should dominate.
• Bitterness: In beer comes from the hops. Generally the higher the hop content, the more bitter the beer.
• Big beer: Refers to the richness or fullness of flavor derived from the malt. Big beers often have a high alcohol content.
• Black: Describes non-transparent, deep, dark brown beers.
• Body: As with wine, refers to the "mouthfeel," the impact and texture of the beer on the palate.
• Bouquet: Another wine tasting term, describes the beer’s complex aromas.
• Caramel: Refers to a buttery, toffee-flavored aftertaste.
• Clean: Refers to pure, crisp, fresh tasting beer, free of sediment. The opposite of clean is cloying.
• Clove: Refers to the flavor of wheat beers that often resembles the taste of cloves.
• Crisp: Often associated with lagers and weiss beers, refers to a beer’s acidity and refreshing qualities.
• Depth: Denotes both the beer's richness and its complexity of flavors.
• Finish: Another wine tasting term, describes a beer’s aftertaste and your final impression of it.
• Flat: Refers to characterless, dull, insipid, often insufficiently carbonated beer.
• Flowery: Refers to the flowery aroma hops give beer.
• Fresh: Refers to a beer free from oxidation. .
• Full-bodied: Characterizes malty beers with complex flavors.
• Haze: Caused by yeast or protein suspension, refers to a cloudy appearance and slightly musty taste.
• The head: Is the frothy top layer that forms when beer is poured into a glass.
• Hoppy: Refers to a beer with a high hop content.
• Malty: Is the term for sweet, smoky, earthy flavored beers that have undertones of treacle, caramel or molasses.
• Oxidized: Like wine, refers to the liquid's exposure to oxygen.
• Smooth: Characterizes easy drinking beers with great mouthfeel.
• Spicy: Refers to a distinctly hoppy flavor or the aroma of herbs.
• Thin: Refers to a watery, one-dimensional beer that lacks body or character.
  

The next and final installation in this series will include some tips on what beer to serve to your guests and how to serve it to them!

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party phD: April Fools' Day

Photo Credit: Jonathan Assink

April Fools' Day, also known as All Fools Day is a faux-liday 'celebrated' on April 1st in many countries around the world. Read on to find out more about this day of pranks and jokes.
The origin of April Fools' Day may have had little to do with the way it is now celebrated. There is no real 'first April Fool's Day' to speak of. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, where those who celebrated the arrival of spring too early were dubbed 'April Fools', while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar, where those who hadn't yet switched to the Gregorian calendar and attempted to celebrate New Year's on what was now April 1st were called April Fools. Whatever the origin, we have no come to mark this occasion by playing pranks on people.

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. In some countries, the jokes only last until noon such as Canada, The UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In other places, such as the USA, the jokes can last all day.

Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com

Martha Stewart's website has some cute ideas for some April Fools' Day pranks to pull on friends and family including this one where you secure a rubber band around the handle of the sink sprayer so when someone turns on the water it shoots from the sprayer instead of the faucet!

What pranks have you successfully executed for April Fools' Day?

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finding inspiration: drink dispensers

I am 100% in love with drink dispensers and I have been for a few months [ever since I saw it in martha stewart weddings]. i was on the pottery barn website today and came across another gorgeous one and that of course sent me on a hunt for more! read on to see what i found.



above is the original cuteness i saw in martha's magazine. how amazing would this be at a childrens party or backyard bbq or wedding! they are made by roost.



here is the one from pottery barn. it's on sale! i love how it looks with lemonade in it with pieces of lemon floating around.



this is from vivaterra. i like the country feel of it. they don't seem to have any available, but a quick search led me to some similar ones.

have you used a drink dispenser at a party before? what kind did you use?

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- eats

Photo Credit: Ernesto Andrade

the beer tasting party is really about the beer. the food will be minimal, just simple snacks that compliment the taste excursion you are taking your guests on with the beer. read on for some suggestions.

cheese

many people don't think of beer and cheese as complementary when in fact they go very well together. depending on the beer you are serving at your party [something we will get to in a later post] you can choose a variety of cheeses to match.

• Wheat beers, American Lagers: fresh, soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese
• Pilsners, American fruit beers: Camembert or Brie
• English brown ales, amber ales, golden ales: semi-soft, Trappist cheeses such as Gouda, Havarti, port. salut, Monterey Jack
• Pilsners, IPAs, strong ales: semi-hard sliceable cheese such as cheddar, Swiss, Jarlsberg
• Porters, stouts, dark beers: Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and other blues

Of course this is just an introductory list. to read more about beer and cheese pairings, click here.

heartier fare
try something a little heartier if you suspect your crowd will be hungry. a nice stew or chili, smoked sausages, meatballs or shepard's pie.

Photo Credit: Food Network

the usual suspects +
some people just aren't into having anything but wings or pretzels with their beer... which is fine! some great salty snacks that you can serve at your party include pork skins, cashews, pickled eggs, nachos, ham & cheese empanadas, hard pretzel sticks, chips, popcorn. set them in bowls around your tasting/party area and just let your guests go at them.

you could also try making a few easy flatbread pizzas to have set around. this recipe from Bobby Flay might do the trick for your guests.

something else you might want to prepare for your guests is Cucumber kimchi (oisobagi kimchi). check out this video to see how to prepare it.

no matter what you select as your food for your party [traditional snacks, cheeses or full entrées] remember that the focus of your party is on the beer! your food should naturally guide your guests from sample to sample and not overtake the flavours of the beer you are serving.

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springtime flowers

Photo Credit: The Nest

buying flowers in season is nothing new. it's the best way to ensure the most bang for your buck and the freshest blooms. here are a bunch [no pun intended!] of vibrant springtime beauties to use in your décor, some standard and some quite unique. read on for a few more flower ideas from the nest and some suggestions on how to incorporate them into your spring table design.


the grape hyacinth pictured above is a fun, sweet-smelling flower. this bulb would look gorgeous as a single stem or two in a tall clear vase. place the vases down the centre of your table [about 3-4 of them]. they can also be used as a fresh party favour for your guests. set each favour on their plate.

Photo Credit: The Nest

Tweedia [above] is a little star-shaped blossom often used as a delicate accent flower in bouquets and boutonnieres. it would be a beautiful accent to your spring table as a scattering of pretty blue down the centre and around your place settings. pull the blossom off the stem and sprinkle over your table as desired; generously or sparingly scattered both look wonderful.

Photo Credit: The Nest

the Anemone is a flower of many vibrant and uplifting colours, red, pink, purple, magenta. anemones would look beautiful as a bunch of 6-8 stuck into a medium height clear vase, perhaps with some smooth dark pebbles in the bottom with water. fill the gap between the heads of the flowers and the rim of the vase with some lush green hydrangea.

what are some of your favourite spring flowers? how do you incorporate them into your springtime table settings?

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- invitations

sure, everyone's had beer before. but have you every really tasted it? beer tasting is a rewarding, fun and educational experience. so why not host a beer tasting party for a few of your friends? the invitations are the first step in this party planning series. read on to see how i created the invites.

first, pick a date and time and create your guest list. about 6-10 people is a good number for an intimate beer tasting.
then, choose a picture for your invitation. i found this one on flickr's creative commons here. i placed this image inside a text box in microsoft word. i changed the background of the text box to orange, you can use any colour that goes well with your chosen picture.
next, i left-aligned my text and, using the font 'Cooper', i typed out my invitation. for the headings i used 'Cooper' and for the information i used 'Calibri'. choose a font that reflects your picture and colour, these are fairly standard.
for my party, i decided my offering of beer would be a local bunch. you can create any theme such as beers from around the world or beers you have never tasted before.
don't forget the RSVP line!
stay tuned for more info on the beer tasting party!

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finding inspiration

Photo Credit: Sara Tams

Searching on etsy.com has become a hopeless pastime of mine. I love looking through the paper goods category, gathering inspiration for parties and themes as I go. Today I stumbled upon Sarah & Abraham, a cute little stationary and card shop. Read on to see what I found.




When I found her shop, I was instantly drawn in by these Partridge Family-esque bird drawings. After a little more snooping around I came across Sara's blog and found some awesome party ideas from satisfied customers that used Sara's personalised products and sent her pictures of the event they hosted (such as a cute bug themed party, a horton hears a who party and a pink poodle party). Adorable.

Sara's paper products are definitely inspiring, and the psychedelic bird design from her etsy shop just might inspire me to create a new party theme of my own.

Where do you find your inspirations?


To visit Sarah & Abraham click here.
To visit the Etsy shop, click here.

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party pick: Earth Hour 2009

Photo Credit: Earth Hour Canada

At 8:30 p.m. on Saturday March 28, the world will turn off its lights for just one hour – Earth Hour^TM – to show it is possible to take action on climate change. Switching off your lights is just one simple action that you can take to help make a difference and it sends a powerful message that we care about our planet. There may be events already happening in your area to celebrate this wonderful cause, or you may opt to host your own! Read on for event listings for our party pick of the week and some tips to create your own Earth Hour soirée.

There are Earth Hour events happening all over the world, many taking place right here in Canada. In Toronto, there is a huge free concert. The second annual family-oriented event is being held at Nathan Phillips Square from 7-10pm. Similar events are being held in major cities across Canada. To find an event near you, use the event finder tool on the WWF Earth Hour website. You can search for private events and sponsored events.


hosting your own party

-create some simple eco-friendly invitations on recycled greeting cards. cut the front of the card off and use it like a postcard, writing the party info on the back. think of a fun tagline for your party such as 'lights out- time to party!'. ask your guests to dress in black.

-to decorate, purchase some soy-based candles to place around the room you are hosting your party in. use a black table cloth for your table and if you have a globe [or multiple globes], set that on your appetizer table or use as your centrepiece at the dinner table.

-consider the prep and cook time of the food you are serving. aim for dishes that require no/low-heat cooking temperature or no/low-energy to prepare/store. try these suggestions

-what to do when Earth Hour arrives and you must turn off the lights [and use as little power as possible]? play board games [try Apples to Apples, Eat my Trivia, or Cranium]! Not into games? How about a sing-along [if you have a fire pit, even better!]! anything you can think of that involves little to no power is fair game. take pictures, give makeovers, do a craft, stargaze!

-send your guests home with a gift bag [just a simple paper bag will do]. inside it, put an eco-friendly CFL lightbulb and a list of activities to do when the power is off.

For more information on Earth Hour and to sign yourself up to participate, visit wwf.ca/earthhour.

What are your plans for Earth Hour?

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