The coolest thing EVER!

I attended an event on Tuesday and saw the coolest thing ever! It was an indoor waterfall that spelled out words and created images with water. The "show-stopping" waterfall was the backdrop of a runway that was used for a fashion show. Wizard Connection out of Orlando, FL provided this along with many other elements that added to the event. This video is from a different event which used the same type of waterfall. Check it out... I promise you will be impressed!

Grand exit- Go out with a bang

Don’t you love the end of concerts when they shoot confetti out into the crowd? Now you can have that excitement incorporated into your wedding. Flutter flicker sticks shoot colored tissue paper up to 12” in the air with a simple flick of the wrist. These fetti-filled tubes come in many sizes and colors and would be great for your guests to use during your last dance or grand exit.

Photos provided by http://www.dlsweddingplanner.wordpress.com/

“Steel” my personal wedding vision

The jig is up… and now you can “steel” my personal wedding vision. For years now, I have had my wedding planned out in my head- right down to the last detail. In time I have added some things, removed some things but one thing has always stayed the same… my wedding colors. It is something that I don’t say out loud mainly because the word “SINGLE” has become my middle name but also because I didn’t want other brides using the vision for MY wedding before I could.

While browsing through theknot.com website recently, I realized that my secret wedding colors are OUT and are part of the latest trends. So now (thanks to theknot.com and also the fact that Mr. Right isn’t beating down my door) I am going to share some of my personal wedding visions and ideas with YOU! The colors… wait for it…. wait for it…. Steel blue-gray and PALE pink. I know- how beautiful! I can just picture a beautiful ballroom with steel blue-gray linens, silver and crystal accents (candelabras, chiavari chairs, chargers, etc.) and pale pink roses everywhere. With all of that said, I now pass the torch to you… go out and make me proud.

Fabulous Wedding Favors

Personally, I think that wedding favors CAN be a huge waste of money. Unless you choose a favor that your guests will definitely use, you may as well throw your money into the garbage yourself because that’s exactly where it will end up! One thing that I have noticed throughout the years is that you can never go wrong with food. Whether it is a pretty favor box filled with mini-chocolates or a cellophane baggy consisting of “smores” ingredients, chances are it may not even make it out of the parking lot. When my brother (who is a bass fisherman) got married last year, we ordered chocolates that were molded in the shape of a fish and used labels that read “Troy and Michelle… Celebrating the CATCH of their lives.” It was a huge hit! Another way of incorporating food into your favors is to create custom recipe cards of menu items that were served at your reception. Take it a step further and have the recipe cards printed in your wedding colors, stamp them with your “wedding logo”, laminate them, add a jeweled embellishment or ribbon at the top or even combine several recipe cards and place them on a ring. This is a very inexpensive favor idea that your guests will absolutely love.

Other fabulous wedding favors can reflect the season that your wedding falls in. Use an ornament favor for those December weddings and a personalized beach ball or Frisbee favor for the July-August weddings. If you are having a destination wedding, give your guests a favor that reflects the location. For a Mexican wedding try using a mini bottle of tequila or hand painted maracas. Beignet mix, a ceramic Mardi Gras mask or a bottle of hot sauce would all be perfect favors for a New Orleans wedding. For general wedding favor ideas, go around your house and think of little things that you use often such as a paper weight, bookmark, pill container, or luggage tag. You will be amazed of the great ideas that will come to you this way and your guests will be even more amazed to receive a favor that they will actually use.

More Ideas....

Did I mention to give your guests food?

Tie the knot... with chocolate covered pretzels.

Pills, vitamins, candies... OH MY!

A Must-Try Recipe- Cajun Crawfish Dip

With fall right around the corner I am sure your calendar is filling up fast. Whether it’s a football tailgate or a back-to-school party, you are surely in need of a great new recipe. Being from Louisiana, I thought I would share one of my Cajun favorites. It’s very easy and delicious!

Ingredients

Handful of diced shallots and onion

1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1 minced garlic clove

1 - lb. peeled crawfish
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 stick of butter
Pinch of seasoning (salt, pepper, Tony’s, etc.)

In a large saucepan melt butter then add onion, garlic and shallots. Sauté' on a med-low fire until soft. Add crawfish and cook 3-4 minutes. Cut cream cheese into chunks and add to other ingredients in saucepan while stirring. Once cream cheese is melted, add cream of mushroom soup. Stir and season to your liking. Serve hot with tortilla chips, crackers or toasted garlic bread.

LIGHT UP...your next event!

I have recently come across something great that I am just dying to use for one of my next events. It’s a Mobile Cigar Lounge, which is definitely the next step up from the much used cigar bar. It’s a place where people can relax, have a cigar, and be pampered. Everything in the Mobile Cigar Lounge was custom built; from the hardwood parquet flooring and ostrich leather seating to the built in humidor and five flat screen televisions. The rental includes an event technician who ensures delivery, set-up and smooth operation during the entire event, non-alcoholic beverages and a fully stocked humidor of premium cigars. It also includes Cigarista’s who will float your event offering your choice of cigars to your guests. Tampa is the flagship location and plans are currently underway to expand the company into other top event producing cities. I think that the Mobile Cigar Lounge would be a HUGE hit at any type of event or wedding.

Welcome!

Well, I did it- I created my blog. This is something that I have wanted to do for quite some time and finally got the motivation to do it while attending the Engage08 symposium in Celebration, FL in June. I want to start out by saying that I am horrible with technology and computers so bare with me here. With that said, I do feel like I have great things to share with my fellow wedding industry professionals, clients, friends and anyone who is interested in weddings and events. It may take me a while to snaz this thing up and to really figure out the world of blogging but I do promise some great reading material in the meantime. Thanks for visiting my blog and be sure to check back often!