Tips of Staying Organized

Tips of Staying Organized

            The key to any successful wedding is all in the planning. Typically it is not unusual to have small things go wrong but always remember to have a plan and stick with it. It is not the best idea to change it during the middle of the planning process.

            The top thing to remember is not get lazy. Some people like the attention of their engagement period that they end up setting things aside until a later time. It is important not to try to cram everything into a too-short period of time. Enjoy your engagement time for a little while but you have to get started when you can. Planning can be a long process, so just be prepared.

            Buy a calendar or a datebook. These will help tremendously in planning and staying on schedule with everything you have to do. If you have a calendar, it will easily be read and remind you of what appointments you have.  Vendors usually are on time and it would be upsetting to them if the bride or groom forgot or was late to their appointment. As much as the vendor is trying to impress you, they still have the opportunity to turn you down. Being on time and organized with all your dates will help you in the wedding process.

            Setting aside time to focus on wedding details is important. Usually pick a certain day of the week or a couple days to move forward in the planning. Also, get your partner involved. It will help eliminate confusion and it is quality time together.  Sharing duties with your partner is the best way to get things done. Both of you should be involved in every step of the way. Divide the list in half and choose what each person wants to do.  This also means that the two of you have to talk. If you are sharing duties make sure to share those details.

            Being flexible is important because every person cannot agree with everything that involves a wedding. Be willing to bend and if you object to something voice your opinions and try to come to a middle point.  Give each other the chance to express their thoughts.

            Details, Contracts, and Negotiations are something to pay close attention to in the planning process. Make sure you clarify all the details and expectations during the first meeting. A contract that says all the dates, time, and locations is something you need to have. Read all the fine print and spell out everything that needs to be known. Negotiations might be an option for certain vendors but not all of them so pay close attention to when to negotiate and when the right time wouldn’t be.

            Organization is obvious. The more organized you are, the less chance there is that something will go wrong. Keep all your wedding information in one place. You even might want to get a notebook for your maid of honor so she has the information as a backup.  During the wedding process there is a lot of information you will receive and staying organized is a great way to help control everything that is going on. 

5 biggest Event Fears

5 Biggest Event Fears

1.      “No one will come.” If you are concerened about no one coming to your event then make sure you promote the event like crazy so you know the word is getting out there. These days’ blogs and social media are key for making your event known. It is important to set up an online event marketing page that people can easily go to so they can find out more information fast. Another thing that could be a great idea would be email marketing campaigns. This can help communicate event details, send out updates, and offer special promotions or discounts. Also, remember to send out plenty of reminders. 

2.      “People aren’t mingling.” During an event, people who don’t know each other will have a hard time talking to others. Name tags, even though they are not the best accessory, are incredibly helpful in getting people to mingle with one another. A fun fact might be a good idea to put on the name tags so people have something to talk about right off the bat. It is a good idea to place the food, beverages and seating in different areas which will help people move about the room.

3.      “People take off early, or won’t leave.” The key for any event is organization. The event needs to be set up and ready for the “early birds” to arrive. If there are scheduled things going on while the event is going then it is a good idea to hand out printed programs so everyone knows the timeline. It is important to create a good end time for the event and as the hour approaches you might need to gently remind people the event is winding down. But don’t be too strict on exactly what time because most people will not linger.

4.      “Uninvited party crashers show up.”  During most events, people who are not invited will show up. It might be old coworkers, maybe your competition, or even an ex. In this situation you want to be the positive person and surprise them by being the first to say hello. Hopefully any grievances with you will be private and not get interfere with your guests. 

5.      “Someone’s knocked back one too many cocktails.” You will always have that one guests who might get a little crazy with the cocktails and a good way to prevent that from happening is to instruct the bartender to limit the amount of drinks give out to any person. If someone has been over served it would be a good idea to get them a cab or a ride home.

You can do your best to plan for everything and something will most likely happen. If something does go wrong it is important to stay calm and make sure everyone that you are working with understands what is happening. If you are positive about your event, it is likely everyone will think positive about it too. 

The "WOW Factor" of the event

Wow Factor

          Planning an event can be fun and overwhelming but making sure your event has the “wow factor” is important. This can be defined many ways and can be viewed differently. The Event Manager Blog says the wow factor is what makes us happy about an event. It drives us to share a story when we go back home and it induces us to buy a ticket for next year and forget about the prices. It might be easier to have a big wow factor at huge corporate events but it also can be done at simple weddings. When you are hosting an event you want your guests to walk into the room and be wowed. There are two things to pay attention to when trying to produce that amazing event.

          The food is something that will make your guests happy and it will help make the event memorable.  Food is important to any event and that is why you go for a tasting weeks before your wedding. Delicious food can be easily memorable and that is why it is important to make sure it is what you want and what you think your guests will enjoy at your event.

          Linens help dress up a room and set the tone of an event. The tablecloths, overlays, table runners, tie-backs and chair covers are a crucial role in helping make a statement and make the lasting impression you are trying to aim for. There are many ways to dress up your event; you can go for elegant and exquisite or contemporary and colorful. If you have a theme to the event this is a great way to tie that in. Linens can make or break your event so it is important to be able to walk into the room and know exactly that you did your best. The linens are most likely the first thing that people will see and it is important for them to be amazed about how everything looks. If you follow these tips on planning your event, it will have that wow factor that you are looking for. 

The Knot: Destination Wedding Basics

The Knot: Destination Wedding Basics

                The Knot is a web based informal that helps future brides or inspiring planners dream of that perfect wedding.  It also explores the possibilities of brides considering a destination wedding. In the past, going anywhere to get married meant eloping which would mean the couple would try to get away and tie the knot in a more intimate setting. Today, however,  the idea has changed and has a growing number of couples who are traveling to different location of the U.S. for their wedding. Sometimes destination weddings involve just the couple or it can be a handful of friends and family also. The Knot made a list of things that explain why a destination wedding has become a growing trend :

      “They’re Virtually Stress-Free” 

          Weddings can be a very stressful time in anyone’s life. There are so many things to be planning for      and to be organizing that it might take the fun out of the engagement time.  Honeymoon-happy resorts and cruise lines are making it easier and more appealing to wed on their site. Usually any destination you will be looking into will have a full-time wedding coordinator on staff that are familiar with everything you will need. For example, they will know the country’s marriage license requirements and they offer wedding packages that take care of all the ceremony essentials.

            “No Family Drama”

Wedding location is important for everyone involved and it might even become important to long lost relatives. Having a destination wedding insures that the bride or the groom is favoring one side of the family and will be able to narrow down the list faster. For a destination wedding the most important people will be there. There will be little to no “scene-stealing family drama” at destination weddings because people will be more focused on what is really important, the couple.

             “They’re Cost Effective”

Weddings can get high in price rather quickly and the best thing about a destination wedding is the availability to get a package where everything will already be included.  Since   many resorts all over have destination wedding packages it is more affordable to get a package deal then pay for a wedding and everything in it and also be thinking about a honeymoon. In this case, the couple will already be at their honeymoon location.

               “You Call The Shots”

Weddings can link anyone to the traditions of their ancestors and cultures. Couples want their own experience to be unique and reflect on their own true colors. In a destination wedding, the world is your altar. It is also to make your own rules and traditions for yourself and your wedding. You are in charge of your destination wedding so if you want to walk down the altar with no shoes or hire a ukulele band go for it, no one is stopping you.

              “They’re Simply Perfect for Second Marriages”

If it didn’t work out for the first time and now you are in love again, destination weddings are perfect because they are simple and private. If the couple has children, it is a good idea to get married at a kid-friendly, all-inclusive resort or cruise to help your new family do some bonding.

         “They’re a Once-in-a-Lifetime Reunion Opportunity” 

          Destination weddings are a vacation of a lifetime. For a wedding like this it is usually required to     arrive a few days early to fill out paperwork for your special day so by the time your wedding rolls around     you have been relaxing and having fun with your fiancé and your close family and friends. This choice of your wedding will give you the opportunity to spend no-rush quality playtime with your family and friends.

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/destination-weddings/articles/why-have-a-destination-wedding.aspx

               

                

Branding your Company: How do you stand out above the competition?

Branding Your Company

            Branding a new company might be difficult but there are some things that you need to pay attention to while trying to increase your name recognition. Here are some tips that you should remember while branding your company.

1.     You need to remember to brand your company with a great image and a message that represents your company well. Develop the image that coincides with the brand and your message.

2.     Having a mission statement that represents the company will show the customers the value that you will provide to your clients and customers.

3.     A tagline is important so people can remember it and show who you are and what you do.

4.     Keep up with the media and your website so people can easily go see what you have been up to and look at what experiences you have been able to achieve.

5.     It is important to participate in other companies' events so your name can be recognized and introduced to clients and allow business networking to begin.

6.     Hire an industry professional to conduct a survey about your company so your customers can read other review on your services.

7.     Make sure that search engines will assist others to locate your business easily when  looking for information about your services you provide.

8.     It is important to establish your brand by updating the financial value or potential value that relates to your company.

There is a website available that is extremely helpful in creating your brand and making sure everything is ready to be released. Please visit http://aboutpublicrelations.net/ucmckerns3.htm for more information and about the branding process and tips on how to correctly make your company known.

Dreamworks Event Designs

Upcoming bridal/event planning shows

Aug 12 | Colorado Bridal Show

Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown Denver

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

1420 Stout Street, Denver, CO 80202

(303) 400-3470

http://www.bridalshowcolorado.com

Tickets: $7.00 On-line | $9.00 At The Door

Aug 19 | Rocky Mountain Bridal Show

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center

700 14th Street - Mile High Ballroom, Denver, CO 80202

(303) 650-0674

contact@rockymtnbridalshow.com

http://rockymtnbridalshow.com/show.html?show.id=2337

Tickets: $7.00 On-line | $10.00 At The Door - $2 discount available on site

Tuesday, September 11, 2012
11:00am - 3pm

1420 Stout St.
Denver, CO 80202
Directions: 303-592-1000

South Denver Metro
1st Major South Denver Bridal Show of the Season!
September 16, 2012

10345 Park Meadows Drive
Lone Tree, Colorado 80124
(Can be seen from I-25, Lincoln Avenue Exit)
[Light Rail: Take E or F Line to Lincoln]
Directions: (303) 935-0004

Sample Elegant Wedding Cupcakes
At The Show!

 

History Facts of Event Planning

  Event Planners can be defined as the systematic management of events and gatherings according to Event Planning America. This industry is one of the emerging sectors with a promising future. When we look back in history,  event planning was hardly considered a profession and now it is one of the most successful professions in the service. There is no set time that dates back when the industry of Event Planning began but there are some facts about how it is evolving into what it is today. This industry has taken a positive turn in the last two decades and has grown enormously. The Entrepreneur website for Event Planning says the annual spending for the special events worldwide is estimated at over $500 Billion dollars and is still growing. Over the last century the massive developments faced by all nations and this has uplifted lifestyles of individuals and business making it important for the industry.

          A reason why the industry has grown is because of globalization. This has added to the national businesses calls on event planners to plan their own special event. Event planners are helpful in large corporations because there are a lot of things that need to be established on top of work that might be easier for a planner to do.  The social and corporate markets are the two that are most likely to hire a planner. These days, the social event market is booming due to the baby boomers. “As the baby boomers age, they have more to celebrate-and do” (Entrepreneur.com)! These boomers are celebrating milestone birthdays, and other achievements in their life. Another event that is becoming popular in the younger generation is the children’s birthday parties. Over the top first birthday celebrations and amazing sweet 16s are contributing to the rapid growth in the event planning industry.

          Studies have shown that the average planner will earn about $60,000. These earnings do not come over night. It takes an event planner two to three years to make a healthy profit and the main reason for that is because clients come from word of mouth. The referrals from other clients help spread the word about the specific company and if it is successful or not

          Event planning is continuing to grow in a positive direction with more power and strength and it is going towards a goal of excellence among other service sectors too.

          The websites where I got some of these facts are http://www.entrepreneur.com/downloads/guides/1313_Event_Planning_ch1.pdf and http://eventplanningamerica.com/article-details.aspx?aid=39&title=Development-of-Event-Planning-Over-the-Last-Century If you are interested in the history of this industry, these  websites are great informatives. 

The Groom’s Wedding Guide

          Men, you have done your part by popping that very important question but now what? Do you get to sit back and relax while everyone plans your wedding? That will not make your fiancé very happy so here is a list of what you need to do during the wedding planning process.

          The first thing that you can start doing is make a list of family, friends and co-workers that you would like to invite. This will give you both an idea of how many people you would like to attend and how many people your ceremony and reception area can hold.  It is hard to invite everyone that you know but attempts should be made to limit the number for budget concerns.

          Helping out with the wedding budget is a good idea. Be prepared because the average American wedding cost between 15k-25k and is increasing annually so suggest have a dinner with both families so everyone can discuss what costs can be covered.  Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the wedding and the groom’s pay for the rehearsal. However, it is common these days to try to split the wedding between both families as much as possible.

          The groom can help out by calling vendors and finding out information about them. It is easy to set up appointments as well,  this is a great easy way to help out in the process. The vendors can sometimes be hard to schedule an appointment,  so it is a good idea to talk to your bride to be and find out a couple dates and times that would work best before contacting the vendor.

          Choosing your Best Man and Groomsmen can be a little complicated for the men. It is important to remember that if you have a brother, that is typically who will be your best man and your friends will be the Groomsmen. If your fiancé has a brother it is important to include him into your Groomsmen line. By this time you will be getting a hang out what responsibilities you have. A great website for any man of the wedding should look at would be http://www.thegroomguide.com/groomduties3.html. This website goes into a lot of details of what you need to be doing until the moment you say I do. 

Celebrity Wedding Planners: ~For the Inspired Planner~

Celebrity Wedding Planners Advice

Charlie Scola (aka “PartyCharlie”) who is a celebrity event planner from Los Angeles has a book that will help event planners and planners alike, receive professional advice from a celebrity  stand as well as being and experienced planner. The book “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to a Successful Party” shares his secrets on creating successful celebrations and parties. Charlie Scola has a long list of famous celebrities he has planned events for and this book helps share some of his secrets of his success.

        Another celebrity planner Diann Valentine explains how she became the planner she is today. She started her company when she was a senior in high school and had $100 in her pocket. She stated that what helped her become great is by paying attention to her competition. She needed to be miles better than her competitors and different at the same time. Her show “I do Over” on WE TV, helps brides who’s weddings have become more of a hassle then an enjoyment. She helps the wedding get turned around. Something that any planner should read is her book “Weddings: Valentine Style.” She aims to inspire her readers and help them imagine what their weddings could be. 

      

  One of the most famous planners that loves helping brides in need is David Tutera. He is a bridal fashion designer, designer, author and professional speaker. Mr. Tutera hosts his own show on the network of WE called My Fair Wedding with David Tutera where he helps brides in need have the wedding they have always dreamed about. He is also the author of seven books. Mr. Tutera has been awarded “Best Celebrity Wedding Planner” and also was named by Modern Bride Magazine one of the Top 25 Trendsetters of the Year. David Tutera has published a total of seven books that aim to help people plan for their weddings. Any of these books are a planners helper.
My Fair Wedding (Gallery Books), The Big White Book of Weddings: The How-to Guide For The Sawy, Stylish Bride (St. Martins Press), Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings (Disney Publishing), Big Birthdays (Bulfinch Press), The Party Planner (Bulfinch Press), America Entertains: A Year of Imaginative Parties (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang), and A Passion for Parties: Your Guide to Elegant Entertaining (Simon & Schuster).

       

         Colin Cowie is the next celebrity who has put his knowledge into books for other people to read and learn about. Mr. Cowie is a well-known event planner to the stars and one of his most recent planned parties was for Oprah Winfrey’s farewell to her show. He has been a host to television shows and was a member of the CBS Early Show for eight years. He has written eight books, including five wedding books. Colin Cowie Weddings, For The Bride, For The Groom, Extraodinary Weddings,  and Colin Cowie Wedding Chic. He also has two cookbooks, a book on living with style, and three books with design. Also, Mr. Cowie signed a three book deal with Sterling Publishing where his first out of the three will be coming out in the fall of 2012.  

        These  four top of the line wedding planners are individuals to look out for in the future.  Any of their books would be helpful for any kind of event planning or just for a fun to read about planning specialized events such as weddings or as simple as a birthday party. Stay tuned, you may be the celebrity planner!

Keep up the event Spirit!

Gloria Lightner

Event Planner

Dreamworks Event Designs

Upcoming events @ Dreamworks Event Designs

Weddings! Weddings and more Weddings!

OMG! Where do I start? The company has been approached to plan various events this year! From birthday and cocktaill parties to rehearsal dinners and Weddings!

We have been connected with some very powerful and professional vendors to make the clients events successful! Such vendors are Downtown Aquarium, Holiday Inn Lakewood, Valley Country Club, The Chophouse, Mc Boat Photography, Makery Cake, Elegant Bakery, Rock Candy DJ and many many more!

On July 28, 2012, marks the huge and elegant wedding ceremony and reception in bling and bliss! The colors will be  bold and gracious, can you say Black and White? The ambience will be simplicid! I can't wait for the decorations, the ceremony, the reception, the limousine entrance! The occasion will be endless! Stay tuned for more information and photos of the most elegant wedding ever!

What can I say about our next wedding scheduled, August 18, 2012? The eco-friendly decor and ceremony will introduce the audience in a glimpse of relaxation and simple elegance with greenery and glorious floral picasa! Thanks to Valley Country Club for making this event a huge success!

Next two scheduled weddings:

September 22, 2012

June 15, 2013

And a host of other events to follow! Stay tuned to our blog for more pictures, more events and more details of how Dreamworks Event Designs is taking the event industry to the next level!

Ready? Get set? Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Staging the event

There are some things that you need to pay close attention to while you are planning and staging your events. Here are some tips for helping you through the process.

Tip 1: Have a Plan

Your plan should include a timeline and everyone’s responsibilities for the upcoming days and the day of the event. It is also a good idea to have someone who has good project management skills to help the process move smoothly.

Tip 2: Create a Theme

Having a theme helps get the ball rolling on what you need to buy for the event and how you want it to look. This step requires you to do some research on what your event will be like and how it will attract your guests and help them have a great time.

Tip 3: Set a Budget

The budget is one of the most important things to pay attention to when you are staging your event. There has to be an understanding of how much money can be set aside for each part of the party. It is easy to go above your budget without knowing so setting it now helps down the road.

Tip 4: Pick the Perfect Spot

Location is key to any event. You want to be happy with the end results and those results manly focus on the event location. The venue has to fun and unique and it has to match with your events theme. At this stage the budget will come into play and hopefully it will help the process go smooth. 

Tip 5: Manage Effectively

The people who are in charge of the event should be able to handle all of the details.

Things go wrong from time to time and it is important for the problems to be taken care of. This tip helps ensure that everything will be in code and will help provide the essentials for the event.

 

TLC’s Top 10 Questions for Event Planner

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/weddings/10-questions-to-ask-your-wedding-planner10.htm

Pinterest & Weddings

Dreamworks Event Designs

W

eddings are something a girl has fantasized  about her entire life. The fairy tale she has always dreamed about. There is a new pinboard website that makes planning for your special day fun and offer many different ideas you may have never even dreamed of. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where people come to pin creative ideas and form a collection of pictures that help you visualize what you want your wedding to look like. Pinterest is not only for weddings, but for anything you can imagine. It has taken over many women’s computers and is a place to come and share ideas with other people who are interested in the same thing as you.

It isn’t just the ladies in white who are enjoying this 2 year old site. It is changing the industry for vendors, planners, and also magazines. People get to see different companies that they might have never heard about. This helps them start to narrow down what they are looking for in their own wedding. Pinterest is a great way to stay on top of the wedding trends and see what other people are talking about.

Even though Pinterest is a great place to express your ideas and repin what you like from others there are some downfalls to it. Something to keep in mind is not to post all your ideas to keep some surprise on your special day. One of the worst things that can happen to a bride is that someone else has the same ideas for their wedding as you do. Keep some of your own ideas a secret so this doesn’t happen. But remember that this day is yours, make it how you want it.

Pinterest Statistics

1.       Pinterest users spend an average of almost 16 minutes on the site per visit (12.1 for Facebook).

2.       50% of Pinterest users have children.

3.       Almost 70% of Pinterest users are female.

4.       97% of Pinterest’s Facebook fans are women.

5.       As of January 2012, Pinterest had received just under 12 million unique visits.

6.       Pinterest receives almost 1.5 million visitors each day.

7.       Pinterest provides more referral traffic to other sites than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined.