Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

A Social event contriver can support you in taking charge of the events but you may still demand your friends around at some point in this time. You sure need a committee of friends for your wedding here. This can be made up of your very close acquaintances that would support you to have a remarkable wedding.

To start a committee of friends for your wedding, name your closest friends in a list. Communicate to each of your friends that you are counting on them to make your wedding day worth remembering. As a member of a social organization, you may not find it hard to get other members to become members of your committee of friends.

Before you conclude on engaging a committee of friends for your marriage ceremony, you need to determine what purpose they will play in the wedding. The wedding concept you have will influence the duties of your friends.

You may decide to set up your wedding planning committee of friends to assist you in the following areas: Assist you with finance, decorate the wedding for you, provide supplies needed, joining the bridal group in uniform and engaging in other necessary activity. It is important to note that your committee of friends is a potential wedding and event planner for you.

However, you do not have to rely on a committee of friends completely because they may disappoint you. What I have in mind is that there are some times when our human efforts cannot take care of certain undesirable events in our lives. Apologies could be made by your friends in the course of the wedding preparations.

Hence, you must have an alternative plan for successful wedding.

Do you want to throw a birthday party or an anniversary celebration? Perhaps you'd like to organize a fund raiser but don't know how to go about it? You may have ideas brimming over you and now spilling through your ears. Grab a piece of paper and pencil and get your thoughts organized. There are quite a number of questions you will need to answer and once you've jotted those questions down, you'll start to realize that perhaps you might need a little extra boost in throwing your party or getting your event together.

Some of these questions will range from how many guests are coming, to the type of paper to use for the invitations you need to send out, to what kind of canapés you ought to serve. Then there are also more detailed items to turn your attention to like whether your event needs a host or master of ceremony, the sound system provider, chairs and tables, etc. Now you're beginning to realize that maybe there's more to events than just the main costume theme or event title. There are countless other things that go unseen by the guests but are essential for the event to be successful.

There is a question of getting in contact with suppliers and owners or managers of the chosen venue. If your event requires catering, your planner will also be the one getting in touch with the catering service and staff and making sure that they can get a team together for your little shindig. If you're trying to convince yourself that you can take on all these responsibilities just to save some money on hiring a professional planner, then you're in for quite a rollercoaster ride. It's difficult being both the host and organizer of any event?especially if it is on a corporate scale. Events like galas, charity balls, exhibits, etc are best left to the pros because if you are the host, you will need to keep yourself as stress-free as possible so as to enable you to entertain your guests and still look and be at your best. Taking on the responsibility of an event planner will leave you frazzled and haggard, stealing time away from you that could be spent talking to your more important guests and making essential network connections among your guests. You want to avoid a scenario where the head honcho of a certain corporation you have been trying to get acquainted with comes over to talk but you end up excusing yourself in order to find out why on earth the salmon and lemon dill cucumber tea sandwiches weren't served on time to your slightly famished guests.

Unless you're throwing a Super-Bowl-Sunday event at your home, or a Grey's Anatomy 5- season DVD marathon in your apartment where the only gastronomic menu desired is nothing short of a bag of chips or a bowl of popcorn and some canned drinks, it is good to hire best event planner in putting your event planning services together because you will want your occasion to come out smooth, organized and polished.

Holiday parties are the ultimate stress-busters, if you are one of the invitees; but what if you are hosting a couple of them yourself in the coming holiday season? Be it a small informal gathering with friends and family at your own place or a big official event on New Years' eve, organizing a party takes a lot of time and planning if you want to really make it a stand out experience. The entire process is quite stressful too. However, if you avail of the comprehensive holiday party event registration software, much of your workload is reduced.

How?

Opt for the holiday event registration software to know how the solution can make your party management procedures absolutely stress-free in five simple steps:

1. The software helps you to create online event registration forms using its pre-built form templates and upload them online to be accessed by your guests 24/7 from every part of the world.

2. It enables you to collect party registration fees via a number of online and offline payment means. You can even track every transaction in real-time using the online payment management solution that comes with this application. Hence, requests for party contributions do not have to be made by the organizer personally.

3. It sends out bulk email invitations, reminders, and notifications using the automated event mail and listing management tools. So, you are able to save a large amount of money that would have been otherwise spent on posting paper invitation cards.

4. You do not have to worry about promoting your holiday parties. The software provides a Social Media Connector. You just need to purchase it by paying a minimal amount and you can easily connect to social media sites to reach out to a wider target audience.

5. When your parties are full and absolutely packed to capacity, this software lets you provide a number of wait listing options to your guests. This enables you to accommodate at least a few of your guests from the waitlists in case of last minute cancellations. In this way, you make your guests happy and your events become a roaring success with enhanced participation.

The software provides the latest mobile applications by using which you can send updates of your holiday parties to all your registered guests. You can even set online calendars with the software to add a further zing to your promotional activities.

Ever thought of building a private community network with all your office colleagues and business partners? If you are to host a series of holiday parties shortly, then coming up with such a community can be a great idea. You create regular discussion forums and encourage your members to participate in them, and whenever there is a party or event you can instantly notify your members about it through this platform. This way, your parties get instant publicity, which in turn, is reflected in your registration records. To manage the community properly and collect dues and renewals in time you can also avail of the software's member management solution.

Summer is under way and what isn't a better time than now to throw cocktail parties. Here are some cocktail party ideas that don't take much time to produce and won't break the bank!

For starters, let's look at the cocktail party menu. Keep it light and simple. Slice chunks of various kinds of vegetables, skewer them, place the skewers in a simple marinade of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper if desired and then grill or roast the marinated skewers.

Want to mix it up a bit? For outdoor cocktail parties, stick the finished skewered vegetables in a bed of wheat grass and there you have a grilled vegetable garden! Or place the finished vegetables on a platter and decorate the platter with loose flowers such as Cymbidium orchids or Gerber daisies.

I recently attended a cocktail party where the caterer created a great cocktail party menu that included Macadamia nut crusted chicken lollipops. Other menu items can include European cheeses with dates and figs, sliced toasts and crackers.

Have some fun serving your appetizers by using a shot glass at cocktail parties. Create a conversation piece by serving either skewered shrimp with a shot glass of cocktail sauce or soups such as gazpacho or cucumber served in a shot glass. Good old-fashioned milk and cookies where the tray includes shots of cold milk with a side of mini cookies is always fun too.

And since it is summertime, for your outdoor cocktail parties it's always fun to include tray-passed mini-burgers (can be beef, turkey or veggie) and of course the all-time favorite mini-hot dogs.

Other fun cocktail party ideas include creating an all white themed summer event with a white fabric gazebo. You can rent a 10' x 10' canopy and then use sheer fabric to swag the sides of the tent. You may need to bring in a tenting company to help with the small tent but you can buy the fabric yourself to create the swags.

Add some color to your white cocktail parties with colored glass d矇cor items such as vases and marbles for your buffet display as seen in the first picture. Flowers too can be fun and colorful yet simple.

And for drinks, here are some cocktail party ideas that are refreshing and cool for the summer. One cocktail party menu idea is to make your own spa water. Just add any of the following to water and let sit for a bit:

• Fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Citrus such as lemons or oranges
• Cucumbers
• Herbs such as mint or basil

If you prefer serving alcoholic beverages for cocktail parties, think about adding to your beverage menu sangria, mohitos or flavored martinis such as lemon, cucumber or watermelon. (For some cocktail party martini recipes, look at pages 87 and 88 in Budget Bash.)

I hope you found these cocktail party ideas helpful for your summer cocktail parties. Keep your cocktail party menu fun and light and when throwing a cocktail party remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Planning for a small gathering or a house party is something everyone can do quite easily. However, not everyone can organise, or has the spare time and can put in the concerted effort to organise, a big bash such as a wedding or charity ball.

It is in organising these kinds of events that party planning companies can come in to their own. Not only do these party planners ease the administrative burden of the host or hostess in the run up to the event, but they can absolutely take responsibility for the smooth running of every last detail on the night too. Invaluable if you want to enjoy the event yourself!

So, how do you find the perfect party planner? Let's take a look at our list of ten tips to consider when looking for the right party planning company:

1. Type of party planning

Identify what type of party planning is needed. Make a list of the various jobs and responsibilities you want people to look after. Talk with the party planning companies and find out which services they can provide for you. Some party planning companies just offer consultancy for example, or ideas. Then there are others who offer a full service and do all the preparations for the party too. Make sure what you need is clear from the very outset.

2. Budget

Be absolutely sure what you want to spend and on what! If you want to blow the budget on getting your event planned to perfection, but you want the food to be a fish and chip van, then make sure your party planner knows where to apportion your spend!

3. References

Always request references or a list of the company's previous clients and their contact details. Contact them and ask for relevant feedback. If the party planning company refuses to give you references, don't waste any more time and move on to the next company on your list.

4. Arrange a meeting with the party planner

Once you have chosen a party planner who can provide the services that you are looking for, in budget, and with recommendations, meet with the prospective planner. Make sure you get on - you may be speaking to each other ten or 15 times a day in the weeks to come so you need to get on!

5. List of services

Make sure your party planner sets up a list of services that you will need and get them to get to grips with the terms and conditions of all of them. Are they planning on using a caterer that needs to be paid 90% up front for example? Find out what payment schedule the planner has and of course find out what happens if you (or your guests) aren't satisfied.

6. Value for money?

If your goal is to get the best value for money from your party planning company, then always avoid planners, which have to contract certain establishments or vendors for the party's needs. Often it can be a bit like paying the planner twice.

7. Leadership

Always check that the party planner assigned to your event has enough leadership ability and is competent enough to coordinate the event itself. It may be a huge team of hundreds of staff on the night - can they run things how you want them to be run?

8. Food tasting

Make sure your party planner lets you taste the food! Whilst they can book the caterers and order the wine, you need to make sure you like what is being provided. Good catering companies like Alison Price, Moving Venue Penni Black and "rhubarb", should invite you for a client tasting. Remember it's your party not the planners!

9. Communication

Always encourage first class communication with your planner at all times. If you haven't worked with them before they may not make quite the decisions you would. If on the other hand you know they will make every detail as you would like it, then you can just sit back and plan your outfit.

10. Pick the right party planner

And finally, just remember that planning for an event is as important as the event itself. While hiring a professional party planner might be a wise step to make the gathering flow smoothly, it is important that the client also maximizes his money's worth by selecting one that best suits his needs and specifications. In short make sure you pick the right party planner for you.

Buying and selling tickets online can be hassling unless you buy them from a safe vendor. You might get into some Scam or credit card fraud if you are not very sure of what you must look for in online payment matters. These days with the advancement in Digital Technology, you need to be careful how you use the online platform for ticket selling purposes for an event or a meet. The robust solutions that are mainly cloud based, PCI compliant solutions have the ticketing operations that make it a very free and easy affair. You can create websites that can be customized to make it your events and ticket selling page. You can also accept online event registrations at a meager cost. And what's more? Through this breezy process you can have the event attendance growing and a steady increase in the ROI too.

It is a very easy online ticketing system for the event planner or for the corporate bosses who can get friendly with the system of online event registration within minutes. Everything happens at the click of a mouse. You can start selling tickets for any type of events like the basketball event, a Christmas Party Charity events, a Gala Corporate event, Bowling League, Boxing tournaments, Charity event registration, College events registration, camp registration, Holiday Parties, Movie Screenings and so on. You also get marketing and promotional tools for increasing the sale of tickets online.

After setting up the customizable page you can look for a theme to match your brand, your business or your Non Profit theme. You can have the forms customized for multiple field options. With these features you have the group registration feature also. This allows many attendees to register with one booking option for a single transaction. The participant's information can also be collected from all the attendees who register as group.

You can manage the registrant data and the data is available 24/7 on the internet. Reports on sales, attendees and registrations can be received and this is inclusive of all taxes. All major credit cards can be processed, and payment can be made through Checks, Orders, PayPal and so on. Selling and buying tickets on a hassle free cloud based platform is the safest way we can go about the job, which is an integral part of online event management for corporate or for non profits.

So, more and more event planners are relying on these event planning software to have complete attendee satisfaction and a rocking event.

"Do I Really Need A Wedding Planner?"

That's a question many brides ask themselves. In the past, wedding planners were thought of as an extravagant "extra", meant only for the wealthy. Today a wedding planner has become more of a necessity. Many couples are so busy with work and other aspects of life that they need someone to help them plan their special day. A wedding planner can ease your stress and also save your sanity! Using one will allow you to enjoy the engagement period leading up to the wedding day.

There are many reasons to use a full service wedding planner, or at a minimum, a day-of coordinator. Here are just a few of those reasons:

Day-of coordinator - so you can enjoy the day...not work it!!!

A day-of coordinator is an invaluable asset to your event. You've done all of the planning up to this point and want to enjoy it. Without her, you will end up working at your wedding!

A Day-Of Coordinator will...

Be there to direct the rehearsal so that the bride and groom know what to do and when to do it, the bridesmaids and groomsmen know their duties, the parents know when to walk down the aisle, and the ushers know who to seat and where.

Confirm with all vendors the week before the wedding to make sure they know where to be and when to be there, and to confirm any outstanding balance. The coordinator will often deliver the final payments to vendors on the wedding day.

Keep a list of all vendor contacts and phone numbers in case of emergency (for example...the cake is to be there at 1:00 and it's 1:30 and no cake...it's happened).

Create schedules for everyone to keep the day running smoothly and on time:

-Bridesmaids: when to be at the hairdresser to get their hair/make-up done

-Groomsmen: when they need to be dressed so they can have pre-ceremony pictures taken

-Parents: when to be lined up at the back of the church/room

-Vendors: so they know the order of the day

Create a detailed timeline of events for the day so the DJ/band know when to start the dances (first dance, Father/Daughter dance, Mother/Son dance, etc.), when to do the cake cutting, and more. She will let the DJ/band know what songs you definitely want played - and those you don't (like the Chicken Dance).

Let the DJ/band know the order to announce the bridal party and how to pronounce all names correctly. Nobody wants to be announced at a wedding reception with a mangled pronunciation of their name!

Help pin on boutonnieres and corsages, which is an often missed detail. Minutes before the wedding everyone is running around scrambling to pin them on! The coordinator will ensure that boutonnieres and corsages go on the left lapel or wrist (because that is closest to your heart).

Keep a copy of the seating chart and assist people who can't find their tables.

Keep a copy of the photo list to make sure that the photographer doesn't miss any must-have pictures. And speaking of photos... she will make sure that the necessary people stick around after the ceremony to get their pictures taken. You'd be surprised how often people wander off and can't be found for a picture!

Have on hand a wedding day emergency kit containing things you would never think of (like WD40 - you'd be surprised by all it does), sewing kit (in case of rips or tears), oil blotters (for that shiny face) and much, much more!

Please note: many couples think that since their reception venue has a wedding coordinator that they don't need to hire one. The venue coordinator is a great asset to have, after all, the more people working on your wedding the better! However, when you hire your own day-of coordinator she will work with ALL of your vendors, she will work out the timeline for the day's events, as well as work out the logistics for what you want. She will be at the rehearsal to direct everyone. She'll be your go to person for anything you need on your special day.

Full service wedding planner - so you can enjoy the engagement period!

Wouldn't you like to enjoy the time leading up to the "big day"? A full service wedding planner will allow you to relax by helping with every aspect of your wedding. In addition to all of the things a day-of coordinator does, she has existing relationships with vendors, from photographers to florists and more. She knows who's good and who isn't. Choosing vendors that your planner has built relationships with will save you time. She already knows the quality of vendors and won't direct you to someone who does poor work.

A Full-Service Wedding Planner will...

Help you create a budget. Who knows better how much wedding vendors and items cost than a professional planner?

Save you money. She often has a network of vendors and can get you discounts or freebies added to the contract. The wedding planner represents your best interests.

Negotiate with vendors. Many people are not comfortable with "haggling". Wedding planners are; that's their job. They will negotiate with vendors to get you the best pricing and deal possible.

Have access to a wealth of knowledge and creativity. She has planned other weddings, read tons of bridal books and magazines, taken planning courses, knows what works and what doesn't.

Give advice on etiquette. This would include how to word invitations and place cards, how to seat people, and more.

Be up to date on current style trends. Wedding planners are often fashion "addicts," staying current on style trends. They can give you ideas on colors, favors, place cards, flowers and more. Whether you want a very unique wedding or a more traditional wedding, your planner can give you ideas and show you how to make it one that people will remember for years to come.

Act as your advocate, counselor and friend. She will be there to give you advice, she will listen when you need to vent about the parents insisting you invite all of their friends (it will happen), when you and your fiance argue about the centerpieces, or when your bridesmaids decide they don't like the dresses you pick...

It's worth repeating: a wedding planner can ease your stress and save your sanity! You will find this service an invaluable asset to have when planning - and enjoying - your wedding.

So you've decided on a DIY iPod wedding. It's a great way to save money and have control of your event. Now you get to have total control over the music and add your personal touch to your big day with an Ipod or your maybe your computer" Maybe you might want to use the worlds largest iPod docking station which I'll talk about later. Imagine no more Cheesy DJ or Bad music selections.

First let's talk about what your replacing... I'm a 30-year veteran DJ & I've seen it all. I'd much rather you hire me but the point here is how to DIY successfully. I'll show you just that. You have to remember not all DJ's are cheesy or play bad music. Sometimes DJ's get a bad rap because the client wanted the cheese and bad music played. Some DJ's can be cheesy on demand or quiet or somewhere in-between.

A good DJ will allow you the options and deliver exactly what you agreed to. When hiring a DJ you typically pay for experience & talent, a great DJ should comply with your every wish and if you're off base they should give good advice and still do what you ask. Things good DJ's do - Line up a wedding party for introductions, tell everyone where to go & when, introduce the bridal party with class and energy, introduce the 1st dance, invite the bride and father up to dance, invite the groom and mother up to dance, introduce the person giving the toast or toasts, intro the person saying a prayer, do cheesy things during dinner i.e. Glass banging invites, entice shy folks up to dance with silly dancing activities, host the cake cutting, garter removal and or announce garter/bouquet toss. and finally coordinate all these events with the venue and the photographer / videographer. If you're going to do this remember not to ask the venue staff to do the things a DJ would do for you. They have enough on their table. Pun intended.

Avoid hooking up your iPod and sound mixer/preamp to a hotels ceiling speaker system. That's even if they let you. It's very easy to blow it up and the repairs are quite expensive. Besides the sound is usually not very good anyway. More on the set up later.

Here's what you'll need to get started: (Everyone has different expectations) you have to decide what's important to you.

1. An iPod or a Lap top computer that plays your music, a Mixer / pre amp, speakers, stands, amplification, microphone, dj effect lights, up lighting, cables and connectors and a friend who knows how to set this stuff up. Oh there are two more options. Rent / borrow a DJ style sound system and have the friend set it up or there is also the option of renting the worlds largest iPod docking station which is basically a gigantic sound system in a box on wheels. It's plug and play and as long as you know how to operate your iPod you're good to go. You can rent this thing at iPodpartys.com , It comes with or without Video/slide show capabilities, with or without a DJ effect light and you can also play karaoke songs on it as it has a microphone attached. It's very cool and novel.

2. A friend or friends who won't mind pressing Play, Pause and possibly someone to make announcements. All who won't overindulge say or do the wrong things and ruin your day. (Microphone control is important)

3. A music/photo montage/video/karaoke selection session with your spouse 2B. Many iPods will allow all of those options.

4. Another session with your friends to add to what you've missed - and to eliminate the songs that may be cheesy in their opinion.

Planning the Cocktail hour

Make an iPod playlist for the cocktail hour.

Will the cocktail hour be in the same room as the reception? If not you'll need to either run an additional sound system (or giant iPod docking station), run a speaker from the set up in the reception room, set up the system in the cocktail room, break it down and reset the system in the reception area or just abandon the cocktail hour idea. I suggest background music for cocktails. Instrumentals work perfectly here. i.e. Non-High energy, mellow songs or even standards like Sinatra, soft rock etc. You may want to mix a little bit of medium energy in during the cocktail hour. You don't want to make to low energy. Make all playlists a bit longer than you would expect, as timing doesn't always go exactly as planned. Have fun with it, but remember that your guests are trying to talk during cocktails.

Dinner

Make a few playlists for dinner...

Playlist 1.

For during begin with a lower tempo and slowly build up the energy by increasing the speed of the music and the energy of the music as the meal moves along. Dinner is usually about 1 hour depending on if it's a buffet or a sit down. Sit-downs tend to be longer. You going to want to see people enjoying the music with feet taping and heads moving as dinner ends. Make your play-lists with extra songs, as it's typical for weddings to run late.

Announcements (If you're going to have them)

If you wish to have formal announcements select someone to act as the M.C. (Master of ceremonies) Have a script for the person/s you have chosen to make your announcements unless your comfortable with that person/s ability to adlib, not say anything that will offend anyone, use clear diction, hold the microphone close to the mouth without cupping it, not speak to long and have the ability to control the microphones use. You may wish the M.C to introduce the bridal party and then the bride & groom. Following this you have to decide when and if you want the following events to occur.

1st Dance, Father/Daughter dance, Mother/Son dance, Toast/s, blessing announcing of the cake cutting, garter removal and or announce garter/bouquet toss. The announcements should be warm, professional and fun. If the announcements are in anyway the slightest bit offensive sounding, it could ruin everyone's fun and the feel of your reception. I suggest you exercise extreme caution here, as this element is crucial and can make for a failed wedding reception if not executed properly. Have someone to operate the iPod for introduction music, as this would be difficult for the MC to do at the same time.

Dancing

Playlists for Dancing.

After or in between your events you may wish for your guests to dance. I suggest you make 2 playlists, one for fast music and the second for slow songs. This depends on how much you want the ipod operator to be involved and how much control you want over the dancing.. Your iPod operator should be familiar with its use. The operator should not be cutting songs off by accident while people are dancing, knowing where to find songs, how to avoid a long space between songs etc. Roughly estimate to play 4 to 6 fast ones and then 1 or 2 slow ones. You can repeat this process until the end of the reception or You can just make one playlist for a fully automated reception.

The order of the songs is important. You want to make sets of songs that build up in speed, beats per minute and intensity. When it gets to a climax, that's when you change to a different genre or go to a slow song. Watch out for songs with long boring introductions, especially long talking intros that will clear the dance floor. If you really want control over the music make many playlists with different types of music. You may want to set your ipod to crossfade. Remember that can cut off the end of songs that have a pronounced ending. Normalizing the sound on your iPod also makes for less high and low volume songs, which can be annoying.

Video and more

If your iPod has video capabilities you can have a slideshow presentation with music, have it scroll through photos of days gone by, scroll through photos of the ceremony. (Provided someone with a laptop can do this for you quickly or make it on a second iPod). Maybe play music videos or even some karaoke A wide screen projector and screen can be added to the giant iPod docking station, party / dancing lights, wireless microphone, they can even add larger sound or set you up to use your computer on there system. They also can rent you a full DJ rig with very powerful sound.

IPod Tips

Sound for dancing sounds better when it's closer to the dancing area. Have someone line up the guests for introductions and make sure whoever is being announced for whatever event is actually there. (Having M.I.A.'s looks bad and wastes time).

Have someone coordinate with the folks providing food service and camera/videographers. Nothing is worse than someone saying go get the food when it's not ready yet, announcing a toast when no beverage is available or having the 1st dance missed by the photographer or worse yet a missing spouse.

Have someone control the microphones use. If you have a free for all on the microphone you may get screaming, talking over songs, bad language or just way too much conversation by to many people that can hold up the events. Especially when alcohol is served.

When programming your music decide if you want to just please yourself or do you wish to also please your guests. Many times they expect the silly stuff to have fun. A musically themed event is nice for creating an atmosphere however it can be boring if not programmed with the guest's fun in mind.

If your going to pick people to do the announcements and music, choose people whom don't mind spending time away from the fun of the wedding. Don't you or your spouse try to run all this yourself. Remember it's YOUR day and you don't want to be stressed out or not remember / experience the joy of your wedding day.

Conclusion

If this seems all too much of a production, I'm available for a fee, in Orlando to make your announcements or I can just come out and professionally DJ the whole event for you. Just remember a reception is a PARTY. Have fun!

Ever thought about retaining the services of a funny motivational speaker for a meeting or conference? Meeting planners understand the importance of making sure that their events provide information to their audience. But what about inspiration, as well fun? Isn't inspiration and having fun a component of helping people achieve more?

Let's consider 5 reasons why a meeting or event planner should utilize a funny motivational speaker at a meeting:

Reason #1 - First and foremost, a funny motivational speaker delivers a "mental break" in a way that no video, skit or slide show could ever provide. Whether your group consists of sales reps, employees, executives or customers, the goal of any meeting or conference is to share important content with that group and persuade them to do something (i.e.: improve productivity, increase sales, enhance safety, invest in your products, etc.). Yet how much information, statistics, and power points can people take in, before they reach "overload" status? By providing a presenter that offers a fun, interactive, and inspiring program, you give your group a "mental break," which allows for any content that you have shared with them to "sink in," as well as the opportunity to provide more messaging to a now relaxed and attentive audience.

Reason #2 - Every group needs to hear that despite all the challenges they are facing and changes they may incur, that they will be able to handle them. Every industry has challenges and few are not undergoing massive changes. One of several consequences to challenges and changes is that people become nervous, angry, fearful or stressed. A funny motivational speaker - who is good at what he or she does - can not only provide ideas and strategies to help your group gain insight to many of these feelings and emotions, but also, through the use of humor, "take the bite" out of tough situations. As Mark Twain once said, "Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place." No matter what your group might be going through, humor and inspiration can aid your group in dealing with their challenges.

Reason #3 - Every meeting includes the aspect of networking. When your group enjoys a speaker, they will talk about it throughout the meeting, as well as share it with others when they go back to their office. Achieving that kind of "mind share" after your meeting is over - is magic... that's gold! However, if you just offer the same old thing - boring speaker after speaker, power points and stats, videos, cocktails, a casino night, food, etc. - then your event just blends in with all the other meetings your guests have attended. By offering something fun and unique, you give your guests something they'll remember and talk about.

Reason #4 - Most motivational speakers customize their presentation, so that it makes sense to your group. This aids you in providing needed information from an "outside party," which provides a higher level of impact than hearing similar information from "one of your own." Additionally, the speaker is able to reinforce specific messages that you want your group to hear. For example, as an entertaining motivational speaker, I am able to reinforce my client's key messages through demonstrations of mind reading and ESP, as well as clean humor and audience participation. Another example may be a juggler who uses juggling as a metaphor to deal with life's challenges. In either example, not only are key messages reinforced, but they are also presented in a unique and fun way.

Reason #5 - Finally, most entertaining and motivational speakers are reasonably priced. You don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a celebrity. You, also, don't need to hire a speaker's agency or use an agent. Just do a search for entertaining motivational speakers on the internet, watch demo videos available online, view the testimonials and directly call the speaker.

Take a look at all of those reasons and appraise them. Do you agree that a strong case can be made for hiring a funny motivational speaker for your next meeting?

There's nothing quite like the casual grace of a beach wedding. It often looks so effortless. At least, it does when it goes well. If not, it is easy to see what was missing - planning. It is planning that makes that casual grace possible in a beach wedding. Planning a wedding is difficult enough as it is. When you add distance to the mix, such as when planning a wedding at a fabulous destination like the Virgin Islands, things can become much more difficult to arrange and manage. It may be a good ideal to consider making use of a skilled professional that is local to the island chosen for the wedding.

Even a casual Virgin Islands beach wedding has a significant amount of planning involved in it. United States citizens don't need passports to go the U.S. Virgin Islands, but there are the standard marriage license documentation requirements to deal with, just like anywhere else. This is a process that experienced wedding event planners specializing in the Virgin Islands area suggest starting 30 days in advance in order to make sure there are no difficulties on the day of the wedding. And, that is just the first of the details to be managed successfully to ensure that the wedding day goes as smoothly as desired. A skilled planner, one well experienced in creating just the sort of magical event that everybody hopes their wedding will be, can be trusted to stay on top of all of those details.

Location is another important detail that a planner right in the Virgin Islands can help with. Full of important insider knowledge, such as which beaches tourists flock to and which are the sort the locals prefer, an event planner can assist in the selection of the wedding beach best suited to individual taste. Some couples enjoy the vibrancy of busy beaches, like the gorgeous white sand beach at Magens Bay. Others prefer a more secluded beach for the exchange of wedding vows, finding Smith Bay Beach to be more to their liking. Locals are more familiar with the subtle details as well, knowing which beaches are most beautiful at specific times of the day, such as sunrise or sunset. Because of its location on the western part of Saint Thomas, the beach at Brewers Bay is especially suitable for sunset weddings.

Working with a wedding planner to arrange a tropical island beach wedding that is as smooth and hassle-free as it is casual and graceful is a wonderfully simple way to make sure all of the details are right, from the choice of beach to the flavor of the wedding cake. A wedding day should be a magic event like no other, something as special and personal as marriage itself. Letting someone else deal with the more mundane event details allows the bride and groom to immerse themselves more fully in what is really important - enjoying the experience and significance of the wedding day to its fullest. Remember each special moment without having it clouded by the recollection of the efforts it took to achieve it. Leave the details to the wedding planner and enjoy the celebration.

Fundraising events are organized with an aim of raising funds for supporting a noble cause. However, organizing a successful fundraiser involves a lot of responsibilities. Here, in this article, we have come up with five important aspects, which an organizer needs to address before holding any fundraiser.

How to Attract People to the Event

Attracting a large number of attendees to your event is extremely crucial to your fundraiser's success. The more you attract attendees, the more will be your chances to get donations. Hence, you must adopt effective promotional campaigns to spread your message to a larger audience. You can access the marketing capabilities of the event registration software in order to promote your events in no time. You can also provide updates on social media websites to reach out to a larger number of audiences. Try to be little creative with paper and digital invitations, if the budget allows you to do so.

How to Make People Donate

In recent times, a large number of organizers are turning toward online solutions for increasing participation as well as donations. The software offers the convenience of registration and payment processing, right from the comfort of home. With so many conveniences, you can encourage interested people to make generous donations, and that too, without any manual labor.

How to Choose a Perfect Venue

Choosing an appropriate venue is extremely crucial for organizing a successful fundraising event. If you have already scheduled a date for it, arranging a venue will be easier for you. You can check out the local halls and clubhouses that might be suitable for organizing the event. However, before selecting a site, you must visit the place personally. Check out, if the venue is appropriate for organizing a fundraising event. In addition, you also need to check if the site can accommodate the needs of your guests.

How to Attract Influential Sponsors and Celebrities

Non-profit fundraisers always try to attract celebrities or influential sponsors, in order to build up a potential base of sustainable donors. To do this, you have to approach these people directly. You can even invite these potential attendees to give a speech about your fundraising endeavor. It helps you build up your market presence, which, in the long run, comes in handy to attract more funds from long-term donors.

How to Get Good Volunteers

With a group of experienced volunteers, you can make your fundraising venture a grand success. Hence, you must put a great deal of effort in choosing your volunteers. While appointing them, check out if they have adequate experience in the same field. Considering their experience and forte, you can assign then specific roles and responsibilities.

Check out, if you have properly addressed these areas, before planning your next fundraising event.

Actually, choosing a theme for a party is usually the hardest step. Once chosen, it guides all of the party planning steps. See below how easy it is to plan a sunflower party!

Invitations: The starting point for any party is sending out invitations. And if you send out Sunflower themed invitations your guests will know immediately that the beautiful, happy plant is going to play a key role at your party. To find the perfect invitations (or wonderful ideas for invitations) go to Google.com/Images and type in the term "sunflower invitations".

Decor: Decorations, centerpieces and paper goods all make up 'd矇cor'. Decorations can include yellow and brown streamers, balloon bouquets, hanging lanterns and other such items. You can also purchase faux sunflowers at craft stores or silk flower shops and incorporate them throughout the room or location. Of course the centerpiece should, if possible, consist of real sunflowers. Talk to your florist or supermarket floral department about securing the necessary flowers for your party. Tie an over-sized organza or satin yellow ribbon around the vase for a dressed up look.

As for paper goods, you can always use yellow plates, napkins and utensils for a cheery look. Or perform a search on "Sunflower Paper Goods" to see what is available. Gracioushome.com has beautiful sunflower plates and napkins.

Cake and/or Cupcakes: Of course the cake and/or cupcakes should be decorated with sunflowers! Once again turn to Google Images for wonderful inspiration. Print out the decorated cakes and cupcakes you like best and take them to your bakery to see if they can replicate them for you.

Sunflower Party Favors: It is always a lovely gesture to send your guests home with a small favor as a token of your appreciation. Theme related favors include flower shaped cookies and soaps. Or give a sunflower seed favor or plant favor. Favor boxes with a faux flower on top or the image of one on the box will turn any favor into a sunflower favor!

Diva Entertains, Copyright 2010

Many kinds of Bollywood mainstream movies, Hollywood chic flicks and romantic comedies carry the concept of installing a grand wedding near the end of the film, or some sort of event planning that throughout the comic plot leads to a grand event near the end. This concept only adds to the fun bits of a movie, kind of glamorizing whatever story line they are working with, because the whole idea of a wedding is always related to pretty details, fancy dresses, and beautiful looking production design. There are many examples of such kinds of movies. A prominent one in Hollywood is called "The Wedding Planner". It follows the life of a successful wedding planner who puts fancy weddings together for other people and has a long term goal of one day enjoying her own fairytale wedding. Another example is "The Monsoon Wedding" which is a film by Mira Nair that explores many concepts of family life, tragedy, and drama all happening in a wedding house and end with a grand wedding.

A recent Bollywood release called "Band, Baaja, Baraat" is also a romantic comedy about two lovers who have a wedding planning business and near the climax of the film turn against each other and run competing companies. This was yet another example of a typical love story taking place with a festive, eventful, wedding planning background. Two older Hollywood films "Father of the Bride" and "Father of the Bride 2" (the sequel) are also emotional stories about the pain a father goes through when his daughter is being wedded away. It comically explores the father's attempt to become a partial wedding planner trying to subconsciously pull his daughter away from the idea of marrying her fiance.

Although the concept of wedding films has almost been over played in both Hollywood and Bollywood cinemas, it does not seem to be wearied out. I find a distinct reason behind this. There is a lot you can do with a storyline revolving around weddings, wedding planning, or even in general event planning. Not only does this kind of story line always promise a grandeur larger than life end to a movie where the event finally plays out, but also provides so many different types of conflicts that could be used by the film such as competing careers, sibling rivalries, parent and children relationships, other varieties of family dramas, and your basic chic flick variety of bridesmaids wars and love stories between the bridesmaid and the best man.

An event planner helps in managing all aspects of a conference, meeting, or seminar in the utmost professional way. Companies hire event planners to look into the following matters.

Venue Selection

Enterprises no longer need to worry about selecting the venue of their seminar or road show. The event organizers do it on behalf of the organizing companies. It is they who, in consultation with the enterprises, choose a strategic place with sufficient transportation facility for the guests. The venue is located in such a place that the guests face no problem in reaching there on time.

Food Management

Looking after the dietary needs of the guests is a very important task of the event planners. You must carefully select the cuisines that need to be served to the attendees or guests. Snacks and beverages must be kept for people coming from different backgrounds. Event planners can also take the advice of the attendees in deciding the day's menu.

Guest Invitations

A vital task of event organizing companies is to finalize the guest list. They must decide the number of people attending the meeting or trade show and then send them invitations or emails. Event organizing companies can use the online event management solution to reap in the benefits of the highly scalable communication tools. Tools such as emails and RSVPs can be used to send online invitations to customers for attending a conference or seminar.

Budget Management

To hold a grand event, companies need to work on their budget. Event planners help the companies hold a grand program within their budget limits. They can help you process the payments sent through multiple payment getaways and credit cards. Moreover, the planners help in tracking funds and creating a detailed financial report for one or more events.

Marketing

Event organizing companies resort to various marketing means to promote and publicize their activities. It can range from a word-of-mouth to a large-scale advertisement of the upcoming event(s). The event planners can help the enterprises create an event-based website to market the same. People who have not responded to your emails can find it interesting to read your event-related information on the website. Event promotion on the popular social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, can also be a great way to attract maximum target audience to your conference.

Time Management

Event planners can work 24x7 to run the event smoothly and peacefully. Time management becomes central, especially while organizing large events. Even the smallest of tasks need to be dealt carefully. The ideal event planner should have patience enough to control all stress and anxiety without losing the mind. These qualities are going to help him make the event a grand success.

How to choose a great event planner 101? First you need to know what type of event are you holding a wedding reception event or a corporate event? Next you will need to ask family, friends and colleagues for names of people that they have used for help in planning an event. We have all been to events both wedding events and corporate events that have been very successful and we would like to have the same outcome. Just in-case you require an additional source, take a look at websites on the internet that that is located close to where you live or work. Don't be to quick to rule out the well-rounded person who handles both corporate and wedding events. Their knowledge and skills at handling both types of functions can provide you with some suggestions that you may want to use in your function. Corporate event planners, work mainly with corporate clients to produce meetings, seminars, conventions, galas and fundraisers. Their clients will be Executive Assistants, Convention Planners, Government, Groups and Associations. Private event planners are producing private events; Weddings Ceremonies and Receptions, Non-Profit Fundraisers, Awards Banquets and other private events on a large scale that require a person or team of people in place to lead the event from start to finish.

Some of the things to remember is; check references this will provide you with peace of mind. What was the outcome of the function? An individual will share the high-lights and the low-lights, if everything was outstanding all the time then this is probably not the best choice. You want a person that has learned from mistakes and how they have put procedures in place to deal with any situation that may come up at the event. It is important to know how it was resolved? Do they have a personality that can deal with these quickly, calmly and in a professional manner? You want a person that can make suggestions on how to make the function better and lead you away from any misguided well intentioned ideas.

Great people are willing to give references and have testimonials on their websites that can be confirmed by the potential client. They act in a professional manner, show-up on time, chair meetings, help organize, plan, work with other providers, handle budgets and deadlines, lead the event on the day and finish with a post event analysis.

Words of caution: Event planners should not be your friends or family having them help out is fine but you really want them to have a good time and enjoy the function as much as you will. Family and friends have wonderful intentions although generally can not commit to the same level of service that you will require prior, during and after your function. The charges will range depending on how involved they are going to be in the event. Remember to get three quotes as this will best determine not only the price but the level of service that you will be paying for. Generally a quote will be broken down so that you can see what is included and what is not included in the price quoted. One last thing to remember is cheaper is not always better; experience, knowledge and connections can help make all the difference when planning the event. Following these tips will help you to choose the right event planner.

If you're a potential or new wedding planner, you may be dreaming of planning elaborate, high-end weddings and weddings for famous entertainers, similar to the events you read about in lifestyle and celebrity magazines. While you can have a goal of being a wedding planner for the rich and famous, and becoming famous yourself, you need to start by planning weddings in your own area that have realistic budgets. Famous wedding planners and event designers started this way. They learned and perfected their skills before they approached, or were approached by, high-end clients.

For example, Preston Bailey, event designer to celebrities such as the Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Oprah and Joan Rivers, wrote in his book, "Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams", that he started out being involved in fashion, as a model. He then realized his passion for arranging flowers and became a floral designer. He started using flowers as items of decor to enhance design concepts and soon clients began asking him to design their special events. He did a lot of studying on his own; reading books on design, horticulture, art history and architecture.

David Tutera, an event producer who has planned events for Jennifer Lopez, Sir Elton John, and the Prince of Wales, and is the star of his own show, "My Fair Wedding", wrote in his book, "A Passion for Parties: Your Guide to Elegant Entertaining", that he had actually dreamed of being a movie star. To make some money, he started a singing telegram company, delivering songs while wearing a chicken or gorilla suit. He branched out into balloon bouquets and was asked to decorate a party. To do it justice, he had his grandfather, who owned a successful florist shop, teach him floral design and purchasing. His business eventually grew to party planning then event design and production.

As you can see, both men first created a business doing something they loved, then they did a lot of hard work before they got the clients, money and fame that they have today. You want to do the same thing. You want to take the time to get experience successfully creating weddings on a budget, coordinating with vendors, managing a staff, and handling the emergencies that come up on a wedding day, before you plan an elaborate wedding. You also need to create your network of high-quality vendors so you are confident that you have a team that you can work with successfully.

Events as the name suggests are big in nature! So big, that it requires several days of meticulous planning, preparation and execution.

Imagine the joy and happiness you can feel while celebrating your most special day without any hassle and worry. With a professional team of Event planners in Dallas, you and your guests can comfortably relax and enjoy a marvelous afternoon or an evening with every start to finish detail effectively handled from dazzling decor, tempting cuisine, great music, wonderful locations and logistics with utmost care.

Planning a corporate event, employee appreciation day, team building event, company picnic, family reunion, fun fair and holiday party or other such important event is a simple job when working with Event planners in Dallas. Most of the people are overwhelmed to fit it into their busy schedules when they are planning an event, especially if they are doing it for the first time.

The first thing to start with is to find a professional event planner that you are comfortable with. By asking others who have planned events Event planners in Dallas are easily found. It is advisable to talk negotiate with few of them if first time you are planning it. While choosing a planner, it is better to evaluate whether you require an outdoor event specialist, indoor event coordinator, meeting planner, games assistant or caterer, etc. The planner you decide to work with will depend on the kind of event you want to produce. After selecting a planner or an event planning company, the details of party will start to fall in place. Event planner focuses on four main areas of celebrations which include: tents/tables/chairs, catering, games/rides and music.

When choosing a caterer for an event, a planner will evaluate the kind of people who are going to attend it. For events like open house, client appreciations, grand inauguration and similar other events a more elite menu would be required. Sometimes, dietary concerns may be required to be included into the variety of foods you select. Choosing the perfect music for your guests is necessary to ensure they have a memorable experience in the event.

A planner refers to a person that plans each and every aspect of your wedding and corporate event. The success of an event whether wedding or any corporate meeting or seminar depends upon the competency of the planner. No doubt, marriages are made in heaven but a professional wedding planner recreate the aura of heavenly experience on earth and fascinate your guest with their exceptional service.

They manage the overall wedding event and ensure that everything goes exactly as planned right from the initial stage to the closing stage. They will not only assist you in making right selection and choose the perfect wedding vendors and venue but also maintain a balance in what is happening, when it is happening, who is doing it while keeping a strict watch that everything goes within budget.

But you don't need to worry as both the wedding and corporate event planner is supposed to work under your supervision. Effective communication between you and the planner is quite essential to make the event successful. Just tell him plainly your taste, preferences and desires and it is his responsibility to make arrangements accordingly. Make sure to follow their work and always remember that you are the one who will pay the cash therefore, your decision will always be final and binding.

Wedding is certainly once in a lifetime affair while corporate events strengthen your business and motivate your employees! Therefore you must choose a reliable planner.

The planner should be competent and skilled enough to implement your ideas and understand your needs and objectives. Discuss the plan with him and analyze the aspects of the event will they cover and how much say so are you going to have in the planning?

You should feel comfortable with them as you will be spending considerable amount of time with them. Planning an event whether corporate or wedding can be a great deal of fun, but there are often several hectic times as well. A professional planner can go a long way in making your event memorable and mesmerizing.

Choosing the perfect purse can sometimes be as difficult as choosing the outfit itself. To make your selection (and life) easier, I've listed a few tips to make shopping a breeze.

1. Purpose

When choosing a purse, always think of the type of event that you will be attending. For weddings, dinners, and proms, your requirements will be different from that for a conference, meeting, or lunch with a client. It is important to always shop with a purpose in mind to ensure your selection is suitable to your event.

2. Size

The size of your purse is extremely important depending on the event you're attending. A tote might be more appropriate for a day out with girlfriends, while a small clutch is more suitable for a wedding or evening event. Will you be dancing all night? Then smaller is always better.

3. Colour

Choosing a purse colour is fairly easy if your outfit is already selected. If this is not the case, then go for neutral colours. These go great with almost anything, and will blend flawlessly with the rest of your closet. If your event is on the fancier side something shiny or sparkly never hurts. Gold and silver are perfect accents to little black dresses; Just think red carpet! While all these are true, let's not forget the real star here; Colour. For the ladies who like to take it up a notch, selecting a purse with a pop of colour is guaranteed to keep all eyes on you. Spot a fuchsia clutch that is just begging to be bought? Go for it! Bright colours are great for spring and summer, and pairs well with neutral toned clothing.

4. Compartments

Personally a purse with at least one small interior pocket is a must-have. It is the perfect place for storing business cards and contact numbers I collect during my daily interactions. Select a purse that is functional for your event. Think of what items you will be taking with you, and if your selection will be able to store all these items. For example, if you are a busy event planner, a small purse with one compartment would not be your best selection for an event you're hosting.

5. Details

Pay attention to external details on purses when shopping. A purse with lots of external hardware might not work well for a clean, classy, business look, but pairs well with jeans and a blazer for a casual lunch. Take note of the extras!

Remember, an outfit is as perfect as its accessories, so do not be shy to experiment.

Until next time Purse-a-holics!

From my purse to yours...
Jody-Ann

The impact of green wave has encouraged a growing number of event organizers to opt for ways that help them to reduce the carbon footprints and help the planet. Recently, it has been found that every 80 million people across the globe attend meetings, trade shows and exhibitions; therefore event organizers play a great role in contributing towards environmental sustainability. Informed decision making and implementation will not only help them to do their bit but will also leave a positive impact on the natural environment and the local community. However, the most challenging task in hosting a green event remains in effective venue selection. Read this article to know some of the criteria that you should look into while selecting a venue:

Checking For Environmental Certifications

You must first check whether the venue has an Environmental Management System along with an ISO 14000 certification or accreditation. Nowadays, there are many venues that come with a LEED certification. Such an official recognition is allotted when a particular venue has plumbing fixture efficiency, alternative transportation access, better recycling and ventilation rates, etc. These venues are the perfect choice for hosting your green events without even a second thought.

Looking For an Eco Procurement Policy

This kind of a policy for a venue gives preference to sourcing and purchasing of environmentally friendly products and services. When you are hosting a green event, it is important to take care of the menu that is to be served at your event. Organic foods should mostly be preferred when you are planning to go green. Also, ensure that the venue uses local produce as opposed to importing food products and ingredients internationally.

Keeping a Check on Energy Efficiency

You must also keep a check on the energy efficiency quotient. Your venue should have natural lighting facilities and ventilation. In case it doesn't, then it should be compensated by high energy efficient lights like CFL or LED. Usage of solar power is also an energy criterion to be kept in mind.

Impact on Emission Reduction

While selecting a venue it is necessary to consider its contribution towards carbon reduction. Ask the venue manager whether the venue has any renewable source of energy to offset carbon emissions. Along with that also check out the location so that delegates required to travel can lead to reduced carbon emissions in terms of the modes of transportation used.

Facilities for Waste Minimization

Look out for venues that support a recycling program. This helps in reprocessing various waste products like glass, paper, plastics, etc. Also check whether the venue has facilities for composting the food waste. This will help in reducing environmental burdens to a larger extent.

Impact on Social and Community Development

You organize a green event to put across a message to the mass. While selecting the venue you must also confirm whether it lives up to your goal. Make sure whether the venue supports any corporate social investment program or any developmental project to promote local development. This will help you to understand how your event can contribute to such a program.

These are some of the basic criteria which you can follow if you are planning to go green for your next event.