Welcome Bags

Your wedding is around the corner, and family and friends from all over are gathering to celebrate your big day. If you can't be at the hotel to greet them, A welcome bag is a wonderful way for your guests to start their wedding weekend with you. Fill the bag with lots of personalized goodies and full of information to celebrate their arrival. Your guests will be thrilled with your thoughtfulness!

So, what goes into a perfect bag for your out of town guests? Here are some wedding welcome bag ideas:

A welcome bag that can be reused is the best kind. It’s not only handy, it’s a nice reminder of the fun of your wedding weekend. Your best bets are beach bags or reusable shopping bags, which both fold down nice and small for the return trip!

Nobody wants to drink the tap water in an unfamiliar town, and hotel bottled water costs a fortune, so a freebie will be appreciated.

Consider the climate when you pack your welcome kit. If you’re in a hot spot, make sure to include sunscreen. If it’s chilly or dry, lip balm and hand lotion are nice. No matter what the environment, your guests can always use hand sanitizer, mouthwash, and other mini-toiletries that everyone forgets when they travel.

Welcome Bag Items:
- Local Map          - Personal Note                 - Wedding Event Times & Location Card
- Water                 - Regional Food                 - Small Bottle Of Wine
- Snacks                - Restaurant Listings         - Cheese & Crackers
- Mints                  - Weather Report              - Postcards From Area

Unique Tables

I recently went to a tradeshow in where they had a table top contest.  I saw some really great ideas and it got me thinking about how many different ways a table can be set.  One great setting I saw at the show one year looked like there was an impromptu dinner taking place in the middle of a construction zone.  Paint cans were used as seats, there was paint splatter on the tables and they used paint brushes and tape as centerpieces.  Depending on the style of the couple a table can be classic, modern, natural, or fun.  Here are some of my favorites:

A Japanese style setting uses very low seating as if you were sitting on the floor.  You can use bamboo on the tables and have cherry blossoms as the floral element.  China can be square to match the square tables and if you want you can even add in a water element to create an overall experience for your guests. 

A fun style setting can use packing bubbles on the floor underneath guests’ chairs.  The playfulness of guests’ feet popping the bubbles is a great ice breaker.  Adding a mad libs pad on tables keeps your guests entertained during the party. Using many colors in the color palette implements a visual connection with your guests.

Thinking outside of the box is key to creating unique table settings for your event.  Once you get one idea in your hands you can expand on it and go from there.  The ideas and themes are endless.

What's your theme?

Creating a theme for your event..

I find that couples are looking into creating themes for every event associated with their wedding.  They don’t only create a theme for their reception but also all of the pre wedding events.  I have seen many different ideas brought to the table and wanted to share a couple of my favorites.

The first theme and by far the most used is the Moroccan theme.  I love this theme because of all of the different elements you can bring into the space to change the space into a Moroccan oasis.  By creating clusters of seating arrangements around the dance floor with hookah lounges you can engage your guests.  You can erect small tents over certain tables throughout the space and bring in large potted plants into the space to create an outdoor atmosphere.

Another theme that I really love is the masquerade ball theme.  Guests can start by picking up their masks on their way into the event space.  On tables you can add feathers, masks and lots of candles to elevate the experience for your guests.  Adding a step and repeat for photo opportunities adds an element of fun for your guests and hiring stilt walkers, or aerialists will really give the wow factor to the event.

A third favorite theme is a Hawaiian or Luau theme.  Start by having the event on the beach or another outdoor location (just be mindful about the weather).  Lay out leis for your guests to wear and have tropical drinks on hand with little umbrellas in them.  Hire Polynesian dancers for entertainment and have your guests learn how to hula dance to engage your guests. 

There are so many different ideas to think about when creating any theme.  The best thing to do is explore all of the different options including menu, drinks, and entertainment to create that extra special night for everyone to enjoy.

It's all about Food....

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to take the time to talk about a subject everyone loves to talk about- food.  When creating a menu for an event every person wants to do something different.  I recently came across an ice cream station as part of a dessert menu at an event. This got me thinking about how many other things can be made into a station or a buffet that will make your guests wanting more.

One great idea is a mashed potatoes station at cocktail hour.  Not only can you have different types of potatoes (purple, sweet and white) but you can also have loads of toppings for them like cheddar cheese, sour cream, chili, and steamed broccoli.  You can even create toppings that go with your theme i.e., if you are having a Halloween themed wedding you can have black olives and shredded orange carrots as toppings.

Another food that is a great station item is a mini pie station.   Some great savory pies include zucchini, pizza, veggie, and spinach and cheese.  Pies can also be sweet and can include things like sweet potato, apple cinnamon, and pecan.  Again you can also customize a spread that goes with your theme.  If we wanted to create pies for our Halloween theme from above then we can have pumpkin and sweet potato pies.

Yet another food (or beverage in this case) that makes a great station is a smoothie station.  This can be presented during your cocktail or dessert as shooters. Recipes include any of your favorite fruits and vegetables.  For green smoothies you can use vegetables like carrots, celery, and spinach blended with one or two fruits.  You can be as creative as you want with this station and come up with all kinds of creations!

The fun thing about some of these stations is that you can customize them even further to match your theme or décor by adding a backdrop or flowers on the station.  This way it becomes part of the décor creating a more unified experience for your guests.

Now that we are all hungry, I think I’m going to go try one of these for myself… ;)