Theme Events

Reflexology Party

2010-01-28T01:29:00.000-08:00

Give your girlfriends a treat with a Reflexology Party! Warn them in advance to have clean feet : )

When everyone arrives, pair them up. One will massage the feet of the other.

Serve finger foods and relax. Set a time, say a half hour, and then have the partners switch. The receivers are now the givers.

Reflexology is a natural means of getting your body to line up the way it should. Many of your guests will find they feel better in the morning. They may want to do this every month because of the physical benefits.

Have fun!
Deb

Quilt (Quilting) Party

2009-12-31T14:32:00.000-08:00

Quilting has been around for years. Most of our grandmothers and great grandmothers made their quilts by hand. These days many of us use a machine to quilt because it is faster to complete a project.

A Quilt or Quilting Party can be a fun get together. Plan ahead if you want to teach a new square each time you meet or let everyone bring their own patterns. You could take turns teaching a new quilt square each time you meet.

Have everyone bring their fabric, measuring and cutting tools. Use the meeting times to teach techniques and patterns. Have everyone do their sewing at home or if you have room they can bring their machines and sew during the Quilt Party. Or half could cut and half sew on alternating weeks.

If you need new patterns, check on the internet.

Which ever way you set it up, have fun!

Deb

Bride To Be Party

2009-12-18T14:53:00.000-08:00

A Bride To Be Party is an exciting and stress free way to plan for your wedding. Call all your single friends to invite them and have them bring pictures, samples, and ideas for their wedding. Give them a couple weeks to a month advance notice so they have time to collect items.

Plan finger foods for your refreshments so everyone can chat while they snack.

The Bride To Be has many things to plan:
1) Type of wedding - formal, semi formal, casual or theme (see links to theme weddings in this blog).

2)Invitations - engraved or hand written

3)Size of wedding - how many attendants and how many guests

4)The Dress, tux's and bridesmaids dresses

5) Color scheme

6)Flowers - plan and order early so florist is available

7) Where will you hold the wedding

8) Reception -
a) Where to hold it
b) Decorations/Flowers
c) Cake
d) Will there be any food

Every Bride To Be will have to make these major decisions as well as many small ones.

You may want to meet weekly or monthly to go over just a few items on the list each time.

This Bride To Be Party can be fun and stress free so when the time comes to make the plans, you will be ahead of the game. Discuss your ideas with the groom to be and adjust as needed.

Have Fun!
Deb

Craft Party II

2009-12-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

A Craft Party is a great way to get a group together and have some fun. Pick out the craft you want to share and buy enough for yourself and your guests. If cost is a factor, ask your friends if they can pay for their craft supplies.

When the guests arrive, pass out the supplies and start your class. You don't have to be a teacher or a pro to do this. The only criteria is that you enjoy the craft you are sharing.

Share with your friends how to construct your craft. Let them know it is okay to ask questions.

Have a craft party once a month. Let the participants know in advance the cost for your month. Take turns and let each of your friends teach their favorite craft. When everyone has had a turn, have everyone bring their favorite craft and just work on it each month.

You could also take turns bringing refreshments so you don't always have to provide them.

Have fun!
Deb

Craft Party I

2009-11-30T14:58:00.001-08:00

It's really easy to have a Craft Party, a good excuse to get together and have fun; at minimal expense. One way to have a craft party is to have your friends each bring their favorite craft (ie: knitting, crocheting, tatting, beading, stamps, etc.). Have them bring enough for themselves and one other person.

Split the guests into pairs. This can be done by picking half the group to be teachers - pick numbers or names out of a hat or bowl - and then pair them up with a partner. Or let the pupils choose - however that might cause a problem if everyone wants to learn the same craft.

The first half of your craft party time, have the group of teachers teach their students. For instance, the knitting, crocheting and tatting could be taught. Then change, the beading, stamps, etc. can be taught. The teachers become the students and the students teach.

After both sets have taught and learned a new craft, serve refreshments and give everyone a chance to share about what they learned and what they thought about the craft.

Have fun!!

Deb

Flower Party

2009-11-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

Want to do something fun and creative with your friends? Have a Flower Party! In the spring would be a great time to have it, when the flowers are in bloom in the yard. However, if you do it during the winter, everyone can purchase fresh flowers at the grocery store or the local florist, or get silk flowers at the craft store.

Decide before hand if you want to have a Silk Flower Party or a Fresh Flower Party. Then the fun begins!

With Fresh Flowers, you can have everyone bring a bunch with them, then share with each other so everyone has a variety to work with. Give everyone a sharp knife and a container of water to arrange their flowers in and let them design an arrangement. You might be surprized at the hidden talent. (They can bring the containers back later). Use any glass container, it does not have to be a traditional vase, a teapot looks gorgeous with flowers. If you don't have a lot of containers that you think would work, run down to the thrift shop and pick some odd containers up.

With Silk Flowers you need more to work with. In a container you need floral foam to anchor the flowers. Or you can get hairpieces, barrets, wristlets, pins etc. to make floral jewelry with. Don't forget the glue and cutting tools.

Have a contest and give prizes to best, most unique, funniest, etc. Serve refreshments and you have a great Flower Party for you and your friends.

Tight Budget Wedding

2009-10-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

A Tight Budget Wedding can be just as beautiful and memorable as one with no budget limits. The difference is you have to work a little harder at it and use your imagination.

Wedding Invitations can be hand written by whoever you know that has good penmanship. The trick is to lay a lined piece of paper under what you are writing on.

Dresses can be bought at Thrift Shops, at 'David's Bridal' (great prices), or hand made by a seamstress, it helps if there is one in the family. Check them all out and see which fits into your tight budget as well as time constraints.

Photos can be taken by everyone if you plan ahead. Hand out disposable cameras and ask them to turn them in after the reception. Ask around, you probably know someone that has a video camera.

Flowers too can be saved on in a Tight Budget Wedding. Speak with your florist and tell her your budget. Your bouquet is the most important piece. Your bridesmaids can carry a single stem flower giving a touch of elegance with minimal costs.

The church flowers could be two simple altar arrangements using nine stems of gladiolas in each arrangement. They are a tall, multi-bloom flower that goes a long way. Glads come in many colors but if you want t different color, ask your florist to order white glads then spritz the center of each bloom with the color of your choice. After the church service you can move them to your reception area.

The reception can be simple - cake, coffee and punch. Check around for where to order your wedding cake, sometimes the local grocery store is the least expensive for this item.

Plan ahead as much as you can, compare prices with three or more store and ENJOY planning for Your Big Day!

til next time
Deb

Valentine Wedding

2009-10-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular wedding days of the year is the Valentine's Day Wedding. What is more romantic than being married on Valentine's Day, the day for lovers?

Your wedding colors, keeping with the Valentine's Day theme, could be red, white, pink and/or lavender, all popular Valentine colors. For a traditional Valentine's Day Wedding, with you wearing white, the bridesmaids could wear red, pink or lavender. White, red and pink go well together.

The bridesmaids in pink could wear elbow length red capes. If you live in a cold area their capes made of velvet would be nice, or have them floor length for warmth. In a warmer climate a shawl or sheer fabric cape would do nicely. Another elegant idea would be to have Renaissance style dresses.

Depending on your choices for your dresses, your flower choices are many. Remembering to contrast your flowers with your dress (then they will show up well in the photos), many flowers come in these popular holiday colors. Roses, daisies, carnations and mums are but a few. If you want a flower that does not come in that color, ask the florist to paint a white one and see if you like it. Antheriums come in red, white and pink and are a heart shaped flower - perfect for a Valentine's Day Wedding! They come in mini sizes for boutineers and larger sizes for bouquets.

Valentine's Day is the busiest time of the year for a florist, so you really need to plan early for your flowers. Many florists will not do weddings on Valentine's Day, so find your florist early and get them locked in with a contract and/or a deposit on your order.

The men can all be dressed in white. Their flowers traditionally would match their partner's in the wedding party. If you want the colors of their attire to match and you used pink - I recommend having pink vests or cumberbunds, men as a rule do not like wearing pink and a pink tux can be a bit much.

Start early, have fun and ENJOY your Valentine's Day Wedding!

til next time
Deb

Winter Wedding

2009-10-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

A Winter Wedding makes me think of a traditional white dress with red and green for the bridesmaids.

The men could all wear white tux's with red flowers. The bridesmaids in forest green velvet dresses would be a knockout! Or they could wear deep red. You could also mix and match, the maid of honor wear one color and the bridesmaids wear the other. However you want to think of the flowers when you choose the dress colors, as you do not want the flowers to wash out in the photos - always think 'contrast'.

Your white dress could have a velvet floor length cape in deep red or forest green. Watch the red in the fabrics, the deeper the shade, the less likely of them clashing with red flowers, and you don't want them to look orange in the photos.

Flowers can be red, white or green. Some flowers come in a light green, or for darker shades speak to your florist about painting them a darker shade. (This technique works best on white flowers).

With the winter wedding roses would work well. Since you are wearing white, carry red roses, and the bridesmaids wearing red or green could carry white roses. Other flowers would look just as nice. You could use carnations to save money, or if you don't care for roses. A unique flower to use would be antheriums. They are a tropical heart shaped flower that comes in red, white and a light green in large or mini sizes. Plan ahead and order your flowers early as this is a very busy time of year for for the florists and at some point they will stop accepting orders. Some florists won't even accept a wedding if it is too close to Christmas so find your florist early.

Remember, start early and ENJOY planning for your Winter Wedding!

Til Next Time
Deb

Fall Wedding

2009-10-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

A Fall Wedding can be stunning. The fall colors of orange, red, yellow and brown can give you a lot of options for your Special Day.

For a Traditional Wedding where you wear white, the attendants and flowers can pick up the Fall Wedding Theme. Your bouquet in red antheriums would be a beautiful contrast to a white wedding dress.

The attendants could carry bouquets with mini antheriums in red, green and multi-colors. You could add in some calla lilies or mini calls which also come in many colors. The men could all wear brown tux's with yellow mini calla lilies to contrast the ladies attire.

For a non-traditional wedding, your choices are endless! Your dress could be brown velvet - think Victorian or Renaissance Eras - and carry a yellow bouquet. Wear a deep long sleeved red velvet dress with the yellow bouquet. Remember to contrast your flowers with your dress because you want them to show up well in the photos, not disappear or melt into the background.

The attandants could wear the same colors or different colors. You could wear a a rich red, one attendant green, one orange, one yellow, and you could all wear brown elbow length capes of velvet to tie it together. The choices to mix and match are only limited by your imagination.

Have your decorations and reception continue the fall theme. Decorate your cake and reception area with multi colored leaves. Whatever you decide, enjoy the preparations for your Wedding Day!

Halloween Wedding Part III

2009-10-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween Wedding Reception

Your reception can be simple with cake, coffee and punch or elaborate as a full course meal, or anywhere in between; such as a buffet, or only cake, snacks and drinks (alcoholic, non-alcoholic or both).

No matter whether you decide on simple, elaborate or somewhere in the middle, it can be a lot of fun in the decision making with a Halloween themed Wedding.

A cake covered with orange frosting, decorated with spiderwebs, spiders or ghosts and goblines would be a show stopped. Add blood red punch with spider ice cubes floating in the center.

Throw in some chocolate covered ants, grasshoppers or tarantulas for the strong hearted!!

The walls of the wedding reception area should also be Halloween themed. Hang two skeletons dressed in wedding wear. Place cobwebs and spiders on the tables. Hang a witch in the corner.

Have fun! A Halloween Wedding is not only once in a life time event, but also a time to remember and have fond memories of, so get a good photographer, someone to do the video and enjoy the decision making for your Special Day!

til next time,
Deb

Halloween Wedding Part II

2009-10-20T13:47:00.004-07:00

Your Halloween Wedding Flowers
Flowers add romance and beauty to any wedding, but can really have a flair with a Halloween Wedding!

If you can afford it - go with tropical flowers. A hanging bird fo paradise in your bouquet would be stunning against a black dress. In the bouquet you could use bird of paradise, calla lilies, mini Antheriums and Asiatic lilies. These flowers come in red, orange and yellow.

For a traditional bouquet, go with roses. Roses come in red, orange and yellow and some are variegated red/yellow. For the Halloween Wedding theme event, you can also have your florist use yellow roses tipped in black. Or go all the way and as the florist to paint white roses black. This can also be done with carnations for a lower price if your budget is tight or you just don't care for roses.

The Groom and Attendant Flowers
Keeping to the Halloween Wedding Theme, if your bouquet is tropical, using Calla lilies, the groom and his attendants can all use mini Calla lilies for their boutineers in colors to compliment their partner in the wedding party. Your attendants could use mini Calla lilies, mini Antheriums, Asiatic lilies, or a combination. Talk to your florist about this.

Traditionally you have the largest bouquet, then your maid or matron ohf honor, and the smallest bouquets to the bridesmaids. To really save, you could have your attendants carry a single flower like a bird of paradise or a full size Antherium.

If you decide on roses, again use the color(s) to contrast your dress and those of your attendants, that way the photos of your special day will be stunning - showing each detail of Your Special Day!

Keep tuned for part III - The Halloween Wedding Reception

'til next time
Deb

Halloween Wedding - Part 1

2009-10-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

A Halloween Wedding gives you many fun options! Besides being an unforgettable event, you have bold, vibrant colors and themes to work with.

Your Dress: Your wedding dress can be black with lacy fringe, think about the dress of Morticia Adams from "The Adams Family" TV Series.Bright orange or yellow would make a statement in a Halloween Wedding.

If your dress is black, your attendants could wear orange or yellow with black trim, or the reverse. Again, if you wear the orange or yellow, the attendants could wear the black. The groom and his attendants would match their counter parts in the wedding party.

Keep in mind you and your dress should stand out from the rest of the wedding party, so you want their attire to contrast yours.

Since these colors are somewhat unique, to weddings, you need to look ahead. You can look for a white dress and have it dyed professionally. The other option is to have your dress and those of your attendants made by a seamstress. Depending on your final decision on the colors, this might work best. Sometimes it is better to have things made than to settle for something you are not entirely happy with.

No matter what color scheme you choose to wear, let it be what makes you happy as this is YOUR Special Day!

Watch for Parts 2 and 3 where I will cover the Halloween Wedding Flowers and Reception.

'til next time -
Deb