09/29/2010, 5:08 pm
Considering an outdoor venue?
If you’re planning an event and you’re thinking about an outdoor venue consider this…good ole mother nature!
The weather is a hard thing to predict and heat, rain, snow or even strong winds can have an serious impact on the comfort of your guests.
I was just talking to a friend who attended an outdoor wedding ceremony this Sunday in southern California. Now you’d think the end of September would provide fairly mild temperatures. But no!… the temperture this year was around 100 degrees. My friend said that everyone was so uncomfortable it was hard for them to enjoy the festivities.
So a word to the wise…No amount of planning can insure that the weather will cooperate with your outdoor event.
When planning an outdoor event consider the need to have a contingency plan in place to insure that your guests don’t melt from the heat or get drenched in the pouring rain etc.
Never ever assume the weather will cooperate with you!!
09/22/2010, 1:17 am
Become a Florist
Do you love to use your creativity? Do you have great color coordination? Florist work might be
right up your alley.
What better way to put your natural talents to work and brighten people’s days at the same time!
If this sounds interesting, here are some things to think about:
First of all, you will need to sharpen your customer service skills. This will really help you in any job. Remember the golden rule of working retail (say it with me now): “The customer is always right,”
or as our good friends at Burger King say, “Your way right away!”
Research top florist schools in your area. Some classes can be taken online and most florist
schools offer certification courses. Some schools offer licensing as well as internship programs
(it’s great to get some hands-on experience under your belt as well as on your resume!).
Interview local florists about the pro’s and con’s of being an independent florist versus owning
a franchise.
If you are considering owning your own store, it will necessary to take some business courses
to better prepare yourself for that aspect of the industry.
You will also need to educate yourself and get to know flowers by name and sight. Get to know what flowers are available in what seasons. Learn how to make different floral pieces including boutonnières, corsages, bridal bouquets, vase arrangements, etc.
Practice different techniques. Volunteer to decorate for your friends’ parties and receptions, then take pictures and put together
a portfolio of your work. You can also donate your skill and arrangements to low income families who have weddings or funerals.
Immerse yourself in the industry and get familiar with every aspect of it.
Heidi Silva
09/10/2010, 5:12 pm
It's the Holidays!
It’s that time of year again…the holidays…Halloween… Thanksgiving… Christmas… New Years.
Planning your own party can be stressful because of course you want your party to be the best.
You want all your guests to have a great time
and talk about your party for months afterwards.
So how do you plan a great party? We’ve got a few useful tips to help you plan your best holiday
party ever.
1. Start planning now. Give yourself plenty of time to plan and organize. You need time to research vendors, read vendor contacts, book a venue…etc
2. Visualize your party. What do you want your party to look like?
How many guests? What kind of food and drinks do you want to provide? Is there a band playing or a DJ? Is it formal or informal? Décor?
3. Budget- Or how much can you spend. Take the party you’ve visualized and begin to create a realistic plan. Your budget may not allow you to have everything you’ve visualized for your party so you may have to prioritize. Make a list of what you feel you absolutely
have to have for your party…is it a dj…a live band…
great food…a full bar…
Your budget may require you to downsize on guests or have a buffet rather than a sit down dinner but that doesn’t mean it won’t be an awesome party.
4. Planner-If your budget allows enlist the help of a party planner. Planners can help you with all those tiresome little details that are so easy to overlook. Planners can help you find reputable vendors. Party planners can look over your budget and help you prioritize so you
get the most for your money.
And last but not least don’t panic use these tips to get you started planning your party. Just stay organized and stay within your budget. And remember to have some fun with the planning process it doesn’t have to be all work! After all it is a party!
