Mini Adirondack Chairs – Perfect for a beach theme or back yard wedding! These chairs (from TheKnotShop.com) hold the place card in the back and then can be used as a candle holder in the seat. We have also seen these engraved with the bride and grooms initials inside a heart on the front of each chair.

Photo Booth Picture Strip Frames – Planning on having a photo booth? What a great way to entertain your guests and make sure they have a special keepsake from your wedding! You can order plastic frames and and “escort strips” with each guest’s name and table number printed on them. If you do not want to use them as a place card, they are a prefect favor!!  Be sure to check with your photo booth rental company before ordering, they may offer this service and will be able to provide you with the right size frames.

Coasters – Personalized cardboard coasters are commonly used as escort cards and make for a great, inexpensive favor! You could take the next step and create glass coasters that guests can use again and again after your wedding.

Bookmarks – Are you and your hubby-to-be bookworms? Met while studying your English Major perhaps? Or just love this idea? So do we! The bookmarks can be displayed in or around your favorite books. And if you’re looking for a more vintage-feel, shop around for the original versions of your favorite stories.

Luggage Tags – Having a destination wedding or a destination-themed wedding? These luggage tags would be the perfect touch, and guests will love that they can use them again! You can purchase the tag holders and create your own labels for them or design personalized tags online.

Chalkboard Painted Products – Chalkboard paint is all the DIY rage, why not use it for your wedding?  You can paint strips on glass candle holders, beer steins, or cover the bottom of wine glasses and then write guests names and table numbers on them! This may be most cost-effective for a small wedding and a fun wedding project. You can also order these products online if you love the idea but don’t have the time.

Photo Credit: Theknot.com, Google images, Shutterbooth Photobooths

Guest books are no longer a simple sign-and-go as they are traditionally portrayed. Many couples search for creative, multi-purpose, and cost effective ways to remember the guests the attended their wedding.

Below are our top 5 picks for creative (and affordable!) guest book alternatives:

1. Puzzle

Guests can write short messages or words of advice on puzzle pieces that are later put together and can be displayed in a frame. A forever keepsake from your wedding!

 

 

 

 

2. Birthday Calendar

What a fantastic way to remember all the birthdays of your newly formed family and circle of friends! This idea is a creative and inexpensive way to personalize your guestbook!

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Placemats

This is a fun way to get the creative juices in your guests flowing, and it will be so interesting to go back and read all of the messages your guest wrote after the wedding! These can be displayed in a scrap book of your own by placing them in a binder.

 

 

 

4. Family Tree

A very unique and artistic way to display your new family tree! This can be done at the rehearsal dinner or at the wedding of course!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Polaroid Photo Area

This is Sarah’s personal favorite! Another great way to get guests involved in the wedding and the pictures serve as fantastic keepsakes. Encourage the guests to sign the back and display on a clothing line at the wedding!

 

 

Here are more suggestions that we love:

-Wine or Champagne Bottles – Provide 3 or 5 bottles alone with a silver or black metallic pen for your guests to use when to sign, and open on each anniversary or milestone!

-Wishing tree or bowl – Only takes a tall or wide hurricane vase and colorful index cards and pens to create this idea. The notes are glued inside a scrapbook after the wedding!

-Mad libs – now those will be fun to read!

-Your initials large enough to sign – they can then be used as décor for your love nest.

-Create a scrapbook of engagement photos and make each page a unique request for your guests to leave specific advice for a happy marriage!

For more suggestions we have highlighted, visit our Pinterest “All About the Guests” board! : http://pinterest.com/allabtevents/all-about-the-guests/

 

Photo Credit: Google Images and Pinterest
 

 

 

Initially, the only light Sarah and I could shed on the matter was that we’ve seen brides change their shoes half way through the reception (not uncommon for many brides). But, because we never leave a bride with an unanswered question, we put on our thinking caps and hit the books… well, the World Wide Web.

We found some feet-friendly tips to keep in mind during your wedding shoe search. We thought it was important to share with all of the brides to be out there how to get the most comfort out of the shoes that you simply can’t part with!

Tips on how to keep those shoes on throughout your reception:

1. Rule of Thumb: Better quality = more comfort = (usually) more expensive.

The unfortunate reality for those discount shoe shoppers like myself is that more expensive shoes are made better, with high quality material, and are likely to be more comfortable. If shoes are an important element of your day, consider working the cost into your dress budget and take your time shopping around.

2. Shop Around

Tip one brings us right to tip two; if you find a shoe that you like at a department store, shop online before you buy. Many times you can find the same shoe at a discounted price from a wholesaler. Also, take your time trying on different brands and styles so that you can learn what you like and what you don’t. Then, when you do find your perfect pair, you know that you exhausted all of your options.

3. Break Those Puppies In!

We can’t stress enough the importance of breaking your shoes in. The last thing you want is to put them on the day of your wedding and 10 minutes later you’re in pain. You want to give the shoes time to adjust to your feet. We suggest wearing them around the house or taking them to your pre-wedding dancing lesions.

4. Shoe Pads Are Your Best Friend

We can’t stress this enough. Sarah and I always have an extra set of foot pads in our wedding day “emergency kit”! Doctor Scholl offers gel pads and cushions which are rated #1 among their competitors. And they offer pads for every part of your tootsies, so load up! Another shoe pad plus, they can reduce chaffing, sweating, and/or blisters which is one less issue you’ll have to worry about on your big day.

We also found a few companies and unique avenues you can shop through to find the perfect pair of stylish, yet comfortable wedding shoes.

~Hey Lady: https://www.shopheylady.com/index.php

These ladies really know how to make a girl’s feet sing instead of scream! Make you sure you check out their bio too; a story we can all relate to.

~Butter: http://www.buttershoes.com/

This company is known for their comfy leather shoes, AND they have a “something bleu” line specifically for wedding shoes.

~Ballroom Dancing Shoes: http://www.bestballroomshoes.com/

Have you been taking ballroom dancing lessons for your wedding day? These ballroom shoes are definitely the way to go! They are made to be comfortable while dancing and you can customize them however you’d like. This is a more unique approach to your shoe search.

We hope these tips keep you dancing in your beautiful wedding heels! Do you have a unique question we can help you with? Contact us at All About Events, we are happy to help you!

Themes can be simple and easily recognizable to guests sea shore themes or they can be personal and representative of the guest(s) of honor. Specifically for weddings, many couples search for a theme that is representative of their relationship. How far a theme is integrated in an event various greatly. It can be present in a small, subtle way or can encompass the entire event.

Recent industry studies have shown that that themes are taking a less subtle approach in the planning process in 2012, especially for weddings. Couples are choosing themes that encompass their entire day and captivate their guests with complementary entertainment and activities. These themes can still be representative of the couple and their relationship, but are planned in a larger scale. This challenges planners (such as ourselves) to find affordable and unique ways to create the scene for your day.

Below are some of All About Events’ favorite themes for 2012!

City of LOVE (Philadelphia or Paris)

Did you and your fiancé fall in love in the city of brotherly love? Have you always wanted to travel to Paris, the world-known city of love? Both are unique ways to display the love you and your hubby-to-be will share! Imagine saying your vows under a replica of the Eiffel Tower or in front of the LOVE Park statue. Not to mention enjoying native city cuisine with your guests.

Lucky in Love (Casino theme)

One of our favorite part about this theme is the never-ending possibly for catchy tag lines! You and your fiancé were “lucky to find each other in this game of life” and believe that “love is a gamble, so go all in!”….!  Companies like “High Rollers” offer all types of casino tables for your wedding or event.  Most casino have at the very least an event space which make’s for a very lively place to say your “I do’s!”

Photo by Maria Vinencia Photography

The Ringmaster (get it?! RINGmaster?!) will marry you under a big top circus tent and the reception continues in a large, open ring with contortionists and jugglers to entertain the guests. Guests can even learn how to juggle from the performers or play old-style carnival games. This type of theme allows the event to flow freely and gives you an opportunity to really interact with your guests.

Photo by ruffledblog.com

More and more, clients are coming to us with inspiration that they found on sites such as Pinterest, Style Me Pretty, or Etsy. The question we are asked as planners is “can we recreate this for my wedding?” and the answer is always YES!! These websites/blogs are fantastic tools to get the creative juices flowing as you narrow down the ideas and details you want to use to personalize your day. Here are a few tips to help you make these sites work FOR you, not work you over.

1. Create your own “inspiration board”

Inspiration boards are a visual way to gather all of your ideas into one place and work through them to find the best combination for you and for your day. This can be a cork board dedicated to your day, a virtual document, or even pictures taped to the wall! The best part about creating an inspiration board is you can pile as many ideas on it as you like, revisit them and then rule out things you really don’t need or want. The more specific and focused you become, the easier it will be for your wedding professionals to re-create exactly what you want.

Pinterest is a great tool to gather all of your inspiration into one location, as it mocks a real bulletin board. You simply pin pictures you like from websites or “re-pin” posts from other users to your personal board. You can also create different boards to organize all of the ideas you pin (if you’re an avid organizer like I am).

2. Find 3-5 sites you like and stick to them!

Take a few weeks to visit all the wedding websites and blogs you can, especially the ones that will be recommended to you by friends, family and even strangers. As you explore them, think about which ones are easiest to navigate, which ones have useful information versus stories, and how often each are updated. From there, pick 3 to 5 sites that you feel comfortable with and add them to your bookmarks. These few sites will give you more than enough inspiration to go through as you formulate ideas again and again.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics

When you find an idea or detail that you LOVE  and wish to incorporate into your day, do not settle for less. Your team of wedding professionals are there to make your day exactly the way you want it, so you should feel comfortable presenting them with an idea and asking that they work with it. As planners, we will make sure that you find the best way to make all of your wedding dreams come true!

Here are a few inspiration examples from Pinterest that we have been successful in recreated for our previous couples! Make sure you follow All About Events on Pinterest for more ideas to make your day unforgettable!

These table numbers are an easy DIY project or can be purchased on ETSY.com

A great dessert station idea or can be used as a favor for any summer wedding.

A great DIY project if using silk flowers, or can be easily created by your florist!

Contact Sarah or Courtney to learn more about how we can personally help you incorporate these fabulous ideas to your own wedding!

As 2011 was wrapping up, I had the opportunity to visit three event spaces that are great locations to host an event. It’s always exciting to me when I discover hot new places to recommend!

The Centerfuge – Bucks County, Pa

Between the 1940′s and the 1990′s, the Centerfuge was a training facility used for astronauts before they took off into space. The original 7 astronauts that were sent into space (John Glen, Scott Carpenter etc..) were trained at this facility to prepare for take off. When you open the gigantic doors and walk into the massive room which is now the event space, there is a Centerfuge that is larger than life. A centrifuge is a machine that swings a capsule around in a circle on the end of a long arm. The purpose is to simulate gravitational forces on a test subject. Great photo opportunities in the cockpit! I attended an event that Gene Blum from Drexelbrook has hosted along with Phyllis from Eventricity and the options for designing this space are endless. This mind blowing venue is ideal for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Sweet 16, Holiday or Corporate Event. It is also perfect for Indian weddings and ceremonies or any other large celebrations because of the extremely large open space. Contact myself or Gene Blum for more information!

Sigma Sound Stage - Philadelhpia Pa

As much as I love finding event spaces out in the suburbs, I always get excited learning about a hot new event venue in Center City! There are so many hidden secrets in the city, but this is a unique space that is now being used for events. Simga Sound Studios is a private recording studio right in the heart of the city that has opened their doors for private functions. Elizabeth Craighead from Feastivities Catering took me on a site tour back in December, and I was wowed walking into the individual recording studios and private lounges. There have been some incredible musicians who have come here to record their music. I have been working alongside Feastivities for the past month in planning the upcoming NACE event that is being held here this January. This space is great for Mitzvahs, holiday or corporate functions, weddings, and especially cocktail receptions/birthday celebrations. I just suggested Sigma Sound Stage for a 40th birthday party!

MaGerks Irish Bar & Grill -Fort Washington, Pa

Yes, you read that correctly… a steller event space inside an Irish Bar & Grill. I was brought on board to plan a corporate holiday party for a local marketing company in the area for about 100 guests. The past few years they have held their annual corporate holiday party here, but this year the CEO wanted to kick it up a notch. In our first meeting she said to me that they loved the space but because it was a back room in a bar, it needed some flare as well as company branding. In a few short weeks we turned that back room into a beautiful holiday party filled with festive decor that included the company’s logo. MaGerks is the perfect place for a casual corporate holiday party, school reunion, or 21 and older birthday celebration. MaGerks is equipped with a built-in stage for a band or DJ, two large bars, wall to wall plasma tv’s, and plenty of room for mingling and dancing. The corporate holiday party was a huge success in this venue, and I would suggest that the jumbo cheese steak egg rolls are included on the menu!

These are my top picks for hot new venue’s 0f 2012! Courtney and I here at All About Events would love to help you plan and execute your event at any of these locations. Or if your in need of other unique venue recommendations, just ask!

Cheers to all of the events in 2012!

Sarah

The weather leading up to our tent wedding on the 10th of September consisted of heavy rain almost every day that week. Mid week that week myself and the caterer Gene Blum from Drexelbrook Catering went to check on the tent and grounds around it. This is what we walked into….

Luckily because we are both prepared for almost anything unexpected, we acted quickly and developed a plan that would allow this wedding to still take place on grounds that were at this point submerged under water.

Starting the morning before the wedding, we had contractor Bob Morrison come to the site to built a safe and sterdy walk way which measured over 100 feet long so guests and the stunning bride in her while dress could walk from the Historic house at Graeme Park to their wedding reception under a beautifully lit (and dry) tent.

The reception tent had flooring installed weeks before which was a part of the original plan so once everyone arrived to the celebration, the wet grounds were quickly forgotten about. The tent and couple glowed throughout the wonderful evening, and the guests packed the dance floor. Luckily the rainy weather did not put a damper on this couples wedding day!

The following week we drove to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware to execute the wedding of Steve and Nina. For over a year now this bride has been talking about having their ceremony take place on the beach. The forecast leading up to the week only showed sun and warm weather so our “Plan B” location for the ceremony was moved to the back burner. Approximitaly 20 minutes before the start of their beach ceremony last weekend, grey clouds rolled in and drops of rain started to fall from the sky. The drizzle was still light so I went to the bride as she and the groom have the final say in what they would like to this situation. They both seperatly said that they came to get married on the beach and they were both still game.  The rain picked up as the ceremony progressed, but anyone watching the bride and groom didn’t notice a drop. These two were so fixated on each other and the vows they were exchanging, witnessing this moment made the falling rain unnoticeable.

We were very happy the this bride and groom faced the rainy weather because the pictures they got on the beach during and after the ceremony are priceless! While weather needs to be thought about, discussed, and planned for, do not let it dictate the dream outdoor wedding you are planning. Both of these brides have proven that as long as you have love and each other, weather is the last thing that is going to mess with your day!

All About Events

Benefiting The Survivor’s Fund

Thie 1st Annual F.O.P. Fallen Officer’s Gala will be held November 26th, 2011 from 5:00pm – 10:00pm at Eakin’s Oval (at the foot of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps).  This will be a 5 hour tented gala, which will of course be heated, that will feature cuisine by Drexelbrook Catering, live entertainment provided by The Sid Miller Band of Brandywine Valley Talent, and an open bar.

This year’s theme will be the roaring twenties and will focus on commemorating all of Philadelphia’s fallen officers with an emphasis on the heroes of that decade. The gala is being produced by the leader’s of the Philadelphia event industry to assist The F.O.P. Lodge #5 in their continual effort to replenish and increase The Survivor’s Fund, to pay tribute to those who have given their lives to protect the citizens of Philadelphia, and to show our support to the officer’s who are currently on the streets of Philadelphia every day ensuring our safety.

The Survivor’s Fund was established by The F.O.P. Lodge #5 to provide for the families of Philadelphia’s fallen officer’s.  The fund allows the F.O.P. to support these families both financially and emotionally from the moment tragedy occurs onwards throughout the rest of their lives, serving as a constant reminder that their loss was not unnoticed or unappreciated.

Please come out for an incredible evening of dinner and dancing in the heart of Philadelphia, and show your support for our The Philadelphia Police Department’s heroes.

Current Sponsors

All About Events
Cutting Edge Entertainment
Drexelbrook Catering
Eventions Productions
EventQuip
F.O.P Lodge #5
Gene Blum ~ Director of Public Relations
Kevin York Photography
Opaque White Design
Party Rental LTD
The Fairmount Park Commission
VideoOne Productions

Today we would like to thank Stephanie Wells – owner and graphic designer for Opaque White Design -  who has been generous enough to donate her time, creativity, and design expertise to provide us with three awesome logo options for this event. We love them all, and are having a really difficult time choosing which logo to use. Please take a moment to look at the three options, and vote on which is your favorite. You can vote by commenting at the bottom of the blog post, or by emailing or calling myself or Sarah. Thanks so much for your help! If you have time be sure to check out some more of Stephanie’s incredible work here!

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Tickets can be purchased for a discounted price through June 30th at http://fopgalapresale-auto.eventbrite.com/

We hope you will come out and support this fantastic cause for those who gave everything to support and protect us!

-Renee McIntyre

Logo Design ~ Stephanie Wells ~ Opaque White Design

www.allaboutevents.us

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  ~Clarence Budington Kelland

It’s time for Father’s Day again!  Some may find Mother’s Day to be more challenging to find a great gift and to create the perfect day, knowing that Dad would be content with a few beers, pizza, and watching the game. . . so I am challenging you!  Just because Dad would be content with that, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t appreciate something more!  This year do something creative and special that he can really enjoy, he deserves it Don’t worry! If you are sitting there stumped, here are some ideas we have put together for great gifts that he hasn’t seen a thousand times, and some things going on in the Philadelphia area next weekend.

First we’d like to share some gifts we have researched that we think Dad will love.

• Get him something personalized from Shutterfly.com.  Turn your photos into anything you can think of.  Of course they have the basic cards and stationary, but there are many other unique options to be discovered on this great site.  Does your Dad love to play poker. . . get your pictures printed on a deck of cards, computer genius. . .slap your face onto a mouse pad. You can even get a decal of yourself or his grand kids to put on the wall of his man cave

• Has your Dad always longed for fame?  If so, he will love our next gift idea.  WeMakeTheNews.com will create a custom framed personalized newspaper article.  All you have to do is give them a few pictures and some information, and they handle all the writing and design.  It is sure to be a gift that will be a great conversational piece over the years, and each time it comes up Dad will think of you.

• If your father is a little more low key, maybe he would just enjoy some personalized wall art from www.photowow.com featuring himself, his kids, or his grand kids.  “Turn your cherished memories into marvelous masterpieces”.  These works of art are sure to get some attention.  The pictures are created on canvas, and there are many different options and styles to choose from. Below is just one example of the incredible products they can produce.

• And now for the busy career dad who is always rushing out the door but has a hard time getting it all together in the morning.  Get him the Smart Finder 4 – in 1.  You can use this gadget to find your keys, glasses, wallet, remote control, etc.  You can find this time saving gadget on www.cgets.com.

• A gift certificate for a day out on the golf course with some buddies.  If you would like to make it a gift from the family, add in some new golf clubs or some items from www.pebblebeach.com . . . OR if you are really looking to hit a home run send him to play at Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the world’s great golf venue’s that was recently voted #1 on the list of “Tour Courses You Can Play” by Golfweek.  They are running a special for every 2 night stay that is booked and completed by August 31st they will give Dad a free room upgrade.  Very cool!

So now you have given Dad his amazingly cool gift, which took all of five minutes,what should you do for the rest of day??  Here are a few things going on in the Philadelphia area for Father’s Day Weekend.

If there is nothing more your Dad enjoys then a relaxing night at home, why not find some ways to make it special.  Get some of your favorite pictures throughout the years blown up at your local staples or kinkos and place them around the yard with some other nice touches, then serve his favorite meal with the family outside.  For bonus points have a cold case of his favorite beer on hand.

You could also start your Father’s Day festivities early by attending The Kimmel Center’s eighth annual Summer Solstice Celebration which will feature a full 14 hours of entertainment to represent the many different variations of entertainment available throughout the versatile city of Philadelphia.  The party starts at 12:00pm on Saturday June 18th, 2011 – this is the longest day of the year; hence the event being titled The Summer Solstice Celebration – and continues until 2:00am on Father’s Day, June 19th, 2011. The festival will include family-friendly programs that will feature classical performers, dancing, cabaret, delicious foods, and music from around the world. It will also showcase variety performers for your families entertainment, in addition to various entertaining activities. For a complete list of the days scheduled events please visit http://www.kimmelcenter.org/events/summer-solstice11.php. If you make it to this fantastic event, we welcome you to share your pictures with us.

If your Dad is a lover of the sea take him aboard the Philadelphia Belle – formerly The Mississippi Belle II, a southern riverboat casino that pulled into Philadelphia to be renovated last year. The boat was reopened after renovations in November of 2010, and is a Philadelphia site worth seeing! On Father’s Day The Philadelphia Belle will be out to sea for a Brunch cruise, during which all Father’s on board will receive a complimentary beer or bloody mary.  To book a Father’s Day cruise on the Philadelphia Belle click here.

Photo Credit: Jeff Reeder Photography

An early Father’s Day treat for the beer loving father could be tickets to The Philadelphia Beer Experience – The South Philly Edition at The Pub on Passayunk East. This Philadelphia Beer Experience walking tour is a way for people to experience all of the best places to grab a beer, without having to adventure out on their own. Attendees get to visit all of South Philly’s best bars, in addition to the chance to win some great prizes at the end of the tour. For more information on this tour click here.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started on making next weekend a Father’s Day to remember.  There are tons of options in the Philadelphia area, and if you type in the right words Google will show you them all .  “What did I get my Dad for Father’s Day?” you might be wondering, well you’ll just have to wait to find out, because of course he is my number one reader.  Happy Father’s Day Dad!

-Renee McIntyre

www.allaboutevents.us