2017: FIVE EASY STEPS TO PLAN THE YEAR AHEAD

WE HOPE YOU TOOK ALL OF OUR ASTUTE ADVICE ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR AND RECOVER FROM YOUR NEW YEARS FETE. WE ARE TRYING TO FINISH UP THE LAST OF THE BUBBLY AND CAKE BEFORE OUR RESOLUTIONS KICK IN. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE YEAR AHEAD OF US. WE ARE ROLLING OUT SOME EXCITING NEW THINGS FOR THE BLOG THIS YEAR BUT FIRST, WE WANTED TO HELP YOU THINK THROUGH YOUR EVENTS FOR 2017 WITH CLARITY. SO WE ARE TAKING A DEEP-DIVE INTO ONE TOPIC TO START THIS YEAR: EVENT PLANNING. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING HOW TO DO IT BEST, HELPFUL TOOLS, AND WE ARE ALSO HARD AT WORK ON A TOP SECRET SPECIAL SURPRISE JUST FOR YOU!

HAVE A SEAT, GRAB A PEN (OR OPEN YOUR GOOGLE DOCS) AND GET READY TO TAKE SOME NOTES. HERE ARE OUR FIVE EASY STEPS FOR SETTING A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR YOUR EVENTS FOR THIS YEAR.

Karen AlgerJanuary 2, 20172017, event planning, event managementComment

THE FEELINGS THAT MAKE AN EVENT MEANINGFUL

WE ALL KNOW THAT GOOD FOOD, A BEAUTIFUL VENUE, A COMPELLING THEME, A GREAT SUPPORT STAFF ARE AMONG THE THINGS THAT AMAZING EVENTS ARE MADE OF. AND YET, EVEN WITH ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS IN PLACE, THERE IS A CERTAIN SOMETHING, THAT IF IT'S MISSING, YOU REALLY KNOW IT. IF IT'S THERE, YOU MIGHT NOT REALLY BE ABLE TO PINPOINT WHAT IT IS THAT MADE AN EVENT SO INCREDIBLE. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE HOLIDAYS--IT'S NOT ABOUT THE TREE OR THE MENORAH, THE GIFTS, OR THE LIGHTS. THERE IS AN EPHEMERAL QUALITY THAT IS HARD TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON, A KIND OF MAGIC, IF YOU WILL, THAT MAKES EVENTS TRULY MEMORABLE. SO, IF YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY PLAN FOR AND MANUFACTURE THIS GREATNESS, HOW DO YOU NURTURE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A REALLY AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE? LET'S FIND OUT...

Karen AlgerDecember 20, 2016feeling, meaning, event planningComment

EVENT TRENDS FOR 2017

IN OCTOBER, WE TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT THE EVENT TRENDS WE HAD SEEN IN 2016: NEW TECHNOLOGY, FOOD AND BEVERAGE FADS, DESIGN TRENDS, AND INNOVATIONS IN BRANDING AND ENGAGEMENT. WITH THE NEW YEAR ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY, WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE A LITTLE JUMPSTART ON YOUR IDEA GATHERING SO YOU BEGIN THE YEAR AHEAD OF THE GAME. A LOT OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR 2017 BUILDS ON THINGS WE SAW IN 2016, WITH SOME FRESH NEW TWISTS.

Karen AlgerDecember 6, 20162017, trends, best of, event planningComment

YOU'RE INVITED: A QUICK GUIDE TO EVENT INVITATIONS

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO...OUR QUICK AND DIRTY GUIDE TO EVENT INVITATIONS. ACCORDING TO PREVAILING ETIQUETTE, INVITATIONS TO ANY EVENT SHOULD BE SENT OUT AT LEAST SIX-TO-EIGHT WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR CHOSEN DATE. WHETHER OR NOT YOU SENT OUT A SAVE-THE-DATE, YOU WILL NEED TO SEND OUT INVITATIONS OF SOME KIND. THANKS TO MODERN INNOVATIONS, BOTH PAPER AND DIGITAL, YOUR OPTIONS ARE MANY AND STYLISH, INCLUDING EVEN VIDEO AND MULTI-MEDIA OPTIONS. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE IDEAS FOR PAPER INVITATIONS AND SOME SOURCES WE LOVE FOR WHEN YOU'RE THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE.

Karen AlgerNovember 30, 2016event planning, invitations, design, guideComment

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR EVENT STAFF

YOU CAN PLAN THE MOST AMAZING AFFAIR YOU CAN IMAGINE, BUT WITHOUT A GREAT CREW OF PEOPLE TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SUCCEED. YOU NEED SKILLED PEOPLE WHO GIVE AMAZING SERVICE SO THAT YOUR ATTENDEES FEEL VALUED AND A SUPPORT TEAM THAT CAN HELP YOUR EVENT GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. SOMETIMES, STAFFING IS GIVEN LOWER PRIORITY IN THE PLAN AND IN THE BUDGET BUT WE TRUST YOU WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE! BELOW, WE OFFER OUR TIPS AND TRICKS FOR GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR EVENT STAFF BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER YOUR EVENT SO THAT THEY GIVE THEIR BEST AND YOU AND YOUR GUESTS GET AWESOME SERVICE.

Karen AlgerNovember 22, 2016staff, event production, event planning, small scale events, large scale eventsComment