Adding "Sparkle" to your holiday parties

Create a memorable holiday party by adding a splash of sparkle. Candlelight will enhance the shimmer even more, instantly bringing a festive feeling to your gathering.

This tip will work, whether you are planning a party for 100 guests, or simply a dinner party for four. Embrace the spirit of the holidays with sparkle and shine.

Happy Holidays to All.

A comment on Greener, Eco Friendly weddings.

Recently I received this comment from someone supporting the use of Greener, Eco Friendly wedding plans.

Tyler said...
Go Green! A green wedding not only makes you feel good to be married to the one you love, but also because you are helping the planet. The only way to go!
October 29, 2008 9:17 PM

Holiday Weddings

Planning your wedding during the holiday season may sound difficult, but there are some advantages.

What better time to hold your wedding than when the family is already together, and the decorations are already up? Trees, lights and candles make the perfect wedding decor, and can save you money. Additionally, your extended family can travel into town to be a guest at your wedding and also spend the holiday together with the whole family.

Trying to get everyone together for a wedding on Christmas may be asking too much, but a day or two afterwards can work well. With simple changes to your holiday decorations, you can create a memorable magical winter setting.

Utilizing the the planning services of your wedding planner will allow you to enjoy your holidays confident that all will go smoothly on your special day. Contact your wedding consultant for holiday wedding planning suggestions.

Save the Date

We all live busy lives, and have calendars that fill up quickly, so don't forget to get the word out to your family and friends as soon as you have picked the date for your special event. Your "Save the Date" information can go out as much as a year in advance, but most guests will agree that three months notice is more than sufficient.

Using the computer to create electronic Save the Date notices is becoming more common, and is a recommended method by those encouraging Green or Eco Friendly Wedding Planning. Using the telephone is another eco-friendly method.

For the more traditionally minded, sending out a postcard, or an item such as a magnet, which is personalized with your picture is another special way to share the news of your upcoming special day.

Create your guest list, let your imagination run free, and get those Save the Date cards or announcements out as early as possible. Your wedding planner can assist you in finding the perfect announcement.

Being prepared for surprises

Your wedding day is planned for mid-June, and you live in an area with traditionally dry weather conditions at that time of year, so you feel safe that your outdoor wedding will come off without a hitch, but truthfully there is no such thing as a "dry weather guarantee".

The possibility of wet weather is just one situation that requires consideration as you make your wedding plans. Could the location you've chosen experience un-seasonable snow, extreme heat, or possibly strong winds? What is your contigency plan for these situations? Would reserving a tent solve the problem, or have you researched indoor locations that could work in a pinch? By having the research done in advance, and a "stand-by plan" ready, just in case, you will save yourself the stress involved should the situation arrive.

Your wedding planning specialist can assist you with making your back up plan, and offer suggestions for addressing these conditions. A little advance consideration can save a lot of trouble later. And while having a wedding on the beach may have been your idea of a dream wedding, it is wise to be flexible, and understanding when your planner suggests you move the event indoors. The comfort and safety of your family and friends should always be a primary concern. Remember you can always have a second ceremony on the beach in Hawaii while on your honeymoon.

So, check with your wedding planner, or other wedding planning specialist, and come up with a back up plan for your outdoor wedding. Advance planning will ensure your day is perfect - and just the way you want it to be.

Our wedding day was magnificent

We had the pleasure of working with Terri while planning our wedding. From the first time we met with Terri, it was clear she was focused on ensuring our wedding day was nothing less than amazing. Terri spent time getting to know us on a personal level, while making sure she truly understood our vision for the big day. When the day came, Terri was fabulous! She was quick to fix the little problems that arose and made sure the event was enjoyable for all our guests. She also worked extremely hard to make certain our day would be unforgettable. Our wedding day was magnificent thanks to all the help Terri provided. We would highly recommend her as a wedding consultant, or for help with any social event. She is fun to work with and her creativity and desire to please those around her make working with her a delightful experience.
Annie & Kenny H. Aug. 2008

So, You're Engaged!

The day you've waited for has arrived, and you are now officially engaged. After sharing the wonderful news with your family and friends, you will now begin to create your wedding. You may have been planning this day in your mind for years and years, or maybe you've never really thought about it.

For some the words, "Let's get married" means, "Let's get on our bikes and ride to City Hall to get married, just you and me", but more likely this statement brings out a much larger planning process.

As you begin your planning you will first consider your budget and your guest count, and will then move on to finding the locations for your wedding and reception. While considering which of the previewed locations will work best for you, stop to imagine how these locations fit "Your Dream Wedding" ideas. A restaurant's banquet room will be an unlikely match to your "Rustic Farmhouse" wedding, and likewise a rustic barn will be difficult to transform into "A Night at the Opera". Take careful note of the surrounding areas for things such as: parking availability, local noise (such as a nearby freeway), ability to transform should weather conditions change (tents/roofed areas). Also consider; lighting, restroom accessibility, amount of privacy provided, heating and air conditioning, length of time location is available for set up & event, size of property in comparison to your intended guest count, etc...

Soon after securing your location additional special event vendors should be contacted, such as photographers, D.J.'s, caterers, and florists, and sign contracts. These vendors book up early, so contact them, and reserve them for your wedding as early as possible. Specifics to each vendor can be worked out closer to the wedding date, but it's important to get your day on their calendars! Events Extraordinaire has a wonderful working relationship with a large number of local special event vendors and location operators, and can assist you in securing the perfect specialists for your wedding and reception. Give us a call, we will help you create the wedding of your Dreams....

Wedding Memories to Take Home

Wedding Favors are a tradition that goes as far back as weddings...and your wedding favor can be as elaborate or as simple as you'd like.

What is your "Wedding Dream"? Are you desiring the sparkle and glitz of a wedding suitable for a Princess, or are you more interested in letting your passions, or your views and values be represented at your wedding? Let your favor express the "Real You", be creative, and remember the sky is the limit. It is important to remember, though, that when designing your favor you must keep in mind that you are providing a gift for each guest invited to your wedding, and the expense of the favor can get high, and you should keep your budget in mind.

The following is a list of wedding favor ideas. The majority of the favors are useful, or edible. Events Extraordinaire can assist you in creating the perfect favor for your special day, and can allow you the opportunity to create a lasting memento of your Dream Wedding.


INEXPENSIVE FAVORS (Attach personalized tags with ribbons, or personalized labels)

1. Homemade cookies wrapped in tulle or baker's envelopes.
2. Bunches of lollipops.
3. A single candle placed at each setting.
4. A packet of wildflower seeds.
5. A bag of mints.
6. A single delicious chocolate truffle or candy bar.
7. A piece of fresh fruit, or cluster of cherries.
8. A handmade fan printed with your wedding program.
9. Tea bags or coffee samples of assorted flavors.
10. Lavender sachets.
11. Honey sticks tied with ribbon.
12. A Baby tree to be planted in the guest's yard.
13. Wrapped guest soaps.
14. Tiny jars of jam or honey.
15. A wedding ceremony program with photographs and a short biography.


EXTRAVAGANT FAVORS

1. A bottle of wine with personalized labels.
2. A donation to a favorite charity.
3. Crystal votives with scented candles.
4. A slice of wedding cake in a crisp white box.
5. Custom-burned CDs with your favorite music.
6. Miniature picture frames.
7. Potpourri or lavender wrapped in a handkerchief.
8. Packages of gourmet chocolates.
9. Engraved Place Cards.
10. Christmas ornaments in your wedding colors, personalized with your names and wedding dates.
11. Sun hats or umbrellas.
12. Personalized champagne flutes.

New Favor ideas:

1. Set up a Candy Store where guests fill their bags with candies of their choice.
2. Photo Booth.
3. Henna painting station.

Have fun choosing just the right wedding favor. Embrace your family traditions, your hobbies or pets, your passion for being environmentally friendly, or let out your Inner Princess. Let your imagination go wild.

Greener or Eco-Friendly Entertaining

You can have the Magical Party of your dreams, and still be kind to the environment by thinking "Greener". Small changes to your plans can make your special day beautiful and elegant, while minimizing the impact to the environment.
Consider the following tips, and check out the website for sites that provide eco-friendly products such as invitations and favors.


25 Tips for a Greener Event

1. Simplify. Your wedding will be memorable and enjoyable for everyone.

2. Have a Daytime wedding, reducing the need for lighting, thereby saving electricity.

3. If lighting is necessary, use soy candles. Hang canning jars with candles and reuse the jars later.

4. Have wedding & reception at the same location to save on gasoline usage.

5. Encourage guests to carpool, or use public transportation, where available. Discourage use of Stretch limos, use Hybrid vehicles where available.

6. Use re-cycled paper for invitations, programs & favors.

7. To save paper, encourage electronic responses (email) or telephone RSVP’s.

8. Send electronic Save The Date messages when possible. Use the telephone.

9. To assist guests to stay cool in hot weather, provide hand held fans.

10. Provide umbrellas for sun protection on sunny days, or put up cloth tents.

11. Wear vintage clothing, or clothing made from nature friendly fabrics such as Hemp or Bamboo.

12. Purchase antique wedding sets, or recycle jewelry into new pieces.

13. Toss wild birdseed rather than rice or confetti after the ceremony.

14. Use flower seed embedded paper for a favor. May be left whole or cut into shapes.

15. Give trees, or easy to grow plants as a favor

16. Use environmentally friendly dinnerware and utensils. Products made from corn & wheat are available for disposable utensils, or use washable products.

17. Use home grown flowers or live plants.

18. Use recycled containers for flower arrangements, or use items from nature, such as pinecones for decorating.

19. Don’t use Mylar confetti, it is difficult to remove. If you must use confetti, use paper confetti.

20. Use items from natures, such as leaves, or rocks for place cards. Write guests’ names on the item, or in the case of a pinecone, add a tiny tag with guest’s name.

21. Use fabric linens, and if possible, line dry the laundry. Use colors that don’t require Bleaching.

22. Recycle all recyclables after the wedding reception

23. Serve organic and locally grown food.

24. Compost leftover food from plates.

25. Use safe cleaning products, but leave the wedding & reception site in better condition that it was found. Leave no trash behind.

Thanks for reducing the stress

Without Events Extraodinaire my wedding day would have been a total disaster!
I honestly think I would have been a bald bride!
I had no idea the time I would save and the stress I would avoid with your help.
So thank you for keeping me from pulling all my hair out!
Kelly B. 2003

Special memories

Each wedding is special and the memories are priceless. Working closely with the bride and groom, and their families, is a wonderful blessing, and the time we spend together allows me to understand exactly what each couple has as their "vision", and I work hard to ensure it happens. With my team, we are able to create the wedding of their dreams, while keeping to their budget. Events Extraordinaire has a variety of wedding supplies that we allow clients to borrow for their wedding, which can save money, and it's environmentally friendly.

Wedding Planning

Terri, Thank you so much. Words can’t express how much you helped. All of your support & calmness made everything go so smoothly. You were the best wedding planning decision we made.
Love, Jim & Alice A.

Event planning at its best

Terri and her team helped make my daughter's wedding reception come together beautifully.

Terri's assistance throughout the entire planning process really helped to keep the stress level down. The organization and attention to detail was more than I had expected!

Kari G.

Events Extraordinaire of the Sonora CA area recommendation

Dear Terri, We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the services you provided for us. Because of your exquisite personality and conscientious way of organizing, our wedding day was beautiful.

We cannot thank you enough for the personal touches and caring you put into our wedding. Additionally, our family & guests commented on your professionalism and accommodating personality. Without reservation we will recommend you to friends & family for your services.

With love & appreciation,
Damon & Dayna C

Comments from our clients...

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