Guest Blogger for Flower Magaizine

Given that Flower Magazine is one of my most favorite party planning resources, I am thrilled to be a guest blogger on their blog today. Click here to check it out!

If you have not picked up a copy of Flower Magazine before, do so now. They always have wonderful articles on events as well as a "how to" demonstration that can make anyone feel like the next flower diva!

Happy Planning!
-NB

Personalize your Event

Tom surprised me with a new wedding book a few weeks ago and I can not begin to tell you how awesome it is. Jung Lee is an amazing wedding planner in New York who created her own event planning company after planning her own wedding a few years ago. She was in need of a planner herself and only found two types of planners....neither fitting what she was looking for. There were the either the planners who only wanted to re-live their wedding again through someone else, or those who focused more on completing the basic checklists than actually "creating" the event. Jung Lee strives for more....

I have spent many Saturday mornings sipping coffee with my nose in my new book reading every word on every page. I have realized that it is not just the beautiful settings and details she creates, but the fundamental principles behind her weddings that I admire so much. I just love the phrase "personalization and orchestration of the entire experience."

Personalization and details are my favorite things. Whether it is a birthday party, wedding, rehearsal dinner or house party, there are unique ways to make the event your own, and leave your guests admiring all the details. For example, I am working on a Sweet 16 party for two great girls. To start with, we are personalizing the party with their own party logo created by Razzle Dazzle Creative Design (I cannot show you yet, it is a surprise)!! By the time we are done with it, I hope you will see this logo everywhere (oh, how fun it would be to be 16 again).

Below are a few fun ideas I have seen while researching for some upcoming events ....

Not a huge fan of silhouettes, but I do like the fact they used them starting with the invitations and carried the theme through the reception.

This is a paper cone filled with puff balls for guests to throw when the bride and groom leave the reception. Instead of letting the guests assume what they should do with the puff balls, they added a nice little touch....
"As the bride and groom come your way
toss the pom poms and shout hooray!"

A signature cocktail is an EASY way to add a little spunk to your bar! Everyone loves this little detail...have a way to let your guests know why you chose this drink (favorite color, brings back special memory, etc).

LOVE this crossword puzzle. What a cute way to tell your guests a little more about the bride and groom (or the hostess)! This puzzle was placed under the place setting at the seated dinner.

I am working with a bride and groom that have a theme "A bicycle built for two." Katie, if you are reading...another way for you to incorporate your theme!

This might be my favorite for few reasons....1) Guests will love wearing these pins with different couple sayings while also seeing what other one's say - editor's note, Tom is not as excited about the buttons as I am; 2) As the planner, I will love thinking of things that are "better together!" and 3) Tom and I kitchen dance to Jack Johnson's "Better Together" and I just love that song!

Happy Planning!

-Neillie

"Exceptional" Venue

Conversation between Gather's Creator and Blog Editor:

Editor: This cake is so ugly!

Creator: No comment on who forgot to pick up the other cake from Edgar's

My step-daughter turned 7 years old this Thursday and we have been celebrating since Wednesday night. We had been planning to have a "water" party in my back yard for a month -- I wasn't very excited about the idea given the the fact there were only adult family members attending this party. However, since she told me that "she got to pick the venue since it was her party and I could pick the venue when it is my party," I had little choice. I think she is spending a little too much time in the party planning world...where did the word "venue" come from??

Thank you Mother-Nature for saving us from an afternoon of water balloons and garden hoses!

I don't know if you are familiar with The Exceptional Foundation in Birmingham, but they have a huge gym with a moon-bounce, air hockey, their very own wii station and much more. It was truly a party in a bag type of deal. The kids had the time of their life running wild, playing baseball on the wii station and a riding the bicycle built for two.

Great news...you do not have to be the daughter of the executive director to get this great party venue.

For $200 the whole place can be yours!!

(Best of all...your money is going to such a great cause!!!)

Happy Planning!

-NB

Fashion For The Fight

My dear friends at Cafe Dupont have agreed to do the food for this event!!

Thank you Chris Dupont!!

Click on the "Buy Now" button to the left to purchase your tickets now!

Happy Planning!
-NB

Fashion For The Fight

Gather and Laura Kathryn have partnered up for the fight against cancer!

Join us for

Fashion For The Fight

to benefit

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center

Thursday, October 1, 2009

1814 1st Avenue North

Birmingham, AL 35203

6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 per person

(click the "buy now botton" on the top left corner

of my blog to buy your tickets now)

Free wine, light hors doeuvres

AND....
Two $250 Laura Kathryn gift certificates will be given away!!

A special thanks to Whole Foods Market, N'Vogue Salon and Spa, Will Dickey Photography, A.G. Lighting, Levy's Fine Jewlry and Trotter Technologies

Happy Planning!

-NB

New Rule for you party throwers!!!

There are not many rules when throwing a party. I think it is safe to say that I usually tell you to do whatever you want to do...it is your party. However, as my mother always said, rules are in place to protect you. So..................party throwers, you now have Gather's first rule to house parties!

Do NOT re-decorate your house for a dinner party

(well...at least not two days before the event)

You see, this rule is really hard for me. I tend to go a little overboard when I have ANYTHING at my house. It doesn't matter if it is a small dinner party or a blow out bash...I can't help it. However, I have gone too far this time and without this rule in place, I am afraid I will go here again.

I have been talking about painting my entrance hall, dining room and living room a neutral white for months....really for years, but life experiences have made my "dream of an all white house" a little impractical to say the least! Nest Egg must have known my what I had on my mind, because she posted the most beautiful photos of a neutral entrance hall, dinning room and living room last week.

(the walls in this dining room are not white......by the end of this post you will know that I am very happy about this)

This post was all I needed to get my painting project started.....unfortunately 48 hours before I was hosting a house party!

The reason for my rule is that you have so much more to be doing for a party than painting trim at 10:00 PM the night before your party. How about cooking the meal, cleaning your house, polishing the wine glasses, arranging flowers and blowing the driveway (yes..every party needs a blown driveway and fresh pine straw!)

At 11 pm last night, I found myself with the entrance hall painted (still needs one coat over the trim), the living room complete (but, still needs the windows scraped), the dining room untouched (THANK GOODNESS....the color is currently the same color as the dinning room above. Maybe I will just leave it alone!), two missing jars of Alfredo sauce, paint under my finger nails and the vacuum in the middle of the den.

Only 8 hours left....no worries! I will let you know if I pull it off. Good thing this party is just for my friends!!!

-Happy Planning!
NB