Planning: Down De Isle - Steel Pan

In case you missed it I am a Caribbean girl at heart. Born on the Island of Jamaica, WI and return every chance I get to feel that beautiful island breeze. Being a Caribbean girl, my personal events always have a flair for the Caribbean, and thus I have thought to share some of my island flair with you, our faithful blog readers.

Fresh off a visit from Carnival in Trinidad, my first option for you is to incorporate the islands into your event is through music. Not just any music, Steel Pan. Take a look (and a listen) ...




Think of the reaction from your guests as they are serenaded by the sounds of the steel pan while they enter the ceremony, during cocktail hour or as they enter the reception. Or as a precursor to a DJ for your birthday party or other celebration. It's fun, festive and a nice change from the norm. Now, this will not work for every event, BUT if you are looking to spruce things up a bit and add a bit of flair, then this may be an option for you to consider.

Planning: The Color Switch

With a rainbow of colors available to us, I often feel like it is a different language all in of itself when trying to convey your idea on what color you are choosing to accent or decorate your event. I say this because one persons pink will be another persons rose. One persons lilac is another persons periwinkle. One persons red is another persons burgundy.

Because we are at the mercy of the manufacturers and how they perceive a specific color, we must be careful in what, how and who we purchase, order or rent from. A friend of mine, fell prey to such a mishap to the color "burgundy". To me it is obvious that burgundy, even though it is a cousin (1st cousin) to the color red it is a much much darker shade. What she wanted was:

What she ended up with was:

It isn't her fault, when she selected the color from the options, she selected burgundy. How was she to know that what she would receive was burgundy's second cousin twice removed. Because this can be an issue for many people in any shade of color; blue, green, pink, even black, I would suggest (whenever possible):

• use vendors whose color charts you are familiar with
• see the product in person
• request a sample/swatch
• for Internet products, order just one to see in person

If none of these options are available then I suggest prayer...and little faith:)


***NOTE: Whenever possible, always plan in advance so you avoid last minute purchases. This way if you receive a product that does not meet your criteria, then you will have enough time to return or exchange it.

Planning: Music To Your Ears

CD's continue to be a very popular favor option. As they should be, they can say "Thank You" to almost any event. And with so many ways of personalizing, you can make each one very special for your event. Take a look at some ways, you can create your CD favors for different events:


Baby Showers:

• compile a cd of songs that have baby in the title


• compile a CD of songs that have the gender in the title


• compile a CD of lullaby's


• compile a CD of songs that incorporate the theme of the baby shower

Weddings:

• compile a CD of songs you intend to play at your wedding


• compile a CD of traditional wedding songs


• compile a CD of songs that you and your honey have danced to


• compile a CD of songs that tie in the theme of your wedding


• compile a CD of popular songs from the year/month you your honey met


• compile a CD of popular songs from your favorite genre of music

"Other" Celebrations:

• compile a CD of your favorite party songs


• For a milestone Birthday, compile a CD of the top songs from your birth year


• For children's birthday's, compile a CD of children songs from a popular kids shows

And to top it off, you can adorn your CD favor with decorative CD holder, ribbons, fancy labels...the options are endless. Are you planning on using a CD for your next event?

Planning: Is This Seat Taken?

You spend the time adorning your table top with florals, petals, votives, chargers and pretty linens. When your guests get close enough to appreciate all the effort, is this what they are sitting on:

Houston we have a problem...

When planning your reception, pay as much attention to your seating as you do the tabletop. You may think (and I hope you don't) that it is not as important, but oh it so is. While the chair above may be appropriate in some settings (ahem) it is certainly not suitable for your wedding. So, if you don't intend on using chair covers, make sure you pay very close attention to the chairs when shopping your venues. Look at the style, the color, and the cleanliness. I mean are there excessive fades, tears, soils, uneven legs and anything else that will take away from the vision of your fabulous day. If it is, then you need to consider your options. Chair covers, rental chairs or new venue.... take your pick. Whatever you decided, you must ensure your entire vision is cohesive.


Trust me, everyone has that one guest that will attend your wedding looking for something to "talk about". Don't make it easy on them.