What’s Your Wow?

It’s the happiest day of your life and for the happy couple, will be a day they will forever remember with intricate detail.  For your guests however, the day can be a blur of unfamiliar faces and one too many champagnes.  

A perfect wedding contains many elements, one of these elements is your choice of centrepiece.  Done correctly, it can tie a room together, create an impression on your guests and leave a lasting memory.

Custom made signs

The look of your centrepieces is the biggest opportunity to make a mark on the entire reception.  Colours and textures used are important and should carry on the tone set with the ceremony.

Whether they are something beautiful to look at, appreciate or smell, adding a bit of romance element and soft light, or even something delightful, your wedding centre pieces beyond doubt set the mood for the entire wedding reception.  Many people do not care about details because they do not realize that detail is the key to success.

Without doubt the key focal point for your wedding reception will be the bridal table.  It’s the stage for the speeches and to take a sneaky peek at the loved up couple stealing their first kisses as husband and wife.  The centre piece for the bridal table should be unique and a larger, more elaborate setting inspired by the overall look of the reception.

Flowers, candles and for a beachside wedding, shells are all popular choices. 

To purchase go to: www.lolodesigns.com.au

By far my most requested centrepiece is my mirrored MR & MRS sign.  It’s a unique décor item and is a take home memento for the happy couple to hang on the wall of their home.  

All in all, the setting and selections of wedding center pieces require patience and careful consideration.

LoLo Designs has a variety of signs available or they do custom made signs upon request.

Go to - www.lolodesigns.com.auwww.lolodesigns.com.au

To sit or to stand?

I get many questions from people with absolutely no experience organising parties or weddings.  One of the first questions needed to be answered is, will it be a sit down or stand up occasion.  There’s much to consider and if done wrong can leave your guests with a lot to grumble about.

Sit down functions are most popular for weddings and larger events and are the best way to enjoy a fabulous meal.  The problem with this style though is the dreaded seating plan, an event organisers enemy!  

Corporate functions where businesses are allocated an entire table make this option easy, but for functions such as weddings when most guests will come in a couple, or worse as a single careful planning is needed to get the seating just right.

Stand up events, also known as cocktail functions, present none of these problems as guests are free to mix and mingle as they please.  Food options are restricted mostly to finger food, but if this is plentiful can still make for a filling meal.  

The biggest consideration with cocktail functions is to have adequate seating.  If guests are elderly this may not be the option for you and regardless a variety of seating options must be on hand for all. 

Get the answer to this question right and your guests will be full of fun and fresh to hit the dance floor!

Tell us what you prefer.. to sit? or to stand?

Help! My Boss Wants Me to Organise a Fabulous Party, Pronto!

Help!  My Boss Wants Me to Organise a Fabulous Party, Pronto! 

Come October, my phone rings with people saying this a couple of times a day.  

The hapless PA who does a great job with the bookwork is probably not the best person for the job of organising a fabulous company function but often the person delegated this duty.
Corporate events present a unique set of issues and should all be carefully considered, there’s a lot riding on making the boss happy!  Here’s my top 5 things you should remember when organising the company function:

Ask questions:  Talk to the rest of your colleagues about what they might like, better yet, rope some in to help!   Suggestions on venue and themes are always great ones to put out to an all-staff email to be voted on.
Entertainment:  Don’t rely on alcohol and a change of scenery to keep everyone amused.  For a party to remember have quality entertainment high on your list of priorities.  Karaoke, comedian, magician are all popular selections and are sure to cater to all tastes.
Be organised:  Write lists and have a rough running sheet of the evening prepared.  These small points of organisation will ensure the night runs smoothly and most importantly allow you to have a shandy and a boogie on the dance floor to “My Sherona”.
Food:  A make or break aspect and will be different dependant on the culture of each workplace.  It’s unlikely that a mechanics workshop would enjoy a fine dining experience or that a law firm would like an all you can eat carvery at the local RSL.   Being sensitive to the uniqueness of your workplace is key and if that means a BBQ  in your bosses backyard then that’s alright.
You will not please everyone:  Every workplace has a party pooper.   Your boss may dance a little too close with Kimmy from reception and at least a handful of people will drink too much and be the subject of office gossip for months to come. 

All these things are out of your control.  If you understand that from the start you will be certain of having a successful shindig!

Why Colour Choice Can Be Critical

One of the things I find most difficult to decide on when theming a room is colour choice. There are so many amazing colours to choose from and I am often led by my heart as to what is the right one to choose.

There’s been a great deal of study into the psychology of colour, what each one symbolises and how it effects people in different ways
Green is the colour that symbolises nature and the natural world and represents tranquillity and good health
Blue is most peoples favourite colour and calls to mind feelings of calmness and serenity. Research has shown that people are more productive in blue rooms
Yellow is most commonly described as being cheery and warm, but research shows that people are more likely to become agitated in a yellow room
Red is a colour that evokes strong emotions and is most commonly associated with love. Too much red however can have the opposite effect and make people feel intense or even angry.

Some interesting things to consider for your next function

Creating Special Memories

It’s the happiest day of your life and according to many studies also one of the most stressful things to organise – your wedding!
Hopefully planning your wedding will only be something you do once, so with zero prior knowledge to refer to it’s vital to have some expert guidance.
I have many brides with whom I sit with at the initial planning phase, having no idea of colours or styles. I also have worked with a few who bring me detailed notes, clippings and fabric swatches. Both are a pleasure to work with for different reasons.
My biggest thrill of working on a wedding is that I am doing so in the knowledge that I am contributing towards a special memory which will be treasured for all time. I especially love working closely with couples who allow me to include in my theming elements which are personal and unique to them.
My advice to any bride planning their big day is to relax and take your time making decisions. We are fortunate to have a wealth of information at our finger tips and the possibilities are endless when it comes to colours and theming.
Whatever you choose for your wedding, it will always be perfect as it was part of your very own special memory.