December 2nd, 2009
In our last installment, we talked about simple ideas to create a fast, easy holiday gathering at home. In this segment, we’ll look at tips to help you plan a successful party outside of your home.
Party On and Party Out – Planning Holiday Gatherings Outside of the Home
There are many reasons to plan a party outside of the home — easy setup and cleanup, availability of a central location, ability to choose a venue that may be more spacious than a private home, etc. Here are some planning points to consider:
1 – What’s your budget?
Are you (or your organization) picking up the tab for the party, or is everyone paying their own way? If it’s the latter, choose a per-person amount that feels reasonable to those who are likely to attend. Be sure to calculate in anyone who won’t be expected to pay (for example, if there is a special guest, speaker, or honoree, the cost of this person’s meal is typically absorbed by the group).
2 – How will you handle the food?
You’ve got plenty of options here — including everything from meeting up at a restaurant where everyone orders off a menu and self-pays, to setting up a fixed-price menu with various options for palates and dietary restrictions, to hosting banquet-style to hiring in a caterer with or without a cash bar. Once you’ve got your budget set, you’ll find it much easier to negotiate with venues and make choices based on what the group can afford.
3 – How many people are likely to attend?
The size of your group is often a determining factor in choosing a location for your event. Some restaurant venues have multiple rooms, suitable for different sized groups, while others have a minimum or maximum party size. Start with the guest list, estimate your attendance, and take into consideration your answers to questions #1 and #2.
You’re party is sure to be a hit – have fun and if you’re planning a trip down memory lane, remember to reserve your projector rental from Projector123.com for the best prices and service available for renting a projector anywhere in the U.S.
July 15th, 2009
Many parents agree that the party favors at kids’ parties can tend to get out of hand. A bucket full of candy is not a welcome addition to any parents’ home (especially after the child has just loaded up on cake, sodas and ice cream), and the tears can really start flowing when inexpensive prize toys quickly break or get lost.
So what’s a parent to do? It’s customary to present a small token of appreciation to the children who attended the party and supplied gifts, yet everyone’s got a budget to maintain….besides which, as a society we are becoming more earth-conscious and many parents simply don’t want to add more cheap plastic toys to our rapidly expanding landfills.
Here are some inexpensive, earth-friendly party favor ideas you (and the kids) are sure to love:
1) book exchange
Instead of favors (or even instead of gifts), why not create a book exchange? Books are perhaps one of the most durable items to survive childhood — they last a long while before kids outgrow them, they can easily be recycled, and nobody likes to throw away a book so they don’t contribute to the ever-growing trash problem. Ask each child to bring a gently-used book wrapped in recyclable material (newspaper, colored paper bag).
2) eco favors
Wooden birdhouses or birdfeeder crafts allow children to interact with our delicate ecosystem in a positive way by supporting the environment and creating something they can admire and be proud of.
3) craft projects
Many educational stores and party supply stores offer inexpensive, all-inclusive craft projects made from wooden sticks, cardboard, and other biodegradable resources. If you can’t find these near you, check out Oriental Trading Company to order online.
And during the party, remember to use paper plates and cups (forks are often unnecessary), paper tablecloths and decorations, and paper goody bags to keep your party even greener.
June 25th, 2009
Let’s face it — bridal showers can either be fun and enjoyable or boring and dull.
If you’ve got a close friend who’s getting married and you’ve taken on the task of planning her bridal shower, here is an easy instructional guide to get you started on those first hard-to-tackle steps.
Focus on the bride. Too many bridal showers fail because the planner is coming from the perspective of what SHE likes, instead of thinking of the bride herself. Business and leadership expert Stephen Covey says “Begin with the end in mind” but this can definitely apply to party planning too! Put yourself in the bride’s shoes for just a moment and imagine being totally happy at the END of the shower. What was it about the shower that made it so successful?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Depending on the size of the wedding, a bridal shower can be a huge undertaking, so don’t be afraid to ask another friend of the bride (or another bridesmaid or family member) for help. A few caveats: make sure it’s someone who knows the bride well AND whom you can work with (for example, the bride’s domineering aunt may not be the best choice), and talk up-front about how you envision sharing the expense, to ensure there aren’t any unpleasant surprises down the road.
Set a budget — and stick to it. Do your research and don’t go overboard. Choose 1 or 2 special areas to splurge on (flowers, favors, food, location, decoration, invitations, etc.), and keep the rest simple. Remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune to create a wonderful event for the bride and her friends & family.
Decide whether or not to make it a surprise. Remember: what would SHE like best? If it’s not going to be a surprise, be sure and choose a date that works well for the bride.
Choose a date and select a venue. These may go hand-in-hand, depending on the popularity of the venue you choose or the host’s availability if you have an in-home shower.
Once you’ve made it through these steps, the event will really start to come together. And if you’re planning to showcase the bride in a photo or video montage (highly recommended!) then remember to reserve your bridal shower projector rental from Projector123.com.
June 15th, 2009
First, ask yourself this:
- Have you ever wanted to elevate a party or event from “fun” to “spectacular” ?
- Have you ever wondered how to survive the summer when all the kids are home from school and bored to pieces?
- Have you ever been charged with planning a major event like a shower, wedding or milestone party and wanted advice on how to make it shine?
- Have you ever wished you could get some help choosing the perfect theme for your event?
- Have you ever dreamed of planning the kinds of parties and events that people talk about for years to come?
Here at
Projector123.com, we’re committed to empowering moms, social butterflies and all you “organizers” (and you know who you are) in raising the bar when it comes to event planning.
You don’t have to be
Martha Stewart (or even a professional event planner) to coordinate the event of the year with our simple tips, tricks, tools and techniques.
We’re not just the country’s premier company for
projector rentals — we’re also committed to being a valuable resource for you — the people who are exploring new realms of creativity, planning memorable celebrations, and making “life” happen!
If you DO need a
rental projector for your upcoming event, we can provide you with nationwide delivery/shipping, prepaid return shipping, easy set-up instructions, last-minute accommodations, technical support and more for high-lumen professional quality projectors. Getting your projector rental is as easy as 1-2-3 at
ProjectorRentals.com
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