Create a Fabulous First Impression with Fun Invitations

First impressions are very important and that is what your invitations are...the FIRST impression of a fabulous party. You want your guests to think your party is going to be a MUST ATTEND event. You want them to be excited, look forward to being there, and anticipate other wonderful and interesting people will attend. IVillage.com suggests the following for creative invitations, "send a sprig of holly with details listed alongside a lipstick-imprinted kiss, affix a swizzle stick with a promise of a great custom cocktail you plan to serve or shoot out an Evite with whimsical holiday-inspired verbiage. ("Join Vixen and Prancer on the dance floor and Blitzen as he strikes his usual barfly pose.")" You can read more at iVillage.com.


Remember to include all of the pertinent information on your invitations, such as start / end time and what kind of party you are planning. If it is a dinner party, for example, you want your guests to arrive with an appetite. In addition, a good rule of thumb is to send your invitations at least two weeks (three is event better and at least 2 months for a wedding) ahead of your party. This will give your guests time plan accordingly and RSVP.

Personally, I prefer invitations that are mailed the old-fashioned way but if time is a problem and money is tight (and that is the case for most of us these days) sites such as Evite.com might be the answer. Evite.com has really fun options and great party tips, too.

If you have the time, be creative with your invitations. DIY with supplies from the scrap booking department of your local craft store. Your imagination is your only limitations. Here are some we are designing for my niece's 13th birthday party.

You can made these very simply by cutting damask card stock, adding crystal embellishments, cropping blue and coordinating blue and brown card stock and adding the details. How cute are these for a soon-to-be teenage girl's party?

Tiff
http://www.diamondeventsbytiffany.com/

Thanksgiving Tablescapes

I love. LOVE. L O V E!!! Pretty tables. I try to have my own dinning room table "made-up" and looking it's best, I love looking at it and creating the different looks. David really enjoys it, too. I rotate the settings and centerpieces regularly and match the decor to the holiday or seasons.


You do not have to break the bank to do this, use what you have and be creative. Take out grandma's antique linens and your wedding china (you registered for it, someone bought it...now USE it) and set up a formal look. Don't have enough wedding china to complete the table? Mix and match like you see at some tearooms. Thrift stores and estate sales always have an assortment of mix and match china that you can grab at a steal.

For a beautiful Thanksgiving table, Hobby Lobby and Michael’s have some great finds. Start with a gold table cloth and add a brown runner (buy some inexpensive satin brown, or color of your choice, cut to about 5 ft long and 1.5 to 2 ft wide, hem to finish and add tassels). Wal-Mart had some very cute brown leaf placemats this season or make your own mats with left over brown fabric, very easy to do. Add gold chargers on top of the placemats and ivory plates. Place a small pumpkin in the center of each plate. A cornucopia with dries leaves or seasonal flowers, small gourds and a mini scarecrow as the centerpiece completes the look for a festive Harvest tablescape. Oh, do not forget napkins, glassware, and silverware.

This table was affordable to set.  Most of the supplies were on hand from past years harvest decorations.  Plates were inexpensive and runner, tablecoth, and napkins were handmade.  Vases and votives were repurposed from other parts of our
home.
 
 
 
 
 
 
We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
 
Tiff
http://www.diamondeventsbytiffany.com/

Do You Need a Coordinator?

Do You Need a Coordinator?


Everyone can use a helping hand. As busy as today's couples are, this is especially true. There are so many tasks to perform when planning a wedding. Budget planning finding a venue, finding a dress, finding a baker, coming up with a guest list, addressing and assembling save-the-dates, invitations, maps, etc. Then there is the cake tasting, menu planning, flower picking (well picking a florist), arranging transportation...and the list goes on. So where in all of this is the time for romance, celebrations, bridal showers, engagment parties, WORK (ya gotta pay for all this, right?), and the always needed relaxation?

You might be fortunate enough to have an army of friends and family to help with all of this. That is great, if they have time. How many of these people have the connections and experience to find vendors in your budget? Or have the time to help you accomplish all of these tasks and design a beautiful event? These are just a few of the things a Professional can do for you.

I found a great list of just some of the things a professional can do for you at FrugalBride.com:

The list is long but here are a few of the duties you can expect:

Help you to create the type of wedding you want. With that knowledge, you will be able to pick your venue, vendors, color scheme, theme, music, etc.

Help you create a budget sheet and keep track of where your money is going and how much is still owing.

Help keep you on your budget and not go over...too much!!

Suggest vendors that fit your budget and ideas.

Make a wedding planning schedule so that you know what you've done and what still needs to be done.

In most cases, a coordinator can save you money because of their connection in the industry.

Take care of any emergencies that arise.

Create a wedding day schedule.

Best Wishes,

Tiff

http://www.diamondeventsbytiffany.com

Beverage Tips for your next party

One thing I would like to do with the Diamond Events by Tiffany Blog is to provide some tips to help you with planning your own parties.  Something that will come up for any party you plan will be beverages.  What should we serve, how much, etc.  Here are a few tips to get you started, just in time for all of your holiday gatherings.

1. Keep it simple.

2. If you're serving beer, offer one regular and one light.

3. If you're serving wine, offer a good merlot and chardonnay.
4. If you're serving soft drinks, we recommend offering Coke, Diet Coke, and 7-up.
5. Don't forget the bottled water and ice.
6. Feature one really good "house" drink.
7. Have enough glasses, but not five different kinds.
8. If you feature a martini, it's got to be in a martini glass.
9. The rule of thumb is to have 2-1/2 glasses for each guest.
10. Beverages need napkins. Get at least as many napkins as glasses - more if you're planning on using them for passed hors d'oeuvres.

I can not claim these tips as my own, as I am sure I read them somewhere over the years.  Unfortunatly, I do not remember where to give proper credit.  I have been doing events for years and reading tips and tricks even longer.  Somethings, I pick up along the way.  I hope these will help you at your next party. 

Cheers!!!!

Tiff

What is your time worth?

What is your time worth?


What is your time worth? The time spent with your fiancé. The time spent enjoying the life you are building together. The time spent on romance and making memories. This time is priceless. You cannot put a value on this time. Once it is gone, you cannot get it back. You want to make the most out of your engagement months.

DIYing takes many MANY hours. Late nights spent on projects. Why spend your engagement buried in DIY projects. Diamond Events by Tiffany understands that DIY projects make a wedding unique and personal and want to help you achieve the same outcome, and keep your sanity. We will customize a planning and design package for you and your fiancé. We have several options for the DIY bride. We will assist you in creating a wedding that is unique and with-in your budget.

Finding vendors also takes a lot of time. Do you really want to spend every weekend going from vendor to vendor, touring venues, tasting cakes (ok...maybe the tasting cakes part is not so bad ~wink~), wasting gas and time on numerous meetings. You might tour 5 or 6 venues and still be confused on what is the best deal. A professional wedding planner knows the venues in your budget and has numerous contacts in which she can negotiate options and fees to save you money. This will help save you time but leading you to the locations that will fit your needs, only having to tour the locations that will work for you.

Your time is valuable. Let us work together to same you time (and money).


Tiff

The Importance of Shoes

The importance I placed on my wedding shoes is beyond words. I think I might have loved my shoes more than the dress. They were perfection.

Why do shoes mean so much, especially to some women? They have always been important. How many of us had parents who kept our first pair of toddler shoes as a memento? We all grew up trying on mom’s high heels, they were so glamorous. If you were a ballerina, as a child, I am sure you remember your first pair of toe shoes. When I was begging for something unreasonable, I was told about how someone "walked to school and back BAREFOOT, in the snow (and added an "uphill both ways" if it was really unreasonable).

Shoes have played a big role in movies and fairy tales, too. Dorothy had her Ruby Red Slippers; she just had to click the heels three times to remember, “There’s no place like home”.The little girl in all of us cannot forget Prince Charming searching for the foot that fit the glass slipper….the foot of his future Princess, Cinderella.

My most important shoes were for my wedding day. They were Christian Louboutin HOT pink satin stilettos with a bow. All the older, more traditional people I know questioned my sanity on picking HOT pink shoes for my wedding day. Why not? I am known for my love of pink and I could argue that no one would see them under my dress. HA!!! I made sure EVERYONE saw them.

When shopping for your wedding shoes, have fun. Wear a pair that makes a statement about your personality (and stash a pair of comfy satin ballet slippers away for dancing). This one detail is something you may actually use again!!!!

Tiffany Powell, Event Designer
Diamond Events by Tiffany
http://www.diamondeventsbytiffany.com/
contact me for all your event and wedding planning needs