Thursday, July 5, 2012

Connor's Puzzle Party!

Cutie pie Connor turned two recently. Since one of his very favorite things is puzzles, we just had to throw him a puzzle party! We had some great ideas, most of which came together beautifully on the day of the party. 

Menu
PB&J
sloppy joes
yummy turkey & roast beef sandwiches
goldfish & chips 
taco salad
green garden salad
ice cream cone cupcakes
rice krispy treats
fruit kabobs (even with fruit in the party colors: cantaloupe, blueberries, and honeydew!) 

Decorations
puzzle confetti 
balloon topiaries
puzzle biirthday banner
puzzle welcome board
#2 photo collage

Activities
play doh table
bubbles
kiddie pool
water balloons
slip 'n' slide


Enjoy some of the photos below!

Silverware is more fun when it comes out of a cute can!

This wall said: Welcome to Connor's Birthday! You Fit Right In! and the kids signed their names to the puzzle pieces below.

Giant puzzle pieces hung on coordinated color ribbons outside.

Balloon topiaries were our main centerpieces. They were super fun - but are limited in that they are tough to get to stand up in windy weather, even with weighted bases.

Puzzle piece garland!

Special dairy-free cupcakes for the birthday boy!

A giant #2 photo collage of Connor's second year was framed in the colors of the party.

Some puzzle piece garland for the bathroom mirror.


Puzzle shaped cookies in the party colors from Happi Baking Co.

Party favors were a cookie with a balloon tied to it - a great idea from Connor's mom!

Another balloon topiary with some of our puzzle piece confetti.

Custom color confetti in puzzle piece shapes, with some special name confetti that Connor's mom found!

Easy fun - outdoor play doh table!

Hot day means water balloons!


Some outdoor party lights in the colors!

Puzzle shaped rice krispy treats in the party colors - made by Tonya with love!

Puzzle shaped PB&J. Why eat it any other way?


Cupcakes in ice cream cones - so fun and SO delicious. The frosting was crazy good :)

Thanks for coming everyone!

Why I Love This Job

I had a prospective client email me today and ask me some simple but important questions.  As I was writing her back, I realized that what I was telling her was actually stuff I would and should be telling everyone and anyone who wants to know. :) I've been doing a lot of networking lately as well - which gives me the chance to explain what I do and why I do it.  Each time I do so, I think it challenges me to refine those ideas and explain them better. 
 
Can you tell me more about yourself?
I started my company coming up on two years ago, after having worked in various administrative/organizational jobs that had a high level of people contact including some customer service and executive level assistant work. I had always had an event planning component to my positions (planning trainings, holiday events, etc.), it just wasn't ever the full time gig. After one of those "perfect storm" type situations, where everything in my personal and professional lives seemed to be pointing towards pursuing a career doing something I love full time, I decided to start my own event planning company and have been doing that full-time plus ever since. 

I have experience in all sorts of events - having planned and coordinated personally and professionally a wide variety of parties and events. If you want to check out the most recent fun - they are on my facebook page at facebook.com/younameitevents.  Specifically for weddings, I've been highly involved lots of weddings thus far - about 15 total. I did four weddings professionally my first year - and have begun a busy year with seven on my slate for 2012, with a goal of doing at least eight this year, doubling my first year's work. I think what suits me for this work is a unique combination of traits: I am organized and efficient, creative and a problem solver, friendly and outgoing, and am able to see the importance of the details without losing the big picture.

Can you tell me about your services & what you offer to brides to be during the planning process
?
What sets apart my work is the values I bring to each and every project I do. I intentionally work to provide highly personal service that is relationship-based and focused on excellence in both the experience for the client and the execution on the day of the event. All of my services are custom, based on the specific needs of the couple and their wedding plans. I don't offer cookie cutter packages. On the flip side, I also have a clear minimum of service - because I know that I cannot do an excellent job for a client without investing some time and effort into getting to know them and learning about their hopes and dreams for their wedding.  I believe that in order for us to work well together up to and on your wedding day, ideally we will like each other enough that we develop a friendship and you feel comfortable with me. 

I know that working with a planner or coordinator on your wedding day is a leap of faith and trust in that person. You are trusting that I will work hard and do everything I possibly can to make your day a success - and that I will care about your day as if it is my own. I don't think you can find that in just any planner - and I am building my business around this simple thought: It is a rare person who can take care of business while taking care of hearts*. That's what I aspire to do. I take it as a great honor when someone hires me to work with them on an event, because these are the milestones of our lives, from which our memories are created - and I believe that is a special and wonderful thing. 

*Special thanks to my sister, Danielle, who sent me a card with that quote in it - I hadn't heard it before then and when I did had a bit of an AH HA moment, realizing that it captures my intentions better than anything I had thought of before!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Ellery's Pinwheels & Polka Dots Birthday Party


Recently I had the great fun of helping with Miss Ellery's 2nd birthday! The party was a Pinwheels & Polka Dots theme and we had a great time planning and decorating for the day! Check out some of the photos of the little details and how we made the day extra special for an extra special girl!
Giant paper pinwheels welcomed guests at the front door.

Pinwheels were all over the party rooms, including in vases and even a bright polka dot watering can.

A polka dot birthday banner was the centerpiece of the dining room, along with some polka dot balloons and more giant pinwheels.
More paper pinwheels and polka dot garlands dressed up the party rooms.
These dessert plates and napkins had all the bright colors and pinwheels we were looking for!


Desserts included pinwheel sugar cookies and funfetti cupcakes in polka dot wrappers topped with pinwheels!


Beverages included brightly colored sodas, with polka dot straws and custom birthday girl cups.


Of course, the kool aid and smaller custom cups were for the kids!
A treat table with custom candy bags were the kiddie favors - oreo ops with brightly colored sprinkles, candy buttons, M&M's, gumballs, sixlets and more filled up this fun table.
Custom lollipops also helped us celebrate the day!
Of course, the mommies need to get a special party favor too - they enjoyed photos of their kids taken in front of the balloon and pinwheel party backdrop. The photos were then placed on handmade clip frames as a keepsake of the day.

Treat bags were secured with paper pinwheel clothespins.
Custom treat bags included this cute poem: "It was so sweet of you to come! Please take some treats to go!"