Event Planning | My Little Flower Shop

Networking. Event Professionals Need a Rolodex!

September 18, 2013August 27, 2013 by Dinah

What makes a successful event professional? One very retro word: ROLODEX. Oh sure, you need talent, and office space and employees and whatnot, but if not for your business contacts, you couldn’t pull off an event. We do beautiful flowers, and plan seamless weddings but a bride can’t wear flowers down the aisle, and so far we have been unsuccessful pushing the workroom as a venue with our parrot Max as an officiant. We trust our colleagues at Desert Bride to dress brides beautifully. We send brides to the wonderful venues around town once we know what suits them best, and we’ve got officiants in our pocket like Rabbi Sally Olins of Temple Isaiah, and the team at Palm Springs Presbyterian Church.

In short, we get by with a little help from our friends! We know how important networking is, and that’s why Gregory founded Wedding Warriors: Riverside County’s top networking group for wedding, special event, and service industry professionals. The Warriors have monthly mixers in the area, and the first one is coming up on September 4th! Come join us and fill up that Rolodex, electronic or otherwise.

Be well, and love well.

-Dinah

Corporate Event Advice Applies To Weddings Too!

September 18, 2013August 15, 2013 by Dinah

Hot event planners/experts spilled their party pet peeves to Biz Bash, we’re sharing some that will help make your wedding amazing, not crazy-making. Amy Sacco, founding partner and creative director, LDV Hospitality Nightlife, listed four points, three of which translated perfectly to weddings. Today, we cover Amy’s irritant number two*.

Overcrowding. It’s annoying to move around and especially with all the tilting glasses when one is in a fabulous outfit—and then you can’t even get a drink as you can’t get to the bar!

Do you hear that, people? Don’t pack your guests like sardines. Venues say what the maximum capacity on a space, but that number was picked out by a fire marshal thinking about best escape routes. If you asked her how many people she’d want in there for her son’s wedding reception, you’d likely get a completely different answer.

Seating Chart project by SomethingTurquoise,com.

Fix: Know your headcount and be realistic about your venue’s capacity. Don’t talk yourself into a too- small space, no matter how much you love it. It’s very easy to justify things, so take someone along who will remind you that 20 people will not stay on the balcony all night in November.

Amy is correct in that there is nothing worse than putting on your favorite dry clean only dress and winding up wearing the (hot pink) signature cocktail all night after bumping into a bridesmaid. And then when things are so crowded you can’t get a drink at all? Awful.

Fix: See above about headcount and venue capacity reality checking. Then make sure you account for décor elements and staff that will also eat up real estate. If you think there’s going to be a wait for the bar, tray-pass drinks to offset. Oh, and your signature cocktail? Make it clear (or near) with a colored garnish – less tragic if perchance one does spill. No maraschino cherries, please.

Live well, and love well.

-Dinah

*Note. Amy’s Biz Bash quote started with this:

“I loathe the following, in no particular order…” ergo this party fail is no more or less loathed than the others we will cover.

To see the seating chart project click here.

Wedding Dress Lesson: Who Needs An Inspiration Notebook?

September 18, 2013July 8, 2013 by Dinah

Sometimes all our clippings, idea boards and swatches can seem like our most important possessions. But in fact, the heart and soul of your wedding is not among your bookmarks, pins, or inspiration notebooks. My wedding dress was made by a creative, talented woman who basically took the ideas right out of my head. She asked me to pull some photos from magazines, and boy did I! I had a thick reference file all set to go. But at the airport, waiting for my plane to fly home to Chicago to meet her, I realized my treasured idea binder was on my vanity.

My airport wedding dress inspiration photos, and my first fabric swatch.

I had to start over. I hit the airport newsstand and picked up whatever random bridal mag they had, and started sorting through ideas on the plane. I found myself drawn to a dresses i never would have pulled out a week before- covered with ruffles? touch of color? I went with it it and told Julia my designer who ran with it. I got a tailored top with gorgeous ruffled skirt covered in hydrangea blossoms. I don’t know what my dress would have looked like if I had brought the “right” pictures. All I know is that even without my precious design notebook, I knew myself and I trusted the person I hired. And I can’t imagine having worn anything else.