Wediquette: Are You a "Good" Wedding Guest?

As I continue to contemplate the RSVP, or lack there of for that matter, a recent article on wedding etiquette from the Huffington Post comes in handy.  Turns out sending your RSVP in on time is only a portion of what is expected of you as a wedding guest.  Check these wedding guest do's and don'ts and see where you stand when is comes to your "Wediquette" IQ.

Photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît... The Event RSVP

Photo courtesy of todayifoundout.com

RSVP.  It is a simple request under the guise of an elegant language.  Please respond.  As an event planner, I know first hand the importance of this simple request: guest count needed and needed in advance - a confirmation for food, place settings, seating, favors, and the list goes on.  Hence the "reply by" date usually always listed.  


Yet, I recently found myself responsible for several "past due" RSVPs.  As I sifted through the mail that had been collecting on my kitchen counter I felt a rising sense of guilt.  Sure, the new baby and the new schedule contributed; but prior to motherhood, I was still late on my RSVPs.  What was my excuse then?  


On the flip side, in planning events I've noticed a consistent struggle in getting people to RSVP.  Inevitably, there are personal phone calls, emails and even mentions on social media used to remind, and remind... and remind invitees.  I certainly than, have no excuse for being late on my RSVPs.  As I also know first hand the frustration that can follow in not being totally sure of your guest count and of course, having to plan for those few who will not RSVP, but will attend.   Never mind those who will simply not acknowledge the invite.


As I made these "past due" replies, I pondered my own failure to respond in an appropriate time frame and my experience with others.  In fact, in doing some reading on the matter, several sources indicate that up to 50% of invitations with an RSVP go...well...un-RSVP'ed.  I am not alone.


I wonder, why is that?  With the roles that email, texting and social media have taken in our every day lives, I wonder if the RSVP has become less formal.  With the now commonly used Facebook event, sites like Evite or even the basic Outlook Calendar request, I ask, are we bombarded with so many RSVP requests that the perceived importance of replying has diminished?  Or are we simply preoccupied with life that these requests get forgotten in the every day shuffle? 


Think about it.  It is not just the occasional wedding invite that might unfortunately get left behind in the pile of mail.  It's the endless chain of (some seemingly random) Facebook happenings, networking e-blasts, personal occasions and meeting requests that are looking for us to "please respond".  Will I attend, am I a "maybe" or am I sending regrets?  And to think, there are days I can't even decide what I want for lunch. 


Regardless of the cause, the reality is that replying for an event that is requesting your attendance should be an honor.  You are invited, after all.  Someone wants to share with you a special moment, a celebration or just plain spend time in your company.  And the reality is that replying for an event that is requesting your attendance is easy.  With wedding invitations, the reply card is simply awaiting your name and a check mark next to the line indicating your intentions - the envelope is provided, addressed and stamped.  In other instances it is a simple click of a button and the use of your computer-savvy skills.  Or there is the phone call and email response, both taking only a few moments to complete.  


Myself included - I say it's time to reclaim the RSVP.  Let's not let the importance fade away in what feels like an increasingly casual society.  Respond right away, put a reminder in your calendar, place the invite in a location that can be easily referenced... whatever it is you need to do to make it happen. Répondez S'il Vous Plaît... just please respond.


More to come on RSVP etiquette. 


Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

The Royals Know how to Throw a Party

It has been some time since my last post and a lot seems to have transpired.  I have been relishing in the new arrival of a baby girl - who true to my event planning nature, arrived on a scheduled date that was in my outlook calendar.  Schedules seem to have become a thing of the past - at least for the time being...when an orderly life seems to have been thrown into some kind of chaos that is also a state of blissful happiness.  And with lack of routine comes lack of sleep.  Nights are days and days are nights.  Now, this came in handy this past Friday as I spent the hours I would have previously enjoyed sleep to watch and experience the wedding of all weddings... the Royal Wedding.


Sure the hoopla might be dwindling down and you might be sick of hearing about it - but there is no denying the fact that the Royals know how to throw a party.  Talk about an event of grandeur, where things are timed perfectly and executed without flaw.  The build up to this event has been nothing short of exceptional and all encompassing.  I will even admit that I watched the Lifetime movie on William & Kate in order to get the back story.  I tracked developments throughout the Week with E! Entertainment and ABC 15 as hosts talked about bets on what color the Queen would wear and of course, what Kate's dress was going to look like.  It felt like I couldn't absorb enough of the details... like I was going to witness something great, be a part of history - of that modern-day fairy tale.  Bottom line, I wasn't going to miss it.


As I watched the coverage throughout the late night / early morning... I thought about all that goes into planning an event.  Any event.  And I found myself thinking about everything that needed to be considered and carefully implemented to make this wedding happen not only to Royal standards, but to make it happen to the world's expectations.  The sense of drama, the opulence, the romance and the tradition.  From the guest list, to security, to keeping one of the best-kept fashion secrets...ever.  This surely is an event that takes event planning to the next level... or many levels beyond that.  


Sure, I was totally in love with Kate's dress (she is my new favorite fashion icon), the way Prince William told her she  looked beautiful when he laid eyes on her, the style of all the attendees, the vows and the kisses... but I was also in total awe of the overall event execution.  That time line must have been the size of a novel.  Just the coordination of arrival of key people was impressive.  And, to top it all off, at least from the viewer's perspective, there were no snafus.  No blips on the radar.  Just smooth elegance.  Again, there is no denying the Royals know how to throw a party.

I'll leave you with this - picture of a clergyman doing a cartwheel in Westminster Abbey - I would have done the same if I were him.  Celebrate a job so well done... what a momentous event.

Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

Photo courtesy of news.com.au

 

Linen Obsessed Part 2: Hot Fabric Trends

Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with linens yet?  Oh, wait... I did in another post dedicated to linens.  Well... good for you, I love linens so much, you get another post.  This one dedicated to the hot fabric trends of 2011.  So here's to the fabrics  you want to showcase at your events to be at the forefront of linen couture... 

Photo courtesy of specialevents.com

Out with the old and in with the new.  For instance, Lamour.  Lamour is certainly beautiful - it certainly doesn't fall out of favor.  But in terms of being on the cutting edge, you want to replace your Lamour inclinations with silk, such as Dupioni.  Love texture in your linens? Well you are already ahead of the game - look at incorporating more Crinkle into your event design plans.  A big fan of Pintuck?  Change it up a bit in 2011 and use more Ribbon Taffeta in place of the Pintuck Taffeta.


Other hot fabrics include: Swirl, Metallic Braided, Pucci Prints and Embroidery - particularly the Rosette.  In mapping out your linen concept, don't be afraid to mix fabrics, textures and prints.  Be adventurous in your styling and have fun with all of the options available. 
  

Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

Blossoming Baby Showers

Photo courtesy of atozion.com

As March approaches, we sense that spring is in the air.  For us Arizonans, it is a brief period of glorious weather before the summer heat sets in.  During this time we enjoy the warm temperatures, ever-beautiful sunshine and blossoming desert.  With the emergence of this season, I would like to write about something that is near and dear to my heart at the moment... babies.  I make the connection with "blossom" and "babies".  Maybe it is just because I am expecting in several short weeks, but it feels like coinciding with the arrival of spring and early summer 2011 is a wave of new life.  


In any case, I've decided to focus this week's blog post on Baby Showers.  In particular, the Baby Shower for couples (also the co-ed or joint Baby Shower - recognizing both and all parents ) as a rising trend for those of us either hosting or attending a Shower in 2011.  When a family member inquired about throwing a Shower, we immediately discussed it in terms of the non-Baby Shower, Baby Shower.  The concept became a cocktail party gathering for family and friends in their couple or +1 guest form; designed to celebrate the expectant parents and their new addition in a social setting that focused more on having an amazing support network to be thankful for than the traditional baby-focus.  As the host began to research the idea, she uncovered a fair amount of detail and ideas based on the concept - more than we had originally anticipated... and we thought we might be on to something... turns out the idea of a couples, co-ed or a joint Baby Shower has been on the block for a bit now and is beginning to gain momentum.

Consider this avenue for your next Baby Shower.  Look at dinner parties, BBQ's, gatherings around the pool or a catered affair at a home or venue.  Create an atmosphere of celebration to bring everyone together.  Put the focus on the enjoyment of good company.  Games are optional and should be at the discretion of the parents-to-be.  Be sure to consider all guests when making decisions so that everyone feels welcome, men and women alike.


For more information on the couples, co-ed or joint Baby Shower, see below:

babycenter.com
babyshower101.com 
minted.com - contemporary invitations
storkie.com - invitations 

 Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

Inspired by Color

Happy Valentine's Day... much love to you from Let's Party Magazine and yours truly.  Today, I'm inspired by love and delicious chocolates (but that's another story).  And the inspiration I feel got me thinking... when we design an event, what are we inspired by?  Where do we get our inspiration?  In terms of decor and design, I think color is an universal source of inspiration.  Color can tell the story of your event, create attitude, and even designate flow.  It is key to controlling the overall atmosphere.  It can indicate the subdued setting or an element of risk taking and adventure. 

photo courtesy of visuallee.com

We see it all in color.  And what we experience is a reflection of the overall societal climate.  You can even trace color patterns and trends with history - literally seeing the naturals - those quite colors - when times were rough or in conflict, and the brights - those vibrant colors - when times were optimistic and hopeful.   Color trends are reflected in fashion (note: honeysuckle is the it color for 2011) and the styles of the world; but also in advertising, magazines and the sports and automobile industries, just to name a few.  Paying close attention to the previously mentioned can not only indicate color trends to you but can be a great resource for the one color element you are looking for to fit an event.  In fact, paying close attention is key - observe this colorful world at all angles and take note.  You can draw color inspiration from just about anything.  


When planning your event and incorporating color consider implementing that color in such a way that it "pops" in certain elements.  Incorporate these elements here and there throughout the event to tie it all in without overdoing it.  Go all neutrals with pops of vibrant colors like purple or turquoise.  Or go all white and use colored lighting to set the mood.  Pops or punches of color tend to make dramatic and refined statements. 


Looking for some sources of color inspiration?  The  Founder, VP of Media Relations, Concept Designer and Design Director of Perfect Surroundings, Inc. recommend looking at anything made popular by the younger generation - music, style, advertising, etc.  In terms of pulling color inspiration from just about anything - they suggest pulling from skateboards.  The art on the bottom of these boards showcase not only what's trendy, but how to mix and match.  Also try colourlovers.com for more ideas, inspiration and as a color editing tool. 


Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers

Trends and Pop Culture: I Love Hollywood

Photo courtesy of Hollywood-blog.net

As I think I have mentioned before... I love Hollywood and all of the celebrity nonsense that surrounds it.  Celebrity gossip reads are a personal favorite and it seems a day is not complete without getting the latest updates.  I consider Pop Culture an area of expertise if you will - as there are times I know more about Britney's upcoming album or Kim Kardashian's next photo shoot than I do about what might be considered "real news".  Whether or not you might consider that somewhat sad, the reality is that Hollywood and Pop Culture play a major role in the trends of the events world.  They ultimately influence most aspects - from color choices to design elements to food selection and beyond.

Let's look at last night's Super Bowl for example - and no, I'm not referring to Christina Aguilera's National Anthem faux-pas... whether we like it or not, the game is part of the Hollywood experience.  Not only is the sport glamorized to begin with, but the Super Bowl is a major trend-setting, A-list attending, glitter covered Hollywood event at its core.  Sure,  many very dedicated and passionate sports fans tune in purely for the football, but many of us - not totally invested and/or interested sports fans - tune in for the trends.  Did you watch that half-time show?  Commercials aside, it's my favorite part.  I took note of the overall presentation and pondered (in awe) the technical elements that were incorporated.  The visuals of the field as a whole with the lit stage pieces and color-changing lit-up costumes totally amazed me.  I was wishing at that very moment that I had an event to plan where I could incorporate light-up dancers.  

While attending The Special Event Conference a few weeks ago, I took a session titled "New Trends Inspired by Hollywood and Pop Culture 2011" with Hillary Harris, the Director of Special Events for Warner Bros. Studios.  Hillary gave us some insight into popular trends, as inspired by Hollywood and Pop Culture that I'd like to share with you:

•  3D Cad Software is the wave of the future.  Products like Vectorworks are taking things to the next level.  Elevate your event layout from drawing to 3D - where you can view the event as it might look in reality from a variety of angles.
• Jewelry is hot.  Incorporate jewelry-making stations at your event where artists are creating pieces in real-time and displaying them on creative decorative elements.  Use bead-work instead of precious stones and if you've got the budget for it - offer the pieces as take-aways.
• Incorporate creative ways of recognizing your sponsors.  Print acrylic transfers with sponsor logos and apply them to different surfaces.  Like a glass tabletop or even a mirror (transfers can be printed to look like they are etched).
• Lounge furniture is still king.  Incorporate more negative space in between vignettes as ultimately, most guests like to stand and mingle. 
• For a traditional sit-down style event, look at incorporating oval tables versus the traditional circle.  Or, use square tables with banquettes for seating instead of chairs.

I've got more to share... enough for multiple blog posts anyways.  So stay tuned... but in the down time - read up on that celebrity gossip! I also recommend checking out Hillary's Blog Hill on Hollywood for more tips and trends.  Many of the events referenced in her presentation are featured. 


Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.