Sunday, January 31, 2010

Going GaGa for Baby! (The Co-ed Edition)


One of my favorite events to design is a baby shower. Nothing is more precious than the welcoming of a new addition to the family. Most people think of baby showers in the traditional terms of the mother-to-be surrounded my her girlfriends and female family members, but the dynamics of this event has changed. Many couples are opting for co-ed baby showers where the fathers-to-be can also bask in the celebration!

So, I know that you are probably thinking of how you can make a baby shower a little more masculine. It's not about making the shower masculine as the event IS all about the baby, but you do want to make sure that there are activities that all of the guests will equally enjoy. There are many co-ed baby shower games such as Don't Drop the Baby, Diaper the Baby, and Musical Bottle Race. There are many more co-ed games that can be played and sure will bring out the competitive spirit of the male guests.

Creating a theme for the co-ed baby shower is fun and pretty easy. A simple baby them always works, or you can incorporate a sports theme, or interest or hobby of both the parents.

The easiest element to the co-ed baby shower will be the food. No matter what the gender, food is the best part of any party. Food is the key to the soul and it will definitely bring all together. So stick with the tired and true rule of creating a cuisine that you love.

The most important thing to remember regarding a co-ed baby shower is that it is essentially a party for ALL. So have fun, enjoy you guests, and make it memorable!

Friday, January 29, 2010

It's Superbowl Time!- Food Ideas


It's that time of year again- Superbowl time! Pizza is one of the long time staples of Superbowl parties, but it does not have to be! One of my favorite things to serve during Superbowl parties is jumbo crabcakes, but there so many more unconventional foods that may be served. Why not try fried oysters, chicken nuggets w/ spicy cucumbers, stuffed shrimp mushrooms, or ribeye sandwiches. These are items everyone is sure to love and doesn't require much preparation. Make sure to offset the decor with your favorite team's colors. Stay tuned for more Superbowl party tips in the days leading up to the date.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

You are cordially invited...


Memorable Events by Apryl has relaunched our website. Our site has a new design and we want to share it with you!!! Please take a moment to visit our new site at www.MemorableEventsbyApryl.com and let us know what you think!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cravings for Cocktail Parties!!!


As an event planner, I love to produce events for my clients and their friends. The larger the event, the more I can push my creativity. But, I also love to entertain for my own family and friends. I like events that have more of an intimate feel such as cocktail parties. Cocktail parties provide a host with a convenient way to entertain a variety of guests in a relaxed environment. One of my favorite parts about hosting this type of party is the diversity of foods that you can present to your guests. You are not necessarily tied down to one cuisine unless that is what you want. But who am I kidding, the best part about a cocktail party is the COCKTAILS!!! There are your traditional cocktails such as Cosmopolitans, Martinis, and Whiskey Sours (my favorite is the Singapore Sling), but you can choose which spirits to be served. There are a few things to remember when hosting a cocktail party: 1.have plenty of ice, 2. have various glass types, 3. hire a bartender, 4. have wine on reserve, 5.have coffee available for guests who may need assistance at the end of the evening, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!!

Custom Invitations On A Budget


I am always fascinated by the various design options for invitations. In my opinion, the invitation is one of the most important aspects to any event, as it sets the expectation for your guests. But as any planner knows, the invitations can also be costly. There are a lot of inexpensive invitation options out there, but a lot of times they look cheap. Well, I have come across a site that offers affordable invitations, while maintaining style integrity- www.StyleOnABudget.com. They offer customizable stationary and invitations at a very attractive price. The average cost of invitations are $1.50 each. If you do not see the design that you are looking for, don't fret as they can help design the stationary of your dreams. There are many more companies online that offer reasonable pricing for stationary. The key is to do your research and find the right match for you.

Vendor Spotlight: The Baker's Soul



I come across a lot of vendors when planning events. Some are chosen by the clients, while others are those that I have a personal preference for. One of my faves for catering and custom cakes is The Baker's Soul which is located in Newport News, Va. They offer a wide range of services as a restaurant, on/off-site catering as well as custom dessert designer. I have had the pleasure of using them for many events as well as for my own sweet tooth cravings. Please take a moment to check out their website at www.thebakerssoul.com. The best part about working with The Baker's Sole is that they offer great tasting food, excellent service, and a very reasonable price!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Color Me Wed!- Spring/Summer 2010 Wedding Color Trends!


Patone is the global authority on colour as well as the professional provider of color standards to the design industry. This past September, they released their Spring 2010 fashion forecast colors. This wedding season is going to bring about many vibrant colors as well as some previously unlikely color combinations. Just take a look!!!

Hottest Search and Color
Coral and grey
Turquoise paired with white or grey

Classic
Red paired with black

Modern Classic
Red paired with warn beige or grey

Tropical
Yellow and Golden Orange or Coral

Fun
Turquoise paired with red

There are too many color pairings to name , but just remember to not be afraid to explore different color combinations. The beauty comes from the ultimate presentation!

Wanna make a difference?


This year I have promised that I was going to invest more time into helping others. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day shenanigans called "life," but we all so often forget about the things that should be important. I usually keep record of my family's volunteer efforts during a year, and it was alarming to me that I did not surpass 2008's record. In fact, we didn't even volunteer half the amount of time that we did the year before. I could easily try to use the excuse that I had a lot more events this past year, so I didn't really have the time- but that would be a fail. In fact, in 2008 not only did I work full-time, ran by business, but also was a full-time student! So, NO EXCUSES!!! My passion has always been to work with you. I previously spent a lot of time working with the youth ministry at my church as well as aiding the pediatric AIDS foundation. This year, my focus remains with the youth, but is more focused on teens. Although I will continue my efforts for pedicatric AIDS programs, I am placing equal effort into programs that develop youth programs. In my area, as well as other metropolitan locales, there no longer youth programs. Programs such as the Girls & Boys Club of America are closing due to lack of funding and this leaves the youth with nothing to do and nowhere to go. My grandmother always said, "an idle mind and person can lead to trouble." I am not here to sway you to any my causes, I just want you find out what your passion is and how you feel that you may be able to make a difference! It's easy for us to blame the government for what's wrong, but what are we doing to try to help make some things right??? This a thought for the new year.