Event Quality Vs. Event Quantity

I attended a fundraising event for an organization some time ago and we all know how those go right? Somewhat stuffy, everyone sharing business cards and putting on the proper netwoking face. When I got there I was somewhat disappointed, because the attendence was low; you always hope for a big turnout for any fundraising or networking event. But as the evening went on I realized that time had slipped away and I had stayed longer than my declared exit time. By the time I had gotten home, after midnight by the way, I realized that I had a really great time. Pondering this event and what made it so memorable was the fact that there was a small attendance. I found the attendees more relaxed and open to more profound, unrushed, and unrehearsed conversations. The group was cozy, and a lot of fun. I got to see sides of people I don't usually get to see. At the end of the evening, I felt as though I experienced the quality of people as opposed to the quantity of people.

For your next event, consider what you hope to provide to your guests or attendees. Are you trying to pack the place to show who you are and what you are capable of , and thereby, not truly connecting with anyone due to the sheer number of people there? Or, are you trying to make a connection, where you leave an impression with your guests or attendees, that causes them to remember you or your event, long after the show has ended.

When preparing that guest or attendee list, consider quality over quantity. Not only is it sometimes more cost effective but people remember moments and experiences with you, their host. Make sure your guest list doesn't have so many people on it that you won't be able to connect with each and every person that you felt was important to invite in the first place.



 
Event & Wedding Planner  
Alpha Prosperity Events  
Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Decor Ideas for Summer Celebrations

With the 4th of July quickly approaching, no doubt you are planning for or attending a festive celebration somewhere. If you have been procrastinating on what to do or what to bring, why not create some memorable favors or centerpieces for the event. If you are planning the celebration, then your guests will love a momento of the day. If you are attending a celebration, why not make some for your hosts to use as decorative centerpieces.   With all of the preparations they have going on, I am sure they would be most appreciative of your thoughtfulness and creativity. Need some help on something fast and fun, check out these easy 4th of July crafts I found in All You.

All You is one of those great magazines that is chock full of quick ideas, recipes and great tidbits of how to make your life so much easier. If you haven't checked out an issue, it's a must do, especially since it is so affordable.


Star Spangled Sparklers


For the Star Spangled Sparkers  (pictured to the right) you will need :

• Mailing tubes and plugs in assorted sizes 
• Red, white and blue construction paper
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Silver tassels
• Star-shaped paper punch
• Assorted ribbons and rickrack

1. Cover a tube in construction paper, using glue to secure

2. Use scissors or a knife to carefully make a small slot in one plug. Thread silver tassels through opening and tie in a knot to secure.

3. Decorate by gluing star-shaped cutouts and ribbons on tubes as desired. If you want to use them as party favors, fill with candy.

Decorative Flower Holders made from Cans & Colorful Paper

I hope you all enjoy your time of festivity and celebration. Please, feel free to send photos of your decorative ideas and how you used them for your summer celebration.

Stay tuned for more trendy ideas and inspirations. You don't want to miss a thing so make sure you "follow us" and subscribe. You can find details to the right. See you next time.

Event & Wedding & Meeting Planner

Alpha Prosperity Events

Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Travel Planning

I am so excited because I am planning another travel adventure. Nothing as exotic as my recent Caribbean cruise but a travel adventure none the less. We have a family wedding coming up in April 2012 and the wedding is in Alexandria, VA. Now I will be traveling from Houston and the rest of the family will be traveling from New Orleans. So this will be quite an expense for a lot of us, not only getting there but hotel lodging and food as well.
As much as I like to travel, I will never go into debt doing it. I am saver when it comes to stuff I really want and travel is very high on my list of wants. Therefore, I have to save for this trip and realize with 10 months to discipline myself to save, I should have a nice little stash to not only get me to the wedding but to also enjoy some sites and adventures while I am there. I am going to start the 1st of June and save with a "gazelle like intensity" - for all you Dave Ramsey fans out there.
If you are planning a trip, say a honeymoon perhaps, make some decisions about the planning process. Don't approach it with a carefree, no thought concept because this approach will only bring disappointment; if not on the trip itself then for certain when you get the credit card bills or look at your bank statement and you realize that you spent money you should not have spent.


 
Event & Wedding Planner  
Alpha Prosperity Events  
Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

NACE - Houston Wedding Trends 2011

We attended the NACE - Houston Wedding Trends Event and all I can say is "wow." The theme for the event was "First Class Ticket to Trends," and it was truly first class. The cocktail hour was held at the historic Air Terminal Museum, and then all of the guests were "trollied over" to the tarmac and hangar where the big event and festivities were held. The temperature was humid and breezy as only Houston can be, but that only enticed a dress code of destination beach wedding; how fitting.

This great event was an opportunity to open your mind and to think out of the box when planning your wedding or next event. My friends kept saying that I looked as if I was daydreaming most of the evening, and in retrospect, I guess I was. My mind was working overtime, thinking of ways to incorporate some of the amazing ideas that I saw at this event. And did we mention the food - AMAZING. There were food variations and flavor combinations that I never considered, let alone tasted. Houston is full of talented vendors and designers, and it was great to see them all come together to create a destination experience and treat for the eyes and taste buds. Check out a few of my personal photos, to share the experience.

 

 

Chicken draped in Pina Colada flavored Cotton Candy - OMG!

This was a wedding cake suspended from the ceiling, and the streamers had drinking glasses dangling from them

So, are those creative juices flowing for your wedding event yet???!!!! Let's talk about it.

 
Event & Wedding Planner  
Alpha Prosperity Events  
Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Saying "Thank You" Is Still Important




When was the last time you attended a wedding, and sent a gift, only to never have your gift acknowledged. It's disappointing to speculate but I bet it was very recent. As a guest, I am sure you invested the time, energy and financial resources to purchase just the right gift for a couple that was near and dear to your heart. First of all, you want to know that they received your gift and then, you want to know, that they know that you gave them this certain gift. Gift giving is special and the process of receiving that gift should be treated as such.

A note of "thank you" means much more than you realize, and somewhere along the way, some of us have forgotten that. Does it really take that much more time to write a personal note acknowledging a gift. No, it doesn't. If you prepare yourself for the process of writing your thank you notes, and schedule a time to do the writing, it becomes that much easier.  To start, order some beautiful stationary notes to accompany the design of your wedding invites, or get something made especially for you, something to serve as your signature stationary.  I haven't met anyone that doesn't get excited about writing on beautiful stationary. While selecting your stationary, go ahead and splurge on that fabulous writing instrument that just feels so good in your hand and that just writes so well. To add an even more personal touch, get some personalized postage stamps and keep them on hand so there is never the excuse of being without a stamp. Aim to mail your thank yous no later than three months after receiving a gift. Snail mail can be a pain but this is one of those times that it is expected. "What about email," you ask? I say it's a don't, but that's my personal choice.

Ten Do’s and Don’ts of Thank You Notes

1.Do personalize your notes and make reference to the person as well as the gift.

2.Do remember that a gift should be acknowledged with the same courtesy and generous spirit in which it was given.

3.Do be enthusiastic, but don’t gush. Avoid saying a gift is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen unless you really mean it.

4.Don’t send form letters or cards with printed messages and just your signature; don’t use email or post a generic thank you on your wedding web site in lieu of a personal note.

5.Do promptly acknowledge the receipt of shipped gifts by sending a note right away or calling and following up with a written note in a day or two.

6.Don’t mention that you plan to return a gift or that you are dissatisfied in any way.

7.Don’t tailor your note to the perceived value of the gift; no one should receive a perfunctory note.

8.Do refer to the way you will use a gift of money. Mentioning the amount is optional.

9.Don’t include wedding photos or use photo cards if it will delay sending the note.

10.Don’t use being late as an excuse not to write. Even if you are still sending notes after your first anniversary, keep writing!
                                   ~ EmilyPost.com

Remember, a beautiful and graciously handwritten thank you note is a gift in itself and it sets the tone of who you are as a couple. Your wedding isn't the last event or celebration that you will ever have. There will be baby showers, birthdays and anniversaries. Set the tone of your personality as one that is always gracious and grateful; recognizing the efforts and giving of those who love you.



Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Wedding Design Trends from TSE2011

I wasn't able to attend The Special Event 2011 in Phoenix this year, (I was so disappointed but other business matters took precedence this year), but thanks to some wonderful new Twitter friends, I felt as if I was right there, in the middle of all the action. The Special Event is a great opportunity to network with event planning professionals and vendors from all over the country. As an attendee, you also get to choose from an abundance of seminars on weddings, marketing, design, catering, etc, all taught by some of the best in the event planning field. Every year attendees go home, equipped with new tips and trends in the field, to "wow" our wonderful clients, and this year was no different.

Below are some photos of vendors and events at The Special Event, including the Wedding Lunch ~ "In Love with Metallics", shared on the blog of Melissa Kay Allen. The Wedding Lunch at The Special Event is coordinated and designed by some of the top event planners in the country. It allows the opportunity to showcase new and fresh ideas and this years idea introduces us to the trend of metallics. Look for metallics to be used in all seasons this year; everywhere from table and chair linens, invitations, to centerpieces and place settings.


Via Melissa Kay Allen

A big shout of thanks to Melissa for "tweeting" me along with you at this great conference. You can keep up with Melissa's tweets at @MelissaKayAllen. Other friends and new friends to follow at The Special Event in Phoenix include @iBradWilson, @keishaskreation, and @jordansevents. A big shout of thanks to them as well.


Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Greater Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Happy October ~ It's Party Time



MarthaStewart.com

  Happy October Everyone. What??!! Not a holiday??? Yes, I am well aware of that but how can you not get excited about the 1st of October, because it seems to start the party season. Look around. All of the retail establishments have there holiday stuff ready, letting you know it's time to celebrate something. So, what are you waiting for an invitation? Let's get to planning and partying.

If you are not the party planner type, don't fret because there are lots of options. You can look us up and let us take care of the details for you or if you are feeling festive and want to dabble in the planning yourself, there are some great blogs and party sites out there, like this one, to help stir up your imagination and creative juices. Here are a few ideas from some of my other favs that I want to share with you.



Hip Hostess Series - Dallas by Hostess with the Mostess



Hip Hostess Series - Dallas by Hostess with the Mostess

http://www.hostessblog.com/2010/09/glam-halloween-purple-lime-green/

 

http://www.hostessblog.com/2010/09/glam-halloween-purple-lime-green/

 

http://www.pizzazzerie.com/

Reading the blogs from other designers and planners really gets my creativity going. Find your favorite blogs and visit them often because one can never have too many trendy design and party inspirations. So, what are you waiting for? Get your party on.


 

Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Southwest Houston ~ New Orleans

Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss (Well, It's About Time!)

 Photo courtesy of TLC

Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss

Finally, a television bridal series that I look forward to watching. Glad to see things are looking up for plus-size brides, who want to be drop-dead gorgeous on their wedding day too. We at Alpha Prosperity Events will be following this series to see if the designers are sending appropriate sample dress sizes for the plus-size bride. If Kleinfelds and Randy Fenoli can't set the tone for a change, where sample wedding dress sizes are concerned, I don't know who can. The series starts October 1, 2010 on TLC. Check back and leave your comments about the show. I'd love to know your thoughts.

Hope this a trendy idea, that will make finding the "dress," a lot less stressful for the full-figured bride. Here's to big bliss

 
Event & Wedding Planner 
Alpha Prosperity Events 
Houston ~ Missouri City ~ New Orleans

Great Filing System for Event Planning Organization

Wonder File Portable Workstation

Need organization for all of your wedding and event planning materials. Try the Wonder File. It's a great idea for keeping all of those magazine clippings, fabric and color swatches all in one nice neat place. And you can even take it with you when you need to. I know I sound like an infomercial but I really like the convenience of this file. As a wedding and event planner, having at least two is a great way to keep several things organized by client.  And after the wedding planning is done, you can use the file for other organizing needs; unlike some of the other wedding planner folders that are out there.  

Now how's that for a trendy wedding and event planning idea!


Event & Wedding Planner Alpha Prosperity Events Southwest Houston ~ Richmond/Rosenberg ~ New Orleans

Wedding Do's and Don'ts from the Guest's Perspective

One of my event assistants attended a wedding recently and she came back with a list full of things that she found interesting about this wedding. I don’t think she ever considered herself a wedding expert but I must say when it comes to wedding and event coordination, she has definitely been taking notes. Here, we share with you some “Do’s and Don’ts,” from the wedding guest's perspective.

Hire a Wedding Coordinator ~ If you are going to have a wedding guest list of anything over 100 people you should hire someone to organize particular highpoints and activities of the wedding. A wedding coordinator would be beneficial to create timelines to keep things flowing and to keep all players/vendors in the know about when things are happening or when tasks need to be done. Don't leave this task to a family member; they want to enjoy the wedding too.

Don’t Skimp on the Entertainment ~ When hiring a band or DJ, make sure they have the ability to act as the Master of Ceremony. If you have to skimp here, make sure your wedding coordinator can step into this role. Your guests will be very disappointed if you start cutting your cake and they aren't ready with their camera or they are in the restroom and miss the whole thing because there was no emcee to announce what was happening. We have some great recommendations if you need help in this department.

Discuss the Dress Code with the Entertainment ~ Make sure it is clear what they will be wearing while performing. It won't look very cohesive if your guests are dressed in cocktail attire and the band or DJ is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

Greet Your Guests ~ As the bride and groom, you made the choice to invite three hundred people to your wedding. I can only assume that you made that choice because all of these people are near and dear to you in some form or fashion. Make sure you get around, visiting every table to speak to as many guests as possible. Of course, you may still miss some people but no one can say you didn't make the effort. My assistant was so disappointed and felt slighted because after traveling quite a distance, and buying a very nice gift, the bride never walked around to say hello to her or any other guests.

Just a little trendy advice from the guests you are inviting to your wedding. Hope you were paying attention.



Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Southwest Houston ~ New Orleans

Event Planning: Splurging vs. Saving

This great article from Tracey Porpora and Bridal Guide, talks about when to splurge and when to save when planning a wedding. A key element throughout the article is that you have to know what is important to you. Many brides and grooms have made the mistake of having someone else's wedding instead of their own because they did not know or articulate what vision was important to them. They listened to everyone else's dreams and priorities, before figuring out what they wanted. This same faux pas is made with other social or corporate events as well. If you don't make a decision about what is important to you, you stand the chance of being the guest of honor at an event designed for someone else and not you.

Planning any type of event, be it a small social event or large corporate function, requires the same thought process. What do you want to remember about the event? What do you want your guests to take away from the event? What's the one or two things you must have to be thrilled by your event? What is not that big a deal or a must have for you? Before viewing venues, and invitations and such, it's always a good idea to take some time to assess what you want your financial investment to be and figure out where to save and where to splurge. No matter what type of investment you intend to make, you will have to make choices about certain areas or plans for your event, so that you can include those things that are important to you.

If you think this task may be very overwhelming, don't fret about it. Hiring an event planner can help you assess what's important to you. You can hire a planner to just help with consultations, or you can hire a planner to help put it all together. And, if you feel like just showing up and have the event be all about you, a planner can make that happen as well. "Hire a wedding planner?!?" Now that's a trendy idea.

Happy Planning,

Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Southwest Houston ~ Richmond/Rosenberg ~ New Orleans

Happy Birthday to Our Blog ~ Coco Trendy

Happy Birthday!

I am so excited and proud to say that Coco Trendy has been consistent as a blog for one year. It has been a labor of love and it has been hard, but we made it happen. A big thank you goes out to our dedicated followers, event business supporters and fans. We could not have done this without your support and encouragement. There were times where we reinvented ourselves and went back and forth but our fans stayed loyal and we so appreciate you for that. There are so many blogs out there and I thank you for choosing to check by and see what our trendy take is on the subjects of wedding and event planning and coordination.

This year has been truly exciting for not only the blog, Coco Trendy but also for the management company ~ Alpha Prosperity Event Management. For the first time since the official birth of the special event planning and coordination division, our event management company was selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Wedding Planner and Coordination! We are truly inspired by this award and the fact that our clients love what we do. We look forward to many more years of happy, bliss-filled clients, and growth for the business.

So make sure you stay tuned for more trendy event planning and wedding coordination ideas because we are not going anywhere and we have a few changes and surprises in store. Trust me, you don't want to miss a thing.

Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Southwest Houston ~ Richmond/Rosenberg ~ New Orleans

Baby Shower - Blossoming in Springtime

Keeping in sync with my recent post on planning a baby shower, I wanted to share some ideas and themes of my own. I recently had the pleasure of planning a fun baby shower for a client that was expecting twins. The twins arrival was expected around springtime so she wanted a springtime theme, and the colors had to be yellow, lime green and gray. I had a lot of fun putting this together even with a very minimal budget. Small budgets don't have to be restricting if you just use a little imagination and don't box yourself into using traditional baby shower items and decor.

We decided to use "springtime like" items such as baskets of spring flowers, garden stepping stones, butterflies and birds with baby birds nests. Balloons were a given because they always add a festive flavor to small showers and parties.

My first inspiration for the springtime theme came from the idea of bird nests with baby bird eggs. I was able to find some grapevine wreaths to help create the bird nests. It was a very cost effective option. Hobby Lobby carried them in a bunch of six. Candy coated almonds were a great filler for the bird eggs.

Instead of doing a guest sign-in book, we did individual blessing cards, where guests were able to write something more heartfelt to the mom-to-be. I created the blessing cards myself so they were personalized for my client, for the occasion.


There were the usual baby shower games to include the famous "baby shower bingo." When finding great prizes for your games, consider home spa items like lotions, bath gels or jewelry. I got all of the gift or prize items from my wonderful rep at Avon. You get some very nice gifts and you support some of the many fund raising causes that Avon helps support. A huge thank you goes out to my Avon rep, Pam Zackory for her wonderful support. There was food, fellowship and fun and a great time was had by all.


Event & Wedding Planner
Alpha Prosperity Events
Southwest Houston ~ Richmond/Rosenberg ~ New Orleans