We Love Birthdays!!!

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You!

I may be a little biased especially because my own birthday is just days away but thought I'd share just a few of the must haves for a fabulous birthday celebration for any age!

You must:

Surround yourself with friends and family and don't forget to take lots of pictures to capture all the memorable moments.

Have great food and drink!  By all means, don't forget a birthday celebration is not complete without birthday cake!

Most importantly...HAVE FUN!!!

Sometimes people get so overwhelmed with all the planning that they forget to enjoy themselves when their guests arrive.  Remember to take some time for yourself to celebrate you and your next adventure (no depression here about getting older, just excited about another year to get better:-)

Cheers,
Leslie

 Click here for more planning tips just in time for your next birthday celebration

Are You Prepared For Disaster...Even On YOUR Special Day???

For those of us living on the East Coast we have experienced two natural disasters in less than 7 days and to say it's wrecked a little havoc would be an understatement.  We've been caught off guard by an earthquake with a 5.8 magnitude followed by Hurricane Irene which forced us all to immediately gather our families, emergency supplies and prepare our homes for the worst.  But what if your wedding or other special event is scheduled during such a time when Mother Nature is so unpredictable?  What are you supposed to do when you've spent months pouring over exquisite details for your treasured day? 

HAVE YOU CAN CONSIDERED WEDDING INSURANCE?

With more than 15 years of experience in special events, I'd like to think of myself as a seasoned professional.  However there may be times when even the best planner needs to have an even better contingency plan for life's unexpected challenges because as strange as it seems sometimes there are challenges that we just can't avoid.

  Imagine it...you've finally selected the most beautiful garden location ever or you're dreaming of a Winter Wonderland but within the week of your most special day the forecast suddenly calls for a downpour!  Or what do you do if the Winter Wonderland that you imagined is right outside your door buried under 4-ft of snow?  What are you going to do now?  Can you even handle any more stress?  Probably not if you've decided to DIY your entire event.  Make no mistake there is nothing wrong with wanting to take a hands on approach to your event planning but bear in mind that you may spend months, days and long hours to assure all goes smoothly for the "big" event, perhaps even referring to the infamous Farmer's Almanac for added weather security.  But let's be honest, do YOU really have the energy to create a back-up event plan so closely to your day? 

ISN'T YOUR EVENT WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT???

Tips to Planning Your Wedding With Ease



Photo Courtesy of OneWed



"Wedding season is just around the corner and we are ready to talk all about your wedding!"

Join us every Wednesday (aka "Wedding Wednesday") as we open our FaceBook discussion board to your wedding planning questions.  From addressing invitations to preparing for your honeymoon, let us help get you to the alter with ease.

Not sure where to start your planning?  Overwhelmed by your checklist? Have some last minute questions about your Spring/Summer wedding?

Make sure your special day is a fab wedding to-do and not a blah wedding don't.  Join our FB page for awesome tips on how to be a bride who can truly kick her heels up!

Talk to you soon xoxo!

Surviving the Company Holiday Party: A Guide to Holiday Party Etiquette

From the archive of Sparkle! Parties & Event Management:

It's always a good idea to address this annually much like a performance review. 

It's always been interesting to see the behavior of all that didn't take the advice. Following are just some tips to help you survive the company Holiday party:


• If your company permits you to bring your spouse/family this is not a free for all. Please remember that this is not your last supper!

• Truly, I understand that you earned that promotion or long overdue raise but this is not the time to share your feelings about it. No matter how generous your boss has appeared to be the last few weeks, the Holidays always change a person's mood at least until Jan. 2nd.

• Do we really need to go over the rules of alcohol consumption with your colleagues? Plain and simple, DO NOT OVERINDULGE! It will be all over the building by the time you return to work or worse.

• To my beautiful ladies, now is not the time to put on your most provocative cocktail dress. Yes your male counterparts will enjoy it but do you want your coworkers to remember you based on your work performance or as the one wearing that sexy red number? Quite simply watch the plunging necklines and short hemlines.


Ultimately, we all need a refresh on the party etiquette. Many of us forget that the Company party is an extension of our professional lives. Therefore we must be mindful of how much of our hair we really let down.

Happy Holidays!

Leslie

New Year and It’s Time for Something New for You (the busy Professional)!

Hope everyone is off to a fantastic start to the New Year! Over the Holiday season Sparkle! Parties & Event Management was eagerly preparing for the arrival of 2010! Not only are we looking forward to a fantastic new wedding season but I couldn’t wait to tell you about what’s new for 2010.

Beginning January 1, 2010, Sparkle! Parties & Event Management began offering concierge services especially tailored for today’s busy professional, small business owner or individual. Wondering if a concierge service is right for you?  Ask yourself the following:

Are you finding yourself short on time but your inbox keeps growing?


Not to mention you have a growing list of clients and a calendar full of commitments and your assistant is already swamped!


or


Are you a Small Business Owner looking for a little professional support?

Then why not consider Sparkle! Parties & Event Management to help you balance your schedule. Let us fill in all the details while you continue with your business day as usual.

Concierge Services Include:

Entertainment:

• Restaurant Reservations

• Sporting Events/Tours

• Movie and Theater Tickets

• Referrals for Special Events & other services

Personal Shopping:

• Thank You Cards/Gifts

• Reminder Services

• Unique Gift Ideas

Meetings & Travel Arrangements:

• Coordinate Private Car Services

• Make Hotel and Travel Plans

• Arrange Spouses Events

• Arrange Team Building./Incentive Events

Contact Us Today for Your Complimentary Consultation

It's My Birthday and I Have Something Special For You!

The thing I love most about birthdays is that you get the opportunity to celebrate something fabulous with the people who mean the most to you (not to mention the great gifts)! With that in mind, I decided that this year I wanted to share my special day with some very special people too.

My gift to one lucky couple is free wedding planning* for your special day!

 

Simply share your proposal story...that's it! The lucky couple will be randomly selected and who wouldn't love the chance to win free wedding planning. Although I love to celebrate, don't delay all submissions must be received by Monday, January 25, 2010 (11:59pm). Send all entries to rsvp@sparklepartiesandevents.com

Good Luck!

Leslie

Winning Couple to be contacted via email and will be provided with a service contract from Sparkle! Parties & Event Management. Free wedding planning offer is valid until December 31, 2010. Winners will be subject to all standard terms and conditions of Sparkle! Party & Event Management Contracts.  *Day of Coordinaton Service