Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts

May 10, 2011

Always A Bride ~ A Rock the Dress Photo Party

I became a bride...again. But this time I was not worried about keeping my dress clean, this time, it was to have fun and get fabulous!  You see, I am approaching my 10 year wedding anniversary. WOW...10 years. I can't believe it has been that long! 

My buddy Soozie is an AMAZING photographer.  She has the greatest ideas and an eye for creativity. She has this awesome idea to do a Rock the Dress Photo Party with about 7 of us ladies.  WHAT fun we had.  Professional, Sandy Raley, from All Dolled Up Artistry did our make-up, and Cindy (yes, our very own Cindy) did our hair.

It was an fabulous day with the girls, and a great idea for a party.  Gather up your buddies and get beautiful!  We had Mimosa's and chatted while we were undergoing our transformations from housewife to Model!  It really was a blast!

Here are some photos, to see more go to: http://www.photographybysoozie.com/2011/05/09/forever-beautiful-always-a-bride/





(Yup...that is Katie and Me)

Interested in having Soozie do a party for you? If you are in the Southern California OR Pennsylvania, Let me know or contact Soozie through her web site: http://www.photographybysoozie.com/

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credit: PhotographyBySoozie.com

Nov 16, 2010

Pull Off A Stress Free Holiday Party!

I wrote this last year, and I think it is my most helpful, holiday dinner prep post . So here ya go, an oldie but goodie =)

Do you ever wish you could pull off a holiday dinner and still have a smile on your face at the end? Well, it's really not that difficult, and we can help you accomplish it!

For years, my mom has been coaching me on how to give a dinner party (or any party for that matter) and enjoy it, enjoy my guests and finish it off without stressing out. I have watched, learned and help my mom put on many dinner parties and they were all fun, enjoyable and stress free.

How you ask? By following a few simple rules:1) Deep clean your place a week before, and do touch ups the night before. This means you can't wait until the last minute to clean, it has to be ALL DONE a week before. This includes your laundry!

2) Do all of your food and decorative shopping 4 days before your party. When you get home, organize all of your party items off to the side (possibly on a dining room table or in a spare bedroom). Don't put them all away, keep them out and together.

3) Have your menu completely planned out. This includes appetizers, drinks, salad, bread, main course, sides, dessert, coffee, condiments, etc. Leave nothing to think about!

4) Set all of your table(s) the night before. In fact, put out as many of the decorations you can the night before (as long as they will not get ruined or fall).

5) Always have a "Plan B". If you are planning to eat on your patio, plan for what you will do if it's too cold, too windy or too hot. Now you will not be frantic when you have to use it!

6) Have all of your meals, desserts, etc. made the day before or the morning of your party if possible. By doing this, you can have your dishes all done, and the mess cleaned up. All you will have to do is pop it in the oven, and not have to spend time preparing things, and you get to be with your guests, not in the kitchen.

7) If any of the food can be cooked in a disposable dish, DO IT!! Then you can just toss it when you are done, thus eliminating the need to clean it.

8) Label what dishes will hold what items. This way if your guests help you, they will know where things go.

9) Have plenty of seating for all of your guests. If you invite 10 people to dinner, have a table set up to hold 10 people. If this requires you to borrow tables and chairs, get them a few days before hand, not the day of.

10) Enlist the help of a friend for clean up. Having someone to help you takes the pressure off of you to be the hostess Or host with the most! 4 hands are always better than 2, and much quicker. Be sure to have plenty of containers for left overs. This helps aids in a quick clean up.

11) 30 minutes before your guests are scheduled to arrive, light your candles, turn on your music, ice your drink glasses, and put out your appetizers. Sit down, pour yourself a drink and have a great time!

Well, there you have it. I am sure I could have gone on for DAYS!!! I love to entertain, and I love it when my friends say I make it look so easy. The truth is, it's not easy, I just am well prepared! If you take a little time to organize, plan, clean, and prepare, you can have a successful, stress free event that you will actually enjoy!

I hope this helps, let us know if there are tips you can add to aid our readers in a stress free holiday. I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Holidays!
Denice

Sep 3, 2010

Clickable Party- Party Decorations from your Computer?

I found a GREAT website for those who like to be creative in planning their events.  It's called Clickable Party.  Clickable Party is *printable* party decorations that are unique, customizable and reasonably priced. They create matching party invitations, thank you cards, cupcake wrappers, toppers, banners, favor boxes...everything you need to make your next party look extra special. All you do is just print and cut them out!

We are a family owned and operated business in Southern New England striving to offer unique printable party ware for events, holidays and special occasions. We hope you enjoy our designs. Don't forget to check out the Freebies page for free downloads.

Why not use a party store? You can’t find our designs in your local party store - they stand out from the rest! The designs are made to be personalized, and you control how many you print, how you print them and how you use them. ~ Krysten



They have a ton of cute stuff!  I stumbled upon them while surfing the twitter waves.  There is a freebies section with a full free downloadable party for an end of summer beach bash, and more is added all the time. Cruise on over and check them out!

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credit: Clickable Party

Jul 29, 2010

5 Tips to Throw a Swanky Summer Bash on a Budget ~ From Andrea Correale

Our friends over at KMR Communications are at it again providing us with some exciting and unique client access! They recently sent me the below post from Celebrity Event Planner and Caterer Andrea Correale, of Elegant Affairs Caterer. It goes along with my recent post: 6 Great Ideas for a Summer Party, so I thought I would share with you to help elaborate on some Summer Party Ideas!

Celebrity Event Planner and Caterer Andrea Correale says you can party like a Rock Star without a Rock Star budget. Having satisfied the palettes of celebrities including Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Cattrall, Andrea knows a few things about throwing a fabulous bash without breaking the bank.

With your favorite swimsuit in tow, you can turn a typical pool party from drab to fab! Below, Andrea provides a few tips and tricks to throw a fabulous, low cost, pool party bash in style.

5 Tips to Throw a Swanky Summer Bash on a Budget

~ Tip #1 – Save Money on Food with a “Daytime” Party
According to Andrea, having a party during the daytime versus at night will save major bucks. “When it comes to the food, people’s expectations are usually much higher at nighttime events,” says Andrea. Typically “PM” parties require more appetizers followed by dinner and dessert. “You can get away with less expensive food and less of a spread at a day time poolside gathering,” Andrea continues.

~ Tip #2 – Lights, Candles, Action! Save on an Inexpensive Décor
Create a show-stopping and festive backyard presentation with simple and inexpensive decorations and accessories. “Lawn chairs and table clothes are great, but don’t shy away from stored away Christmas lights, colorful tea candles and paper hanging lanterns (beau-coup.com),” says Andrea. It’s the small things that add grandeur and charm to any party! These stylish decorations will cost under $30 and you’ll have them ready for the next bash!


~ Tip #3 – Arrange Your Own Tunes
Who says you have to hire a professional DJ to keep the party going? Instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars, create a play list of your favorite summer time tunes on your iPod and connect it to speakers. Voila! A DJ that is sure to play the tunes you and your friends want to hear for the cost-efficient price of…zero!

~ Tip #4 – Bottoms Up! Establish a Signature Drink
Every party should have a signature drink, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an expensive one. Impress your guests with large bell glasses filled with red wine Sangria. For an extra flair, insert the Sangria recipe into a colorful picture frame next to the Sangria. Don’t stop there! Make Sangria ice-cubes by placing one, canned mandarin orange slice in each compartment of two ice cube trays. Fill each with red wine and freeze. Serve with Sangria. Supplement the Sangria with bottles of sodas and beers.

~ Tip #5 – Skip Filet Mignon and Grill Skirt Steak Instead
Don’t break the bank on Filet Mignon and Porterhouse steaks at your backyard bash. Skirt steak is a fabulous choice and costs at fraction of the price of the higher end favorites. Skirt steak is a thin cut of meat, making it great to marinate and cook on the grill, as it soaks up the seasoning very well and cooks quickly. It's one of the most flavorful steak cuts, but also one of the tougher ones too, which is another reason why it's so great to marinate. Decadent marinades make skirt steaks exceptionally delicious when grilled. (check out her blog for some great marinade recipies!)

A little information on Andrea Correale:
Andrea Correale created Elegant Affairs, a full-service, off-premise catering and event design firm which is considered one of the best on Long Island, Manhattan and in the Hamptons. Since its inception more than 15 years ago, Elegant Affairs has served over 1400 events a year with razor sharp attention to detail.


Elegant Affairs has satisfied some of the world's most discriminating palates such as L.A. Reid, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Brooke Shields, Russell Simmons, the Trumps, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, the Stillers, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelly Ripa, and Kim Cattrall, to name a few. Elegant Affairs has been featured on VH1's The Fabulous Life of the Hamptons, The Real Housewives of New York City, and MTV's True Life. Besides being a celebrity caterer, Andrea has worked with budgets big and small to plan fetes ranging from million dollar weddings to an intimate dinner party for ten.

For more information: elegantaffairscaterers.com
Blog: http://andreacorreale.blogspot.com/

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credit: http://www.elegantaffairscaterers.com/

Jul 24, 2010

6 Great Ideas for a Summer Party

Part of my 31 Day Build a Better Blog Challenge, I needed to create a list post, so here is my attempt: 6 Great Ideas for a Summer Party! Have fun reading =)

There are only a few more weeks of Summer left, it has gone by so fast.  I can't let Summer come to an end without one more blow out, so I started thinking up some ideas.  I narrowed the list down to 6, super fun, summer party ideas.  Check them out and let me know which one sounds like the most fun. 

Did I leave any great ideas out? If so, fill me in!!

Kids Summer Fun Party
For this idea, you can incorporate all the things kids love about Summer: 
- Water balloon fights
- Swimming / Slip-n-slides
- Water gun fights
- Watermelon
- Hot dogs and hamburgers
- Fun treats: My favorite sweet oriented blog, Save The Date for Cupcakes,  has a  bunch of great displays:
~ Rainbow & Race Cars
~ Red, White and Blue Backyard BBQ
~ Splash Bash

Outdoor Cocktail Party
This one is for the adults, unless you make your cocktails "G"rated! There are so many things you can do for this one.
- Wine Tasting
- Margarita Tasting
- A funky glass exchange
- Lots of yummy finger foods
- Create a "Wine" club or "Beer" club and discuss likes and dislikes (similar to a book club)
- Find lots of yummy drink recipes at Celebrations web site
- Do a Wine/Cocktail exchange where everyone brings their favorite and you share (like a cookie exchange)

Beach Party
The Beach Party is a classic Summer must have.  If you are nowhere near a beach, you can always create one in your own back yard. Just get some blow-up pools, bags of sand and lots of friends. Some necessities:
- Beach balls
- Beach umbrellas
- Picnic lunch
- Bon fire
- Boogie boards
- Beach attire
- Kites
- Sand toys
- Creative Beach Cupcakes

Summer BBQ Pool Party
- Pool rafts
- BBQ
- Bubbles
- Cannon ball contest
- Fruity drinks
- Safe (and legal) fire works
- Watermelon pops
- Have a pool scavanger hunt

Camp Out Party
- Smores (try Peach Smores)
- Build a camp fire
- Pitch some tents and sleep in your backyard
- Roast hot dogs on hamburgers
- Tell ghost stories

Christmas in July
You guessed it. Make your Christmas decorations work over-time this year by getting your
garland, tree ornaments, and artificial Christmas tree down from the attic...for instant
holiday atmosphere.
- Surfing Santa
- Christmas tree made from a palm tree
- Snow ball fights (made from white, nylon filled fabric)
- Cookie decorating (but use watermelon as the cookie!)

I hope you enjoy these ideas! Happy end of Summer!

*hugs*
Denice

Photo credits: ME!
Watermelon ideas: Family Fun Magazine

Jul 11, 2010

Stacie's Gifts Features KDC Events!


A VERY big thank you to our friends over at Stacie's gifts for featuring our recent post: Last Minute Wedding "To Do List".

So, head on over to their blog and check it out, and while you are there, check out their website for an, "Exquisite Selection of Gifts For Most Any Occasion."

A little info on Stacie's Gifts:
Stacie's Gifts is an online retail outlet focused on providing fashionable jewelry, totes, and fashion accessories at the most affordable prices. We are a family operation based in Tampa, Florida with a combined 10 years experience in customer service and retail.


Our goal is to make your shopping experience the best of any online retailer. With a wide variety of fine jewelry, we have also expanded in very unique items, and accessories. You'll find that our products meet a variety of tastes at affordable price ranges. Our products are of the best quality, and are inspected prior to delivery. Our jewelry and gift items come from all over the world.

You can order 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding our products. We strive to provide the best online shopping experience.
Thanks again!
*hugs*
Denice

Jun 19, 2010

Fantastic Finds- June 18, 2010

Here are some Fantastic Finds that I have come across this past week in bloggyland. I hope you find them useful and entertaining!


Fathers Day/Graduation:
~ Cute Fathers Day cake ideas on Tweedle Designs
~ Super cute ideas for Graduation Dessert Display form Save the Date for Cupcakes

Kids:
~ A super cute Snow-White themed tutu from TuTuBug: I wish I had a daughter to put in this...do you think Cooper would mind?? LOL!

Party:
~ Danielle from Sugar and Spice Events is fabulous, I love reading her blogs. This one is a MUST read: Dinner is served- 10 things for a perfect dinner party
~ Miss Janice is the "Go to Lady" for all things Etiquette: Check out the correct way to drink your Iced Tea with Mind your "Teas"s and Q's

Health:
~ Turbo Fire In House from: Feeling Fit with Dana

Wedding:
~ Who decides what the Flower Girl should wear from: The Bridal Party LLC
~ Pre-marital Counseling? Check out Bridal Buds

Happy Weekend y'all!

*hugs*
Denice

Jun 14, 2010

Venue Review- The Holiday Inn, Ontario, CA

I was invited to attend a venue preview the other day at the Holiday Inn, in Ontario California.  The Holiday Inn you say? YES!  The Holiday Inn has had a HUGE make over and are now competing with upscale hotels. I was invited to attend by my friend Denise Parsons, who is a Sales Manager there.  I had worked with her previously at another hotel on a 50th Anniversary Party.


Let me just say, the hotel and grounds are beautiful. Nothing what you would expect a Holiday Inn to look like.  They had set up one of the smaller meeting rooms (holds about 80) in a reception like manner, complete with DJ!  The were tables decked out in beautiful linens (provided by Raquels Linens) and gorgeous flower arrangements that were provided by one of the ladies on staff at the hotel.



We were served the most delicious lunch. I must say, it was to DIE FOR!!!  I had never tasted hotel food this good.  It was a chicken breast stuffed with cheese and mushrooms, covered in a flavorful cream sauce.  It was served with roasted potato's and fresh veggies.  It was SOOOO GOOD!!! We were even  introduced to the Chef, and were able to thank he for the delicious meal. 

Not only is the Holiday Inn set up for events such as weddings, receptions and parties, they can also accommodate Corporate Meetings too.  Here are two of the rooms:


So, if you are looking for a local hotel that is reasonable and will fit into your budget, and looks FABULOUS, I highly recommend checking out the Holiday Inn.  Say "hi" to Denise when you go, shes a kick, you'll love her!

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credits: Me and my iPhone, and the Holiday Inn web site

Apr 17, 2010

Giveaway Alert...Gold Canyon Candles!

KDCEvents is hosting another giveaway! This time, it is for something that I simply can't live with out. What is that you say? Well, if you know me, you know I can't live without my Gold Canyon Candles. I am so addicted to them that I became a demonstrator just to support my habit. I know...who can burn that many candles? Well, I CAN!!


Ask anyone, these candles are fabulous! One little candle can make your whole house smell amazing for HOURS. Yup hours. The biggest draw to these candles for me is that they have a cooler burning wax, so I don't have to worry about my little ones burning themselves if accidentally spilled.


My new favorite product from Gold Canyon is the Scent Pod Warmer. I have two and I LOVE THEM! I can leave these babies on and not worry about burning my house down. =) They come fit with a timer (4, 8 & 12 hours) and are so easy to change out the scents, see:

I also love the Auto Fresheners. They help keep my car smelling way better than the baby formula it is masking. I have also used the Sachets as a freshener in my car, I just throw it under my seat.

NOTE: These candles are great for events of ALL KINDS!! Weddings, showers, parties, receptions, you name it. They make great shower prizes and gifts, if fact, I am giving away 4 different candles at a baby shower tomorrow. I also used the tealights at my wedding. So check them out for your upcoming event.

Here is what we are giving away to a lucky reader:
~ 16 oz Bella Candle
~ Pack of Auto Fresheners
~ Wick Dipper (scents to be chosen at random)

How do you enter? Just leave a comment on this post as to why you need this fabulous candle, and follow our little blog =) That's IT! (comment is required)

Additional entries you say? Well, here are a few ways to earn them (please be sure to do a seperate comment for each):
~ Follow our little KDCEvents Blog
~ Become a Fan on Facebook
~ Follow KDCEvents on Twitter
~ Retweet this giveaway

We will choose one lucky reader on April 23. Good Luck!
**Must be a US Resident to enter

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credit: Gold Canyon Candle

Mar 16, 2010

Fantastic Finds!

Today's fantastic finds is all about them MEN!!! Yup, we searched the Internet for the happening sites dedicated to MEN and their event needs. So pass along to your favorite guy. Happy reading!


Bachelor party
~ ©FireFly Group Events, Inc.: Providing bachelor party services in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Las Vegas areas for any size group. It's simple and easy to put together a last night out. Your friends pay direct so the Best Man doesn't have to collect money.

Grooms Needs (learning about the bridal necessities)
~ In an industry that is wholly focused on the bride, The Plunge addresses the needs of the other half of the equation. With advice written for men by men.

~ GroomGroove.com the web's best road map for a groom's trip down the aisle.

~ Grooms Online’s offerings include knowledgeable advice and tips, bachelor party information, wedding day checklists, honeymoon planning tools, groom’s apparel suggestions, music selections and more.

~ Guy Code is the unwritten and written code that all guys must follow in order to be a man. We are a group of men dedicated to preserving masculinity in a society trying to be pimped by feminism and we are winning triumphantly. Check out this article on 50 Ways to be the Perfect Man.

Getting Gifts
~ TheManRegistry.com is an online resource for grooms and is the Internet leader in grooms wedding tips and wedding advice for grooms. The website features a specialized wedding gift registry featuring hundreds of wedding gifts tailored toward grooms

The growing trend of GROOMS CAKES!! Yup you heard me...a cake especially for the groom. These cakes are mostly seen at the Bachelor party, the Engagement Party and on occasion, as a gift from the Bride to her Groom on their wedding day. Here are some fun designs:

Coors Cake

Video Game System 360 Grooms  Cake

Groom Cake Guinness Cake

We hope you enjoyed these Groom Tips! If you know of any we missed, please share. =)

*hugs*
Denice

Photo Credits:
- Groom Group: My Wedding! Photographer Stephanie Kano
- Coors Cake: GroomsAdvice.com
- XBOX 360: Pink Cake Box
- Groom Beer: Pink Cake Box


Feb 20, 2010

Fantastic Finds February 20, 2010


ATTENTION!!!! KDC Events is announcing a new feature: Fantastic Finds! "What is that" you say? Well, we are going to present you with fantastic ideas that we find from so many of the fabulous blogs we read. We hope you enjoy this new feature. Happy reading!


Bachelorette Parties:
~ Bachelorette Corset Cake Topper: Pink Cake Box
~ Invites: Treasured Moments Stationary

Weddings:
~ Budget savvy? Check out this fabulous site: Preowned Wedding Dresses (also has wedding related items too!)
~ Planning your big day: The Importance of Working with a Check List: Bridal Buds

Receptions:
~ Candy Bar 101: Tips from Project Wedding
~ Fabulous Cake Toppers: Toppers With Glitz

Parties:
~ Do It Yourself Cupcake Tower: Accent The Party
~ Six Spectacular Children's Birthday Party Themes: Beau-coup Favors

We hope you find these links fun and interesting! We will have a new set of Fantastic Finds for you next week!

*hugs*
Denice

Dec 6, 2009

Fabulous Party Planning Find!

I am an avid iPhone user, actually...I'm obsessed with my iPhone. I do EVERYTHING on it! While browsing the app store the other day, I found the greatest app of all time!! Liza's Simple Soiree Party Planner™.
Not that organized when it comes to planning a party? Well, this app is amazing, and just right for you. It helps you organize everything for a simple party. From putting together your guest list, and managing it, creating your menu and theme (decorations), and which stores to purchase them at! It will even help you create an invitation and email it from your phone!!! WOW!!

I highly recommend checking this out if you are an iPhone or iTouch user...It is a MUST have!!

You can also check it out on:
Facebook: Liza's Simple Soiree Party Planner
Twitter: LizaRiveraSalta
Or just check out the App store on your iPhone or iTouch!

Let me know what you think of it, I LOVE IT!!!!


*hugs*
Denice

Nov 1, 2009

Halloween Fun!


So, yesterday was Halloween and we had such a great day! I love Halloween, it is fun and everyone seems to love getting involved. From the little to the old, Halloween knows no boundaries. People are even using this holiday to get MARRIED!!

I thought I would use this post to share some of the fun ideas I have come across.

My Friend and Sorority Sister Kim, is a huge fan of this holiday. Here are some recent pics of the "Spooky Cuisine" she served at her recent shin-dig:

Her Spooky Appetizer of Deviled Eyes... I mean Eggs & Severed Fingers or Lil' Smokies, and a Main Course of Worm Sandwiches (hot dogs). Thanks Kim for sharing!

Eyeballs = deviled eggs. I just added green food coloring to the "yoke" mix, put a sliced green olive on top and used red food coloring and toothpick to give it the bloodshot look.

Severed Fingers = Little Smokies. Take one package of little smokies and bluntly cut the ends off of them. This will make them look severed. Insert a sliced almond into the tip of the other end so it appears to be a finger nail. Cut 3 slits in the middle of the sausage. When cooked, this will look like a knuckle.

For the Main Course: Worm sandwich = basically hot dogs. Take a package of hot dogs and cut them into long strips. Boil them in water until they start to curl. Toss them in a bowl with ketchup (appears to be blood) and add to the bun. Super easy.

Then, there is always the Carved Pumpkins. People are getting very creative with these, Here are a few:





I also love seeing the creativity that comes out in costumes. I love when I see a homemade costume:



Well, there you go... you now have some fun ideas for next year! Thanks to all my friends for letting me share.
*hugs*

Denice


Photo Credit: Kim, Alyssa, Eileen and Myself!

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