Memorial Day Weekend Decor Inspiration
Memorial Day Weekend is on its way and it’s the time of year we all get beach ready but most importantly the time to kickoff the summer with hosting outdoor home events. At my company Elite Styles Events, we do plenty of designing for our clients we also love to share inspiration we find. Below are a few of my fave Memorial Day decor inspirations.
- Published in Event Planning
Event Decor and Design at Corporate Events | @jessicalarotta
As many companies/corporations plan out yourr event marketing budgets for their calendar year, decor and design either go unnoticed or not enough money is allocated towards it. Your marketing dollars shouldn’t only go into the content of the meeting/event but also into setting the mood and branding design concepts. What your companies are forgetting is how your guests feel when they walk into the event or meeting space. How the ambiance is going to visually stimulate the mood of your guests throughout the day. The design concepts will not go unnoticed but it will have your guests intrigued and entertained at your event. As well now your company is getting tons of free marketing/advertising by turning your guests into social media influencer who are now sharing the visual stimulation aka “decor/design” via twitter and Instagram.
The event decor and design budget can be as small or large as you want. Before putting the decor budget together the first thing you want to consider is what is the overall goal and objective of the event. Is it education for the guest, is it something they take away and share with others, or simply just brand awareness of a new product or service. Depending on what the ultimate goal is what is going to influence the aesthetic of the space. A good event designer should be able to field these questions to corporate planners in the conceptual phase of the event. This will help them get a better understand of your objective as well as help you as the company/corporation understand how the design will influence the event.
Secondly, you want to understand who your target audience is and what is their demographic. Are they suits, young professionals who are fashion forward, hipsters or are you targeting established career professionals who love to eat caviar or are they art enthusiasts who are inspired by colors. This will also help both the designer and company understand in which direction of design/decor you should go in. Should we add in vendors to have experiential activities or are we designing the space with tons of floral.
Lastly, what type of experience do you want your guests to take away with them. At the end of the day, the guest is your main objective and making sure they are not only stimulating from what they are hearing but as well as from what they are seeing, touching and feeling. This stimulation will not only transcend through word of mouth but now as well through the most powerful free tool we have right now which is social media. Now the next time you are putting your budget together make sure the decor/design budget is as hefty as the food budget. Guests are tired and bored of just content they want to be wowed and content alone isn’t going to cut it anymore!
- Published in Event Planning
What’s in my Event Planner Emergency Kit | @jessicalarotta
Part of being an event planner it’s not only important to be organized and detailed but to also be prepared for the worse at any given moment. Part of the worse possible scenarios is not only the big stuff such as losing power, weather problems or even catering mishaps. What about mishaps with your centerpiece or setup/event or your guests or staff feeling ill, getting a stain or having a wardrobe malfunction. I’m sure many of us have experience one of these!
Many things can go wrong but you can eliminate much of the stress and frustration by preparing ahead. As I prepare for my clients event whether corporate or social a big part of my preparation is making sure I have everything I need in my Emergency Kits. Yes Kits! I keep 2 different types of kits one which will save my event details and one which will save my client, myself or my staff!!
The fist step to creating an emergency kit is finding a carrying solution for your items, this can be a large Tupperware or hard shelled suitcase. As well you might want to even think about having a hip back to store small needed items you can carry at all times. Now it’s time to go shopping for all the items you need but now you’re wondering what do I buy? When preparing your shopping list start thinking through some of the many mishaps that can happen. You might want to consider: What can happen to my decor or event setup? What might your client/guests need in case of an emergency or what have they forgotten?
Here are some suggestions of things my client may need that we continue to add as different scenarios happen:
- Small first aid kit
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouth wash
- Mints or gum
- Hand sanitizer
- Contact solution
- Tissues
- Tide Sticks or Clorox bleach pen
- Lint Roller
- Charger with different charging tips
- Safety Pins, double sided tape
- Hair Goods: hairspray, bobby pins, hair ties, brush or comb
- Mirror
- Makeup
- Travel sewing kit
- Static cling spray or dryer sheets
- Bites: granola bars and water
- Feminine hygiene products
- Sunscreen
- Spray deodorant
- Baby wipes
- Unscented bug spray (for outdoor events)
- Nail clipper
- Scissors
- Baby powder
- Dr. Schols foot pads
- Hand lotion or body spray
- Pills for ill guests: Advil, tylenol, tums, immodium
- ear plugs
- Nail polish remover/cotton balls
As you prepare for the big event day, it is always important to have everything you need to get your day going. Items such as your timeline, floorplan, agenda and clients agenda readily available as well as multiple copies for any and all parties involved. Now it’s time to prepare your second emergency “working” kit. Keep in mind that your emergency working kit can change due to project or client needs but these are typically the core items I need to keep my sanity.
Some items to include are:
- Screwdriver, pliers, wire cutters
- Scissors
- Blades or pocket knife
- Different types of tape: scotch, electrical, masking, gaffers tape and double sided tape
- Paper clips, binder clips
- Power strip, extension cords, converters
- Twist ties, fishing line, zip ties
- Sharpies in all colors
- Measuring tape
- Adhesive hooks and tape
- Floral tape
- Windex
- Paper Towels
- Flash drive
- Flash light
- Velcro
- Batteries
Last but not least it’s always important to carry your patience, sanity and a smile!
We would love to hear what is in your emergency kit.
Click on this link for a downloadable Emergency Kit Checklist
- Published in Event Planning