A Very Happy Birthday

To Gala Events, Inc. President Jaime Greenwald! Here is to a year even more fabulous than the last! Cheers!

Up next at Gala Events

Hello Friends!

Hope you are staying cool in this sweltering heat! I recommend an icy margarita - perfect way to beat the heat!

It's been a busy summer for Gala Events! and you can expect much more to come!

Starting latter this month - we will begin filming a fun video series bringing all my tips and trends from the blog to the screen; showing you easy and artful ways to entertain. You can also expect some big announcements about services and our client's events - all the things that make Gala, great!

We always appreciate your feedback and thank you for following our blog! Don't forget you can also find us on Twitter @Galaplanner !

xxx's

Tips for a Fabulous Fourth!

Read on for tricks and trends from

Gala Events, Inc. President, Jaime Greenwald

on how to ensure your 4th of July

is fun and fabulous!

I love the Fourth! Fantastic weather, sunset at 9 pm, family and fireworks - now THAT is a party! As I am getting ready for our annual bonfire, I wanted to share some of my top quick tips to put the entertain in entertaining!

One of my favorite desserts to serve around the 4th of July bonfire is a sweet creation I call Bannana Boats!

Take one whole bannana and slit open the skin. In the opening add mini marshmellows and chocolate chips. Wrap in tin foil and place in firepit so that it can warm. Wait about 15 minutes and serve with a spoon. Its yummy delicious, interactive and easy to eat without a plate! How easy and fantastic is that?!?

As a cool treat for our guests, I love to take white wash clothes ( I buy them in bulk at costco) wet them and put them in baggies in the freezers. Let them chill then pass around the fire. This is a great way to clean up and cool down on those hot summer nights.

For extra refreshment, I

always keep pitchers of infused water in the fridge at our beach house. It's tasty, easy, and just what you need on a balmy evening!

Some of my favorites are:

Lemon and basil

A pitcher of water with 2 whole lemons sliced and eight fresh basil leaves

I also love Lime and peppermint

A pitcher of water with two limes sliced and 4 freash mint leaves.

It's easy to combine any of your favorite citrus or herb favorites to please a crowd of any size! Get creative and show off your own personal taste!

Until next time, enjoy our Independence Day, happy entertaining!

-Jaime

Gala Gets Kudos in the New Issue of Capitol File Magazine!

Gala got a lot of love in the new issue of Capitol File Magazine, available on newsstands now! In addition to coverage of the WHCD Afterparty we produced for the mag at the Reagan Building - you can find a great profile on Gala Events, Inc.'s president (femme fatale and fearless leader) Jaime Greenwald (twitter @galaplanner) in the SCOPE section. Check out the article below then click through for some great party pics!

Five Royal Trends

In a little more than two weeks, the eyes of America will be focused across the pond
to watch one of the most anticipated events of the century. We just can’t resist the
appeal of a Royal wedding! The gown, the jewels, the horse drawn carriage – it’s
every girl’s princess fantasy come true! In a culture already heavily influenced by
the latest celeb trends you can expect this years wedding season to follow suit –
here are our top 5 spring wedding trends influenced by the future King and Queen…

Sleek and Chic

While we don’t yet know what the soon to be Princess Catherine will don as she
walks down the aisle – we do know not to expect Diana the sequel. However, it has
been rumored that she has over three dresses in the works in case one possibly gets
leaked to the press. Kate’s style: polished, clean, and classic with a stylish edge will
certainly mean a more streamlined look – creating a true modern day princess.

Lace, lace, lace

We are seeing lace pop up everywhere from dramatic dress details to floral
arrangements and bouquet wraps, cake embellishments and even on invitations!
Lace details are it this season.

Tradition

There is no escaping the pomp, circumstance and ceremony that go with royal
nuptials. Expect this side of the pond to follow suit with more emphasis on the role
family plays in the ceremony – an elevated position for the mother and longer more
traditional services rich in family and religious traditions.

Tiaras

Diamonds and jewels-oh my! The more bling the better and while I wouldn’t suggest
donning a crown sized jewel – sparkly combs, tiny tiaras and a bejeweled veil are
back in a big way.

Arrivals

While most brides will not arrive to their big day in a carriage drawn by 10 white
horses, expect to see more of an emphasis on the big ‘reveal’. Classic cars, horse and
buggy, a vintage motorcycle – these are just some of the ways American brides are
making their entrance in a true princess fashion.

Render to Real Life

We recently did a New York themed Bar Mitzvah, and our client was having a hard time visualizing the New York facades we were proposing to create for their event. Below is an example of a 3D rendering I created, and then followed by a picture of the actual facade at the event.

3D render


actual pic from event



By Tom Kemp

Industry Wedding

We recently had the honor of planning the wedding of two great friends, Monica Vidal and Jack Hartzman. One very important detail that one must first divulge is that both the bride and groom are photographers for Washington Talent, Photo and Video. Well-loved by many events professionals, the happy couple has been in the event industry for over fifteen years. From the moment they got engaged, we knew that their wedding was going to be one for the books! Both Jack and Monica allowed us a great deal of creative freedom in planning their wedding. We worked with an incredible team of vendors, and with our combined creativity we were able to design and execute a fabulous and memorable wedding.
One truly unique aspect of their wedding was the dinner-theatre style ceremony. Upon arrival, guests were immediately directed to their respective tables. Once each guest was seated, the bridal party emerged from the back of the ballroom and walked through a free formed aisle to “Feeling Good” preformed by George Jamison of Spectrum, from Washington Talent. The bride was sung down aisle to “Power of Love” preformed by Ginny of Onyx, another Washington Talent band. A gold satin draped Chuppah placed in the middle of the dance floor awaited the bride and groom. The couple was surrounded by over 200 of their closest industry friends and members of their family as they exchanged vows. This unique ceremony was only one of many memorable moments from the evening. It was truly a magical evening not only for the bride and groom but also for all of the event professionals that assisted us in creating this fabulous wedding.

It's SNO big deal!

It’s beginning to feel a bit like spring but it was just a few weeks ago we were buried up to our knees in snow! The weekend of February 6, 2010 is not one anyone at Gala will soon forget. With record breaking amounts of snow, closed roads, freezing temperatures and some fabulous vendors we all survived the ‘snowpocalypse’ of 2010 and our bride and groom JoAnn and Daniel were still able to have their wedding. Knowing early in the week what Mother Nature might have in store, we set off for Annapolis not knowing quite what to expect except that the show must go on!
Despite the harsh reality check we all awoke to on Saturday morning JoAnn and Daniel proved to everyone that there was nothing that could stand in the way of their wedding. We were having a wedding, minus about 300 guests. What we faced that weekend is truly a testament to who we are in this business and what we can do when faced with adversity- even if a tree falls through the roof of the tent! When you have a team of exceptional vendors who all are truly invested in making this the best event possible-regardless of the conditions. We definitely gave this couple an experience they will never forget.
Special thanks to all of the vendors who helped us all keep everything together-
Blue Sky Films, Occasions Caterers, MBK and Associates, Frost Lighting, and Crow Entertainment DJs.


*Special thanks to Blue Sky films for the above video.

Acrylic Mandap

A MUST HAVE for your next event is our Acrylic Mandap. It is a 10ft x 10ft clear Lucite structure and can really be used for any occasion. It was last used for an Indian wedding where it was adorned with hanging orchids and votive candles. It also can be used in a club decor design and really for most any theme you can think of. It will be set up in the Gala Events Design Center throughout October so come in today and work with one of our event planners to see how it can be worked into your next event.

by Tom Kemp

Fashion's Night Out

When asked how we should help stimulate our economy you might answer with more jobs, tax cuts or increased aid to struggling localities. Well, how about with events?

Fashion's Night Out is a worldwide event that strives to boost the global economy through the fashion industry. U.S. and International editors of Vogue coordinated celebrations in their respective fashion capitals in hopes to aid customers lacking confidence in the fashion and retail industries. On September 10th, over 700 retailers and designers across the five boroughs of New York City participated in the event. Neither tickets nor invitations were required to attend any of the Fashion's Night Out activities. Retailers implemented creative ideas in order to promote the fun in shopping once again. For example, shops in Brooklyn surprised customers with a pop-up block party and cook-off. Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Blake Lively, and Victoria Beckham made guest appearances at stores throughout Manhattan. In addition to encouraging retail shopping, proceeds from Fashion's Night Out t-shirt and tote bag sales went to a charity benefiting a 9/11 rehabilitation project.

Hopefully worldwide events like Fashion’s Night Out will become a means of breaking out of our current economic recession, while having a lot of fun at the same time!

by Jessica Marzelli

Say Cheese, Please!

Who doesn’t have fond memories of those black and white photo strips that we posed for in booths at fairs, on boardwalks, and in malls? Maybe you were being silly with your best friends or smooching with your ‘honey.’ You might still have one of those strips (faded and yellowed, no doubt) tucked into the corner of your bedroom mirror. Well… those ‘old fashioned’ booths have become popular at parties of all kinds, of recent.
Take a look at the very modern and eye catching photo booth pictured above. This is sure to wow any and all of your guests at the next party you throw. This very high tech, digital, partially inflatable, and artistic version of the old boardwalk push button model, was designed by two Melbourne- based photographers. Why not invite your guests to document your event with fun photos that they can either leave behind in a guest book for the host, or to take with them to remember all the fun they had? Grab your fifteen minutes (or seconds!) of fame and say cheese, please!
Julie Pike

(photo via photobooth.com.au)

Fall Events

Fall is my absolute favorite season. Autumn colors and the season's overall crispness inspire me to redecorate my home each October. I pull out my favorite spice scented candle, my wool pillow shams, and my fluffy down throws. I head to the basement to bring up my boxes of pine cones, faux cranberries, autumnal wreathes, and my favorite fall inspired table runners. I unwrap each piece lovingly while becoming increasingly excited about the arrival of three months of cooler days, leaf filled sidewalks, and wreath strewn doors. This fall, I am especially excited because I am planning my first autumn inspired wedding. The inspiration for my design is organic and will feature brightly colored leaves, wheat, berries, sunflowers, and pops of brilliant persimmon. I hope that the design will inspire the guests and get them as excited as I am about this special season.

by Laura Miller

Tree Tables

Once again we have managed to outdo ourselves with our latest and greatest decor; our tree tables. These are an original creation we made for an "Enchanted Forest" event and look absolutely amazing-not to mention incredibly realistic! The tables have hand wrapped and painted tree trunk bases topped with giant 5 foot round high-gloss top that looks like you took a slice out of an enormous tree. Come in to our Special Events Design Center in Rockville to see them in person!

Be Our Guest

To promote our planners’ effectiveness and necessity in helping plan and produce special events, we often say that our staff will be on site to ensure that our clients are guests at their own parties. It’s not something that all people immediately understand when they are considering whether or not to hire a planner for their event. Without professional help on site, hosts are often presented with issues or difficulties as they arise throughout the duration of their event. Dealing with or worrying about problems during such important affairs can sap the enjoyment and fun out of any occasion.

I was witness to a small example of this effect this past weekend. I attended the wedding of two dear friends that was sure to be a wonderful time for all involved. The bride and groom had staff from the venue to help them facilitate the proceedings. It was a beautiful wedding and all joy abounded. When I spoke to the bride the following day at brunch, she mentioned that her only regret was having to worry and deal with a few electrical shortage issues. It was nothing major, but lights and music went out several times during the cocktail hour and then other house lights failed during the dancing. None of the guests minded and most probably didn’t notice (I can’t help but see these things at events I attend, due to the nature of my job), but that was the one low point of an otherwise dream wedding. And it was something that could have been avoided with an on-site, dedicated day-of wedding planner.

A good wedding planner anticipates those types of issues before they crop up, bringing in the extra generator, for example, and knows how to deal with them before the host or hostess is even aware of a problem. Having a professional guide the event from start to finish should be a very comforting feeling for a host. We will allow you to be a guest and fully enjoy the experience from beginning to end. It’s something you may not have considered before, but we always do.

Something Blue

We all know how when we were little kids and believed in fairy tales, we often daydreamed of what our lives would be like. These day dreams often centered around ones fairy tale wedding. The white dress, prince charming and of course ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.’ Eventually we all grew up and that fairy tale for the most part disappeared. However the old something blue adage is something many brides still try to incorporate into their wedding day- whether it be for luck, in honor of a family tradition, or sometimes to simply please ones mother! Upon closer examination it turns out there is a lot of history to back up this adage. “In ancient Rome brides wore blue to symbolize love, fidelity, and modesty. Christianity has historically dressed the Virgin Mary in blue as a symbol of purity, and before the late 19th century blue was a popular wedding gown color because wearing blue on your wedding day was thought to bring your good luck.” Today the possibilities are endless; there truly are so many ways to incorporate something blue into your wedding day. It is just a matter of adding that something blue that suits your personal style. Whether it is hiding from view or seen boldly by others- the secret is you will know that you are wearing your blue for good luck!

Julie Pike

*Historical references from Kate Spade Occasions and MSW
*Images from Manolo Blahnik and MSW

Eco-Conscious Event Planning

Let’s face it events, although usually joyous, generate waste, overuse natural resources, and produce emissions. Extra transportation miles are clocked by attendees travel and deliveries. To supply enough tableware and save efforts in post-event clean-up, disposable items, made from paper and plastic are commonly used. Other packaging containers like glass and plastic bottles,
plastic bags, cardboard, and aluminum and steel cans all add to increased waste, especially if recycling receptacles are not provided.

To be eco-conscious your planner can appropriately plan and execute certain
guidelines:

• Provide carpooling and alternative transportation to and from the event

• Correctly estimate the amount of reusable, recyclable or compostable tableware needed

• Educate guests about their role in composting and recycling waste by providing instructional signage.

With thorough planning and forethought, a zero-waste event is possible, and the resulting clear conscience is a nice bonus!

by Howard Radis

Asian Theme decor

Jaime Greenwald recently designed an Asian themed event at the Mandarin Oriental. As a result, Gala Events, Inc. now has a lot of magnificent Asian themed decor including a 16ft long red bar and back bar set that is truly stunning. The front of the bar lights up, the bar top is made from reflective plexiglass, bamboo shoots up from the sides and it has a Torii backbar. Contact an event planner for inquires about using this bar or any Asian decor for your next event!

by Tom Kemp

The Week before your event

Let’s talk about how the week before your event should feel

It should be exciting

All the I’s should be dotted
All the T’s should be crossed

All the strings should be released
The event planner should be ready to roll

All the seating charts should be finalized
All the escort cards are ready to print
All the hotel baskets are being completed and are almost ready to bring to the hotel
All the billing is settled
All décor is almost finished

No more worries

Floor Plans are done
Lighting and draping are set to go
Venders are contacted, time lined and ready to go

It is time to breathe- It is time to enjoy what’s ahead

Remember this is a party that everyone has been working on for quite some time

It is time to enjoy

This is an exciting time
Enjoy what’s now
And what’s ahead

by Nancy Radin

Themes

Theme (noun) - a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.

I often am asked by prospective clients as they plan the decorative elements of their event whether a theme is necessary. My response is generally that, while not “necessary”, it is something that helps turn a run-of-the-mill party into an event - at least from a visual perspective. At a properly decorated party, one’s eye should dance over the individual decorative elements and be marveled by the array of related designs. A theme helps achieve that kind of effect.

A theme should be relevant to the party and once one has been chosen, the individual elements involved in the party become cohesive and unified. This cohesiveness makes for a visually pleasing room or event space and enjoyment among partygoers as guests discover more and more elements that are designed using the theme in mind. It is fun to see ordinary event elements like bars, buffets and entrances creatively tied into the theme of the event.

Colors can be used as a motif. Different colored fabric, ribbons, paper, linens, chargers and more can be used to reinforce that type of motif throughout the event space. This usually results in a sophisticated look, uncomplicated by theme-y kinds of images and representations.

For most parties, however, a theme provides an overarching concept that makes planning and designing the individual elements much easier. It helps bring an event vision to life and give guests an atmosphere in which to enjoy themselves. And that’s the idea, right?

by Noah Steurer

For Once, Be a Wall Flower!

Nothing says dull like four plain white walls in your bedroom. It can be difficult coming up with a creative solution for a boring room--decorations and artwork can really rack up the bills. So, what can you do? One fun idea is wall decals. My mother recently came to stay with me in my DC apartment, and was appalled when she walked into my bedroom and saw the blandness emanating from my four white walls. The next day, I came home from work and my room had been totally transformed into a bright and inspired place. It was welcoming, cozy, and suddenly colorful--all this for about 30 dollars! She had enhanced my room with splashes of color around my mirror, behind my bed, and even put a few bonus decals in my bathroom. They came in many different patterns, from florals to damasks, and everything in between. And the best part is--once you can finally afford to splurge on posh artwork, the decals peel right off, leaving the paint intact!

by Jessica Marzelli