Wedding Bowl

Of course you want a guest book at your wedding…I mean, you want to be able to open it up and remember who was there on that special day, right? But guest books are so…well, boring. And will you really pull it out and read all those signatures that were entered as your guests arrived to share in your nuptials?

Take a look at this beautiful Steuben bowl that has been designed with the simple elegance that is typical of Steuben, but also comes with a special diamond tipped pen that your guests may use to ‘leave their mark’ on your bowl. How fabulous is that? Your guest book can be a beautiful accent piece on display in your home, and you can look at the signatures of your wedding guests every day of the week. Your guests’ signatures inscribed on a true piece of art for you to enjoy day after day, year after year. C’est magnifique!

by Julie Pike

Hangin' with my Gnomies

Gnomes- You know the ones those tiny, mythical creatures, topped in pointy hats, undoubtedly always up to mischief. They peek around flower stems and garden rocks, their rosy cheeks glowing. I’ve always had a thing for gnomes. A few years ago at a friend’s birthday dinner, I brought some gnomes out of the garden and on top of the dinner table, creating a fun and festive tablescape. That night, we chose a small wine bar in our quaint college town of Granville, Ohio. Not surprisingly, I was greeted with nervous and suspecting glances from the restaurant staff when I arrived early at 3pm with six gnomes gathered in my arms. We used a long strip of sod as a table runner and strategically placed the gnomes in playful positions: hiding behind wine glasses, peeping out from around the bread baskets. Each little gnome has his own personality, and the figures added a uniquely fun and silly flair to what would have otherwise been a plain, unexciting table. By the end of our dinner, all the gnomes had been named and adopted by a new caretaker.
Tablescapes, like my scene of gnomes, are a fantastic way to make a dinner party instantly more exciting. Pick a color, pick a theme…you can create a tablescape out of virtually anything. But if you choose gnomes, be sure to keep one eye on your salt and pepper shakers—those little guys can be quite the trouble-makers!

by Jessica Marzelli

Space

Let’s chat about space…
Big, small, wide, narrow…
Whatever you are planning

Large or small
It is all in the vision…
One of the greatest parts of event planning
is turning a vision into reality.

A little money, a lot of money
making something yours is the way to an awesome event.

Atmosphere in the space
This is also about the translation of the space selected and how it is used for the event
Will we want it to be light; will we want it to be dark?
Will we drape, will we need atmosphere lighting to hit all focused parts of the party, will we perimeter light the room, will we use candle light?
These are decisions that have a huge impact in the usage of an event space.

Every venue has potential as long as the parameters
are well thought out.
How many people will fit the space?
How will the space be used?
Will all guests be seated, will all guests be standing?
It’s all in the planning.

As you can see space is all about what is done with it..
Using a planner to help select your space is an advantage
to the result of the creation of a space.

By Nancy Radin, Senior Event Planner

DC's New W Hotel

Last week, I had the opportunity to work on my first event at DC’s new W Hotel. The W is definitely impressive. Both the first floor lounge and the rooftop bar were packed! The event I helped with, Kids Enjoy Exercise Now Wednesday Warm-up, was in the W’s Altitude Room. The Altitude Room is on the top floor and allows access to the nearby rooftop. My two favorite features of the room are the fireplace and the 15 foot ceilings. The W’s in house chairs (pictured below) are very sleek and modern. Windows on the north wall are also a great feature that is often difficult to find in a hotel ballroom space. I think the space lends itself well to intimate social events and I am excited to design more events at the W soon!

by Laura Miller, Event Planner

The Perfect Game

This past Thursday, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game. Everybody that the Tampa Bay Rays sent to the plate to face the big lefthander was sent back to the dugout without reaching 1st base. It was only the 18th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, a history that spans over 100 years. An amazing accomplishment, to be sure, and one that set me to thinking what the “pitching a perfect game” equivalent would be in the event industry.

I think it would have to start out with an unassuming client that wouldn’t seem, at first glance, to be particularly special or helpful towards attaining the goal. As baseball is a sport where one side is pitted against the other and the goal of any good event producer is to work with the other side (i.e. the client) to achieve a common goal, this is an imperfect comparison, but interesting nonetheless. I say that the client should be unassuming because the Rays came into the contest near the top of their league in offensive output. When you’re on top of your game, as Buehrle was, the opponent matters very little.

One thing that stood out about the perfect game was that, while Buehrle had a few strikeouts, most of the putouts were executed by his teammates, cleanly picking up grounders and catching fly balls. There was even a spectacular, home-run-robbing catch in the last inning that, had it not been made, would have not only broken up the perfect game, but also the shutout, making the previous eight innings of perfection ordinary. This catch highlighted the examples of the efforts of the team backing Mark Buerhle up. Even at the height of excellence, one needs to rely on teammates to ensure a strong effort.

Of course, a perfect event would have to be planned well, accounting for all of the possibilities leading up to and during the event production. The client-planner relationship, like that of the pitcher and catcher, would have to remain on the same page, with slight adjustments to ensure consistency as the planning went along. Constant communication is key. This extends to the crew that is producing the event as well, with good communication and leadership from the planner making certain the team has the right game plan and tools at their disposal.

Lastly, luck comes into play. Any number of factors can derail the perfectly planned event. A gust of wind that knocks down that high line drive to deep left center, keeping it within the reach of the racing outfielder or a helpful banquet captain that turns the room over in half an hour can make all the difference in the world. Things have to fall just right to get everything to go off as planned. And even then, it always helps to have Lady Luck on your side. Sharply batted balls that go directly to infielders or an absence of traffic on Massachusetts Avenue when you’re trying to get to the Convention Center can be the difference between perfection and simply pulling it off.

While we strive for perfection at every event, it is difficult to attain. So many factors have a hand in the outcome of any game or event. This is why we limit the opportunities for mistakes with our team-oriented approach with double and triple checks along the way. It’s also why we have trusted people that work for us who know the ropes and know what position they’re supposed to be in to make the game-saving play. We’re capable of pitching that perfect game each time we plan an event. That’s what keeps our fans coming back.

Congratulations, Mark Buehrle. Thanks for the inspiration.

by Noah Steurer, Director of Operations

All Purpose Planner

The notion that we plan parties is a reflection of a job well done. The end result might appear as if all we do is throw great parties, however we bring people together for a purpose! The real work is in the details that lead up to an event.

A Gala Events, Inc. planner considers the goal of having an event; we work together with our clients and utilize the resources within Gala to create events that address the objective. Our goal is to convey messages and impressions that our client wants to share with their guests.

by Howard Radis, Event Planner

My 25 Most Favorite Event/Work Things…This Week!

1. Hand made paper
2. Pink peonies
3. Our tree tables
4. Invitation by Dauphine
5. Brainstorming with our team
6. Tiaras
7. Napkin treatments
8. Father/daughter dances
9. A flawless timeline
10. Fresh
11. Reading our teams blogs
12. Mondays
13. Redoing the showroom
14. Tenting over a dance floor
15. Sharpened pencils
16. 4:00 Starbucks
17. Frosted Lucite
18. Our hydrangea covered lampshade
19. A finished proposal
20. Our Asian style bar
21. Pink flamingos
22. Peacock feathers
23. Duct tape
24. Decadent linens
25. The people I work with

by Jaime Greenwald, President

Budgets

Let’s Blog about Budgets
Event Planners are a huge advantage to their customers’ Budgets.
Today’s economy has to be concerned about budgets.
Whether you are planning for your business
Or for an event like a Bar Mitzvah or Wedding -Budgets are a huge part
Of today’s everyday life.

What’s in a Budget?
Well to start it is an expense breakdown.
The most important part of a budget is having all the necessary information.
Budgets should start with the actual breakdown of the event.
As an event planner I believe we all must spend wisely and be budget conscious.

Starting questions that will be needed to form a strong budget:
Do I have an Event Planner? What will they cost?
Where is the event taking place, what it is costing?
When it takes place are there additional costs in set up and breakdown?
Will invitations be needed? What are all the costs? Stuffing invites, stamping and hand canceling?
How many people will be attending? What is the cost per person?
Will catering and wait staff be needed?
What are the rentals needed? Tables, chairs, linens, bars etc.?
Will the venue need draping?
Will there be entertainment and what are the price options?
What are the costs for atmosphere/dance floor lighting?
Will there be a theme or atmosphere needed to transform space? What does décor cost?
Will a Photographer and Videographer be desired?
This is just the start to a detailed Budget.

There are many other parts of the planning that are very helpful to add.
Knowing to plan a budget allows there to be no last minute surprises.
An excel spread sheet is very helpful, much more direct to bottom line expenses.

A really great planner will negotiate all of your contracts. This will certainly help in the bottom line.

Budget is a very small word that has a huge impact on every event. Listening to what the customer’s desire is will help bring their event to life
The key to a fabulous party/event is in the translation. Bringing an event to life is about bringing
It to fruition. Using a planner allows the combined knowledge of expense and experience to create balance and budget.

by Nancy Radin, Senior Event Planner

Museum Event Space

This past week I visited several museums to check out their event space. Moving to D.C. only two months ago, I am still not too familiar with the unique quality of the city. After visiting places such as the Corcoran Gallery, National Building Museum, and the DAR Museum I have come to appreciate and better understand the culture of D.C. The DAR museum in particular offered spectacular views of the Washington Monument and the National Mall. This venue would be the perfect spot for a bride who wants a wedding with distinct D.C. feel. I am excited to continue touring more venues and to learn more about the city that I now call home.

by Jessica Marzelli, Event Planner Intern

Employee Appreciation Day! Crab Fest 2009

I can’t think of a better way to thank all your hard working employees than to show your appreciation for all those long hours of hard work. Whether they are balancing family, school and work, no one is exempt. Why not show your appreciation by planning a special event for your staff? Whether it is as simple as a picnic or a full blown party, let our team at Gala show you how to make it happen!

I just planned a really fun event for a company that wanted a “Crab fest”. We turned their parking lot into a fun beach oasis with picnic tables, umbrellas, a tiki bar and palm trees. It was so cool and every one had a blast! The crabs were delicious and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. We can cater to any budget and make your event truly something your friends and family will always remember. All you bosses out there, let’s come together to show your appreciation and let Gala plan your special day!

by Rosine Goulette, Event Planner

My Career

With only months left until my college graduation, I realized that the time had come for me to figure out what I wanted to do as a career. It seemed like every second I was being bombarded with questions about what I was going to do after school, and I always had the same answer—that I wasn’t sure yet. Over the past couple of summers, I had spent my breaks interning at an art gallery, a trust firm, and a non-profit group, all of which were unique experiences that were completely different from one another. In the end, I came to realize that I walked away from each experience with loads of new knowledge and skills, but no true passion for any of the dynamic career paths. Over the years, I had always considered event planning as a potential career that I could really love, but had little actual experience in the field outside of small sorority recruitment events at my university. When I came across the incredible opportunity to intern with Gala, I was more than excited to learn more about this industry that I previously knew so little about. Within the first week I learned more than I had ever anticipated I could possibly learn in an internship. From learning how to set up and number tables in a room, to how to fold a napkin five different ways, I gained a wide range of new knowledge and skills that I genuinely found interesting and fun. However, the most valuable thing I learned during that first week at Gala was the importance of the strong relationships event planners have with each and every one of their clients. My very first day on the job, I was able to sit in on a meeting with a planner and her client, where I was able to witness the passion that the Gala planners have for their work. After seeing this, I was really inspired to be an event planner, and I knew for sure that this was a career path that I wanted to pursue.

by Jessica Marzelli, Event Planner Intern

Getting Your Feet Wet

How do I get into the event planning business? There are lots of ways. But the BEST possible way is:
- Get an internship and work your tail off for someone else for free so you can get your feet wet.

It worked for me.

“When you know… you just know…”

It didn’t even take one day before I knew event planning was exactly what I wanted to do. Stepping foot into Gala I just knew this place would be my new home. Coming in with the mentality that my job would be so glamorous, I was in for a rude awakening.
I never thought that this industry would be so hard, hard, HARD!

It is safe to say that in this industry there is never a dull moment. From the minute you step foot through the door, there is always something to do, a challenge to endure and accomplish.

Finding what you love to do is the key to success…

by Tala Farr, Event Planner

Party, Party, Party!!!

Is it a Wedding? A Bar Mitzvah? A Sweet Sixteen,
a 40th , a 50th or even an Anniversary?
Maybe it’s for work or it is the Holidays…

Parties really matter!! Good moral makes life feel good...

Is it about the music, is it about the food, or is it the atmosphere?

There are so many facets to what makes a great party.
Gala knows how to make that happen…

Parties can be understated or make a statement.
Parties can have set budgets or endless budgets.

We should never feel we can’t have our perfect party!
Gala can make it happen!

Parties can be for religious celebrations or my very favorite parties can be “just because”…

In hard times at what ever level we all need to feel good-

Celebrate everyday –
Let Gala help you make your next party happen!

by Nancy Radin - Senior Event Planner

Everything in its right place

Imagine you are standing at the top of a staircase in a city, surrounded by your customary life. You have your cell phone, and wallet in your pocket. You hear and feel the rush of cars bolting past you and the drone of their horns. As you carefully dodge sidewalk traffic, you are distracted by a fleeting thought I have an appointment at 1:30. You are a figment of society. Take a few steps down that staircase. The drone of the car horns begins to dim. The sunlight is no longer so blinding. You turn and notice the brick walls to your sides and the cement steps beneath your feet. You are curious.
You take another couple steps down. You turn around and sense you are invisible from the street and have been separated from your previous anxiety. You have lost track of your belongings. Instead, you notice the heat of the day, the humidity, the sticky brick walls. Your curiosity draws you to descend further. You feel the sweat on your palms. As you hold the railing you feel the metal getting cooler as you continue to descend away from the sunlight. With each step you notice the outside world is beginning to fade. The horns become increasingly faint and you no longer have to squint from the sunlight. As you put one foot in front of the other, progressing down the steps, you realize your surroundings have muted your ordinary existence. You sit down on the next step and reflect.
After a few moments peering into the darkness, you think, what is down here? That thought quickly turns into, what am I doing here? Now that you have been stripped of your societal attachments, you are left alone with yourself to focus--a strange feeling considering you are constantly preoccupied with quotidian tasks. With each step you have eliminated a component of what you experience daily and it is only through experiencing this elimination that you can see what is missing; your daily existence consists of a network of influences that you haven’t realized until this moment. Care to take a walk further down the stairwell?
That unusual feeling--the one you get when you are finally alone--summons a part of your consciousness you have likely forgotten about. You perceive the most unexpected details and, for a good reason, they strike you differently. The textures, the lighting, the color combinations, the sounds- these are all things that often go unnoticed or simply blend in. Since becoming an event planner the world looks very different to me. I find I must notice all the little things…the details are so important and it is often in the little details that I find my inspiration and creative design ideas. It’s amazing how much more you see if you slow down and examine what you once thought to be regular or ordinary. Playing off of Andy Warhol’s concept of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, it’s the littlest details that make the difference in the event business. It’s all about how you can then put your own spin on that little detail or how you made the ordinary pop!
I often imagine I’m still sitting on that staircase, still extracted from the view of city that I am accustomed to. My cell phone and wallet are unimportant in relation to my new possession--awareness. Pleased with myself, I stand. The hustle and bustle of the city begins to emerge as I climb back up the stairs. My ears are pleased--back to reality. I check my watch and parade boldly onto the street. It is one thirty. Better get to that appointment!

by Julie Pike, Event Planner

There is No I in Gala

Together our parts are stronger then any of us individually. That is the true “team concept” and that is exactly what you get when you work with Gala Events, Inc. Simply put, it means that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

We bring more than twenty-five years of our ownerships experience; our master carpenters skill and craftsmanship are second to none. Trends in floral design, fashion and colors arrive in our design center long before they are anywhere else. When you make Gala Events a part of your next corporate or social occasion you are not working with one event planner or one décor specialist you are working with a dedicated team with one goal in mind, a coordinated effort to produce flawless events.

~ Howard Radis, Event Planner

Custom Logos

Working as the senior designer at Gala Events for several years, I’ve seen numerous special events come together, from petite and intimate to large and lavish. The event designers at Gala are experts at helping to create a cohesive look to any and all events, regardless of budget. One major facet that I’ve found helps draw the event together, whether it be a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, sweet sixteen or even a corporate party, is having a logo that reflects the event and the individual or company that is hosting it. Not only can this logo can be placed on décor, custom signage, dance floors, projected on walls, etc. during the actual event, but it can also be included on invitations and mementos like custom clothing.

I’ve designed countless custom logos for our clients, from sleek and elegant monograms to graffiti-inspired skater style logos. Often times, if the logo is for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, the child’s name will be a very prominent feature on the logo, followed by the date of the event. The font, style, and surrounding graphics reflect the child’s personality and theme of the event. The color scheme of the party will also be incorporated so that the logo is both easily readable and highly artistic. The final product is, in essence, a brand that is created for the child and the party. Adding an element of personalization setting that event apart from the rest!

by Bryan Fox, Senior Graphic Designer

What turns you on?

Is it the smell of your lovers’ cologne? …Is it the feel of his lips on the back of your neck? ..... Is it the sound of his voice? ..... Hmmmm!!!! Does all of the above do it for me? ..... Sure – But if you really want to excite me……

Show me …a white patent leather tufted wall,… let me feel a silk linen flecked with metallic thread slip through my fingers…let me bask in the smell of that newly cut wood.

Passion, you have to have it when it comes to planning special events. For me the turn on, the passion comes from seeing the designs I have put down on paper become the reality in our shop. I am lucky, so very lucky, to have the privilege of being able to walk next door and see and be a part of each and every detail of how things are made. I love the details and in this business the details are what separate the men from the boys.

So my advice to all the planners and designers out there.… Find out what turns you on… which piece of your event or start of design do you feel passionate about… work on the details…. See it, touch it, taste it… and then create away….

Oh, and if you are in the neighborhood…. Stop by and check out the fabulous tree top table that is being built because baby when I look at that…. I am literally brought to my knees!!!!!!

by Jaime Greenwald, President

Another Beginning

It's Monday. Another beginning!!!

I just love the start of something new. A new day...a new week... a new event... a new design. A chance to start fresh. That's the best part of being in the special events business... no two events are ever the same. My work is never boring, always challenging, exciting and ever changing.

But, does a new beginning always mean the end?

In the event world, things are never cut and dry. This business is based on relationships so it might be the end of the actual event that you have worked on but, your relationship with the people involved from your client to your vendors has merely just begun.

You are looking for that long term involvement… that continuum of the relationship … something you work on and nurture so that when the client or vendor has a need you are the one they seek to fulfill it.

Easy? No! Not at all. But, who said it would be? In the event world like the rest of life things go wrong, relationships can be difficult… obstacles must be overcome and challenges must be met.

Soooo … you work it…you prepare…you complete your tasks…overcome your adversities and reach for your goal and in the end……you realize… that this…. was just the beginning!!!

by Jaime Greenwald, President

Top 10 tricks of the trade

1. Don’t leave home without white out or tide to-go
2. Duct tape can fix almost anything
3. Don’t forget to number the back of each response card
4. Remember three cocktail napkins per person
5. 8-10 pieces of passed hors d’oeuvres per individual
6. Using a single color will give you the biggest bang for buck
7. Linen must always go to the floor
8. Personalize your event by creating a signature something
9. One bartender per every 100 guests
10. It’s all about the flow

Top 9 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner in '09

1. They are YOUR advocate
2. They allow you to be a guest at your party
3. They continuously go back to the same venues, enabling them to get you a better deal and the venue wants their business.
4. They have a proven track record with your various vendors – know where to save you money
5. Will help you with the most effective places to put your money
6. It’s all about the flow! Scheduling, Scheduling, Scheduling!
7. Takes care of potentially problematic situations before they even become a problem
8. Provide you with a un-biased set of eyes
9. They will proof, double and triple check –EVERYTHING for you.