Hello and Welcome

Hello and welcome to Gala inc’s blog, an interactive spot where the team at Gala and I will keep you updated with the latest happenings and newest trends in the event world.

2008 marked the grand opening of Gala Events’ Design Center, a New York style loft created to inspire both the party planner and the party giver. Hosting a full inventory of exclusive decor items, to include specialty linens, chairs, and tableware, custom invitations and accessories, and with convenient next-door access to our floral and production division, our design center is a true one-stop shop for all of your event needs!

This January we launched our first informational seminar to provide both our future and existing clientele with expert advice on how to create a Gala Event. This Bar and Bat Mitzvah Symposium was a huge success and allowed our guests to experience our new space and get inspired by all that Gala has to offer! Guests walked away with informational packets that shared timelines, check lists and our special “Tricks of the Trade”!!!

I would like to personally invite you to join us on Sunday, April 13th from 11AM to 3 PM for our Bridal Open House. We will feature Aimee Lauren, a hot, new designer in couture wedding gowns. Hair and make up artists, custom cake designers, fabulous new trends in music, and of course, Gala’s own unique custom tablescapes and designs will also be featured. We will offer a 20% discount for invitations, save the dates, programs and accessories. So be sure to mark your calendars, and join us for this sensational event.

I truly hope that this blog serves not only as another educational tool to keep you informed and up-to-date, but also functions as a forum for open communication. The team and I will post comments and opinions on our most recent events, and we will be sure to keep you informed of all upcoming symposium topics and future dates. We hope that you too will share your thoughts on the topics that we cover. Please don’t be shy; we’d love to hear from you and post on what you’re interested in learning more about!

Jaime Greenwald
President

Honoring the Earth with your Eco-Chic Wedding

Personalizing your wedding is very important to making your wedding a special celebration that reflects you and your Groom. Hosting a “Green” Wedding is a great way to make the celebration unique and meaningful. Here are some tips for an Eco-Chic Wedding:

Location, location, location
The location of your wedding sets the tone for the event – and can account for a big chunk of your budget.

• When selecting a venue, consider choosing a setting that’s convenient for most of the guests, minimizing travel impacts. The less your guests have to travel, the less oil consumed. Also consider having the ceremony and reception at the same place.
• An outdoor setting will infuse the whole event with a natural sensibility – and require less decorating too! I chose to have my wedding on a beach. There was a good deal of luck involved weather-wise; but I can't think of a much more beautiful setting than one provided by nature.
• If you decide to hold the event indoors, try and select a venue that makes the best use of natural light. Or pick a unique local spot that supports a cause you believe in – like an art gallery, nonprofit space, organic restaurant or farm, green hotel, botanical garden, or green-roofed building.

Save the date and a tree
Your invitation is the first impression guests will get of your eco-friendly wedding.

• Use recycled paper wherever possible; most companies offer this option now. You may also want to consider treeless paper made from bamboo, hemp or kenaf.
• Even the type of ink used for the invitation should be taken into account as some inks can be toxic. Try to have your invitations printed with vegetable- or soy-based inks.
• Jump at the opportunity to go paperless. Weddings can generate a huge amount of paper consumption, so give careful thought to items that can be reduced. Instead of multi-enveloped notes, I sent a postcard for my save-the-date. This was both cost-effective and cut down on paper. My wedding website was constructed to keep guests informed of wedding-related parties such as the rehearsal dinner. We eliminated the R.S.V.P. card and encouraged guests to reply online.

Be sure to let guests know about the eco-friendly hotel and transportation options in your area, from hybrid rental cars, to directions to the ceremony using public transportation. And don't forget to pick up some extra green paper products for your guest book, place cards, and thank-you notes.

From décor to flowers and beyond
Add beauty and style to your wedding décor, naturally.

• Flowers used at weddings and receptions have a tendency to be out of season and as a result are imported. Transportation and care of these flowers requires extra resources. Try to use locally sourced flowers. Think organic.
• Think outside of the box and have your bridesmaid showcase something other than flowers. For instance, I had my bridesmaids carry bamboo fans and matching purses instead of cut flowers.
• Reuse, hire or borrow room décor. A great way to help the planet, choose vendors who are committed to recycling, such as Gala Inc. Forego the traditional centerpiece and instead decorate with branches, potted plants or candles. Use beeswax or soy-based candles over its romantic and energy efficient. They are cleaner and longer burning than regular candles.
• Use leaves or other natural objects as place cards. At my wedding, I chose sand dollars as escort cards. Guests loved them and even took them home as keepsakes.
• If you must have fresh cut flowers, consider recycling them. For instance, alter arrangements at the ceremony can double as a centerpiece. Or, donate the flowers to a hospital or rest home at the end of the day.

'Tis better to give...

Give away favors that give back...to the earth!

• Show your guests that you care about the plant’s species, habitat and humanity – give Endangered Species Chocolate. These chocolates support charitable organizations.
• Go green! Give your guests a small plant, personalized eco-friendly wildflower seed packets, or tuck bulbs in an attractively burlap bag.
• Dress up your basic mason jar and fill it with organic jams, jellies or honey from the local farmer’s market. Handmade, natural soaps or candles are a nice touch as well.
• Reusable cloth tote bags are a great idea.
• Brighten your guests’ home with a compact fluorescent light bulb.
• Use place cards made of seeded paper that can be planted at home. Better yet, give guests a small plant to take home.
• Or, my favorite, give a charitable donation to a cause that is special to you.

A special touch, consider planting a tree at the end of your ceremony instead of releasing butterflies, which can disrupt wild butterflies’ migration and spread disease or parasites.


Going green doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your big day, though. By taking a look at the bigger picture, you can move beyond the usual decadence and consumption to create a truly personal, moving, and sustainable celebration that people will remember for years. You may even open a few eyes in the process.

The author of this blog is Kristie Pichler, Event Planner at Gala Events, inc.

Do you need a Wedding Planner?

It's engagement season! Congratulations to all of those newly engaged couples. One of the very first steps in the wedding planning process is to decide if you need a wedding planner.

This is a question that often comes up. There tends to be a misconception that a bride thinks she can handle everything on her own or with the help of family. And, maybe she can. Tons of weddings take place everyday without a planner.

Ask yourself some questions.
Do you have a lot of wedding details that need full attention?
Do you want to enjoy your day and truly feel like the guest-of-honor at your own party?
Will you be able to enjoy yourself while managing vendors, wondering if the cake has arrived, does the photographer have the correct timeline, does your DJ have your first dance song ready to go, and does your caterer have a special plate prepared for you and the Groom?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then maybe you need to consider hiring a wedding planner.

I want to be able to enjoy planning the wedding of my dreams.
Many brides are afraid that they won’t get to finally plan the wedding of their dreams if they let a planner take control. There are a lot of details leading up to your wedding day that need attention, so maybe wedding consultation and a "day of" package are what you need?

The biggest reason why you need a wedding planner – whether it is “day of coordinating” or “full planning” – is to be able to just let go of the worries of getting things done and trust that a professional has "your back" and is your advocate. You simply cannot be worrying about the reception layout while you are getting ready for the biggest day of your future.

My girlfriend is going to handle the planning on my wedding day.
In theory, this may be a great idea and you may even think that this is going to save you a lot of money. But, there is one thing to consider: your girlfriend may have never planned a wedding before in her life. Plus, she also wants to have fun at your wedding too.

Hiring a wedding planning is going to cost too much.
This is a very common myth that needs to be addressed. In fact, it’s not expensive, it's priceless. This is a day in your life that only happens once! You want it to be perfect, trust the professionals that specialize in perfect. Furthermore, the professionals should be able to help you with your budget and give you insider tips on where to save.

The most important thing for you to remember: allow yourself to fully enjoy your wedding. Consider giving up some responsibility on your wedding weekend to the professionals that you trust will allow you to fully enjoy yourself, your Groom and your wedding!

The author of this blog is Kristie Pichler, Event Planner at Gala Events, inc.