Tall table centerpieces: love them or hate them? Monday, Nov 24 2008

Hello!

I have been contemplating writing about this very topic for some time, and I believe that my only deterrent to doing so is that I have been talking about this very issue with my clients enough to prevent it from ending up in print.  Too bad, tall centerpieces – today is the day of reckoning.

Here are some of my personal beliefs which are the premise for my argument against tall centerpieces:

• I love eye-popping centerpieces
• I love drama in centerpieces design
• I love reasonably priced centerpieces
• I love enormous centerpieces which are used for non-guest tables (tables where guests are not assigned or will not be sitting)

If you have ever been to a wedding reception being held at a hotel, it is likely that you have walked into the reception area to find enormous floral pieces, enormous candelabra, or more candlelight then you can imagine.  In fact, I have never attended a wedding reception where one of these three décor conditions has not existed which means that these ideas are very, very popular with brides and decorators alike.

If you have ever been to a wedding reception anywhere, it is likely that you have sat down at a table only to find that any chance of getting-to-know the people seated across the table was eliminated by an enormous floral piece, an enormous candelabra, or more candlelight then you can stand to look through.

I propose three new rules for incorporating centerpieces into a table’s design:

1. Do not create a column. Just as an interior designer will shout that you should never create a column (which breaks-up energy and disrupt the general flow of a room), as an event designer I am shouting that you should never create a column in the center of a table (which will break-up energy and disrupt the general flow of table conversation).
2. Comfort first. If you are contemplating placing a lot of decor or a large [décor] piece in the center of a guest table, perhaps first consider the comfort of your guests.  If you have ever sat at a table that is crowded; if you have ever not had room for, have spilled, or have seen others spill a glass full of liquid; if you have ever wished aloud that a room attendant or server would notice how much removing empty plates from the table would enhance your experience; then you do, in fact, already know how much a crowded table can repress your experience.
3. Alternative décor materials to save $$. Floral of any type – fresh, silk, dried – is both pricey and temporary.  What if [gasp] you could use materials which could be reused in the decor of your home?  What if [gasp] you were not relegated to selling or donating your event decor?

   Use materials that are not floral. (“Like what?” you ask?)  Instead of choosing a centerpiece idea that almost everyone else has used (literally!), consider incorporating one of the centerpiece decor ideas listed below:

   IMPORTANT: The items that I have chosen to represent as possible ideas are not in any way the best price I could find.  (In fact, some of these items are way too expensive.)  But, my hope for you is that you use this list as inspiration and then do your own research in regards to purchase and pricing.

   • metals – use in long strips, curled strips, sheets…LOTS of uses!
   • vines and sticks – can be used alongside vases
   • vases (without floral!): idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • candlesticks: idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • [decorative] serving trays (Note: do an online search for “serving trays” and you will be shocked and amazed): idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • “drowned” décor (Note: the link shows floral, but you can do this with anything…fruit (whole or sliced), coins, beads, rocks, sticks…): idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • tiles (you can use these outdoors in your garden when you’re finished!): idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • [tabletop] sculpture: idea 1, idea 2, idea 3
   • bowls: idea 1, idea 2, idea 3

If you have any questions about these ideas feel free to reach me at studio@enterlaruche.com

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.
http://www.enterlaruche.com

La Ruche Event Planning Services

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A formula for inexpensive holiday table decor Saturday, Nov 22 2008

Hello!

The inspiration from this post comes directly from a CNN.com story that I just read which warned readers that the costs of holding Thanksgiving has skyrocketed, mostly due to food.  First, I was thinking about how lucky we are that we have access to so much food!  My mind then wandered to how the food itself has so typically been used to decorate the Thanksgiving tables that I have sat at for years.

So, what will happen should we no longer have food-enough to decorate the table with? (I must say that this prospect is not at all attractive!)

With this said, here is my formula for an inexpensive holiday table decor which will keep your holiday table looking “plump” through the toughest of food shortages:

Start from the bottom: The table linen or tablecloth
If your holiday dinner table is the easel which will hold the painting that will be your holiday dinner, then let’s begin with the table linen which will be the painting’s canvas.  Here are some tips in finding the perfect festive linen:

• Measure your table to know the minimum dimensions that you’ll be accommodating.  If you plan on shopping for a table linen / cloth be sure to note the shape of the table as well.

For reference, here are some pictures which show the difference between square and round table cloths.  As you can see, table cloths made specifically for square tables lay flat.

Square table cloth

Round table cloth

• A busy table cloth pattern is well…busy.  Since there will be food and other decor on your table, set your sights on a solid color or barely-there table linen / tablecloth pattern
• We are advocates of borrowing (because it’s FREE!). If you know if someone that has a stack of linens or tablecloths that they have collected over the years, and they will not mind if you have to work out a food stain before you return it, by all means borrow, borrow, borrow!
• If you must purchase, consider purchasing at a thrift shop like Goodwill.  You might be absolutely shocked and amazed at how many fabulous choices they will have.

Move to the center: gather your decoration inspiration
When you picture your perfect holiday table what are you seeing? It is time to gather these items, which in all reality might be items which you already possess.

Using a table runner

• Table runners are definitely available at Goodwill and are pretty inexpensive (find one for under $5!).  In fact, there are dozens just waiting to be taken home.  The benefits of a table runner include adding depth to the table while making the center of the table seem “full”.
• Table runners act as a natural boundary for whatever decor you will place on the table (because you will want to leave room for plates and food!)

Using candlelight and candle holders

• Gather candles from around your home. They do not need to be identical or matching. Using varying colors and styles of candles can add interesting contrast to the holiday table.
• If you only have “short” candles (less than 6 inches tall), then consider placing them on objects that are tall.  Just make sure that whatever you are using to prop-up your candles is stable (candle wax is a pain to remove!).
• Be mindful of leaving enough space for your guests to be able to see and communicate with each other (“Please pass the mashed potatoes!”)
• If you are planning on lighting the candles (this sounds funny!) then make sure that you have something to catch the candle wax; preferably an item of which it is easy to peel away the candle wax once it has dripped
• Check out our candle light and candler holders blogs for specifics on how to choose your perfect candle holders.

Dinner music is your best friend
One of the absolute easiest way to create holiday dinner memories is to play music. Now, we’ve all heard that a good dinner music aids and eases digestion.  You will want to put together 2-3 hours of music, so, here are some tips on what to play (and how to play it):

• If you do not have a sound system but have an mp3 player and computer with speakers? Use them in tandem for great background music.  You may not be able to provide the best sound quality, but no doubt your conversation skills will be plenty. 
• If there will be kids present, be sure that lyrics are appropriate.
• Hard bass drum lines are likely not soothing, but if you are not enticed by soft music types (and to keep the energy up) consider playing big band, jazz or country music.
• Classical music is universal and can be both stimulating and soothing.

Dinner is served (on serving dishes!)
I remember once being told that “presentation is everything”. Sprucing-up your dinner table is as easy as adding cool serving dishes to the formula.  Now, if you were to walk into…say…a Crate & Barrel you could find the coolest serving dishes that money could buy.  So, perhaps you can find your inspiration there, but if you have time, take your money elsewhere.

• Now, I do not advocate lining the pockets of big businesses like Wal-Mart, but if you are unable or unwilling to find your perfect serving dishes at a second-hand shop, then your next best bet would likely be these superstores with superprices.
• If you are lucky enough to find a good bargain on a large serving dish, think really BIG!  An oversized serving dish can accommodate more than one of the meal’s dishes.
• No matching required.  Do not fret if you do not have a matching gravy boat and plate set.  Using dishes of varying sizes, colors and textures adds to the appeal of your table

The glasses are half-full
No one can deny the awe and appeal of a fabulous matching glass set, so this is one item that I will not be suggesting that you find in interesting, individual pieces.  But, at the same token, I am not going to tell you to spend over $30 either!

• If you have the retail store, Ross, in your area – go there now!  They have an impressive and interesting housewares department that includes both exquisite and playful glassware options.
• When shopping for glassware, consider what you will be offering to your guests to drink.  If you are going to be serving a holiday punch AND wine, you may need to purchase two different glassware types (i.e., you should always use wine glasses for serving wine)
• The taller the glass = not necessarily the better.True story: I was once WOWED! upon entering a client’s home to find that their table setting for the dinner we were about to enjoy, included 12″ tall, very ornate glasses.  The very first spill was an accident. The second spill was a coincidence. But by the third spill (of 3 different guests), someone commented that perhaps those that had spilled were not used to reaching (unconsciously) for tall glasses. B-I-N-G-O
• Glass is always better than plastic is always better than metal is better than wood
  If someone were to ask you, “Which would you rather drink a liquid from: metal, plastic, wood, or glass?” you would likely answer “glass”.  (If you answered “wood” then you would probably have loved the middle/dard ages.)
• If you choose glasses with a wider base (bottom) then you will avoid cleaning up after a lot of spills

Cloth napkins = impressive
Today, I like telling true stories, so here is another: I was in Denver visiting a friend, and was pleasantly surprised that we were eating dinner alongside cloth napkins.  Now, these were not particularly beautiful napkins, but imagine my delight when I saw that she had cut fabric swatches and hemmed the edges to make her own cloth napkins!?!  I immediately asked her if what I was seeing was indeed handmade cloth napkins, to which she explained they had only taken her 30-minutes to make – beginning to end – 12 napkins.  Awesome!

If you have any questions about this post, feel free to contact studio@enterlaruche.com.

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.
http://www.enterlaruche.com

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Holiday Color Palette (Not green, red and white) Thursday, Nov 13 2008

As we enter the holiday season I am reminded of how overused the red-green-white color combinations are. Each color in this classic holiday color scheme is lovely, but I cannot help but think that these colors best represent only Christmas. What about colors that would represent everyone?

Here are some of my custom-created color palettes that I feel better represent how everyone can feel during the holidays…cheery!

Happy Holidays, and Enjoy.

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott

Holiday Tinsel

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themeID/301295

Holiday Glitter

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themeID/301299

Holiday Warmth

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themeID/301300

Holiday Ocean

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themeID/301305

Holiday Silver

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themeID/301307

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Event Planning Advice: Sometimes event success means letting go Thursday, Nov 13 2008

Stress Less to Gain More!

Planning the perfect event often starts-off innocently enough and seems like a welcomed challenge. Happily, you dream-up the event theme, and you immediately scratch-out a list of the persons who will just absolutely have to attend. You look online for the perfect venue, and you are secretly starting to spend time shopping for your party attire during your lunch break. In fact, your minds-eye may already have you drinking a perfect glass of wine while picking into some exotic snacks.

While the design-phase of an event is rather enjoyable, many will soon find that the day-to-day details appear to become a little more complicated than first expected. With vendors, timelines, budgets, contracts, rentals, entertainment, food and beverage to attend to, some begin to feel the slow-building panic set-in. Oh, no…stress!

Stop and breathe.

The moment you realize that you may in fact be in over your head, consider calling an event planner. The sad fact remains that many of us are out of time, most of the time. The precision that planning an event requires is widely considered an art form. You might be asking yourself, “are you saying that I can’t do it on my own? I am pretty organized and I am a qualified bargain-hunting party veteran.”

The major differences between an event planner and someone who wants to plan their event are: time, expertise, vendor relationships, budgeting and cost-containment [tools]. Anyone with the gumption and enough time can design and plan an event; especially the brave souls who are reading this article. But the point is, do you really want to, or can you afford to spend the necessary time and energy on the design, planning, full execution and follow-up of your event? Why should you when – if you hire an event planner – you can be going about your day as required, or relaxing and daydreaming of your LBD (little black dress)?

If you need to impress your boss or some important clients, taking the path of least resistence seems like a very safe bet. By using impressive phrases like “our event planner has it covered”, you will be well on your way to a more sophisticated and well-adjusted you.

Your in event planning,
Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott

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Planning a destination wedding: drawbacks Sunday, Mar 1 2009

Doing business should not be exhaustive, emotionally draining, or result in severe disappointment.  However, this was not at all the experience that my firm or my clients had during their one-week destination wedding to the Dreams Tulum Resort in Mexico.

I believe in giving honest feedback. I believe in providing intuitive Customer Service. I believe in letting-go of what you cannot control. With this said, I submit the following report as a “Buyer Beware” to travel agents who book destination weddings but especially on behalf of the consumers who book these trips with high hopes – often spending tens-of-thousands of dollars in trying to make the destination wedding experience memorable for their family and friends.

Again, this post is very specific to our (client and my [La Ruche] ) recent experience of a February 21, 2009, wedding that occurred at the Dreams Tulum Resort in Mexico.

Your travel agent and their role in booking a destination wedding

Rule #1: Your travel agent needs to be forthright in explaining their knowledge of the area and specific resort that you will be traveling to.

Being mindful of what some could potentially consider libel or another form of defamation, I will not be using names or business names. However, the travel agent for our particular destination wedding to the Tulum Dreams Resort in Mexico was not forthright.  At the time of booking the trip, the Bride and Groom and the Bride’s parents (who were paying for most of the trip) were under the impression that this travel agent had actually been to the resort.  This was likely due to the comments about the resort in the first person made by the travel agent (which I can confirm).

As it so happens – as was finally discovered while we were at the resort by the Bride and Groom and the Bride’s parents – our travel agent had zero first-hand knowledge of the resort. The Bride and Groom and their families felt that this late-discovered tidbit was very disappointing and affected the result of the destination wedding and of the decision that they may have made if they would know known this (pre trip purchase).

Rule #2: Your travel agent is NOT a wedding coordinator.

As a wedding coordinator we rely on the information which a travel agent can provide; in regards to resort contacts, timelines, restrictions, general resort information (layouts), and likely weather scenarios. Each of these items are extremely important to properly planning a wedding. In the context of wedding coordination for a destination wedding, resort contacts, restrictions, and weather scenarios are the most important.

Once La Ruche was hired by the Bride and Groom, the very first contact with the travel agent was not merely appalling. If I were to state that the travel agent was haughty, rude, had poor direct communication skills with the Bride and Groom, and had a threatening tone when she asked me (the hired wedding coordinator), “I’m curious, what exactly do you do?  I told [Bride and Groom] that I was able to plan their wedding.”  Well, I wish I were exaggerating. The travel agent was wildly and preposterously off-base with her personal affirmation that she – being in a completely different industry with a completely different role – would be the cornerstone of the Bride and Groom’s wedding planning.

To her [travel agent's] credit, she boasts at least ten (10) years in the industry, and has likely assisted many destination wedding couples align their preferences with the resort of their choice. However, choosing the cake flavors and the flowers does not constitute calling oneself – or claiming oneself to be – a wedding coordinator. Needless to say, her claim was insulting to both the travel and the wedding coordination industries.

Rule #3: Confirm your transportation from the airport to your resort with your travel agent.

The Bride and Groom and their families arrived to the Cancun, Mexico, airport on Monday, February 16, 2009. Upon arrival it became immediately clear that the travel agent had failed to properly book transportation from the airport to the resort for the Bride and Groom, their two small children, and the Bride’s parents; who, incidentally as mentioned previously, were the ones paying for the entire trip.

Throughout the entire process the travel agent had said that she would have her cell phone on during the group’s travel times, however, the Bride’s father soon found that trying to reach her once this issue was discovered yielded the travel agents voice mail. The group was resigned to being forced to book a private shuttle bus by paying cash out of their pockets to get to the resort.

Rule #4: Travel Insurance will not cover anything that the destination resort does wrong.

Long story short, if something goes wrong at the resort and it doesn’t involve an injury, theft, or transportation issue, you are not getting your money back without a very big fight.

The resort is M.I.A. for over 60-days. Why won’t the resort write us back?

The resort’s wedding staff – had up until October 2008 – communicated well via e-mail.  Communication by phone would have meant international long-distance rates for everyone.  NOT ONE E-MAIL WAS RESPONDED TO – NOR WAS ANY EXPLANATION GIVEN – FOR OVER 60 DAYS IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER 2008.  I contacted everyone I could think of: the Dreams Sales Team, the Dreams main office…anyone with an e-mail address or toll-free telephone number.

I was becoming desperate. I contacted the travel agent to explain the situation, and she responded by giving me an e-mail address to someone that I had never heard of at the resort. It was worth a try.

In December 2008, “that someone” that we had never heard or worked with finally e-mailed us back. We soon found out that our new resort contact was not even a resort wedding coordinator. The wedding coordinator we HAD been working with – Landy Cahum – handed-off our file to an assistant.   Until we reached the resort we never again got to work directly with or ask questions to a resort wedding coordinator. This lack of proper communication proved to be devastating to the wedding day details.

Note: On the last day of my time at the resort I found out why Landy Cahum (or anyone else at the resort for that matter) had been M.I.A. for that two month period.  Apparently, the resort had some permitting issues and had been shut-down for the whole of October and November 2008. Now, this still does not excuse why – once the resort opened again – Landy failed to EVER get back to us, again.  Upon my return from the trip I told the travel agent about this discovery about the permitting issues. Her response was that “…yes, she had heard that.”  I felt disappointed that the travel agent had at some point heard this information but failed to let us know.

Trying to plan the details and how it did not matter

During the planning process our Bride and Groom requested several requests which were in addition to the regular resort wedding package:

1.  We would be providing our own canopy altar instead of using the resort’s standard four-wooden-post canopy

2.  We asked for a specialty cake (3-layers, 3-flavors, individually decorated then stacked)

3. We asked that the Bride’s and bridesmaid’s floral contain no roses, be of specific colors, and be made to include one (1) specific variety (orchids). We were to provide materials (upon my arrival), including peacock feathers, that were to be used for all bouquets.

4. Corsages for the mothers and grandmothers were to be of the same varieties as were the bridesmaids bouquets.

5. We were to provide floral materials to the resort (which would then be given to the off-site florist) to be used in all floral arrangements.

6. We provided instruction as to how to construct the boutonnieres.

7. We wished for the guitarist to play specific songs for the ceremony. We provided this list to the resort 3-weeks before the wedding, to which they – on two occasions – confirmed that this was possible.

8. We asked that musicians (included in the package) played during dinner.

9. We were bringing damask chair ties which were to be used on the ceremony guest chairs, and then moved and used for the wedding dinner.

Preparations are under way…so we think.

As mentioned above, we were assigned to an assistant resort wedding coordinator. Basically, someone that had no input or decision-making power, or the intuition necessary in informing us of any possible roadblocks to getting our requests properly met.

Through our assistant resort contact, the resort required that we complete several forms, including an event order which would layout the specifics of our requests (as shown above). The resort required that we return the form by January 15, 2009 – a little over one month before we arrived to the resort.  All forms were returned including photos and descriptions of what we had requested (you know…just in case the language-barrier would become an issue).  We headed down to the resort feeling good about having completed our resort event order.

A resort that did not know anything about us

In order of occurrence, we should have known that there would be major wedding day issues when:

• A new and different resort contact – a wedding coordinator unbeknownst to anyone (even the travel agent) – was assigned to our event. This wedding coordinator had literally just been handed our file, and knew nothing of our previous correspondence, requests, or concerns.
• Upon their arrival the Bride and Groom were notified that there would be two other weddings occurring that day, and not two total wedding as we were previously led to believe.
• The Bride and Groom were notified that – although the previous resort contact had said that there would be no problem in having 3 different flavors for the 3 cake layers – that the were no longer allowed to do this. The Bride and Groom had to choose one (1) flavor…which would have been fine except this was the first that they were hearing about it.

We asked for a specialty cake (3-layers, 3-flavors, individually decorated then stacked) No dice.

• The pricing for the dance floor went up from $600 to $800 without notice. (I was later able to negotiate $660.)
• Upon my arrival to the resort (the day before the wedding) our newly assigned resort wedding coordinator, Natalia, looked at me in puzzlement, confusion, and concern and asked me, “Why [hadn't we] told them that we were providing materials for the floral order?” We had

We were to provide floral materials to the resort (which would then be given to the off-site florist) to be used in all floral arrangements. No dice.

• During the Friday night wedding rehearsal (the night before the wedding), Natalia told the Bride and Groom that the the guitarist that they had hired ($300 for 45-minutes) would be unable to play the songs which we had requested 3-weeks before. They were forced to select a few Beatles’ songs.

We wished for the guitarist to play specific songs for the ceremony. We provided this list to the resort 3-weeks before the wedding, to which they – on two occassions – confirmed that this was possible. No dice.

The day of the wedding

On the resort’s daily roster we were merely “Wedding #3″ for the day, and out of this realization it is likely that the incorrect floral, cake, and music orders which were to follow were borne.  More about this soon.

At noon sharp I met on the beach with Natalia (our newly assigned resort wedding coordinator) and some laborers to put together the canopy which we had shipped down.  At 1:30 PM, under “unseasonably windy” conditions [or so the resort told me then], we took down the canopy – even after trying to reinforce it – because I did not want to imagine what would happen if the canopy were to fall during the ceremony. Imagine the restraint I had when Natalia asked, “Why did you not tell us that you were bringing this [canopy]?  You have used our time that we did not know we had to use.”  That had been our number one request. We had told them and had even asked them if there could be any complications with using our own canopy.

We would be providing our own canopy altar instead of using the resort’s standard four-wooden-post canopy .   No dice.

Floral was delivered in the early afternoon. Despite our request that “No roses please”, ALL of the arrangements contained roses.  The Bridesmaids’ bouquets were made only of roses, and contained none of the materials which we had provided (peacock feathers, etc.).  The Bride’s bouquet did contain the right color of flowers, but had been so shoddily made using substandard floral materials (florists foam, plastic container, etc.), that it was literally falling apart during the ceremony.

We asked that the Bride’s and bridesmaid’s floral contain no roses, be of specific colors, and be made to include one (1) specific variety (orchids). We were to provide materials (upon my arrival), including peacock feathers, that were to be used for all bouquets. No dice.

The ceremony was to begin at 5 o’clock. At 4:40 PM – despite 40-minutes of phone calls and waiting – the resort had not yet picked-up the decorations for the wedding and the wedding dinner in the hotel room.  I was desperate and was supposed to be in position to officiate the ceremony. Our saving grace was that the ceremony area had not yet been completely set-up by the resort, and some members of the wedding party were still getting ready.

Literally just before the wedding started Natalia came over to dispense the corsages and boutonnieres. One word: laughable.  Not only was the order incorrect, but the cheesy wrist corsages (we had requested pin-back lapel corsages) looked ridiculous.  The materials which we had provided were used in the boutonnieres, but had literally been stuck-into the flower as an afterthought.

Corsages for the mothers and grandmothers were to be of the same varieties as were the bridesmaids bouquets
We were to provide floral materials to the resort (which would then be given to the off-site florist) to be used in all floral arrangements
We provided instruction as to how to construct the boutonnieres. No dice.

At least the ceremony was a “10″…emotionally-speaking.

After the ceremony I RAN over to the cocktail hour to set-up before the wedding party arrived for the cocktail hour. It was still “unseasonably windy” and so we could not use any flame, nor any of the paper products (seating assignments, guest scrapbook project) that we had intended on using.  Of course the resort is not to blame for the wind! However, the resort is certainly to blame for the outdoor lighting not having yet been installed, and for the mariachi band (which we had requested play during dinner) arriving and beginning to play before seating for dinner even began.

We asked that musicians (included in the package) played during dinner. No dice.

At this point I am defeated.  It is obvious that we have zero control.  I press on putting on my best fake smile hoping that the wedding dinner would go well, and that the reception would be fun and memorable for everyone.

The next (but not final) issue occurred when Natalia disappeared, and the damask chair ties were never brought over to be used for the wedding dinner.

We were bringing damask chair ties which were to be used on the ceremony guest chairs, and then moved and used for the wedding dinner. No dice.

At last, it is time for the cake cutting…only the cake is nowhere to be found.  Natalia was still M.I.A., and the wait staff was awaiting her instruction to bring the cake out. Cut to the cake being brought-out…

As the cake is being brought into the light the Bride and her mother gasp. I giggle out of sheer surprise.  I briefly meet with the Bride’s mother and with the Bride, and it is official: the cake is a big joke.  Now, I am a realistic person.  My expectations are not sky-high.  I am reasonable and willing to concede if a few very minor points to executing a wedding were to go awry, but this…well…took the cake. The cake looked like a building.  A 3-story building complete with little frosting windows.  You know those little frosting scallops that grandma’s put on little girl’s birthday cakes? Well, we had those, too.  The best looking part of the cake was the knife service set which I had brought.  Keep in mind that because we had 32 guests, the resort was charging us $8/per person for each head over 20 guests. This crazy cake was costing us $96 (in addition to the pricing the resort rolled-into our package).

We asked for a specialty cake (3-layers, 3-flavors, individually decorated then stacked). No dice.

It was official: the resort definitely owed us a refund for floral, for cake, for musicians that weren’t informed that we had requested special songs.  Before I left that evening – defeated by an “all-inclusive” resort, I found Natalia and announced that we would be needing a refund. She was actually shocked, and asked me to phone her on Monday morning (a few hours before my departure) so that we could talk more.

Monday morning is a disappointing blur.  With my airport shuttle leaving at 11:15 AM, I am failing to reach anyone in the resorts wedding department in order to set-up a meeting.  I could not get a call-back: not from Landy (the “head boss” who had ultimately ditched us in November 2008 and had not talked to us since); not from Natalia (who was conveniently in a meeting all morning). Finally, at about 10:15 AM I get a phone call in my room where I had been busy packing-up all of the sad decorations that were unable to be used effectively because of the “unseasonable wind”.  Remember the assistant to the wedding planner that we had been handed-off to in November 2008? Well, she was the one calling inviting me to discuss our needs.

30-minutes later I had finished meeting with the assistant. Our list of demands was simple: the resort would not make any money off of the cake, the floral, or the mariachi.  (After all, we did not specifically know that it was the florist’s or the mariachi’s fault. There was no way for us to confirm.)  Our demands were met, signatures were gathered, and I made my airport shuttle. I was headed home with a very different perspective then what I had come with.

In conclusion

If you have read this far – please protect yourself by adhering to the following guidelines:

1. Consider having your destination wedding in an English-speaking area

2. Ask your travel agent this specific question, “Have you ever been to this resort?”

3. Ask your travel agent for referrals of past clients who have married at the same resort, in the area, or at the same brand of resorts in which you are staying. If they cannot provide these referrals save your time and energy by finding a travel agent with this experience.  Once you get the referrals be sure to contact them and ask them about specifics, including rating both their destination wedding experience and their travel agent.

4. Consider purchasing a wedding insurance policy to cover things which your travel insurance does not cover. (If spending $10K or more I always recommend insuring your event no matter what.)

5. If you have decided to get married at a non-English speaking destination, consider not planning for anything  “special” or “custom” to happen. The liklihood of getting what you want lowers substantially if language is a barrier.

Please note that this was not our first time planning a destination wedding; rather it was our first time planning a destination wedding in a non-English speaking location with a travel agent who had not experienced the resort first-hand. Keep in mind that our Bride and her family spoke fluent Spanish, and that we still had these issues with the resort.

I truly hope that the results of this wedding are not typical of the “regular” Dreams Tulum weddings, however:

Buyer Beware of having your wedding at Dreams Tulum, or any of the other Dreams resorts.

Buyer Beware of hiring travel agents who are truly difficult, have poor communication skills, poor follow-up skills, and are not fully informed about the resort conditions in which they are sending their clients into.

You can reach me at studio@enterlaruche.com for more information about this post.

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Clarification on the Ring Bearer (He’s not supposed to carry the real rings) Thursday, Jan 8 2009

As an event planner and wedding coordinator I find joy and amusement in some of the “urban myths” that make their way into my clients minds.  Some come asking questions like, “Is it true that when you are attending a child’s party that if that child has a sibling that you also get the sibling a gift?” (NO, its not true. This is fully ridiculous.)  Some come asking for clarification on wedding etiquette and tradition.

Two of the more interesting “urban wedding myths” are these:

Myth #1: The flower girl(s) walk(s) down the aisle before the wedding party.

Correction: The flower girl(s) traditionally walk(s) down the aisle just before the bride does.

Myth #2: (The reason for this post.) The ring bearer carries the wedding rings down the aisle tied onto a little pillow and patiently awaits instruction from the Officiant while holding perfectly still. He then handles the rings most delicately before placing them into the waiting hand of the Officiant.

Correction: I think that you kind of saw my silliness and sarcasm in the Myth #2 itself, but the reality is that many, many people believe that the ring bearer – a human of anywhere from 4 years to 8 years of age – actually holds the expensive wedding rings on his little pillow.

The reality is this: the rings that you see placed onto a ring bearer’s pillow are symbolic. They are supposed to be fake rings sewn gently into the pillow.  The real rings traditionally rest comfortably in the pocket of the Best Man. Or, as has become very popular, the Maid or Matron of Honor holds the Groom’s ring, while the Best Man holds the Bride’s ring.

IF YOU ARE STILL CONVINCED THAT THE YOUNG RING BEARER SHOULD CARRY YOUR REAL RINGS UNTIL YOU PLACE THEM ON YOUR FINGERS, PLEASE KEEP THEM UNTIL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE WEDDING. TIE THEM ONTO THE PILLOW YOURSELF. (OR BETTER YET HAVE YOUR TRUSTED BEST MAN PLACE THEM ONTO THE PILLOW.)

Lost or damaged rings can be an expensive or altogether unrealistic replacement, especially as many Bride’s and Groom’s do not immediately insure their rings.

Enjoy!

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.

You can reach AFS by e-mailing: studio@enterlaruche.com

In 2009 look for La Ruche on the hit television series Bridezilla alongside clients Kathryn Wells and Keith Hicks.

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Wrapping Paper and Gift Box Alternatives Monday, Dec 22 2008

Happy Holidays!

Just in time for the holiday gift giving season I offer you the following alternatives to traditional wrapping paper and rectangle gift boxes:

Colored craft paper. This brown paper comes in long rolls and is guilt-free (no tree killing) and stylish. You can find this paper at your local art supply store.  I shop at Jerry’s Artarama, and have been enjoying Rainbow [brand] Colored Kraft paper in recycled brown.

• Take this idea a step further and in lieu of a ribbon, tie the package up with string.

Hat boxes. I recently found a few plain, unpainted/undecorated round hat boxes in varying sizes at my local Goodwill, and have been using them on my fussiest friends. The brown hat boxes with a simple fashionable ribbon on tied-up (or on top) make for excellent gift boxes.

• Take this idea a step further by spray painting or stenciling the outside of the hat box.

Pillow cases or sheets (depending on the size of the item you need to wrap).  If you have pillow cases that can no longer offer service to your household – or if you want to go shopping at Goodwill specifically for them – you’ll find that fashionable pillow cases or bedsheets tied-up with a wide ribbon look very impressive. There is not one set method for folding the pillow case or bedsheet, so you’ll want to experiment with what looks best. 

• Take this idea a step further by purchasing a new pillowcase or bedsheet that the gift recipient can use once the gift has long since been opened.

Newnewspaper. Take newspaper and cut it into squares about 8″ x 8″ sections. Sew the sections together to form a giant sheet of newspaper wrapping-paper.  Use your new wrapping paper to wrap-up gifts.

• Take this idea a step further by purchasing brightly-colored thread so that your seams are easily shown.

Tee-shirts. This idea will only work for small to medium sized gifts, but if you find yourself near a dollar store, pop-in to see about purchasing a few tee-shirts that you can turn into a gift box art piece.  Simply sew-up the neck and arm holes, and then insert the gift in the body hole (so that the gift sits inside of the tee-shirt). Once the gift is inside the shirt, sew-up the body hole and voila! A tee-shirt gift box.  It is fun to see someone have to rip-open a tee-shirt to get to a gift! 

• To better conceal an obvious gift (i.e., a bowling ball would be easy to guess even if it were sitting inside of a tee-shirt), you may wish to consider placing the gift object inside of a simple box first. This will help keep your gift a secret until the recipient opens it.

Enjoy, and stay warm!

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott
La Ruche. event design studio.

To reach Alisha, contact her at studio@enterlaruche.com

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Meaningful holiday gifts for less than $10 Tuesday, Dec 9 2008

Materialism runs rampant in great and rich nations and our great nation holds no exception.  I am not here to complain about materialism (as it is a personal choice and I am not your mother).  Rather, I am here to offer solutions for inexpensive yet meaningful holiday gifts for $10 or less (some assembly may be required).

After looking through this list you may think “these things are all free” but you may wish to consider the time, cost of transportation, printing costs and packing and postage that are involved. 

Here we go:

1. A handwritten letter expressing love and support. NOT a thank you note, a decisive thank you LETTER.
2. A newsletter which shares you or your family’s successes and bitter-sweet experiences during the past year.
3. A poem meant specifically for the intended recipient. This poem could specifically be about one of their admirable character traits or a specific experience.
4. Update the photos your loved ones have. Altogether too often do outdated individual and family photos grace the walls, desks and refrigerators of our loved ones.
5. Share your favorite memories in a letter (in great detail) and include a simple drawing, picture or piece of art that reminds you of that memory.  Example: “At the age of six I could never have imagined how much I would learn to miss the many times we…”
6. A music CD containing all of your favorite songs OR a mix of songs that you have reason to believe they would enjoy OR songs by artists that they may never hear about unless you tell them.
7. Select an inexpensive wine to give, and include an invitation as to when you’d like for them to come visit you for dinner.  Tell them to bring the wine, and let them know that they are not “allowed” to drink it without you.

Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.

Questions for Alisha can be sent to: studio@enterlaruche.com.

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Event Design and Decor 101: Choosing your perfect unique (high-impact) candlestick Tuesday, Nov 11 2008

(Forgive me for this quick post…lots to do today!)

Hello, again!  Welcome back.  Let’s get right into choosing your perfect candlestick (AKA candleholder).  Finding your perfect piece is truly an art form.

There are six (6) factors that will impact your candlestick decision:

1. Usage – why are you using a candlestick?  For function, or for fabulous?
2. Space requirements – Does this candlestick need to fill a small, moderate or large space?
3. The Wow Factor – Is this candlestick supposed to blend-in, or is it supposed to be a focal point?
4. Budget – How much do you have to spend, and how many candlesticks will you require?
5. Your Time/Energy reserve – how much time/energy do you have to spend?
6. The Kid Factor – are your pieces going to be placed up high or in the reach of the kids?  If you have kids that can reach the pieces, it is often easier to get less breakable items OR easily replaceable items.  Make sure that your candlesticks (flame!) are out of reach of the kiddos.

TIME TO RESEARCH

Now that you have evaluated your candlestick needs, move right into your research phase. The research phase will include how you plan to get your pieces, where you plan to make your purchases, and determine what accompanying pieces you may also need to purchase (i.e., candles, ribbons, trays, etc.)

1. How will you find your pieces?
   • If you have decided that you have a high Time/Energy reserve you are most likely excited to piece together your candlestick project; that is to say that you are likely a D.I.Y.’er.
   • You will likely find the main pieces of your future piece at a thrift shop.
   • Another GREAT idea is to shop online.  No store in the known Universe can provide the selection that your local “www” will.
2. Where will you be shopping?
   • If you are going the opposite route (there is no shame in store bought) you should still always shop for the sale.
     If you are a D.I.Y.’er, check out your local thrift stores, including my favorite, Goodwill.  Did you know that every other Saturday they have 50% EVERYTHING?
3. What other items will you also need?
   • What are you going to set your candlestick on?  Slick surfaces may require a tray or a mat so that you do not scratch your furniture.
   • Will you be needing ribbon or other trinkets to decorate the outside of your candlestick with?

Online Resource:

NOTE: I am only listing ONE online candlestick resource because in my opinion if you cannot find something here then you probably did not need a candlestick in the first place.

http://www.thefind.com

If you have any questions just e-maile me: studio@enterlaruche.com.

Yours,
Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.
http://www.enterlaruche.com

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Event Design and Decor 101: Introduction and Candlelight Uses Wednesday, Oct 29 2008

Hello, and Welcome to “The Beehive”!

My name is Alisha Forrester Scott.  As the owner of event planning firm, La Ruche, I have the extraordinary opportunity to make a living from researching and creating new and exciting ways to design and decorate event space. I truly enjoy my work and desire to educate would-be hostesses and hosts alike with the best ways to save time and money, and to create better ways to wow yourself (and your guests).

I have planned events for eight years and my trademark (literally) is “Event Unique is the new Chic!“.  The intention behind sharing my wealth of information will be to inspire you to be creative in the approach you take with your event.  The information I share applies both to the D.I.Y.’ers (Do-It-Yourself’ers) and to those that have taken the initiative to hire a qualified event planner.

One last mention before I get into my first blog topic (Candlelight).  Should you hire a qualified event planner you will likely make a new friend.  As with most other qualified event planners (I keep saying “qualified” for a reason), our service actually pays for itself.  To date there has not been one event ($10K budget or more) where we have not been able to save our clients at least $3K (which is a lot of money!).  If you have any doubts as to whether a qualified event planner can save you time and stress (and possibly a lot of money), wonder no more.  Trust me…I would not lie to you! 

Now, for Design & Decor 101: Candlelight

This blog is intended for those that are using candlelight at their upcoming event.  For those having an event outside of their home or another property which they own, using candlelight often comes with a fee.  For example, due to fire danger many indoor venues have completely banned candlelight (bummer!).  The venues that do allow candlelight may charge for having the local fire department on call, may charge for additional fire insurance, or may only allow the candlelight outdoors.  Typical costs for local fire department on-call support will range from $150 – $300.  Additional fire insurance costs will vary based upon the location of the venue and may need to be purchased directly from the venue.

Moving on, there are three big reasons why you may wish to consider using candlelight:

1. General lighting requirements
2. Ambiance (setting the mood), or
3. Décor support (in the background, not the forefront of your event décor plan)

It is important to identify why you want to use candlelight as it will directly impact your budget.  If you’d like, use the following guide when selecting your candlelight usage to avoid planning problems or accidents.

Floor Lighting:
Often used for Ambiance or Décor support (Budget Impact: Moderate)

• You may consider using floor lighting for lighting walkways, creating faux pathways, or for general décor.  If you plan to use floor lighting, consider placing the flame in more-protected areas to avoid stumbling guests, long dresses, and the wonderment of a small child’s curiosity.

Elevated Lighting (i.e., used on tables, columns, etc.):
Often used for Ambiance or Décor Support (Budget Impact: Low-Moderate)

• Using elevated lighting is an easy way to create eye-popping and high-impact visuals.  Candlelight at or just below eye-level is dazzling! (Remember how captivating camp fires were as a child?)

Overhead Lighting:
Often used for General lighting requirements or Ambiance (Budget Impact: Moderate-High)

• Using candlelight for overhead lighting or way-finding often goes unnoticed unless the candlestick holders or enclosures are large or dramatic.  Using several larger pieces (with more dense, consolidated candlelight) is often times less expensive than using many smaller pieces (with less dense, more scattered candlelight).

I hope that I was able to educate you a little more.  My next blog will be Event Design and Décor 101: Choosing your perfect unique (high-impact) candlestick. If you have questions about this blog you are invited to contact me directly at: studio@enterlaruche.com.

Yours in planning,
Best,

Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.

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