Bowling Bash
Bowling has and all ways will be a family favorite. There is so much that you can do with this theme whether you host the party at your home or at a bowling alley you are sure to have a " ball"!!!! There are a few basic things that you need to do to make your bowling party a hit. For starters if you decide to have your party at a bowling alley call them and see what types of parties packages they offer.. Some have cosmic bowling ,midnight bowling even glow in the dark bowling . Next get your guest pumped for the party by sending out over the top invitations.... In my opinion invitations are always an important way to give your guest a glimpse of what to expect at the party. Some alleys don't allow you to bring outside food but if they do l suggest these top three snacks...
- strike out sandwiches
- gutter meatballs
- bowling ball and pins sugar cookies

Extra bowling tips:
- use a wine decanter and put three red pieces of tape at the top to create a bowling pin and fill it with milk....also put the same design on the glasses to hold the milk.
-ask your guest to come in with crazy socks and the best dressed individual wins a prize.
- get bowling pin tooth picks to pick up whatever appetizers you are serving
- create a tournament who ever score he highest wins a prize
#living2plan

Easter Egg Hunt
Hop hop hop hipity hoppy hip hop around the clock!!!! Easter is one of my favorite holidays ... I love the religious reasons as well as the colors and it marks the beginning of spring! Every year my family and I kick of Easter weekend by hosting a huge Easter egg hunt. We hide the eggs all over the house and in the yard and we play games with the kids and then at the end here comes good ole Peter cotton tail. And he comes bearing gifts.....So Easter is coming and r u ready? If not here are a few tips to get you started for a Eggcelent Easter Egg Hunt :
1. Buy eggs...traditional Easter egg hunts were filled with real eggs....well times have changed!!! Now instead of wasting all those eggs buy the plastic ones they are fun and don't require much work...fill them with candy, stickers or money! Try to find some golden eggs and put the big prize in that one.
2. Have plenty of games to keep the kids engaged!!! The hunt is the main attraction but that won't take all day....do more with them,no party is fun when the guest are bored.
3. Food!!!! You don't have to have a Easter feast but you should provide some kind of meal typically at our hunt we keep it simple....
4.Create “paw prints” around the house tell the kids to follow the Easter Bunny has been!
5. And ....Provide Easter baskets for easy hunting

Hope those help!!! And have an Eggcelent EASTER!!!!
#living2plan

 
Once in a while I will get an email or text and someone has a question pertaining to a dinner party or a small gathering. Elegant Events Errika’s slogan is “no event to small” and that’s why our newest client Rebecca reached out to us. Rebecca is the newly married and her husband is a doctor at their area hospital .This weekend she is having a dinner party for some of the Doctors at the hospital and their wives and she is stuck. She found me on Instagram and she requested our help…. So here is what I told her for starters dinner parties are more structured than a party and they require a little more pre-planning! Before you dust of your china and rearrange your furniture there are a few things that you must do first.

1.       Think ahead – many of my colleges agree that planning out your menu 4-6 weeks in advance gives you ample amount of time to gather ingredients.
2.        Create a game plan- depending on what you’re serving you need to know cooking time and temperatures. No one likes raw chicken or chewy beef.
3.       Set the table- a perfectly set table is a MUST!!!! Your table is the canvas for your beautiful meal.
Here is a list of items that every hostess should have on her table:
o   Napkin
o   Forks ( Salad, Dinner, Dessert)
o   Knifes ( Dinner , Butter)
o   Spoons ( Tea Spoons & Table Spoons *** typically used for soup)
o   Glasses ( water or iced beverage  and wine )
o   Tea Cup and Saucer

Sometimes we want so badly to impress our guest that we overdo it…. Just remember to plan accordingly, gather your items in enough time, and try to be done everything a few hours before the party starts so that you can have a moment to yourself and actually relax! Happy Planning #living2plan

When it comes to wedding planning it can be difficult if you decide to plan it solo ( without a wedding planner) so here are some things that you must remember while planning your big day and they are as simple as ABC!!!
A-announcements ....at last your love has come along and you should tell the world...send out announcements. Postcards or place an add in your local paper . Announcements are a way to get the guest pumped for what's next.
B-bridal party ...so you found your mate so now you need to choose the people that will be right by your side on the biggest day of your life...
C-cake tasting one of the things that people talk about at your reception will be your cake so having a cake tasting prior to your wedding is a must !
D- date decision ..picking your date can be really exciting but it can also be frustrating. When choosing your date you need to keep in mind holidays and poplar vacation months. ( not saying that people won't come but if your looking for a big turn out keep their personal time in mind.
E-entertainment ...next to food entertainment is very important. Don't base your selection on referrals alone visit them...go see them in action . Whether its a live band or a DJ you will want to see them at an event to see if the fit your style.
F-food is the number one thing that people will rave about long after your wedding . Before picking the caterer see if the have a complementary food tastings...just like the cake you don't want to be surprised on your wedding day.
G- gift registry...some couples are against gift registries because it limits the amount of money that they receive on their wedding I encourage a gift registry because this is the only time in life that you create a wish list and receive things that you absolutely love without spending a dime!!!
H- honeymoon - where will you go??? Your honeymoon is a reward ... After you have planned every detail and spend tons of money a honeymoon is needed for you and spouse to get away and relax and enjoy each other.
I - ideas when it comes to your wedding it should be a combination of both of you and not everyone else. Use social media , wedding guides and wedding tv- shows to gain a sense of what you want and then you put your own twist on it.
J- journey...wedding planning can be stressful but not a time to fight .. Enjoy this journey as you become one....believe me you will have plenty of time to fight.
K- kiss.. One of the cute little things that my husband and I did during our wedding was kiss every time we disagreed. This helped us remember why we were doing this it wasn't to fight but is was because of love.
L- little things count ...while planning your wedding and even after your married do little things for each other ... Whether it's a little note or a delivery of fresh flowers.. Do things to remind your spouse that you love them and you care.
M- minutes alone.... During the actual planning process always find time for each other ....whether it be dinner and a movie or just coffee before work. Make time for each to do nothing but spend time with each other .
N-notes... If you happen to hire wedding professionals ...take notes because sometimes you talk about a lot in consultations and you want to remember everything that you discussed .
O-online search engines.. Google was my best friend and still is. Any time that an idea stumps me or an idea requires something else I turn to google or Pinterest ... Try it could make planning a little easier.
P- photography... Sometimes when I look back on my wedding the one thing that I wish I had was an professional photographer. Don't get me wrong I love the pictures that were taken but some moments were missed and I can't get them back.Photography is something that up you should want to splurge on.. You may not think so today but you will years from now.
Q- q & a... Blogs and wedding forums are so important because some of the things your struggling with other brides are to .. Use these sites to gain ideas and get advice. A big stress reliever for me is knowing that I am not alone .
R-be REALISTIC!!! Sometimes we want things that are not possible or within reach ... Know how much you have and let that determine how much you can get.
S-savings... Some couples have discussed their big day prior to getting engaged and set up a savings account and others just pay as they go...but if you are the pay as you go couple keep in mind that this may be the biggest day life but its not the last day of your life.. So don't deplete your savings.
T-test run... When it comes to hair , makeup or vendors... You want to do a test run... Before booking your make up artist and hair dresser see if they do consultations prior to the big day because you don't want any surprises.
U-uniqueness- I am big on no repeats....so when creating something for a client even if its the same idea I try to add something different to make it uniquely created for them. So my suggestion to you is if you are going to recreate something make it your own...make it represent you.
V-vendors- if you decide to use professional vendors I suggest that you do some shopping .. Read online reviews , and testimonials ... Pick at least three and then call them... When you search for vendors in your area it can be overwhelming so create a criteria check list and make sure they meet that criteria before adding them to your list.
W-wedding day timeline-set a timeline and stick to it!!! On your wedding day one thing can set you back... One late appointment can reunion your timeline and your day. Be mindful of time!!!
X-xtra..xtra...xtra.... buy extras ...a wedding planner will tell you that you should always have a plan for the plan so get extra of things that can possibly be easily broken or miss placed.
Y- young guests ...if your family has a lot of young children ....hire a baby sitting company to entertain the children....when family's have a lot of children you can't put a limit on how many can come so bring em all bring em all
Z-zero regrets!!! Even if everything doesn't go as planed .... Don't look back and say what you shoulda,coulda ,woulda did ... Just be happy that its over ..and enjoy what can't be planned YOUR Life!!
I hope that helps..and I hope that your day is filled with nothing but happiness...
Happy planning ....# living2plan

Now that you have said I do and all the planning is complete....its now time to relax!!!! Some people think that picking your honey moon destination is easy but truthfully it can be stressful . So here is a guide to help you make your decision ...
Some of the deciding factors are,
_good weather
_shortest flights
_lowest cost

So here are our favorite places to travel to during the different seasons!

Winter:
1. Aspen
2.Miami
3.Ireland
4.Paris
5.Tuscany

Spring:
1. Aruba
2.Hawaï
3.Bora Bora
4. Jamaican
5.Rio de Janeiro

Summer
1.Bermuda
2.Napa CA
3.Aruba
4.Austin Tx
5.Paris

Fall
1.Buenos Aires
2.Ireland
3.Yucatan
4.South Africa
5.Maldives

Also some couples may want to take thier honey moon right away...there are no rules....Your get away...your way!!!!#living2plan

Do you remember when you were a little girl and you dreamed of your wedding day...you the princess marrying your prince. Or as you watched all the Disney Classics..wishing and hoping, and praying that you too will live happily ever after. Well one of my favorite designers Alfred Angelo..has taken all that we dreamed of and all that we imagined and turned it into a reality minus the Prince! This line of dresses is upscale and some what expensive... but imagine you in these dresses walking down the aisle to marry your prince charming. You are an extraordinary girl and you deserve an extraordinary dress.Take a look ...dream again....after all you have been dreaming of this day since you were a little girl!!!!
#living2plan