Monday, July 29, 2013

Exceptional Summer BBQs

It’s the perfect season for family and friends to get together for outdoor summer gatherings, but you can transform your typical BBQ into a unique and memorable summer event!


Turn your next Summer BBQ into a Clambake




The origin of clambakes began along the coast of New England as a way to prepare the plentiful seafood that fishermen caught from the Atlantic Ocean. Although now you don’t have to be on a beach to host a clambake, so why not do it in your own backyard? The preparation of the seafood can last an entire day, so make it be a part of the fun! Serve appetizers and summer drinks while guests wait and enjoy being a part of this culinary affair. Visit this New York Times article for recipes and ideas to turn your next party into this unique gathering.  

Throw a Country-Style Hoedown

  

An All-American hoedown can turn any BBQ into a fun party for all ages. Do Si Do with your partner to a live band or make a country playlist! Have some down home fun with square dancing and Southern dishes served cold at a help-yourself station overflowing with buttermilk fried chicken, herbed biscuits, cabbage slaw, and heirloom tomato salad. Get more ideas by visiting Country Living.  

Host a Summer Movie and Dessert Night 




Instead of hosting a dinner party, invite guests to an evening event serving sweets. Create a spread of desserts and champagne cocktails for friends, and show an outdoor screening of your favorite summer movie. Martha Stewart lists this event idea on her 2013 Best Summer Ever BucketList.

Take Your Party on the Water



Whether you own a boat or prefer to charter one, take your summer BBQ party on the water! Enjoy an afternoon cruise or evening sail and entertain your guests with music, cocktails, finger foods, Hors d'oeuvres and premade treats. Remember to send invites with details including the dock location, departure and return time. When guests commit to a boat party, they will want to know exactly when they will be returning. Keep consistent with the agenda, adhere to the maximum number of people allowed on the boat, and ensure that the proper safety gear are on-board and your summer BBQ on the water will become the party of the summer.




Monday, July 22, 2013

Event Planners Assist New Orleans Katrina Victims

We are so happy to be featured in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Read more about Event Pros Take Action, or EPTA, and the work that we are doing after hurricane Katrina HERE.



Thursday, July 18, 2013

Wedding Trend to Watch: Cacti & Succulents


Many brides are starting to mix up their classic bouquets and centerpieces with non-traditional floral elements. We recently attended a wedding in San Francisco where the bride added some surprising elements that made the table settings unique. Modern and cost-effective, cacti were used as centerpieces and created a cool, unexpected vibe.



Succulents were also added at tables throughout the venue for a California twist, giving the setting a desert feel.




The bride even waited until the morning of the wedding to pick out her bouquets! Checking out a local farmer’s market, she picked out fresh flowers with her bridesmaids that included some unbloomed bulbs for a dramatic effect.







You don’t have to be in California though to add these elements to your own wedding. Many Pinterest boards are online for inspiration (http://pinterest.com/trueme/simply-succulents/), and both cacti and succulents can be ordered online through Etsy for brides (http://www.etsy.com/search?q=cacti+and+succulents).