Archives for November 2012

November 30, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Inspirational Friday – Holiday Weddings

Here at Wedding and Party Network we want to give you inspiration for your wedding and party details. The details are what sets your wedding and party apart from anyone else. The colors, theme, detailing and style all creates your wedding day style and conveys your party theme. So, today's Inspirational Friday will focus on holiday weddings.

Holiday weddings are festive, elegant, and absolutely stunning. It's definitely the time of year to bring your family and friends together to celebrate a momentous occasion. There are many ways you can create a breathtaking holiday wedding. Go with winter white or keep it traditional with red and green. You can also incorporate metallic into your holiday wedding scheme too. Your flowers, wedding cake, and even the style of wedding gown you choose can all be influenced by the holidays. Just pick a theme and go with it.

November 29, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Plan a Christmas Brunch

There are many traditions and celebrations during the holidays. Some people host various parties, fix different recipes, or open gifts on Christmas eve. Some families have dinner on Christmas, but what do you do for breakfast or lunch? Why not start a new tradition on Christmas by planning a Christmas brunch? Wedding and Party Network has a few tips on planning a brunch that your family and friends will love.

Christmas Brunch

Perfect timing – Who do you plan on inviting? Close friends and family members are great guests to invite. Since most families open their gifts that morning or even on Christmas eve, a brunch is great. It gives everyone time to open gifts and get ready.

Holiday decorations – Since your house will already be decked out for the holidays, no decorations required. The only thing you might decorate is the table and the food table. Come up with a festive table centerpiece for your dining table and food table. Don't forget the table linens, tableware, and servingware. A fun accent is to have place settings made of Christmas ornaments. It can serve as a party favor as well and your guests will want to put them on their tree as soon as they get home.

What's on the menu – Think about serving various pastries, such as cinnamon rolls, scones, and muffins. Even have doughnuts for brunch. Make sure to display them as a doughnut tower to create depth for your table. Plus, it's a fun way to serve doughnuts. Also, serve fruit kabobs, casseroles, gingerbread waffles, french toast, or a candy cane coffee cake. There are many recipes to try out for your Christmas day brunch. For drinks, set up a mimosa bar, hot chocolate bar, and have all your juices ready to go.

Start a new Christmas day tradition with a brunch. It's a great time to spend with close friends and family.

This post is brought to you by Houston Party Caterers
Not in Houston, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy party planning directory to help you find party caterers near you!

Photo via Celebrate!

November 28, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Get Transported like a VIP with American Limousine

Transportation is a key element in any event that you plan. Weddings, proms, or even a night out on the town all require some sort of transportation. Getting to your event on time, right location, and in style are all musts. If you're in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and are looking for a great transportation company, choose American Limousine.

Black Stretch Limo

When you use American Limousine, your customers will understand their friendly, yet professional chauffeurs make the difference in delivering the exceptional service. When people ask, Is someone important in there?, their answer is always yes.

No matter who is riding in one of their limousines, you're always treated like a VIP. Whether you have corporate needs, wedding, anniversary celebration, attending a concert, or just want a night out in style, this limousine company should be your first choice.

What They Offer

From 1 to 42 people, they always deliver. Airport service, bachelorette or bachelor extravaganza, wedding, holiday lights tour, ladies night out, weekend getaway, sporting events, or proms are where they want to take you. Just tell them your event and how many people you would like to transport and they'll take care of everything. Ride in style in their 14 passenger limo coach, stretch limo in black and white. Just choose your style and determine your needs for transportation and they'll handle the rest.

Ride in Style for All Your Events

Limo Coach

There are a million things to think about when planning a wedding. Transportation is one of them. Have you thought about how you're going to get to your wedding ceremony, wedding reception venue, or even your honeymoon? What about your bridal party?

A limousine or limo coach are both great ways to get where you are needing to go, including your wedding party. Plus, you'll have an experienced driver who knows where they're going and will get you there on time. Just see what one of their customers had to say:

Dave – Thank YOU so much for making our son and his friend feel so special. They truly enjoyed the ride and the tour of Charlotte. They especially loved the stories of the celebrities you have transported. We want to also thank you for making the prom safe for our children and giving us the piece of mind that they were being transported safely. You will definitely be our limo service of choice from here on out!

If you're planning any other special events like prom or a night out on the town, you'll have many options at your fingertips depending on how many people you have in your party. You'll always get where you are needing to go and in style of course with American Limousine.

November 27, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Advice on Planning Your Big Day

Now that you've picked a date and found your dream wedding location, what's next? It's easy to become overwhelmed with endless costs of what seem to keep coming your way. Cost is a big factor for most brides when planning a wedding. How can you plan the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank? Wedding and Party Network has 5 tips on how you can cut back for your wedding.

Cut the guest list

First Dance

A wedding can be a big soiree or just an intimate ceremony amongst close friends and family. If you're looking to cut the cost of your wedding, consider cutting the guest list. That's one less mouth you have to feed, favor you have to buy, and wedding invitation to send. Those little things add up. If you're afraid you're going to hurt someone's feelings, just tell them you are keeping it small but you would love to share wedding photos with them. They'll understand.

Shake it with a DJ

Some brides go with a live band or a dj. If you're having trouble deciding and are looking to cut costs, go with a dj. Bands are fun to have at a wedding, however, djs cost less. Plus, if you enjoy hearing the original artist sing the song, this is the way to go.

Who sees your feet anyway?

Shoes are so important to brides, however, are you looking to cut costs? Why spend a fortune on a pair of shoes that no one sees and you'll wear for a couple of hours? If you must have some fun shoes, plan early or start a savings jar. Also, do some research online to try to find a replica of your favorite designer shoes that are a bit cheaper than the original.

Let them eat sweets

Wedding Cupcake Tower

Why not be unconventional and skip the wedding cake completely? Wedding cakes can be pricey, and for good reason. If you're wanting to cut the costs, a good way to do this is by serving a smaller cake for your to cut with various desserts. Cupcakes, pies, petit fours, truffles, or miniature ice cream comes all make for wonderful wedding desserts. Send them home with a box of sweet treats that will serve as your wedding favors too.

Get rid of the unnecessary

Welcome baskets, calligrapher, programs, favors, and all other wedding items that aren't a must, get rid of them if you're wanting to cut costs. If you still feel like some of these items are a must, recruit some friends to help. Having friends that know how to create wedding programs or do calligraphy is an advantage and it saves you some money. Just remember, if you don't feel like it's necessary, don't spend the money on it.

Cutting costs is pretty easy when planning a wedding, just keep these few wedding tips in mind and you'll save money and have the wedding of your dreams.

This post is brought to you by Saint Louis Wedding Cakes & Bakeries
Not in Saint Louis, MO? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find cakes & bakeries near you!

November 26, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

A Santa's Bakeshop Party

The holidays are the time for great parties. Have you thought about hosting parties for the children in your neighborhood or your children's friends? There are many great party themes for the holidays for every age. One that is great for all ages is a Santa's bake shop party. Wedding and Party Network has some great party tips for this party. Your kitchen will be full of delicious treats.

This party is very simple and easy to get prepared for. Figure out what type of desserts you want to create, baking supplies & ingredients, and a few simple party decorations are all you need.

Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

Party Invitations – When it's time to send out the party invitations, include the very important details. However, include what you will be doing and tell them to bring their favorite aprons to make some tasty treats in the kitchen.

For the Decorations – Keep the decorations pretty simple. You'll be spending most of your time in the kitchen baking so just make sure you have your own Christmas decor out to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Don't forget the holiday music in the background! One thing you may consider investing in is cute holiday platters, dessert boxes, kitchen utensils, bowls, and creating cute signs to label the ingredients. Since you will be making desserts these are the items that will be seen.

Holiday Menu – This is where you really need to plan. Definitely have a menu set before you do anything. You'll be able to create a grocery list and go shopping with ease. You can create Santa cupcakes, snowmen cookies, chocolate strawberries that look like Christmas lights, Christmas tree mini cakes, cinnamon roll holiday wreath, have an area set up to decorate cookies and even a station to create a gingerbread house. There are many holiday desserts that you can create that everyone will enjoy!

Fun Little Touches – Set out all the ingredients out in those holiday bowls and platters and label each one. Set out the aprons and all the supplies you will need to make things easier for everyone and you. If you have little ones, teach them the importance of cleaning up and have a clean up party at the end.

Once everything is cool, have a packaging station for your guests. You can supply the gift boxes, bags, ribbon, and packaging supplies for everyone so they can easily wrap up their desserts to take them home or give them as gifts.

When planning your holiday parties, consider having one for all ages. A mother daughter party is a great way to spend quality time with one another, as well as friends. A Santa's bakeshop party is a great way to do just that.

This post is brought to you by Houston Cakes & Bakeries
Not in Houston, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy party planning directory to help you find cakes & bakeries near you!

November 23, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Inspirational Friday – Get Ready for the Holidays

Here at Wedding and Party Network we want to give you inspiration for your wedding and party details. The details are what sets your wedding and party apart from anyone else. The colors, theme, detailing and style all creates your wedding day style and conveys your wedding shower theme. So, today's Inspirational Friday will focus on holiday parties.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to start planning for the upcoming holidays. They will definitely be here before you know it. Start planning your holiday parties and gather ideas for the theme you would like to have for your party. Once you settle on a theme, start finding great ideas for the decor, holiday centerpieces, and food. There are many wonderful ideas that will truly make your party a success.

November 21, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Christmas Trends for 2012

The holidays are just around the corner, it will honestly be here before you know it. Like everything else, trends are ever-changing throughout the holiday season. What's on trend for this holiday season? If you're hosting a holiday party, your tree and holiday decorations must be up on the latest trends. Wedding and Party Network has the latest Christmas trends to make your holiday party and home stand out.

Nature Inspired Christmas

Winter Wonderland – White is extremely on trend right now with fashion and definitely holiday decor. Snowy decorations, fluffy white Christmas wreaths, adding glitter to all decorations, combining silver & white, and just having beautiful, classical elements will all stand out. Don't forget to add classical elements such as stars, baubles, angels and nativity figures.

Going Natural – Incorporate nature into your holiday decor. White wash, glitter and knitted accents all are popular for 2012. Nature continues to be a source of inspiration for fashion and decor. Add apples, pinecones or evergreen into your decor to get the natural look. Your table and tree will be absolutely stunning.

DIY Christmas – DIY is a huge trend and has been for several seasons. Create home-made Christmas ornaments, garland, wreaths, table centerpieces, and even gifts are all great DIY projects for your holiday decor. Think about having a themed party that is based on DIY Christmas. You and your friends can create holiday decor or even gifts. Everyone will love this idea and have fun doing it.

A Bit of Gold – The combination of black and gold truly brings a bit of modern and elegance touches to your holiday decor. It brings a bit of sophistication and elegance to create a luxurious design. Think about finding a black Christmas tree and add golden accents to create a beautiful theme. Don't forget to add this color combination throughout your home and dinner table.

Having the right holiday decorations for your home is a must, especially if you're hosting a holiday party. Keep up on the latest trends and fine new and unique ways to incorporate them into your home.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Planners
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy party planning directory to help you find party planners near you!

November 20, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Knowing Your Wedding Style

Before you even start planning your wedding, you must know your wedding style. How will you ever know what you want if you have no idea what style you are going for. It's important that you sit down and think about what you really want for your wedding. Otherwise, you might end up with a jumbled up mess. Wedding and Party Network has a few tips on getting to know your wedding style.

Choosing your date – The very first thing you need to do is choose your wedding date. However, you need to know your style before you even choose a date. Why? Weather, seasonal flowers, seasonal food and even colors all play a factor in which season you choose. You may choose a fall date, however, the flowers you would like aren't in season and really wouldn't go with a fall wedding.

Choosing a wedding venue – Why should you choose your wedding style before you choose your wedding venue? Your wedding shouldn't be defined by your wedding venue, it should be the other way around. If you want a formal wedding, you can't really achieve that with a rustic barn. It goes the other way around as well. You definitely can't have a rustic, vintage styled wedding in a beautiful ballroom. Picking your style is an important must before you plan anything.

Buying a wedding dress – Your wedding dress reflects your own personal style, but it also captures your wedding day style as well. Lace sleeves maybe more appropriate in the fall or having a shorter wedding gown would be more ideal for spring and summer weddings. The same goes with bridesmaids dresses.

Wedding decor – Decor defines your whole wedding. This includes your wedding flowers, vases, the colors you use, garland, and wedding linens. It all captures your wedding style. Finding out your wedding style before you buy decorations, otherwise, you'll wind up with items that don't really go together.

Even your favors are influenced – Some brides know their exact wedding style, decor, and what they would like to give as wedding favors. Your wedding favors are even determined by your wedding style. If you are having a casual, laid back wedding, a koozie may be fun. Your favors are sent home with guests, so let that be a remembrance for your guests. They'll love seeing their wedding favor and looking back on your wedding.

This post is brought to you by Houston Wedding Coordinators
Not in Houston, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding coordinator near you!

November 19, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes with a Twist

Thanksgiving is a holiday of tradition. However, why not switch it up somewhat? Trying something fun and unique always makes the holidays more interesting. Why not switch up some of the recipes you normally use for your Thanksgiving dinner? You may even find a new recipe that will become a Thanksgiving dinner tradition. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few Thanksgiving recipes with a twist.

The Twist – Chicken

Yellow Table Setting

Cooking turkey can be a bit overwhelming for some people, especially when there is a large crowd. Instead, opt for chicken. It's simple. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, rinse & pat chicken dry, squeeze lime juice on top, fill the cavity with cut limes, lemons, garlic, thyme and rosemary and place herb butter underneath the skin of chicken.

Place it on a roasting pan, baste it with some of the leftover herb butter mixed with olive oil, roast for an hour re-basting every half hour, turn up the oven to 425 degrees once the hour is up, baste it one last time and cook for 15 minutes.

The Twist – Not your ordinary cranberry sauce

Yes, cranberry sauce is seen on most dinner tables for Thanksgiving. Why not put a different spin on it? Create a fresh chutney made with dried cranberries and fresh apples. You can also stick with cranberry sauce but add cinnamon, pomegranate seeds and freshly squeezed orange juice to liven it up. Think out-of-the-box when it comes to your cranberry sauce and pair it with some fresh, seasonal fruit.

The Twist – Change up those side dishes

Stick with your traditional side dishes. However, add some unique side dishes to the table as well. It will give everyone something new to try. Think about serving brussels sprouts with bacon, fresh apples and lemon juice. Also, think about serving mashed sweet potatoes, coconut candied yams, fried green beans or put a different twist on mashed potatoes. There are many recipes out there, just research online and pick something that stands out and seems tasty to you.

The Twist – Get creative with those desserts

Pumpkin and pecan pies are absolutely delicious! Again, don't hesitate to fix these items, they are staple pieces to any dinner table. Add a fun dessert to the table as well. Put a twist on pecan and pumpkin pies. Make them mini or add a unique ingredient. Create a bundt cake and make it into a pumpkin or an apple or pear crisp.

Get creative with your Thanksgiving dinner. Try out new recipes and keep the dinner table interesting.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Caterers
Not in Miami FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy party planning directory to help you find party caterers near you!

November 16, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Inspirational Friday – Wedding & Party Food

Wedding and party food are such important details of any event. If the food is absolutely delicious, it will make your special event even more memorable. However, if your food isn't that tasty, that's the one thing that guests will remember. Food is very important, especially the way you display it as well. Make sure your wedding or party caterer uses fresh ingredients, knows your vision for your food and you of course do a tasting for the food. Also, research ways to display your food and see if your caterer can achieve that. Remember, food is important.

Archives for November 2012

Inspirational Friday – Holiday Weddings

Plan a Christmas Brunch