Wedding Limousine Planning - Best Time

Unquestionably, your wedding is the most important day of your life so far. In all likelihood, you will spend the better part of a year planning for the perfect celebration, and just one part of that planning is your wedding limousine. Most professional car companies offer limousine services for weddings and wedding parties, so you probably have a lot of questions. These tips should help you navigate wedding limousine planning so that you get the best service at the right price.

Budget

Speaking of price, many couples will have certain limitations to their wedding and limousine budgets. Depending on the number and type of vehicles you plan to rent, your costs will vary drastically. One of the best ways to save on wedding limousines is to limit service to the wedding party; but even an extravagant wedding with limousine service for family, the wedding party, and special guests can still find great deals.

One thing to keep in mind is that most rental companies will have a minimum rental time, and this is usually around 3 hours. Exotic vehicles tend to be more expensive than standard limousines; for example, a standard white limousine with seating for 8 will cost considerably less than a stretch SUV that seats 12-15 people. When budgeting for your limo service, remember to factor in the type of vehicle, the number of passengers, and the total time required.

Book in Advance

Preparing in advance for your limousine service is incredibly important. You do not want to wait until a few weeks before your wedding, because your options may be much more limited. In general, it is best to start shopping around at least 6 or 8 months before your wedding. You'll have a greater range of choices when it comes to vehicle and price. Alternatively, most professional car services cannot be booked any more than a year in advance.

Consider a Contract

Any time you are booking a service well in advance it is advisable to get a quote and/or contract of services in writing. A contract can help you avoid any problems and will provide easy solutions if the services you require are not delivered. In the rare occasion that legal problems arise, a written and signed contract would be extremely helpful.

Wedding Discounts

Some limo companies may offer discounts for weddings because they are big business. Not only are weddings a great opportunity for the company to attract new business, but weddings are large events and generally a minimum of two limousines will be rented - one for the bridal party and one for the groom's party. Speak to different organizations to see if you can get a discount on your wedding day.

The Best Time for a Wedding

Although your limousine rental is not likely to impact your wedding date, it is helpful to know that spring season tends to be the busiest for car services. Proms and spring wedding make this peak season for limousines and prices tend to be highest.

Most importantly, when booking a limousine take some time to do your research. Compare companies, get recommendations, and check references. A bit of time spent in advance of your wedding day can help make your transportation as perfect as your actual wedding.

Starting a Children's Party Planning Business

Event Planning is a business for adults, everyone knows that. As an Event Planner who has done my fair share of Corporate Event Planning that are usually themed towards adults, I have been mistaken in the assumption that the "Kids" market is mostly left towards those stay-at-home moms with lots of time on their hands.

To say that a themed Event aimed towards a segment of the sector that seeks to raise funds for children is not a Children's Party. It is still usually an adult themed Event that serves to get adults involved with some aspect of raising funds for a children's charity. Trust me, I have come across Event Planners that see it in that vein.

So, I have turned my idea around as of late, as I have gotten to know some in the Children's Party Planning business fairly exclusively, or at least, those who do a fair chunk of their business in the kids market. I guess the biggest drawback I always saw as a Children's Party Planner was that most parents didn't want to spend that much for Kids Party Planning.

I was wrong.

There are plenty of parents, and not just "Rich Folks," who want to give their kids a memorable experience for one reason or another. It doesn't really matter the reason. As a fantastic Party Planner, it is your responsibility to give the best Event you can plan no matter who is your client.

So what are the basics of setting up a great Party Planning business? Well, as I have mentored others to do, the basics are fairly similar to setting up any Event Planning Business; Niche, Operations, Marketing and Execution.

So, your Niche. Well, you have already decided to be someone who does Children's Party Planning. That is all well and good. But really take the time to discover what aspect of that market will you do. What I mean is are there certain Party themes that you love to do? Are there certain monetary limits that you must insist on to make it profitable? You see, you have to ask yourself serious questions or you will be running around doing a bunch of small events that you end up hating to do.

Operations comes from the question I ask most who are starting an Event Planning Business. How are you going to operate your business? Where? In your home? An office of some kind? There are a myriad of scenarios that you could do, but please be very careful if operating from home. It is imperative that you carve out a space that is solely for your business and nothing else. This may be hard to do, but make it so. If your family knows that the area is your "Work Space" and when they see you in it, they will come to know when you are "Doing Business." You have got to set the groundwork for that mindset to happen.

The Marketing aspect is usually a monetary one at first glance. People always equate how much money they have to what and how they can market. That is a terrible approach and one that should be avoided. You have to be creative at the outset and there are fantastic ways to let the people know that you are doing what you do. Now, notice that the Marketing is third on the list as you can not Market until you have a pretty clear picture of who you are and how you will operate.

Finally, Execution is paramount and funds everything else. Face it, if your Execution is lacking, the rest does not matter. This is why it is clear who you are, how you will do business and how will you Market yourself.

Eventually, your Execution will be that part of you that will be the true measure of how you interact with your clientele. This will be your "Calling Card" and will get you countless opportunities to do more Event Planning.

One thing that I must advise you on due to the nature of Children's Party Planning. Be as professional as if you you were Planning a Corporate Event. People will appreciate you for it and you will be considered the "Pro" for what you do.

Remember...Every Event in Your Life Should Be A Party.

Successful Trade Show Strategy - 3 Common Mistakes in Trade Show Marketing and Planning

Every exhibitor large and small wants their trade show experience to be problem free and achieve a significant return on investment (ROI). Let's take a look at some common mistakes some exhibitors make whether they be show savvy or just exhibiting for their first time.

No Specific Game Plan

Having a solid game plan when planning your exhibit is a must when it comes to event marketing. When asked why you are exhibiting in a show, many respondents will simply say "to increase sales" or "gain more sales leads." While these goals may coincide with your overall marketing strategy, it takes a detailed plan of attack when converting your strategy into a 3D face-to-face environment. This is where a competent trade show planning design and build company can help and make all the difference from a bad show experience to a good show experience. A smart business event planner will ask you what you want to accomplish with your upcoming show and specifically design a brand space environment for you that really works. But that is just the beginning.

No Pre-Show Marketing or Public Relations

Wow is this important! Strategic & effective event promotion may be the most important thing to consider when planning a show exhibition. Contact your customers to see if they are attending a show. Retain a public relations firm (if possible) to get the word out about your firm to educate the press about new, current, or prospective products & services. Consider pre-show e-mails to prospective and current customers (direct mail can get expensive), issue pre-show press releases, and consider show sponsorships or advertising on the shows' home page to build brand recognition before the show. Your budget will determine just what is doable, but it cannot be stressed enough how important pre-show marketing and public relations is to an exhibitors' success.

Booth Staff Training

Training your booth staff before the show ensures that everyone understands the mission, that everyone knows their role, and that everyone gets their questions answered. While your employees may know your company's products or service, it can be a whole new ball game when it comes to representing your brand via a trade show exhibit.?

Think of a trade show as a job interview. Every visitor to your booth is deciding whether to hire you (or not). A lack of preparation can cost you sales and thereby decrease your ROI. Remember the 80/20 rule. Listen 80% of the time and you do the talking 20% of the time.

Tips on Throwing a Party - How to Keep Costs Down While Not Losing the Wow Factor

It's impossible to count the number of times I am asked questions about pricing for an event. How much will that cost? How could it cost so much? What can I cut? Whether you're a seasoned hostess or planning your first event, it doesn't hurt to brush up on the costs involved in having a party.

Proposals:
If you're working with an event planner, that planner may be handling all aspects of your event from concept to completion (that's what TPG does.) This means you'll write only one check and your proposal will be detailed and all inclusive. If you're acting as your own coordinator, make sure to get written proposals from every vendor you're going to use. Assume nothing. Unless it's in writing, you have no guarantee that the dj will really play for four hours or the tarot card reader will be there for two. Proposals are as individually written as the people typing them. However, there are some consistent things you should look for. If all of these points aren't covered in the proposal you receive, get clarification and then get it in writing. Proposals can be written as a bottom line price for any of a number of services based on the total number of guests, type and quantity of food, rentals, beverages, décor, etc. This kind of proposal is dangerous because you really don't know how things are being priced and what costs what. With everything lumped together, it is easy for you to end up paying all kinds of hidden charges or worse yet, not get certain services included that you thought were part of the package.

Per Person Prices:
At The Party Goddess, we write our proposals and price everything out line by line. For example, you would see a per person amount for:

o Food: Pricing is based on the number of guests (the greater the number, the deeper the discount) type of item, time of day, quality and quantity of food.

o Beverages: Pricing is based on the number of guests, variety, duration of the party and quality of the brands served.

o Disposables: The caterer uses a formula to determine how many of each item to bring so that you don't run out.

You Would Then See Separate Line Items For:

o Staff: Look for the job each staff person will be performing, number of staff, the estimated number of hours the staff will be working and their rate per hour.

o Rentals: Look for per item prices, quantities and separate delivery, set up and strike charges. Often some sort of damage waiver will be included to protect the rental company against breakage and shortage.

o Entertainment : Look for the number of hours the price includes and make sure setup and drive time are included in the price or quoted elsewhere.
o Venue: Look for a set venue fee which may or may not be based on the number of guests expected, a refundable security deposit and extra charges for things like security, on site coordinators, set up and clean up.

o Décor: Look for line item prices for centerpieces, buffet décor, overall décor and installation and strike charges.

o Lighting: Often quoted as an overall package price. Ask for a schematic or some kind of specific proposal that details which areas will be lit.

o Service Charge: Most of the time the service charge is a percentage of the total bill. This charge is not a gratuity and generally covers planning time, workers' comp and liability insurance. Make sure all of your vendors carry their own insurance and name you as additional insured.

o Sales Tax: Every state is different, but in California caterers are required to charge sales tax. Expect to see it on your bill.

Payments - What You Should Expect:

As with all aspects of planning a party, paying for an event has a million variables. In general, you should expect to put down a deposit, usually 50%. This deposit confirms that your vendors will be working for you on a particular date. Typically the deposit is nonrefundable, so make sure you're really committed. Depending on the size and scope of the event, you may be asked to make progress payments and then a fi nal payment on delivery or even 7 days prior. It is also likely for caterers and planners to ask for a credit card to guarantee the final balance of an event.

The Bottom Line:
Information is power. Get all of your quotes in writing, sign your contracts and stay on top of your vendors.

Which Cake Stand Do You Need?

Let's face it: any party---be it a simple children's birthday celebration or an extravagant wedding party---wouldn't be complete without a lovely cake, the most popular dessert of choice for festivities. Over the years, pastry chefs and bakers have creatively improved cakes in order to match them with a certain event theme, or make them unique in their own way. However, the beauty of these cakes don't always just rely on how they are designed, but also on how they are displayed, which is why one should also take into consideration the kind of cake stands that should be used with certain cakes or events.

Thanks to the genius of event planners and vendors nowadays, we are presented with a lot of new and different ways to display our cakes. There are lots of lovely cake stands which can easily be bought from department stores, and there are also those which can easily be made at home. Let's look at some of the more popular types of cake stands and determine when and how we can utilize them properly for an event.

Pedestal:Probably the most popular of all types, the pedestal cake stand is the type one would normally see in a caf矇 or bakery, or even a normal household. It has a pillar (usually around three to six inches long) which supports the main base (with a diameter that ranges from six to twelve inches) where the actual cake is placed. A domed variation of this type includes a clear glass dome that serves as a cover for the cake on display, which is a useful option for an outdoor celebration. This is usually the safest option when displaying wedding or birthday cakes, and is available in crystal, porcelain, and even wood.

Tiered / Pillared: Working with levels is a great idea when displaying cakes, especially if you want them to stand out among the other types of food or dessert present on your spread. To achieve this type of presentation, you will need either a tiered or pillared cake stand.

A tiered stand is pretty much like a pedestal cake stand but with more than one base where you can place cakes in, and is usually the best choice when cupcakes are involved. The bases gradually grow smaller as the stand grows taller, creating the illusion of a dessert tree or pyramid. Cupcakes are placed on the bigger bases, and a small actual cake is placed at the top-most base, or sometimes the entire stand is filled with just cupcakes. In place of cupcakes, petit-fours or other small pastries can also be displayed in this type of stand.

Meanwhile, a pillared stand could usually display around three small cakes at the same time, each on different levels. It consists of smaller versions of the pedestal cake stand, but grouped together in such a way that a stair-like effect is achieved. Having your child's first birthday party? Use a pillared cake stand to separate your baby's smash cake from the cake your guests are having.

Floating: The floating cake stand is a variation of the tiered stand, but with the supporting bars situated on only one side so that when the cakes are placed on the bases, it creates the illusion that they are actually floating. Ornate wedding or debutante cakes can be displayed beautifully in this type of stand, and as a practical note, there are now floating cake stands which can be disassembled for easy storage.

Plateau: A very basic stand, the cake plateau is something one could use at a simple housewarming party, or perhaps a regular family dinner. Usually made of silver or porcelain, it somewhat resembles a pedestal cake stand, but without the long pillar supporting it underneath. Sometimes though, it has three or four short "legs" that give it a small height advantage compared to the other dishes on the table.

These different cake stands can actually be used for any type of event when decorated accordingly, but you need to take three things into consideration: 1) the kind of event you're planning, 2) the kind of cake you're having for the event, and; 3) the 'look' you wish to achieve with your display. Once you figure these out, you will then get a clearer picture of what cake stand you need, and what you can do with it to achieve the look you are aiming for.

Good luck, and happy cake stand hunting!

How Popular is an Event Planning Course?

An event planning course is very popular in the present conditions due to the increasing number of vacancies being created in the event management sector. To excel in the field an event planning course would be highly helpful.

There is a drastic increase in the number of vacancies being created in companies of different types. In comparison with the earlier days, more and more people worldwide have stared appointing them for conducting different events such as wedding, birth day parties, corporate parties, conferences, baptism etc to name a few. Candidates who have successfully completed an event planning course would always be in demand. The job of planning is not an easy one as it may seem, there is a need to include various strategies for ensuring that the event takes place successfully.

If you participate in an event planning course, you would be able carry out your duties well. An event would be inclusive of various things such as beverage and food services, security, promoters, technicians, decorators etc and there is a need to plan all of these works in advance. The requirements vary based on the customer events. In some types of events what happens is that the entire job is assigned to the event planners starting from finding a venue to see to it that each and every guest is given satisfactory attention.

This is where an event planning course from reputed institutes becomes important. There is a need to study and analyse each and every details of the event and certain situations have to be anticipated. A course would make you capable of handling different types of situations which can arise at any time during an event.

You would be having all the skills required for surviving in the field but attending such a course would make you more efficient since professional advices on various aspects of the course would be provided by experienced professionals. There will also be guest lessons. The information on new technologies to be used in the modern event planning would be obtained with help from such courses.

You would also be provided with practical training on various aspects of event planning thereby enabling you to get adequate experience before joining a firm. These practical experiences as part of courses on event management are offered by prominent institutes worldwide. Try to make maximum out of it during your course so that you would be able to utilise these skills later.

Event Planning Facts

Event Planning or management is most probably similar in analogy to planning a typical birthday party, where the preparations need to be set up in the most effective ways. However, there are more intimate details in event management that needs to be paid close attention to.

Nowadays, the term Event manager seems to refer to an easy yet sophisticated and chic profession. Yet in actuality, there are consequences and accountabilities that are attached to this classy title of being a service provider. The name suggests the job profile of an event manager involves organizing a special affair. Concepts have to be visualized, planned, budgeted, and executed in events that are often highly regarded such as fashion or beauty shows, concerts, corporate seminars, exhibitions, wedding celebrations, theme parties, product launching, etc.

What is good about this career and its gaining popularity is the minimal requirement for financial investments, yet it allows the planner to be independent and flexible. Personal traits, character and attitude are of more importance in event planning. The planner of events must possess a real passion in holding or conducting affairs, they need to be organized and able to work in flexible and often extended hours. Although this exciting career among the younger generation may have been seen as a sensational one, it also demands a substantial amount of hard work and effort. Perfection is a major quality that must be achieved in any event management and therefore requires a great quantity of patience, good communication skills and comprehension to be practiced by an event manager. Duties must be discharged with efficiency, challenges must be confidently faced and situations must be given due attention and reaction. Team spirit, leadership and organizational skills are as well required in event planning. Every detail no matter how minute must be paid close attention to.

There are also courses available to be taken by anyone who decide on taking a career in event planning. Eligibility courses usually requires to have a bachelor's degree in any discipline but most preferred are management-related fields, social sciences, liberal arts and humanities. Individuals who are of interest simply have to finish these courses that are offered in many academic institutional and universities. Short term certificates as well as post graduate MBA courses may also be taken. Major areas of principles and techniques must also be mastered to effectively perform and execute the duties of an event planner. These principles include public relations, organizational development, communication and implementation.

Training and experience also contribute in becoming an adept and qualified event manager. While at school, the aspirant may work as an event staff personnel for sporting festivals and leagues. If there are local music shows to be held, assist in the preparation. Internships also play a major role in molding a successful planner.

Upon completion of qualifying courses, the event planner can join established companies in event planning or they may choose to set up and start their own business. Employment are available from corporate and public sectors, government agencies, tourist agencies, hotels, banks and other financial institutions, private consultancy firms etc.