Not-So-Big Wedding 2010

Calling all MD, DC, VA area brides and grooms! Don’t miss out! The Second Annual Not-So-Big Wedding 2010 Challenge is here! This is a FREE event open to the public. RSVP on the Not-So-Big Wedding website for your chance to receive $500 off a venue rental. However, no RSVP is required to attend!

About the Challenge:

12 Teams comprised of up to four vendors will be working together to create a wedding for $15K or less for 65 guests. They are vying for the grand prize -- $500, media spotlight, and the Not-So-Big Wedding Challenge Winner title for 2010. If you're looking to plan a wedding on a budget, this is the event for you! Come see each team's display and gather a wealth of information for your wedding!

Each package created must include all the costs associated in the production of a wedding such as a planner, caterer, Deejay or band, florist, photographer, rentals etc. and must include the rental of one of the Montgomery Parks facilities: Rockwood Manor, Seneca Lodge, Brookside Gardens, Woodlawn Manor, or Ag Farm -- all for under $15K!

Laura Gosse, Marketing Specialist for the Montgomery County Department of Parks event centers said: "The Not-So-Big Wedding is the new reality for many brides and grooms as the effects of the recession continue to play out. However, small does not have to mean plain. The challenge teams' wedding displays will show couples how they can have a wedding day to remember without breaking the bank."

Team Carnavale has returned to defend its title. Eleven other teams will strive to take it away. Come see the results and meet Team Bijou, Team Cannon, Team Centino, Team Cinful, and Team Crazy in Love, Team Forbidden Fruit, Team Intercounty Wedding Connection, Team Jackson, Team Matrimony, Team Show, and Team Williams.

The panel of judges led by Joyce Mnkande of Events2Remember, Inc. includes Denise Thorne of In Style Caterers, Julie Upchurch of Little House of Flowers, Andrew Larris of Andy Kushner Entertainment, Janice Harrison of Occasional Cakes, LLC, Dave Fritz of CORT Event Furnishings, and Carmichael Jennings of On Que Photography. Accompanying them will be live bloggers Amy Regeti and her colleague Srinu of Regeti’s Photography.

This year’s panel of judges represents the different areas within the industry and each judge brings their knowledge and expertise in those areas. Judging criteria will be based on the creative use of given space, creative use of budget, level of elegance and most memorable display.

There will be a fashion show featuring affordable gowns, which can be purchased from St. Anthony's Bridal, a local non-profit whose mission is to help people have an affordable wedding.

So, mark your calendars, come on along, and have lots of fun, food, and refreshments!

Sunday, November 7th, 2010 from 1-4pm at

Rockwood Manor

11001 MacArthur Blvd

Potomac, MD 20854

Google Maps Directions

See you there!

Destination Event: ME Time

Image from www.destination360.com

Take one vacation four times a year and you could be saving your life (literally). When was the last time you took a vacation? Research shows that 34% of American workers do not use all of their vacation time. In 1992, a follow up to the Framingham Heart Study showed that participants who took the fewest holidays were most likely to suffer a heart attack. A study by the State University of New York, Oswego, published in 2000, tracked male patients at risk of heart disease over a 16-year period. "The results...," says lead researcher Brooks Gump, "...shows an association between taking an annual vacation and a reduced risk of heart attack and death." In Gump’s study, those who took fewer holidays were 30 percent more likely to die of a heart attack. Stress has also been shown to ignite or exacerbate ailments ranging from headaches to heart disease, colds to cancer

The good news is that getting away for a few days can be a clear benefit to your health. Vacations can run range from a do-nothing week on the beach, to a cultural and shopping tour of an exotic island, to a high-adrenaline adventure in Brazil. According to the experts, almost any type of holiday can benefit health to some degree because people tend to be happier, and sleeping longer and better while they're away can add a world of difference. After all, what a difference a day makes!

Here are some tips to a healthy escape:

A week is all you need: Trips of seven days or more are the most restorative. Taking fewer trips of longer duration is better for you than taking multiple mini-holidays.

Keep travel through time zones to a minimum: Jetlag is a form of stress and can undo most of the health benefits of getting away. If you want to get far away and return to the office refreshed and ready to work, travel north or south to avoid painful reentry. (Note: the time it takes to reach a destination neither diminishes nor increases the benefits of travel.)

Maximize your free time: Any type of commitment -- meeting with friends or family, checking e-mails, calling the office, or even following an itinerary -- will reduce the curative effects of travel. Freedom from obligations is key to a healthy vacation.

Choose a resort or cruise over a remote cabin in the woods: We might crave time alone, but making new acquaintances has been shown the increase the restorative power of a vacation. So go ahead and attend the manager’s cocktail party -- it's good for you.

Get off your beach chair: You'll feel more rejuvenated if you incorporate a moderate amount of physical activity (regular walking tours or other light exercise) into your vacation than if you spend the whole time lounging.

Keep it warm and light: We don't need scientific research to figure this one out, but studies confirm that in general, staying in a sunny destination provides greater health benefits than staying in one that has shorter days.

We get stuck in ruts. Vacations can help us develop healthy patterns to carry into our lives. Go out and explore! Your body and mind will thank you for it.

*statistics taken from Expedia International Vacation Deprivation Survey 2009

Insurance Coverage: To Have, or Not to Have?

I thought that this would be a great topic to cover because Fall is officially here and old Mr. Winter will soon be popping his head out; and if this winter is anything like last years' that resulted in numerous event cancellations, you do not want be unprepared!

Whether you are in the special event industry or any other business, it is imperative to protect your business and have insurance coverage especially in today’s litigious society where lawsuits are on the rise with every dawn. We can face potential lawsuits from customers, contractors, attendees, and spectators. Even if the lawsuit is unfounded, the cost of defense will be expensive.

Although the special event planning industry appears to be a glamorous job, it is unfortunately quite the contrary; it is a very hectic, tiring, and occasionally a very trying job. God forbid if some unfortunate mishap ensues and the event planner is sued! It is therefore imperative that everyone in the event management industry carry General Liability and E&O coverage. The latter is sometimes debatable but I personally feel it is essential.

Coverage typically protects against liability claims for bodily injuries, property damage, cancellation, rescheduling, or any accidents that might occur from the set-up time, to during the event, and during the breakdown at the end of the event.

Image from www.intheiropinion.com

However, just as with other insurance policies, event insurance coverage must be carefully selected. Shop around to compare rates and plans and make sure you ask many questions, read through your policies to fully understand your coverage and read the fine print! Be sure that you are covered for the entire management process and/or tailor it to your specific needs. Apply the same steps as you would when purchasing your health insurance, life insurance and/or other benefits. If you cannot afford an annual coverage, some agencies have à la carte options. Whatever package you select, having insurance coverage will not only give you peace of mind but also protect you from setting yourself up for lawsuits that will lead you down bankruptcy lane.

The Brightest Light in the City of Stars

Image courtesy of www.marriott.com

L.A. LIVE is the remarkable new sports and entertainment district just steps from the Los Angeles Convention Center and the legendary Staples Center. It has become one of the city’s great gathering places and home to the nation’s most important award shows, premieres, conventions, celebrations and cultural events. And now, at it’s center is the brand new JW Marriott Los Angeles, which opened in June 2010. It is the new focal point of the Downtown Los Angeles with spectacular views of Hollywood, the ocean, and the downtown skyline and a beacon for the South Park neighborhood. The multi-use tower is also home to the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles & 224 Ritz-Carlton Residences.

Key Features:

• 878 JW Marriott guest rooms
• 123 The Ritz-Carlton guest rooms
• 224 The Ritz-Carlton Residences
• The Ritz-Carlton Spa
• 2 Celebrity Chef restaurants
• 3 bars and Illy Coffee
• Meeting, ballroom, amenity spaces for up to 2,000 guests
• Rooftop pools and fitness facilities at both hotels
• Spectacular views of Hollywood

To satisfy your hungry taste buds, WP24 is the newest culinary treat by Wolfgang Puck. It combines a dynamic conversational lounge and his signature restaurant on the 24th floor with windows offering panoramic views of downtown and surrounding Southern California. The spectacular rooftop pool bar combines sustenance and sky-gazing. 24 hour in-room dining.

While there, be sure to explore L.A. LIVE’s entertainment district and the pulse of the city with convenient access to walking tours, museums, sporting events and concerts. Centrally located, the hotel is just steps away from STAPLES Center, The NOKIA Theater, The Grammy Museum, and an array of restaurants and nightspots.

A definite "Must See" if you are in L.A. and a wonderful space for a destination event!

Selecting the Date for Your Next Event

When planning any event, many factors have to be taken into consideration, as they can affect the outcome of the event. Sometimes these factors work in your favor, and other times they do not. However, in order to plan a successful event, here is a short list of some key considerations:

Image from www.bridalbuds.com

• Major Holidays
• Religious Observations
• The Season
• Time - daylight savings time changes (you don't want your guests to forget and arrive an hour early/late!) and availability
• Superstitions - Friday the 13th, April Fools Day (4/01)
• September 11th - this date (9/11) will be forever etched in the minds of many Americans as a day of mourning.
• Sporting events - especially during Superbowl weekend, World Cup, World Series, etc. 

Sometimes planning an event for a holiday weekend may work well for out-of-town guests who won't have to take extra time off work to travel for your event. However, many people like to spend these holidays with their families, so just be mindful of the date that you choose. Just an example of how some of these dates may or may not work in your favor...

Computer and Cell Phone Backups

Image courtesy of www.gadgettastic.com

Love them when they work, hate them when they don't, and hate them even more when they crash!

A few weeks ago, I received a message that BlackBerry had new updates for my phone. However, since I had not synchronized nor backed up my data since the month of May, I thought it would be wise to do so first. Now, you would think that from prior experience (when my laptop crashed) I would be more deligent in backing up my data. Right? Unfortunately, not! I kept putting it off each day saying to myself, "As soon as I'm done with this, I'll synch my phone!" How many of you are guilty of this as well?

Anyhow, I proceeded to perform a synch/backup only to learn that I could not do so prior to updating my phone. After numerous attempts to skip the update, I gave up. The update did not take long and when it was done, I said, "WOW! I love the new updates! And, I sooo love my BlackBerry even more now!" ...only to realize a little later, that I lost everything I had enterred since the last backup in May! I was livid and angry with myself for not continuing to backup on a weekly basis! Lesson learned the hard way!

Thankfully, after my laptop crashed and after Geek Squad  recovered some files, I put new systems in place to ensure everything is backed up on my external hard drive and looked into off-site backup services. Consequently, even if my computer crashes again, I will still have all my data somewhere. Now, I just need to make sure that the same preventative measures are in place for my cell phone.

With that said, I thought that this would be a worthy topic to blog.

Having a reliable backup system is very crucial in running a business; even more so now than ever before with Green Initiatives in place and many people not printing much. Another plus to off-site backups is that even if your place of business burns down, you will still have access to your data.

For a reasonable fee, several companies provide backup services off site on a secure online database.

Computer Backups
Here are a couple companies you can consider:

1. Carbonite: For just $54.95 per year (about $4.58 per month), Carbonite securely protects your files from

• accidental deletion
• drive failure
• theft
• power surges
• disaster

2. MOZY: For $4.95 per month for personal computers and $5.00 per month for businesses, they will provide the same services as the aforementioned company.

Cell Phone Backups
Whether you lose, break or simply replace your phone for a new one, you may encounter problems with tranfesrring your phone book and other data. Again, as with computers, there are several ways to backup your cell phone data:

1. Provider/Carrier-specific services: Alltell, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel, etc.

2. Third-party backup services: Backup-Pal, Cell Stik, and DataPilot Universal Plus to name a few.

3. Finally, there are various Apps (some free, others not) that you can download directly onto your smart phone... got-to love those Apps! These will backup the info on an ongoing basis.

Do not become the next statistic... take charge! It is worth every penny and your peace of mind!

Back-to-School

We are nearly halfway through September, which means that school is back in session for our youngsters. If you're in a crafty mood, check out these Back-to-School Craft ideas from Etsy. Included are some DIY ideas for creative, personalized school supplies, as well as some ideas for your child's lunch bags. If you missed last years' Back-to-School post on my blog (Quirky Kid's Lunch/Party Ideas), be sure to check it out for some neat DIY sandwiches that your kids will go crazy for!

The summer may be over, but the fun has just begun!