You must RSVP to attend this free party!! Looking forward to "shopping" with you!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
October 20, 2011
CTD Events Accessory Swap Party!
YOU are cordially invited to this event!!
You must RSVP to attend this free party!! Looking forward to "shopping" with you!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
You must RSVP to attend this free party!! Looking forward to "shopping" with you!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
September 30, 2011
Fabulous Friday Find: Red Balloon Save The Date Stationary
While blog stalking, I mean checking out the fabulous, Oh Happy Day blog, I saw this adorable Red Balloon Save the Date stationary! It's soooo unique and creative I just had to share it with you!
It cost the bride and groom $270.00 for 100 Save The Date Cards
If you like this idea, you can order your Save The Date Red Balloon cards here;
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
September 29, 2011
Love Letters
Circle The Date Events technical director (which means he the brains & brawn of the operation! HA!) is my hubby Don. He was away last week on business travel and I just found out he is gone again next week on business travel too :( As you know we have a 19 month old, Maddy, and I was reminded how much he helps me with her.
So here I sit at my desk, writing my beloved a love letter telling him how much I appreciate all that he does for me and our little Maddycakes.
If you visit this blog reguarly there is a good chance that you are planning a wedding. As I am sure you know by now, weddings can be very stressful and the planning of it might have caused a fight or two. So take some time out of your day and write your beloved a love letter telling him/her why you love them so much and can't wait to say "I Do" on your wedding day!
After all of your hard planning the most important part of your wedding is you two saying "I Do"
I wish you much happiness!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
So here I sit at my desk, writing my beloved a love letter telling him how much I appreciate all that he does for me and our little Maddycakes.
If you visit this blog reguarly there is a good chance that you are planning a wedding. As I am sure you know by now, weddings can be very stressful and the planning of it might have caused a fight or two. So take some time out of your day and write your beloved a love letter telling him/her why you love them so much and can't wait to say "I Do" on your wedding day!
After all of your hard planning the most important part of your wedding is you two saying "I Do"
I wish you much happiness!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
September 28, 2011
Crib Notes By Maddy: Construction Themed Birthday Party
My mom started a new series called Crib Notes by Maddy so I, the smallest team member of the Circle The Date team, can show you awesome kid party themes and hope it gives you some inspiration to get outside the big box store and create an amazing party for your little one!
While I was surfing the web looking for neat parties for kids I came across this construction theme party planned for Theo by his mommy Jessica of Juicy Bits. I think you will agree that the attention to detail is what made this party fun for all the little people, us kids!
I hope this party has inspired you to throw your little guy a construction theme party or add some of these party elements to your next get together! And I leave you today with a picture of me, Maddycakes, in my Halloween costume!
Love,
Maddy
While I was surfing the web looking for neat parties for kids I came across this construction theme party planned for Theo by his mommy Jessica of Juicy Bits. I think you will agree that the attention to detail is what made this party fun for all the little people, us kids!
I hope this party has inspired you to throw your little guy a construction theme party or add some of these party elements to your next get together! And I leave you today with a picture of me, Maddycakes, in my Halloween costume!
Love,
Maddy
September 27, 2011
Event Planning Tip: Parking
When planning an event, especially one at a private business or home a common oversight is ample guest parking. As the party hostess it is your job to ensure you think of every scenario your guests will experience at your event (or you can hire us to think of all the scenarios for you!) Make sure your venue or home has sufficient parking for you and your guests!
We have planned enough home events that now at my first on site visit I am looking for a parking plan. Having your guests park up and down your street or neighboring private businesses is NOT a plan, unless you have invited every neighbor on your block or received their permission to have cars in front of their home. Having a planner on the job will ensure that a parking plan is worked out and we have a parking staff on hand with their fashionable orange vests and handy flash lights!
Also don't forget to post VIP signs close to your venue for your sweet grandma or older guest so they don't have to walk far! One of our fabulous clients thought of a cute idea of having the VIP guests put a custom sign in their car window that way our parking staff don't have to stop traffic to confirm the guests' identity. We are the only planning company in Yuma to offer valet parking which is nice in the colder months so guests can drop their vehicles right outside the event space and get inside to the warm party!
I hope this got you home party hosts thinking about this often forgotten topic! Please send us an email if you are interested in a complimentary consultation for your upcoming event or if you need parking or valet attendants.
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
We have planned enough home events that now at my first on site visit I am looking for a parking plan. Having your guests park up and down your street or neighboring private businesses is NOT a plan, unless you have invited every neighbor on your block or received their permission to have cars in front of their home. Having a planner on the job will ensure that a parking plan is worked out and we have a parking staff on hand with their fashionable orange vests and handy flash lights!
Also don't forget to post VIP signs close to your venue for your sweet grandma or older guest so they don't have to walk far! One of our fabulous clients thought of a cute idea of having the VIP guests put a custom sign in their car window that way our parking staff don't have to stop traffic to confirm the guests' identity. We are the only planning company in Yuma to offer valet parking which is nice in the colder months so guests can drop their vehicles right outside the event space and get inside to the warm party!
I hope this got you home party hosts thinking about this often forgotten topic! Please send us an email if you are interested in a complimentary consultation for your upcoming event or if you need parking or valet attendants.
Until Next Time...Happy Planning
September 26, 2011
Twas The Night Before The Wedding....P Diddy White Party Style!
Hello readers!! Sorry it has been nearly forever since I posted last! I am excited to tell you that I am pregnant with our second child and unfortunately have been sick as a dog but thankfully I think the morning aka all day/please kill me now sickness is subsiding and I am returning to my "normal" life.
We have done so many events in the past few months and I am starting to get pictures back from our wonderful photographers. I want to share with you a white modern party we planned for our fabulous client Maggie! We decided to throw in a spash of purple for some color but Maggie was floored with the results and we couldn't be happier.
With the fabulous P Diddy all white parties as my inspiration I channeled a little P Diddy (minus the large bling necklace) and here's what we gave Maggie to celebrate the night before her sister's wedding!
Guests enjoyed a create your own quesadilla bar and other comfort food;
To keep the room feeling modern we back lit the quesadilla and stocked complimentary bar. We named the bar the Garcia's El Captain Lounge and Bar after the couple's favorite bar in El Gulfo! The bar menu gave guests all the options to choose from including a delicious purple drink name the The Purple Veronica Passion after the bride.
Guests loved writing their well wishes to the bride and groom;
With children in attendance we dedicated one guest table to the kids and fully stocked the table with coloring books, crayons, bubbles, stickers, glow sticks and ofcourse whoopie cushions (which I saw the little boys using on the adult women!). We created a create your own cupcake station where the children chose their cupcake flavor from 3 options chose their frosting then chose a topping. They loved creating their own cupcake and I am pretty sure they tried each flavor of cupcake! We had a tree in the middle of the table that had cupcakes hanging from the branches!
Once they were full the guests hit the bar then the dancefloor and had a blast!
I know it's a party that this family will not soon forget and we were so honored and excited to be a part of it and are looking forward to helping them plan future parties!
A special thank you to Kim Garcia of Kim Garcia Photography for the great pictures!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning!
We have done so many events in the past few months and I am starting to get pictures back from our wonderful photographers. I want to share with you a white modern party we planned for our fabulous client Maggie! We decided to throw in a spash of purple for some color but Maggie was floored with the results and we couldn't be happier.
With the fabulous P Diddy all white parties as my inspiration I channeled a little P Diddy (minus the large bling necklace) and here's what we gave Maggie to celebrate the night before her sister's wedding!
Guests enjoyed a create your own quesadilla bar and other comfort food;
To keep the room feeling modern we back lit the quesadilla and stocked complimentary bar. We named the bar the Garcia's El Captain Lounge and Bar after the couple's favorite bar in El Gulfo! The bar menu gave guests all the options to choose from including a delicious purple drink name the The Purple Veronica Passion after the bride.
Guests loved writing their well wishes to the bride and groom;
With children in attendance we dedicated one guest table to the kids and fully stocked the table with coloring books, crayons, bubbles, stickers, glow sticks and ofcourse whoopie cushions (which I saw the little boys using on the adult women!). We created a create your own cupcake station where the children chose their cupcake flavor from 3 options chose their frosting then chose a topping. They loved creating their own cupcake and I am pretty sure they tried each flavor of cupcake! We had a tree in the middle of the table that had cupcakes hanging from the branches!
Once they were full the guests hit the bar then the dancefloor and had a blast!
I know it's a party that this family will not soon forget and we were so honored and excited to be a part of it and are looking forward to helping them plan future parties!
A special thank you to Kim Garcia of Kim Garcia Photography for the great pictures!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning!
August 18, 2011
Guest Favors: Candy Buffet!
Almost all of our 2011, 2012 and 2013 events are including a candy buffet for their guest favors. This has caused me and my team to really research how much candy we need to buy to ensure our clients have enough but not too much! After much research we have found to fill popular treat bags you should plan on buying 1/2 pound of candy per guest. I know that sounds like allot but if you aren't just using small candy the larger items will take up more space so keep it around 1/2 pound per guest and you should be ok!
If you decide that a candy buffet is just too much work and a favor box at each place setting is more to your liking then check out this article I found on favorideas.com;
"Let's talk about wedding favor boxes. These innocent-looking little boxes actually give rise to some confusion. For instance — when we say "favor box," are we talking about something that holds a few truffles? A slice of cake? A wine bottle stopper?
Most of the time we say "favor box" without giving a special description, it's the traditional kind, on the small side and designed to hold candy. For that matter, it's designed to hold traditional candy. These boxes are usually 2 inches square, and can easily handle five Jordan almonds, the gold standard for weddings.
Okay, but let's say want to fill those boxes with some other kind of candy. After all, many people like to hand out M&Ms in their wedding colors, and Champagne bubble candy is popular, too. In that case, how much candy fits in a traditional favor box? We heaped up our favorite 'Something Blue' boxes with some bride-tested candy choices — all in the interests of science. Enjoy.
1) White Chocolate Dutch Mints.
These beautifully matte mints are all the rage for weddings, and no wonder. With their assertive mint taste, they remind us of a sophisticated, super-creamy version of that mint chocolate chip ice cream that was worth being good for on Sundays years ago. About 36 Dutch mints fills the box to the top.
2) Espresso-Flavored Jelly Bellies.
Jelly bellies really appeal to left-of-center brides, with flavors ranging from tongue-in-cheek chic (espresso or champagne) to down-home goodness (Key lime pie, hot cider). Of course, aficionados and mad scientists like to invent savory concoctions like Blackberry-peach cobbler. By our count, 75 espresso Jelly Bellys filled up the favor box.
3) M&Ms.
You probably at least considered this time-honored crowdpleaser. And as you've doubtless heard, you can order M&Ms with custom messages and colors at MyMMS.com. We counted 90 M&Ms in a filled-up favor box.
4) Hershey's Kisses.
Who doesn't love 'em, with their reliable chocolate punch and their unpretentious shine? Winking at you from the shelves of any store, Kisses are an easy way to play on the theme of love — no wonder they're so popular. 11 chocolate kisses filled our box to the top.
5) Champagne Bubble Candies.
These chewy little lovelies taste as sophisticated as they look, with a complicated white grape flavor and a citrusy kick. (Despite the name, they're safely alcohol-free). Perfect for any celebration, we think they look especially divine in robin's egg blue. Thirty-two champagne bubbles filled the box.
6) Jordan Almonds.
Bestowing health, wealth and happiness (among other blessings) on the marrying couple, Jordan almonds are the most traditional of wedding candies, and always in the best of taste. The traditional number to include in a box is either three or five ... or if more, the number's traditionally odd (like us). We simply heaped our boxes to the top and found that they held about 15 almonds.
But note: during the rigors of testing, one of our programmers helped himself to a scientific taste test, and practically broke a tooth. (Hear Cornel attempt to eat a non-premium Jordan almond).
Which reminds us to remind you that at weddings, Jordan almonds graded Super Fine or Premium are the only way to go. Anything less is encased in jaw-breaking armor of pure sugar that obliterates the taste of almond. And probably makes your fillings really grouchy, too.
7) Pastel Melty Mints.
Wherever weddings abound, melty mints can't be far behind, with their soothing pastel colors and little candy beads. These nostalgic little bonbons are great for showers of all kinds, too. And if your wedding has a retro kick, they're even better. We heartlessly stuffed 12 melty mints into one box — not that you'd have to.
8) Pillow Mints.
So classic they're almost retro, the reliable pillow mint (also known as the "after-dinner butter mint") has graced gazillions of receptions through the years. The cool thing is that now you can bypass ye old random mix and buy them in one color — blue or green, say — which can look really cute in a nice container. A hefty 62 mints filled the box."
Candy Type Average per Pound
M&Ms 530 candies
Premium Jordan Almonds 120 almonds
Jelly Belly beans 400 beans
Hershey's Kisses 100 kisses
Champagne Bubbles Candy 200 candies
Chocolate Dutch Mints 210 mints
Pillow (or Butter) Mints 270 mints
Silver Mini Candy Hearts 380 mints
We are in the process of creating a candy buffet calculator that you can plug in your guests and we will tell you how much candy to buy, so stay tuned for that!
Until Next Time..Happy Candy Eating...I mean Happy Planning!
If you decide that a candy buffet is just too much work and a favor box at each place setting is more to your liking then check out this article I found on favorideas.com;
"Let's talk about wedding favor boxes. These innocent-looking little boxes actually give rise to some confusion. For instance — when we say "favor box," are we talking about something that holds a few truffles? A slice of cake? A wine bottle stopper?
Most of the time we say "favor box" without giving a special description, it's the traditional kind, on the small side and designed to hold candy. For that matter, it's designed to hold traditional candy. These boxes are usually 2 inches square, and can easily handle five Jordan almonds, the gold standard for weddings.
Okay, but let's say want to fill those boxes with some other kind of candy. After all, many people like to hand out M&Ms in their wedding colors, and Champagne bubble candy is popular, too. In that case, how much candy fits in a traditional favor box? We heaped up our favorite 'Something Blue' boxes with some bride-tested candy choices — all in the interests of science. Enjoy.
1) White Chocolate Dutch Mints.
These beautifully matte mints are all the rage for weddings, and no wonder. With their assertive mint taste, they remind us of a sophisticated, super-creamy version of that mint chocolate chip ice cream that was worth being good for on Sundays years ago. About 36 Dutch mints fills the box to the top.
2) Espresso-Flavored Jelly Bellies.
Jelly bellies really appeal to left-of-center brides, with flavors ranging from tongue-in-cheek chic (espresso or champagne) to down-home goodness (Key lime pie, hot cider). Of course, aficionados and mad scientists like to invent savory concoctions like Blackberry-peach cobbler. By our count, 75 espresso Jelly Bellys filled up the favor box.
3) M&Ms.
You probably at least considered this time-honored crowdpleaser. And as you've doubtless heard, you can order M&Ms with custom messages and colors at MyMMS.com. We counted 90 M&Ms in a filled-up favor box.
4) Hershey's Kisses.
Who doesn't love 'em, with their reliable chocolate punch and their unpretentious shine? Winking at you from the shelves of any store, Kisses are an easy way to play on the theme of love — no wonder they're so popular. 11 chocolate kisses filled our box to the top.
5) Champagne Bubble Candies.
These chewy little lovelies taste as sophisticated as they look, with a complicated white grape flavor and a citrusy kick. (Despite the name, they're safely alcohol-free). Perfect for any celebration, we think they look especially divine in robin's egg blue. Thirty-two champagne bubbles filled the box.
6) Jordan Almonds.
Bestowing health, wealth and happiness (among other blessings) on the marrying couple, Jordan almonds are the most traditional of wedding candies, and always in the best of taste. The traditional number to include in a box is either three or five ... or if more, the number's traditionally odd (like us). We simply heaped our boxes to the top and found that they held about 15 almonds.
But note: during the rigors of testing, one of our programmers helped himself to a scientific taste test, and practically broke a tooth. (Hear Cornel attempt to eat a non-premium Jordan almond).
Which reminds us to remind you that at weddings, Jordan almonds graded Super Fine or Premium are the only way to go. Anything less is encased in jaw-breaking armor of pure sugar that obliterates the taste of almond. And probably makes your fillings really grouchy, too.
7) Pastel Melty Mints.
Wherever weddings abound, melty mints can't be far behind, with their soothing pastel colors and little candy beads. These nostalgic little bonbons are great for showers of all kinds, too. And if your wedding has a retro kick, they're even better. We heartlessly stuffed 12 melty mints into one box — not that you'd have to.
8) Pillow Mints.
So classic they're almost retro, the reliable pillow mint (also known as the "after-dinner butter mint") has graced gazillions of receptions through the years. The cool thing is that now you can bypass ye old random mix and buy them in one color — blue or green, say — which can look really cute in a nice container. A hefty 62 mints filled the box."
Candy Type Average per Pound
M&Ms 530 candies
Premium Jordan Almonds 120 almonds
Jelly Belly beans 400 beans
Hershey's Kisses 100 kisses
Champagne Bubbles Candy 200 candies
Chocolate Dutch Mints 210 mints
Pillow (or Butter) Mints 270 mints
Silver Mini Candy Hearts 380 mints
We are in the process of creating a candy buffet calculator that you can plug in your guests and we will tell you how much candy to buy, so stay tuned for that!
Until Next Time..Happy Candy Eating...I mean Happy Planning!
August 17, 2011
Crib Notes By Maddy: Marie Antoinette Themed Birthday Party
Hi! I'm Maddy, the smallest member of the Circle The Date Events team. My mom is starting a new blog series featuring kid parties and I am your host! This week's party was created for a little girl named Amelia by her mom Mandy.
We love the Parisian themed outfit created for little Amelia. From her stylish hat to perfect shoes, this birthday girl looked like a little princess. Mandy carried the Marie Antoinette theme to the food table by using a hanging lampshade. Even the food was displayed in a way that was reminiscent of the era.
We hope this party has inspired you to think beyond the party theme aisle at the big box store and create a theme that is unique and special to your family. Be sure to keep sending us links to amazing finds! We love hearing from you!
Love,
Maddy
We love the Parisian themed outfit created for little Amelia. From her stylish hat to perfect shoes, this birthday girl looked like a little princess. Mandy carried the Marie Antoinette theme to the food table by using a hanging lampshade. Even the food was displayed in a way that was reminiscent of the era.
We hope this party has inspired you to think beyond the party theme aisle at the big box store and create a theme that is unique and special to your family. Be sure to keep sending us links to amazing finds! We love hearing from you!
Love,
Maddy
July 29, 2011
Fabulous Friday Find: Hanging Centerpieces
If you're like me, your jaw probably dropped the moment you saw this stunning event. This look is created with clear floral vases, each holding one white ranunculus which are suspended in air by clear fishing line. Don't you just love how the beauty of the flower just stands (or floats) on its own? A runner's length of white florals and candles along the table compliment the florals from above.
If your space, and budget allows, this design is something I know you and your guests would love to see. Or, on a much smaller scale this would be perfect for the engagement dinner or even a small and intimate dinner party.
Circle The Date Events has aligned ourselves with the best Yuma florists and with our vision and our florists talent we can create a big city look for your next event! Email me for your complimentary consultation!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning!
*Images via Food+Flower+Style
July 28, 2011
Bite Sized Couture
I am planning a mommy's night out party and am working on my favorite part of a party... the finger foods! As you can imagine I don't just throw some cheese on crackers and call it done, I create little pieces of heaven that remind the guests of my overall design theme. This got me thinking about other life events and the importance of serving the food to your guests that YOU like!
You are thinking to yourself, surely Rie is not saying we should serve something as common as pizza to our guests! Pick your jaws up gals...I am!! If parties are an extension of the hosts' personality, wouldn't it be lovely to see their favorite eats on the menu rather than the standard salad appetizer and steak or chicken entree being served? In a classic case of uptown elegance meets downtown cool, our most beloved comfort foods are ending up on the menus of the chicest of receptions and cocktail hours. You might remember Andrew and Rosa's wedding that I recently blogged about, I ordered chicken tenders, stuffed dates and pigs-in-a-blanket for the passed appetizers during the cocktail hour. It was displayed nicely on the platter and the guests were thrilled such down to earth entrees were served!
But before you think paper plates and Dixie cups, check out these very delicious and seriously styled mini treats from Bite Catering Couture. Menus range from Asian Tapas to California Casual, comfort food to elegant wedding. Even though they are based in LA we can still incorporate their ideas, many of the vendors I work with while planning Yuma events are happy to bring something new and funky in. And as added bonus, your guests will be delighted to sample all sorts of foods so rest assured that this savory event will never have a bland moment. Also, passed trays of food throughout the night means your guests will be able to mingle with everyone unlike a traditional sit down dinner.
If you have a traditional family member or fiancée that insists on steak or chicken then compromise and bring in comfort foods later in your party when your guests are drinking and ready for a snack! Banish those thoughts of boring food from your mind, because a little flavor is on the menu for your next event!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning!
You are thinking to yourself, surely Rie is not saying we should serve something as common as pizza to our guests! Pick your jaws up gals...I am!! If parties are an extension of the hosts' personality, wouldn't it be lovely to see their favorite eats on the menu rather than the standard salad appetizer and steak or chicken entree being served? In a classic case of uptown elegance meets downtown cool, our most beloved comfort foods are ending up on the menus of the chicest of receptions and cocktail hours. You might remember Andrew and Rosa's wedding that I recently blogged about, I ordered chicken tenders, stuffed dates and pigs-in-a-blanket for the passed appetizers during the cocktail hour. It was displayed nicely on the platter and the guests were thrilled such down to earth entrees were served!
But before you think paper plates and Dixie cups, check out these very delicious and seriously styled mini treats from Bite Catering Couture. Menus range from Asian Tapas to California Casual, comfort food to elegant wedding. Even though they are based in LA we can still incorporate their ideas, many of the vendors I work with while planning Yuma events are happy to bring something new and funky in. And as added bonus, your guests will be delighted to sample all sorts of foods so rest assured that this savory event will never have a bland moment. Also, passed trays of food throughout the night means your guests will be able to mingle with everyone unlike a traditional sit down dinner.
If you have a traditional family member or fiancée that insists on steak or chicken then compromise and bring in comfort foods later in your party when your guests are drinking and ready for a snack! Banish those thoughts of boring food from your mind, because a little flavor is on the menu for your next event!
Until Next Time...Happy Planning!
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