Picture This!

I stopped by Paris Caterers recently and saw this wonderful booth sitting over in the corner. So of course, I inquired about it's use. Well picture this! It can be used for photo favors which are provided instantly for your guests and/or the pictures can be made into a scrapbook (which one of the owners shared with me), and was really cool. Many brides I am sure would find this a wonderful favor to share with their guests.

Now of course, my wondering mind wanted to know, "Can you also rent the booth for other events?" Why of course you can.

So check it out! For weddings and other events, YOU oughta be in Pictures!

Check Out These Venues

It's been two months into the new year, and the ISES meetings keeps getting better and better. For those of you who might not be familiar with this organization, ISES (International Special Events Society) is an organization which educates and promotes the special events industry. The South Jersey Chapter of ISES kicked off the New Year with a fab. meeting at Mirabella Cafe. Joe Palombo and his staff were the perfect host. From the butlered hors d' oeuvre's, the wonderful food stations, this could be the perfect place for rehearsal dinner, shower, or even an intimate reception. Off Premise catering is also available. Mirabella's Cafe is well worth checking out www.mirabellacafe.com

February's meeting was held at the newly renovated Currents, at Adventure Aquarium. It boasts 3 rooms and has the capacity for 300 for a reception. For a dinner reception the capacity is 250. Valet parking is available for events. Although, both venues were excellent, I have a particular fondness for the Aquarium in that I had my own wedding reception there long before it's current renovation. The Adventure Aquarium where Philadelphia meets New Jersey. For more information visit www.currentsballroom.com.

Stationary Finds

I could spend hours doing crafts or walking through stores with paper and graphics. Now I send my friends, my brides, and my party people to one of my favorite print and graphic stores to do what else.... find beautiful paper and to stir the creative juices. So when I came across this website, I couldn't help but stop and was absolutely in love with all the choices of paper, diy projects, templates, and how to videos. The site is called the Paper Source:http://www.paper-source.com/. So for ladies who craft, brides wishing to save some money. Check out this site, and if you are in the Cherry Hill area, go by and visit Xpedx Paper and Graphics. Oh I am thinking save the date cards, invitations, favors and on and on and on... Have Fun!

Home Again

Pictures from the fire 11/11/07

Re-building

Hi Everybody,

I am going to try this year to blog with a little more consistency than last year. If you followed my blog, 2007-2008 was a year to remember. After 13 months, I finally moved back into my home. I was really worried about my kids moving back into a house that had burned, but actually they were ok. In the true spirit of an Event Planer's kid(s)...they were ready to plan a party even before we moved furniture into the house. Like normal kids, they packed things that we needed and things that we did not need. When packing became a chore, I think that got rid of somethings because it was more trouble to move everything. It hasn't been quite two months, and I am still looking for things. Who knows .. I may never find everything. 2009- Of Course it's going to be a better year! I was just cruising the net as I often do and ran across the saying " Great Events are built on Great Designs. Well that is exactly what I plan to do this year and thereafter- to implement Great Events, Great Designs, Great Themes. I think that I have done almost every kind of social event. In addition to weddings, last year I was hired to plan a funeral for a family that did not live in New Jersey. That was different, but still it was an event. I handled the budget, acquired the majority of the vendors, florist, church, caterer and made sure the set-up, and break down were completed per time line. 2008 also brought many opportunities to use my design skills, floral decor and something which I think is really fun styrofoam decor. Styrofoam decor makes really cool centerpieces. When I wasn't working a wedding of my own, I often worked with one of my fellow planners, because as we know in the Event World- we are all in this together. It takes a Team to make an event seem flawless. One of my most precious memories was the vow renewal ceremony for the couple celebrating 25 years of love. Oh my, because as we all know in the world of Love; that it's easy to fall in LOVE but staying in love through the thick and thin... WELL you know how it goes. I recall my early days of marriage, the planning of the wedding, the wonderful love. And there were other days, Time passes, and of course you are still in love. But then there were some days, that I would pull my wedding albumn out.........some days just to reflect about ummm how/why. But we love anyway.

I can't predict the future, but I am almost sure that we will continue to be B DAZ'zled as all of life's events lead to DAZ'zling Dreams and we will remember dazzling moments.

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Les & Kristen,

Happy Birthday

Thoughts, December 14th is my birthday. I am blessed and thankful to see another year. Some of my friends called and wanted to know what I was planning for my special day. Well .....nothing that I can really think of. Actually today, I am feeling rather drained and I am fighting a cold or something that one minute I feel ok and the next well..... yuk or yukkie IS that a real word?. You see I just moved back into the house that burned approximately a year ago. Everything is not 100% but for the most part the house was ready enough to get a CO. Packing up two houses is never really a joy but somehow it happened. Many times during the whole process, I tried to think of this whole rebuilding process as planning an event ( you know we think of something that is fun) when we really don't want to do something or would rather be doing something else. Well the fun lasted for a short period and then it became a pain in the u know what. Now I hope I don't sound too blah.....but I am blogging at some unreal time because I took a nap earlier after having some medicine so .... I am wide awake. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me and to all my Saggie Friends. I look forward to next weekend celebrating my good friend's birthday HAPPY Birthday Isis of Posh of Events and to all my other friends and family HAPPY BIRTHDAY Reggie, Nicole, Montez, Wanda, Donna, and LeRoy!!! I know that I forgot someone but HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE DECEMBER BABIES! AS of TODAY.....there are only 11 more days to Christmas. So I will celebrate today and for the rest of the holiday season!!! As soon as I get rid of this cold.. ...Gonna Party LIKE IT"S !1999

It's So Pink!

While I was thinking of pink, these are some designs from a recent wedding, in which the bride's favorite color was ......... YOU GUESSED IT........ PINK! Design Tips: Custom Asile Runner- Measure the length and width of the asile. In this case, I only did the center asile for effect. The circle which was placed in the center, was removed later which will be framed as a memory from the wedding. WOW! Low Budget Floral- I do love florals but many times, the budget does not allow for extensive florals. For this wedding various vases were filled with deco beads, led lights were added for more effect. Candles were placed on each table with the various height vases. The room looked wonderful. Hope to share more pictures soon from so pretty in pink.

Brides Who Make A Difference.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This blog is dedicated to my friends/sisters who are breast cancer survivors. I recall a prayer chain when we found out that one of my dear friends had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she is healthy and still going strong. And then there was another friend, and another. Breast Cancer affects the lives of one in eight women. Although women are at a higher risk, men too can be affected by breast cancer. The focus of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is to increase awareness, share information and provide screening services to individuals. It is estimated nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed this year with breast cancer. Many of these women will be between the ages of 15-54 years old.

In going through my October folder, I found a pamphlet Making Memories. The Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization which 1. which aids terminally ill breast cancer patients with a memory making wish; 2 increase awareness and educate the public about breast cancer awareness. Some of the various events listed are Brides Against Breast Cancer, Diamonds for Dreams, Pink Envelope Project and Nationwide Quilt Contest. You can find Making Memories on line at http://www.makingmemories.org/. Early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Stay informed, get a mammogram screening every year for all women age 40, and older and every 1-2 years for women under 40.

Time Goes By

I'm back!!!! I cann't believe that it's been so long since I last posted. When my 11 year old said to me, the summer goes by too quickly, I thought it isn't just me thinking that Time Goes By TOO QUICKLY. Well, I am going to try to catch up and in the next few posts let you hear about some of the happenings from the summer. When I started this blog, I initially told you about my house that burned on 11/7/07. To date, I am still not back in the house but hope to move back in a few weeks. I do not watch alot of TV, but recently watched the show "SAY YES TO THE DRESS" If you have not seen it, it's about BRIDES who cann't make up their mind about which wedding dress to pick. The one particular episode that I watched ,the dress the bride picked out from her picture was totally not her style, and the other was way over budget. Well, I kinda compared myself to picking things out for the house to this show. Now, I can plan parties, custom designs, weddings and so forth for other folks...........but felt pretty much like a bride in picking cabinets, countertops, mirrors, paints, flooring and so forth. SO I have my notebook, just like a Bride, put my top priorities in order and pretty much picked a neutral color scheme for the whole house. My daughter initially wanted four different colors for her room, and my son who is a big Phillies FAN!! wanted.....of COURSE a Phillies Room. Cann't wait to take pictures to let you see how it turns out. My daughter settled for two shades of pink, and my son is happy with the painters adding a RED stripe around the room. The next few weeks will probably be very busy, but my TO DO LIST includes keeping up with my posts.

Something Blue

UM...UM... GOOD!

Whether you are celebrating the Fourth or planning that very special life celebration. Here's something BLUE!

Spectular Wedding Show

What an EVENT! It was one of those evenings, and I was not at all sure that I was going but I am so glad that I did. The Wedding Salon at The Palace at Somerset Park impressed me from the beginning to the finale. From the spectacular entrance, the grand terraces and exquisite ballrooms. It boasts of being the only venue of it's kind in New Jersey. The space is able to accommodate groups of up to 1,000. But if your event is smaller the Palace is still able to accommodate your guests. What a finale!! A Bridal Fashion Show by The Exclusive Vera Wang. I could not wait to share some of these wonderful pictures with you. Enjoy!

A Splash of Color Was Everywhere!

Tablescapes with the WOW Effect!

B DAZ'zle Gives Back

Lindenwold Mayor Kicks Off Luncheon

I could not be in the position that I am in today without being thankful and giving back. I belongto many professional organizations. But one in particular the women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority believe in community service and giving back to those whose shoulders we stand on.Recently the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Lindenwold Municipal Alliance hosted a luncheon for the seniors of the Lindenwold Community Center. This is the second annual luncheon in which the seniors look forward to each year. Last year's theme was "Welcome Summer" in which B DAZ'zled Events and Weddings provided the decor and the members of the sorority provided a luncheon. This year's theme "You Are A Star" provided a Hollywood Backdrop with all of the seniors entering on a Red Carpet. The Mayor of Lindenwold NJ along with many other dignitaries were present. A discussion of Safety Precautions for Seniors was provided by the Municipal Alliance. Thank you DST and the Lindenwold Senior Citizen's Group. Each senior member of the group took home many goodies provided by the Alliance and a single red rose.

Wedding Flowers

Flowers can range from $300 to $5,000 or more. Most weddings use flowers for the ceremony, brides bouquet, bridesmaids bouquets, corsages (mother's grandmother's aunts, special people in your life), boutonnieres, flower girl, reception flowers. So when planning your budget, the floral budget should be close in the top ten category. In today's economy with the high cost of gas- what's a bride to do. First try using some of your ceremony flowers at your reception. Downsize your bridal party. Instead of each bridesmaid carrying a full bouquet try using one stem, which can be very elegant. Find flowers that are in season which can cut your costs significantly. Find pictures of flowers that you would like to use. How would you like to utilize flowers at the ceremony and the reception. Pictures...pictures.... pictures please! Browse the internet, magazines or better yet go and visit a florist. And although I love flowers "think outside the box." Many times you can have a wonderful effect with using fewer flowers or providing your florist or event designer with ideas for unique bouquets or centerpieces with fewer flowers.

Tablescape By Bev./ Inspired by France

These are the pictures that I promised in an earlier blog.

The Eiffel Tower draped with a boa.

Good-bye Guy

Well, the last few weeks have been a whirl-wind and I have been MIA for a few a days with blogging. It's the end of the school year for my kids which means parties, more parties, dance recitals , weddings, and such. It also means graduations, baby showers, wedding showers, proms, and even a celebration of life. A Celebration of Life you say- is that an Event? Why of course it is. This past week, I joined with several friends in saying Good-bye to our dear friend and accountant Guy Wallace. Guy was an intelligent wonderful individual who loved life and people. No matter what the day of the week, he could always make you laugh- with one of those deep belly laughs. He will be missed not only by his lovely wife of fifteen years, but also by the many lives that he touched along the way. We will remember his laugh, his love for good food, friends and for doing our taxes for so many years. Even during his Celebration of Life Service, we laughed through tears with fond memories of Guy.

Sometimes I Shop!

I love craft stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, furniture stores, flea markets, and all kinds of stores. Yes, you can say that I love to shop or sometimes just browse the asiles of a store. Many times, but not often I don't buy a thing. Sometimes I am just gathering ideas or gathering my thoughts. Now you never know where you are going to get some inspiration! Last week, I was walking around Michael's Craft Store ( really, really love craft stores) and I picked up these wonderful idea cards. Of course, they were Martha Stewart: Crafts. Now if you are short on time, or you don't find it therapeutic as I do, then maybe Idea Cards might not be your thing. If an effort to go green in my house and not pick up too many papers or have too much clutter. I only picked up two of the Idea Cards. One was kid's party ideas and the other mix+match wedding themes. The kids party ideas mainly included crafting paper, food tissue paper, stamps and a craft knife- which if you are doing this as part of the activity for a children's party would need close supervision. Can you see it, a bunch of 10 or 11 year old boys using a craft knife like the joy stick on the Wii. Thoughts only a mother would have. Whew! now that I had that thought,I also thought that the cookie envelope was really cute and simple. This could be used as a craft and/or a favor to end a birthday or any children's party celebration. The paper cone shaped hats were also on this particular Idea Card. Just paper rolled into the shape of an ice cream cone with a few embellisments. Now of course my tween and teen would not be caught dead in a cone shaped hat, but would be more than happy to make and decorate them. The wedding themes caught my eye because I am working with a couple who will be celebrating twenty-five years of martial bliss and the silver and white Print It Yourself invitations seemed really pretty and classy. So there's my inspiration- I am thinking of throwing an end of the year party for my kids, and also have a new budget friendly idea to present to the anniversary couple. You see you never know where you are going to get alittle inspiration.

If you are a DIY take a look at http://www.michaels.com/ or www. marthastewartcrafts.com.

Top It Your Way

Ok, it's your Day- Your Way because you are the bride. But the cake also gets lots of attention. These custom cake toppers could easily be added to your wedding, anniversary, birthday or graduation party cake. You might even try just using them as part of the decor.

Too Cute

These napkin rings could make a great conversation piece at your next dinner party. You can do them yourself or have your kids do them. They are toilet tissue holders all dressed up. Too cute! If you are a little crafty- try this and other great ideas from www.make-stuff.com

How Sweet It Is

Mother's Day became an official holiday in 1914. I could not end this evening without giving special thanks for all the wonderful mothers in the world. My parents are deceased but it the foundation provided by my mother that made the person that I am today. I am thankful and I am sure that she continually watches over me. My children and family made this day so special for me. My day started with my daughter making her famous pancakes under the close supervision of her brother. I marveled at the fact they are both growing up so quickly, and had actually joined forces in having a day off from any kind of arguments. We spent time together in church and later enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by my sister. After enjoying the evening, my oldest sister noticed a present which had not been opened. I opened the bag and removed a card which immediately sang " How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You. I smiled, laughed and moved to the beat of Sweet Love and Devotion. I am sure that everyone thinks that they have the most wonderful kids in the world- but I know that I do. So on this Mother's Day and Everyday- How Sweet It Is..... You saved the best for last! Who knows this might even be a wonderful wedding song.