How to Co-Host a Baby Shower (or any party for that matter!)

When my best friend found out she was pregnant with twin girls (and after I stopped crying and screaming in delight) my first question was "Can I throw your shower?" and my second question was "Who else do you want me to include?". If any of you have ever thrown a shower with multiple other hostesses, you know it can get a little tricky trying to involve everyone equally and throw a cohesive event all the while trying to accommodate everyone and their ideas.

Well, we had huge success with this shower even though we weren't even all in the same state. Check out this video for a few tips on how to co-host a baby shower!

PS-We knew we picked the right theme when the mom-to-be showed up wearing a yellow and white polka dotted dress! Woo hoo!

Do you have any tips on throwing a shower with multiple hosts?

How to Hire a Wedding Photographer or Videographer

When interviewing wedding photographers and/or videographers, it can get a little confusing. Photographer A might include 6 hours, one assistant, and an album for $2,000 while Photographer B might include 8 hours, no assistant, an engagement session, and a $300 print credit for $2,500.

If you are having a hard time narrowing it down between two photographers whose work you love, comparing what they offer for the price might help seal the deal.

I recommend making a spreadsheet to compare your options. For example, you will probably want to include the following fields:

Hours included, number of photographers, number of assistants, engagement session, photo album, additional albums, disc of photos, number of locations, price, how long for online gallery, number of photos taken, proofs, additional items. For videographers you will want to add number of discs, number of edits, quality (HD or non HD), etc.

You will then want to fill in the data for each photographer/videographer you are interested in hiring for your wedding. Once you fill it out, you will be able to decide which package includes more for the money.

Just for fun, here's a few of my favorite wedding pictures from my wedding.

I had a pretty tough time getting through my vows-especially the part where we said "in sickness and in health". You just never know what's going to get ya' on the wedding day.

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How did you decide on your photographer?

Affordable Wedding Veils

If you are on a tight budget when it comes to your wedding day beauty (dress, veil, accessories, hair, and makeup) you should check out Occansey Designs for your wedding day veil. They specialize in handmade bridal veils and service brides all over the world. Veils in bridal stores can cost $150 or more (when I say more, I mean way more) while the veils from Occansey Designs start in the low $20s.

They also give great examples of the different types of edging, fullness, and lengths available when customizing your wedding day veil so you know exactly what you are ordering.

Here are some of the options for different edges for your veil:

Cut/Plain Edge Veil

Cut Edge Scalloped Veil

Pencil Edge Veil

Satin Ribbon Edge Veil

Satin Cord Edge Veil

Rippled Edge Veil

Rhinestone Band Veil

Crystal Band Veil

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Where did you buy your veil? Did you find a good deal anywhere online?

Unique Bridesmaid Gift Idea: Makeup Lessons with a Pro

Are you looking for a unique bridesmaid gift idea? I have the perfect solution! Host a "makeup party" with a pro.

This may not work with any of your makeup savvy maids, but if you have a few who complain about not knowing what they are doing, this one's for them!

How to Host a Makeup Party

1. Find a professional makeup artist who offers makeup lessons and has a ton of their own makeup. I recommend Allison Pynn. Read about how awesome she is right here.

2. Ask the makeup artist how many girls she can work with in a session. It will most likely be about 2-3 girls. If you have a big bridal party, you may want to pay extra for more hours so everyone gets some tips.

3. Set the date (I recommend setting it for a Friday or Saturday afternoon that way you can use all the makeup tips you received and then enjoy a night on the town).

4. Send out the invitations to your bridesmaids. Here are some great ideas:

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5. Put together your theme + menu. For a party like this where your attention will be focused on the makeup artist, I recommend light finger foods and premixed drinks.

Sample Menu:

Mini sandwiches

Fruit kabobs

Veggies with dip

Mini desserts (cookies, cupcakes)

Chilled wine or champagne

**Try to stay away from anything with garlic or onions. You're going to be in close proximity to each other during the makeup lesson and don't want to scare anyone off!

6. Remind all your girls to bring all their makeup with them the day of the party (makeup bags, makeup brushes, everything!) The makeup artist will do a thorough scrub of all your makeup, throwing what is old or not your color and keeping what works for you.

7. On the day of the party, you can set up a spa like atmosphere with robes, face creams, exfoliators, and cucumbers for the eyes. Have your girls clean their faces and get relaxed before the makeup lesson begins.

Your makeup artist will teach you tricks and tips for everyday looks, night looks, or whatever funky look you want! Your girls will leave with a customized face chart listing out any makeup items or brushes they will need to complete their looks (and their makeup bags).

If you want to do even more for your maids, you could give your girls personalized makeup bags, gift cards to the makeup counter, or some makeup brush cleaner.

For more information on throwing a makeup party, contact Allison Pynn. I just had a makeup lesson with her and it was awesome! I cannot wait to finally be doing my makeup right!!!

Have you ever had a makeup lesson? What tips did you learn?

Free Downloadable Fonts

Everyone knows how much I LOVE using different (and free) fonts. I found this gorgeous blog with a ton of free fonts and of course, had to download them all! You have to check the blog out.

You can even find tips on how to personalize your blog!

New Website for The Savvy Event

After a year of being up and running, I decided to get myself a new website. I wanted one where I could easily update my content, change pictures, and add/remove pages.

Before:

After:

Check it out! Woo hoo!

Selling your Wedding Items

While planning a wedding, your house may begin to look like a warehouse. Candles, vases, coordinating paper, accessories-all that stuff starts to pile up and eventually can take over entire rooms. Once the marriage has been sealed, the cake has been cut, and the last dance has been danced, you may find yourself back in that room, feeling overwhelmed by all the "stuff". What to do with it?

Before you just toss everything or give it away, be sure to check out these sites:

The Knot Trash to Treasure boards
Brides post new and used items on this forum. If you post items here, be sure to include pictures and exact measurements. Right now on the this board you can buy slightly used pillar candles, brown table runners, artificial flowers, a white bolero and more!

Project Wedding's For Sale Forum
Right now on this board you can buy bulk candy, manzanita centerpieces, champagne flutes, and lanterns.

Wedding Bee Classifieds
Find discounted calligraphy services, used centerpieces, and more.

The She Just Got Married Boutique

Right now you can buy champagne flutes, wedding dresses, shoes, and more!

A few things to remember

• You can also post on these boards if you are looking for particular items (WTB means "want to buy")
• Always pay through paypal.com or another third party payment provider
• Always figure out shipping costs before quoting someone the shipping and handling expense.

Have you had any luck buying or selling used wedding items? If so, what is your favorite site?

Delicious and Easy Cold Appetizers

In putting together a menu for an upcoming party, I really wanted to give the host some easy, delicious, and bite sized appetizer options. My mind instantly went to Ztejas and their grilled shrimp tostada bites. YUM!

Lucky for me, I found their recipe online. How often does that happen?

Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites

Guacamole

3 avocados

1 tomato (diced)

1/2 red onion (diced)

1 lime (juiced)

3 T cilantro

1 jalapeno (deseeded + diced)

1/4 C sour cream

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in bowl and mash using a whisk. Salt + pepper to taste.

Grilled Shrimp

24 shrimp (peeled/deveined)

1 C cilantro pesto (regular pesto but sub cilantro for basil)

Guacamole (from above recipe)

1/4 C chipotle puree

Preparation:

Marinate shrimp with cilantro pesto and place on skewers. Grill approx 2 minutes per side. Using your favorite chip, place a dollop of guac, then chipotle puree, then top with grilled shrimp.

What are some of your favorite appetizers to make?

Wedding at the Waldorf=Astoria in NYC

I just returned from an action packed three night trip at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. While enjoying the luxurious and historical Waldorf, I passed by the Waldorf weddings room where they hold meetings for wedding consultations (beautiful by the way!). It got me to thinking about weddings of the rich and famous and the open ended price tag that goes with them.

I couldn't even imagine the budget a bride and groom would have to have in order to host their wedding at the Waldorf! What are their f&b minimums?!?

This goes out to anyone who is planning their wedding and wants a Waldorf wedding on a Days Inn budget. While it is always helpful to list out the most important things to you for your wedding day, be sure to list out things that are not important to you. It's kind of a backward way of limiting excessive expenses.

For example, let's say you are coming to the end of your wedding budget and have a few thousand left and a few remaining tasks to complete. Linens, flowers, cake, favors, and programs. I always tell my brides to ask themselves this question: Will I regret not having _____(fill in the blank)? I find once you ask yourself a question like that, it makes it easier to eliminate expenses. So if you are on the fence about whether to do high end floral arrangements on your cocktail tables but that means you might have to have the band for less hours or not serve appetizers during the cocktail hour, think about which item you will regret not having at your wedding. Will you regret not having floral arrangements on your cocktail tables or will you regret ending the band earlier and risking your guests' early departure? See how it starts to make sense?

How did you validate and eliminate certain wedding expenses? Is there anything you eliminated that you now regret?

Cute Silverware Wraps

Some parties call for plastic silverware-whether it's a kids party, a backyard baby shower, or a relaxed bbq, using plastic cutlery doesn't have to look cheap. Here are a few festive ways to dress up your silverware (plastic or not):

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What's your favorite way to dress up plastic silverware?

Video: How to Make Tissue Paper Pomanders

Last year I posted a step by step tutorial on how to make tissue paper pomanders and I thought I would put together a quick video as well. Tissue paper pomanders are a great way to inexpensively add color and the wow factor to any party.

Watch the video here or read the step by step tutorial here.

And in case you have no idea what I'm even talking about, here are some good examples:

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Side note: my husband is back from Africa!

So after giving you all the details of my husband's long trip to Africa, I am happy to share that he is back at home! I knew I would be a wreck when I met him at the gate with all the other wives and family members (and the news!). Just as I turned the corner to his terminal, I saw him talking to his parents and I think at that point I started running (yes, I know, so dramatic) to him crying the whole way there. I didn't care who he was talking to or who I was interrupting!

They are going to be on Channel 3 news today at 7:00 pm (I believe). Read all about their adventures on their blog.

Bulk Candy by Color

Candy buffets are yet another fun way to surprise your guest, add interesting decor, and thank your friends and family. Though it seems like you just buy some candy, throw it in a jar, and set it out, there is a lot more to it than that. Read on for some more tips on putting together the perfect candy buffet.

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First, come up with a color scheme or theme for your buffet. Do you want it to be modernly monochromatic or fun and vibrant? Is it for a fancy wedding or a laid back baby shower? Incorporate different elements into your candy buffet to fit your theme or style.

Second, how much do you need? This can be the trickiest part of all since it's more a matter of how the candy buffet looks once it's set out rather than how much actual candy there is. Oh Nuts online candy store recommends the following guidelines when purchasing candy:

• large events (over 100): 8-10 kinds of candy (10-15 lbs each)
• small events (under 100): 5-8 kinds of candy (5-10 lbs each)

A few online resources for buying bulk candy by color are Metro Candy and Oh Nuts.

Next, purchase your containers, scoops, favor bags, and labels.

When purchasing containers, I recommend using clear glass containers in various sizes. Using a colored container can take away from the colored candy you just spent a ton of time obsessing over. Find cheap clear vases at The Dollar Tree, Walmart, and don't forget to look under your friends' kitchen sinks. One friend's cabinet under the sink revealed 10+ various sized and shaped vases! Perfect for a candy buffet!

Make sure your vases are wide enough for your candy scoops!

Last, don't forget to do a trial run! Find a similar sized table to the one you will be using at your party and set out your vases and favor bags. Add the candy to make sure you have plenty and then put the candy back into labeled ziploc bags (coordinate the labeled ziploc bags with labeled vases). Map out your candy buffet so that your wedding coordinator knows exactly how you want it to look.

Here are a few more really cute candy buffets:

Do you have any tips for creating the perfect candy buffet?

How to Make Menu Blocks

I posted another how-to video over on She Just Got Married about how to make menu blocks. You might be asking, what are menu blocks? Well, they are just another way to display your dinner menus (or table numbers or place cards, etc).

These menu blocks are perfect for any type of event, but would tie in really well with a baby shower (think alphabet blocks). If you don't have any showers coming up, you could use these to display pictures, quotes, recipes, and more. The possibilities are endless.

Supplies Needed:

Cardstock

Pencil

Ruler

Glue dots/glue stick

Scissors

***optional: ribbon, buttons, jewels, other embellishments

Step One:

Figure out the size you want your block. I made mine 4x4. Measure out squares onto your cardstock-4 squares by 3 squares. Don't forget to add a little "lip" to each square so you can glue the sides together more easily.

Step Two:

Cut along the lines you just drew. This would be the best time to glue any pictures, menus, or embellishments to the cube.

Step Three:

Using glue dots or a glue stick, put glue on all the "lips" you cut. Push everything together to make your cube.