Getting HANDS ON With Local Volunteers!

Ever wish you could attend some of the spectacular parties that we plan? Well now you can!!! We’re throwing an exciting “Experience the Westside” themed party at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. Live Auction. Food trucks. Local Restaurants. Live Band. Sounds great, right!?!

Celebrating it’s 10th anniversary, A Taste For Volunteering is an annual fundraiser for Hands on Atlanta, a local not-for-profit the helps facilitate volunteerism. Over the past 22 years, Hands On Atlanta has mobilized volunteers to contribute more than 6.2 million hours of service. Now over 42,000 volunteers strong, Hands On Atlanta mobilizes community members to address critical needs in 12 metro Atlanta counties.

Let’s show our support for this wonderful organization by purchasing a ticket for the event on June 1st! Or, if you’d like to help them even more, perhaps you or your company should become a sponsor of the event!

Hands on Atlanta A Taste For Volunteering WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Event Planner

-William Fogler
WM Events

WM Events Puts The LIFE Into Party Decor!

Remember that stunning rehearsal dinner we planned a few years ago? Well, here is the bigger and badder corporate version of the living communal table. Staged in the Plaza Ballroom of the Westin Peachtree Plaza, this eco-statement was a popular focal point for attendees. Thanks so much to Patrick Williams for his lovely photos of the event. Interested in using this idea at your next party? Contact us for more information!

Central Communal Living Garden WM Events William Fogler

WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Corporate Event Decorator

Gerber Daisy Seedling Centerpieces WM Events William Fogler Corporate Event Decor in Atlanta, Georgia

-William Fogler
WM Events

Savannah’s Satchel is a Superb Shop!

Imagine if Designing Women (minus the shoulder pads and big hair) moved to Savannah and updated to a fresh look in 2012, and that’s the world of Satchel- a boutique leather goods store in the heart of Downtown. SCAD alumnae, Elizabeth, Char, Mahala, and Lexi, have been hand-crafting beautiful bags, amazing accessories, and lovely luggage sets for 5+ years. Whether you have an old piece that you’d like to re-create, or the perfect idea for clutch, Satchel is the place to go. The touches of hand weaving, braiding, and branding add so much interest to the designs, and truly make each piece special. When they’re not helping customers, these ladies are sewing away on the in-house machines (in view behind the counter) to create the latest and greatest. Oh, and did we mention horn handles from South America?

This unique store is filled with adorable stories of bags with even more adorable names. One of their top sellers, the “Dad’s Jacket” was originally designed using a reconstructed Pilot Jacket. And most of the products are named after friends and family. Pick from a variety of quality, leather samples and hardware to create your own version of a bag, or just buy one right off the shelf. If you’re looking to create a bag from scratch, the entire process will take about 4-5 weeks and will run you anywhere from $80 to upwards of $1000 for large garment bags. But at the end of the day, you have a one-of-a-kind bag from a one-of-a-kind store. At least, it’s the only place we know of that sells leather beer koozies!

We can’t imagine a cooler birthday present or corporate gift for your next event. (Can we say branded, leather iPad cases?) So call them up or walk into their splendidly styled showroom for a little leather loving.

SCAD Owners Satchel Savannah Leather Goods Custom Leather Bags and Slip Covers WM Events William Fogler

Satchel Savannah Leather Store WM Events William Fogler Georgia Event Planner and Coordinator

Leather Handmade Goods William Fogler WM Events Wedding Coordinator Social Corporate in Georgia Savannah Atlanta

WM Events William Fogler Satchel Savannah Leather Store Savannah College of Art and Design Event Designer Leather Bracelets WM Events William Fogler Satchel Downtown Savannah Local Leather Goods SCAD Event Coordinator

WM Events William Fogler Satchel Savannah Leather Store SCAD Event Designer

Custom Leather Goods Design WM Events William Fogler Georgia Wedding Planner Atlanta Savannah

-William Fogler
WM Events

Bringing the Hanging Gardens Inside

Remember how much we loved all those vertical gardens from a while back? Well, here is a our new obsession via Hungarian designer, Gabriella Asztalos. Babylon doesn’t have a thing on these hanging gardens!  These floating, pill-shaped baskets may very well be the next wonder of the world. Clearly, we’re obsessed with new and interesting ways to display our green friends. What other objects could you showcase in these canisters?

Floating Garden WM Events Hungarian Designer Gabriella Asztalos

Hanging Garden Baskets Capsules WM Events Hungarian Designer Gabriella Asztalos

 

-William Fogler
WM Events

X-Ray Vision for Floral Design

We all know that flowers are beautiful. But, it turns out, the inside of a flower is equally as beautiful! Singapore based photographer, Brendan Fitzpatrick had a brilliant idea for a subject. He took these colorful floral x-rays at a radiography lab, followed by a few rounds of image editing and color correction in Photoshop to reach the final results you see here. You can head over to Society6 to pick up a few prints of your own. It makes me wonder what else would look this wonderful through an x-ray.

 

Brandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Calla Lily WM Events William Fogler Event Designer Corporate in AtlantaBrandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Hibiscus WM Events William Fogler Corporate Atlanta Event Designer

 

Brandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Rose WM Events William Fogler Corporate Atlanta Event DesignerBrandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Blushing Bride Floral WM Events William Fogler Wedding Planner in Atlanta and Denver

Brandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Tulip WM Events William Fogler Denver Floral Mitzvah PlannerBrandon Fitzpatrick X-Ray Flower Orchid WM Events William Fogler Event Planner

 

 

-William Fogler
WM Events

Ask the Experts: Event Lighting

We gave you a vocabulary lesson about gels and gobos last week with our Lighting Your Event post. This week, we’re turning our eyes and ears to a couple amazing lighting designers for some great advice. Todd Finch is the President of MAGNUM, a production company based in Atlanta, and Julian Bradley is the Owner of ESP Lighting, a company that specializes in LED lights in the Denver area.

WM EVENTS: What is the most common misconception about event lighting?
TODD FINCH: That it is expensive. Just like anything, it can be expensive, but you can also use it in subtle ways that don’t cost a fortune. Simple uplights of color add a big effect, which is not expensive. It more like an accessory.
JULIAN BRADLEY: That it’s too expensive. Even some basic well positioned light fixtures can add a huge amount of excitement and energy to an event.

Kilpatrick Townsend Lounge WM Events William Fogler Julian Bradley Denver Colorado

WM: How can people get the biggest bang for their buck when it comes to lighting?
TF: Color. Uplights add nice splashes of color that linen or chairs or other things just can’t do. It really takes the otherwise ‘neutral’ space and brands it with the event colors. Similarly, gobo/pattern with color and texture can do the same. Many of the event spaces are neutral for a reason. If you want it yours, add color. (The pink at the High Museum was a great example of this!)
JB: Plan as far ahead as possible or be prepared to pay more for “last minute”. A creative, well thought out lighting design that fits within your budget will take time to create. MORE TIME = BETTER DESIGN.

William Fogler, WM Events PWP Studio photographers specialize in corporate event photography, decor, details, incentive travel, conventions, and on-location photography in Atlanta, Georgia

WM: What is your biggest frustration as a lighting designer?
TF: The ‘budget question’. Anytime a ‘design’ comes into play, a budget matters… large or small, it is a perimeter that must be taken into consideration. I think we are so conditioned in other areas of our life to shop price, negotiate down, don’t show all your cards, etc., but when it comes to ‘designing’, designers are really on your side- building a vision of what you want, what you envision and what you can afford.
JB: Champagne dreams with only beer budgets to pay for them.

Billups Wedding Renewal WM Events William Fogler

WM: What is the biggest help you can get from a client about their event?
TF: Know as many of the outside perimeters as you can- time frames, logistics with other vendors, other design elements. Tahe more information the better. Designers can always throw out the information that is not relative, but having more can bring to light a key piece that helps lead you to the end result.
JB: Great question! I would say prior to consulting with any designer, start by writing down some basic details or ideas about your event and then work up from there. Put in as much thought as possible into the type of event you want to have or what kind of event is it. A serious corporate meeting that requires the speakers on stage evenly lit in white light?  OR  A celebration that needs a more creative approach? Have the venue and the event date been confirmed yet? Do you have any favorite colors that you would like to see used at your event? Will there be dancing? Or a performance that will need to be lit?  The more details a client can provide earlier on – the more realistic I can be with creative suggestions, price quotes, etc.

Kids II Atrium WM Events William Fogler PWP Studio photographers specialize in corporate event photography, decor, details, incentive travel, conventions, and on-location photography in Atlanta, Georgia

We hope that helps you prepare for the lighting portion of your next party or wedding. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you. Don’t hesitate to call us, using the number on the contact page, or leave a comment section below.

 

-William Fogler
WM Events

How To: Lighting Your Event

Let’s face it. It’s a lot more fun to visit your Caterer or Cake Designer for an afternoon tasting than to visit some hidden warehouse to talk about gel colors, gobos, and  fresnels. What are those things anyways? We can complain about cold chicken any day of the week, but developing a lighting design is a complex, multi-dimensional, exercise that takes talent, skill, and a discerning eye. Yet, despite these intricacies and mood-altering affects, any event’s lighting budget is usually the last to add on and the first to slash.

Sometimes breaking the vocabulary wall in the lighting world can do wonders in the eventual success of an event. So, let’s put the spotlight on some commonly used terms.

Source 4 Leko Lighting Instrument Design WM Events William FoglerRoscolux Gels Lighting How To WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Event Designer

1. Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight (Leko & Source Four)

These fixed lighting instruments collect and direct light through a barrel that contains a lens. ERS instruments come in all shapes and sizes. While each particular model of ERS has its own set of characteristics, every one contains a) an adjustable lens that can change the focus (softness or hardness) of the beam of light projected by the unit, b) a set of brackets on the end of the lens tube for the insertion of gel frames, c) a series of four shutters that allow for precise shaping and sizing of the unit’s beam as lines, and d) a slot for the insertion of metal gobos.

2. Gel

Lighting gel is a transparent thin sheet of polycarbonate or polyester that is placed at the end of a lighting fixture in order to color the light. There are a few different companies that manufacture gel, each using a different code to signify the color profile of each piece (like Rosco 39 and GAM 841. Swatch books (as seen above) give lighting designers a better idea of the end result, just like interior designers use paint color pallets. Also similar to painting, it is best to use smaller combination of colors or stay in a color family when lighting your event. Too many oranges, blues, purples, and yellows, and your lighting concept will appear muddled and fight with your decor.

Gobos Lighting Event Design William Fogler Atlanta WM EventsGobo Holder WM Events William Fogler Lighting Design Atlanta Denver

3.Gobo

Derived from the phrase “Go between”, a gobo is a thin, round piece of metal with patterned holes placed in front of a light source that controls the shape of the light. The gobo stops some light from passing through, while letting the cut out pattern continue for an interesting effect. Situated at the instrument’s point of focus in a holder (as seen above), the gobo can be crisply focused for logos and details, or softened for patterned breakups or geometric designs. Perhaps you might want to add stars to your venue’s ceiling, or a tree pattern (with green gel) for your jungle themed party. Brides, corporations, and guests of honor can all benefit from having a customized gobo cut for around $100.

Colored LED Lighting Instruments WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Designer

4. LED Lights

The items detailed above have been around for a long time, but developing technology seems to be focused in the world of LED lighting instruments (mainly because they have high light output with lower power consumption). LED instruments can contain a number of different colored LEDs, often Red, Green and Blue, and different light output colors can be achieved by adjusting the intensity of each LED color group. LED instruments have a long life relative to other options, without the expense of color gel or replacement lamps. The three types of LEDs are a) Round PAR cans that house a round circuit board of light, b) Strip lights that use a long, narrow source of LEDs, and c) Intelligent LED lights that can move positions around an axis.

Casino Party Ponti Hall Denver Art Museum WM Events
Check in for our next blog post with lighting experts, Todd Finch and Julian Bradley.

-William Fogler
WM Events

WM Events and Peachtree Tents & Events Win at NACE Design Trends

Congratulations to the Peachtree Tents and Events Table Top at the NACE Design Trends competition and the Bridal Extravaganza. Held at 200 Peachtree this past Sunday and Monday, the event was a major success. We partnered with Peachtree Tents and Events, Dwayne Bass with his innovative Rubblox furniture, Christian Ruffin at One Stop Productions, and Dee Lane Eades at Graceful Tables to make a lively table covered in moss, succulents, ferns, and other greenery. Mixing a stainless steel table, an antique barn door, rubber furniture, and lots of living plants was an inventive twist that added visual and textural interest. Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Warehouse Setup at Peachtree Tents and Events NACE Design Trends WM Events William Fogler Designer Atlanta

Preparing the Table at 200 Peachtree Atlanta Georgia WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

Finished Product NACE Design Trends WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

Custom Bar and Barn Door Backdrop Succulent WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

Table Setting NACE Design Trends WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

Up Right Pole Covering NACe Detail Photo WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events      Up Right Pole Covering NACE Detail Photo WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and EventsLiving Table NACE Design Trends WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

Detail Shot Through Leaves WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Rentals Design Peachtree Tents and Events

Bridal Extravaganza Best Gallery Table Top WM Events William Fogler Peachtree Tents and Events

-William Fogler
WM Events

AmericasMart Atlanta Gift Show

Atlanta is no stranger to landmarks. With the worlds largest aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the busiest airport in the world, and Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta is steeped in a rich history and a modern progression. But the average Atlantan and the world at large might not know of a certain gem in the heart of downtown known as AmericasMart. The Mart is comprised of four integrated, John Portman designed buildings that offer over 7.7 million square feet of showrooms, tradeshow floors, and meetings spaces. With 15 annual markets, over 500,000 visitors come from all over the world to shop and sell wholesale products in various categories like High Design, Apparel, Gift, Rug, and Furniture.

Americas Mart Atlanta Building 3 WM Events Wholesale Shopper Designer

If you’ve never been before, it can be quite overwhelming, most likely because your are in Building 1 on the 22nd floor trying to get to the 10th floor of Building 2 West Wing. Bridges connect between the buildings, but only on certain floors! So you really have no know where you’re going, or else your shopping will be all screwed up. AmericasMart is not open to the public. In order to be admitted, a buyer must provide proof of a valid business license and show identification at a registration office. We went to the Mart this past week to shop for various clients of ours. So be expecting a few updates of the great new products we found!

Americas Mart Atlanta Campus Map Buildings WM Events Consultant Denver

Americas Mart Atlanta Building Showrooms WM Events Consultant

-William Fogler
WM Events

Spring 2012 At Affairs to Remember Showroom

It’s that time again! Flipping the showroom at Affairs to Remember is a great exercise for us as designers. We get to push our limits, incorporate trends, and flex our creativity muscles. The current look in the vault is all white, using textures and layers to add visual interest. The main room showcases the three different looks (Classic, Gallery, & Artisan) with color continuity.

We’d like to thank all of our vendors that made the Spring 2012 look possible- -Monte Carlo Productions, Lounge Art, Peachtree Tents and Events, BBJ Linens, Classic Party Rentals, Party Tables, Graceful Tables, and Newberry Brothers. Check out our pictures below (also available at our Facebook Page and Consulting Page), and leave your thoughts in our comment section.

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

Affairs to Remember 2012 Spring Showroom Visual Merchandising WM Events William Fogler Atlanta Georgia

-William Fogler
WM Events

  • Categories

  • Twitter Updates

    Powered by Twitter Tools

  • Archives