Event Planning Ideas, Trends & Inspiration

There is no doubt that Mason Jars have been trending for while now. You’ve seen us use them for just about everything: canning Mrs. Irene’s Pepper Jelly, lighting up a table, and displaying beautiful floral arrangements. But today we’re talking about an even more practical use for that distinctive, glass vessel.

Cuppow! has added to their inventory and now sells a 6 ounce lunchbox adapter called BNTO. Made from BPA / BPS-free rigid plastic, BNTO is dishwasher safe, leaving you with no questions about what’s keeping your food fresh. Simply put a dry food (say, Oreos) inside the mason jar, nestle the filled BNTO cup (with say, milk) inside the jar, and screw the lid into place. Voila! You’ve got a great snack on the go. And with a $7.99 price point, it’s hard to say no. We got ours in the mail today. Let us know what you think!

-William Fogler
WM Events

Our event planning job keeps us so busy planning events for clients that we rarely have time to entertain. Recently, though, we had the chance to host some of our industry friends and partners for a night at the WM Events Vintage Carnival.  The studio space in our building became a showcase to our talent as we styled it out and brought one of the most exciting new event themes to life. We had a great time showing some of our favorite people a night full of food, fun and festivities.  Check out some of highlights from this great party! We would especially like to thank Monte Carlo Productions, PWP Studio, Julie Anne Photography, Peachtree Tents and Events, BBJ Linen, Cover Ups, Spandex Rentals, Frozen Pints and Mighty Meatballs for their help in creating a great event!

We loved using the excitingly trendy vintage carnival theme to create a romantic setting for guests.

Our light box guestbook encouraged party goers to play, draw, create and doodle with us.

Models help guests show off some style with temporary tattoos.

DJ Tim DeGroot set the mood with some great music and a personality to match! In case you forgot what we do, check out our custom graphic on the DJ booth.

Ms. Irene Fogler went all out making all the pastries for the delicious dessert bar.

Guests were treated to gourmet popcorn from Miss D’s New Orleans House of Pralines and drinks from our signature “soda fountain.”

The Mighty Meatballs food truck provided a specially crafted menu that left guests well fed and wanting more.

Locally-crafted Frozen Pints beer ice cream was a real treat!

Each member of the WM Events team designed a tablescape to showcase their unique aesthetic.

Robert’s Table Design

Leigh’s Table Design

Melissa’s Table Design

Hermit Crab Races were a huge hit!

“Surgery” provided some nail-biting entertainment for party goers.

Guests had a great time taking turns with our Giant Jenga.

Our team of happy hosts!

If there’s one universal bond for the WM Event’s team, it’s a love for ice cream. It’s not uncommon for us to take an office field trip to get some of our local favorites. Since the 4th of July is right around the corner and the temperatures in Atlanta won’t dip below 85 degrees for a few more months, we thought we’d take this opportunity to give you a taste of some of our favorite frozen treats.

Frozen Pints

When beer fell into the ice cream maker at a party, Aly Moler and Ari Fleischer turned a happy accident into a great business endeavor. With five year-round flavors and a few seasonal specials, this beer-based ice cream is sure to delight guests at all your summertime events. The Malted Milk Chocolate Stout was a favorite at our recent open house. Be warned, you might need to call a cab after a cone of Frozen Pints.

Star Provisions

Star Provisions is a food lover’s dream. They offer an amazing selection of cheese, breads, and sandwiches (try the Shrimp Po’ Boy), as well as a wide array of gifts for your home. One of the best kept secrets of this local eatery is their soft serve ice cream. The vanilla base alone is to die for, but their offbeat toppings, including carmel sea salt and honey almond, make this ice cream completely irresistible.

High Road Craft Ice Cream and Sorbet

With chef Keith Schroeder at the helm, High Road never fails to deliver some of the most interesting and delicious ice cream we’ve ever had. With flavors ranging from Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel, Bourbon Burnt Sugar, and Blood Orange Stracciatella, the hardest part is choosing which one to try first. We’ve been lucky enough to have their cart at some of our events. Needless to say, it’s always a big hit.

Ms Elizabeth’s Homemade Ice Cream

Sometimes the best ice cream comes without even having to leave the office. Our very own team member Leigh has inherited a pretty stellar recipe from her mom (see below), and occasionally she makes it for the entire office. Don’t you wish you worked here?

Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

• 1- half gallon of Chocolate Milk
• 1- 16 oz. container of Cool Whip
• 1- can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Pour all ingredients into an ice cream maker. Fill the basin with ice and rock salt. Wait for the magic to happen.

You may have seen a little taste of our recent Chicago trip on our Facebook page. Two weeks ago, half of the WM Events team ventured to Chicago for a large corporate event inspired by the city. Even though Robert and I were only there for three days with long hours setting up in the hotel ballroom, we did make time to venture out and explore some of the city.

On our first night, we walked from our hotel along the Magnificent Mile to the Signature Room of the Hancock Building for cocktails with one of our favorite vendors. Needless to say, the view was amazing! With the 360 degree vantage point, we could see the entire city on one side and Lake Michigan on the other.

On our way to dinner, we were struck by the amazing window displays that we saw on Michigan Avenue. We very often look to the fashion industry to find the latest event trends, and if Tiffany & Co.’s window display is any indication, we can look forward to some pretty amazing Gatsby themed events soon.

Whimsy is also in this year. From the hot air balloons at Louis Vuitton to the swings at Gucci, we love these playful and romantic vignettes.

Zara and Burberry, on the other hand featured more contemporary, industrial black and white displays. We’ll have to find a way to include our own version of these kiss photos in our next event.

We had a great time in the Windy City! Stay tuned for more picture from our event.

-William

Summer is upon us, and Atlanta is alive with a plethora of art shows, concerts, and festivals. We recently blogged about the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s “Imaginary Worlds”  living sculpture exhibit, that creates a whimsical experience for guests. Now our neighbors at Georgia Tech have installed an equally impressive exhibit.  “Engineered Art: An International Sculpture Exhibit at Georgia Tech” features 15 sculptures from artists all around the world. These welded structures, complimented by the beautiful sprawling Georgia Tech campus,  are a testament to the university’s commitment to engage their students in the arts.

The exhibition is curated by Chattanooga artist John Henry and features his piece “La Tour.” Henry was intrigued when he was asked “what does it do?” instead of “what is it?”, a not-so-surprising question to be asked by students at one of the top engineering universities in the nation. The last few pieces will be installed by the end of summer and all will be on view through June 2014. Make sure you take a stroll around the campus then head to The Varsity to cool off with a frosted orange.

Verina Baxter, “Red Tumpkin”

John Clements, “Squirt”

Albert Paley, “Portal”

Isaac Duncan III, “Tux”

As interest in unique and inspired fonts has grown, design innovations have carved out a place for artistic and elegantly crafted three dimensional letters. Sculptural letters and numbers have become central design pieces at corporate and social events.  Alphabetic design statements, large and small, can transform your event into a truly unique affair, not to mention they’re extremely versatile.

Moss and floral letters make great monograms for an organic wedding, for example. We also love adding marquis letters to any retro-inspired affair. With so many mediums, the possibilities are endless. Here are just some of the font designs that we think are pretty neat.

Check out our list of 10 Best Typography Designs:

1. T. Lockman Wire Letter & Number  Containers

2. Dan Hoopert’s Wire Typography

3. Pae White’s “Too much night again” Exhibition at South London Gallery

4. Solid Type Series One

5. Oversized “LIFE” Letters by Monte Carlo Productions

6. Moss and Floral Monogram Letters

7. Vintage Marquee Letters

8. Ebon Heath’s Three Dimensional Typographic Mobiles

9. Handmade Concrete Letters

10. Metalvetica Letters

Glamping, i.e. glamorous camping, is all the rage for this summer’s event season. We’ve already given you some delicious ideas for including s’mores at your next party, but check out these trends for creating the chicest glamping events.

1. Custom Bracelet Making

Remember the summer camp days of modge podge and friendship bracelets? Now you and your guests can craft the night away with a bracelet-making station. We love these snap bracelets from Shains that have letters, numbers, and graphics, but even an interesting array of embroidery floss will give your guests a fun activity and a memorable takeaway.  (Just check out our bracelet bar at our fashioned-themed bat mitzvah)

2. Gypsy Tents

These amazing tents are a beautiful addition to your next event. Whether your in a ballroom or spending the evening outside, these tents create a great atmosphere for your guests to sit. Gyspy Faire Tents has an brilliant variety of fabrics and colors that will transport you back to the original days of glamping. If you’re looking for a nice place to recover after the event, the Martyn House Bed and Breakfast let’s you have a relaxing trip in the woods of North Georgia.

3. Giant Yard Games

Games are a perfect solution to keep your guests entertained and allow them to get to know each other a little better. Whether you use these giant versions of Jenga, Chess, and Checkers for the cocktail hour or the entire event, your party-goers are sure to love them!

4. Gourmet Popcorn

With exciting gourmet flavors like rosemary parmesan, kahlua espresso bean, and bacon, popcorn has been taken to a whole new level. Your guests will love snacking on this delicious (and highly addictive) treat. Our team is obsessed with Miss D’s triple threat from the Sweet Auburn Curb Market!

-WM Events

Summer just started, but event season is in full swing. That means more people are dancing the night away at weddings and social events. We’re always looking for the great ideas to add a personal touch to our events.  Having a change of shoes for you and your guests is a great way to keep everyone comfortable. One of our new favorite vendors in the event footwear revolution is Footzyfolds.

The company was founded by two sisters, Sarah and Jen Caplan, and offers comfortable, foldable and rollable shoes in almost endless colors and styles. The shoes fit perfectly inside your purse and come with a bag for storing your heels. They even made it on Oprah’s favorite things.

These shoes are a wonderful and thoughtful takeaway for your guests. They even have customizable bag that can don your initials or corporate logo.

Whether you’re dancing the night away at a corporate party, celebrating your best friend’s wedding, or just in desperate need of a mid-afternoon shoe change at work, these shoes are great for staying fashionable and comfortable.

As Memorial Day approaches, we thought we’d celebrate this unofficial start to the season with 5 of our favorite summer event ideas. From delicious and refreshing drink ideas to interesting spaces, you’re sure to find some summertime inspiration. What trends are you most excited about?

1. Alcoholic Snow Cones

Indulge some more of your childhood nostalgia with this twist on the traditional summertime treat. Mixing your favorite snowcone flavors with a little bit of alcohol takes enjoying these treats to a new level. Martha Stewart offers some syrup recipes to get you started. These adult-friendly cones are sure to make a hot July day a lot more fun.

2. Ping Pong Pool Party

Gone are the days of your pool being just a place to cool off in the summer. Filling up the entire cement pond with ping pong balls, like Red Paper Heart did for an event, makes for an unforgettable pool party. The ping pong balls not only give the water some 3-D texture, they also make a great surface for video mapping and light projection.

3. Bubble Domes

Now you can really sleep and entertain under the stars in complete comfort with the help of Casa Bubble. These bubble domes, made with anti-UV plastic, double-air lock entrances, plywood floors and air blowers will impress guests at any summertime event or wedding. They’re also available for personal use, giving you a totally unique view of nature. Don’t forget the s’mores.

4.#Hashtags

Guests are now engaging with your party beyond the venue walls. Hashtags on Twitter and Instagram allow your guests to capture their experiences in real time. Using a personalized hashtag adds a whole new layer to your party. Plus you have an easily accessed archive of the photos and tweets from your fellow partygoers.

5. Edible Cups

Green is always in style, and LOLIWARE makes being eco-friendly even more fun. These fun and delicious cups are specially flavored to compliment certain cocktails- their Salty Lime Cup is perfect for a refreshing mojito. When you’re done with the drink, you can eat the cup!

Some of the biggest trends come in the smallest packages. Miniature vessels holding individual servings are all the rage at corporate and social events this season. Baby bites are a great way to hone in on theme-specific flavors and create unique experiences at your party.

William Neal, consultant at Affairs to Remember and former chef, says that “bite-sized servings force chefs to be creative in the kitchen.” Whether you’re appealing to a sophisticated palate or creating a nostalgic experience, small servings are innovative and effective. Neal points out ATR’s macaroni and cheese spoons that are great on their own, but can also be topped with hot sauce and chicken. Their one-bite steak and potato and baby burger bites are also sure to please any guest.  Miniatures are adorable, fun to eat, and sure to keep your guests coming back for more. Let Wm Events help you design a menu of awesome minis for your next event!

Grapes rolled in bleu cheese and crushed pistachio served on a single-serve spoon

Brisket sloppy joe on a sesame bun served in a demitasse cup

Almond cheesecake in tiny mason jars. Yes, please!

Star shaped tortilla cups that can be filled with your favorite flavors

We found these nachos on Gizmodo.com, who also featured these cool mini woks.

Swiss chard and walnut risotto in a mini martini glass

Mini skillet cherry peach pie

Find mini skillets and more from American Metalcraft

Deconstructed Twix bar in a shot glass

When we heard about Imaginary Worlds at the Atlanta Botanical Garden we were so excited! From unicorns to cobras, these giant plant sculptures transport guests into a world of fantasy and wonder. Remember the Dutch Bloemencorso parades we showed you? This larger-than-life exhibit uses plants instead of flowers to create magnificent and whimsical structures. Be sure to check out the amazing horticultural sculptures by the International Mosaiculture of Montreal, on display May through October.

-William Fogler
WM Events

We love our moms! And with Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 12th, we wanted to show all the WM Events Moms how much we care. Enjoy the pictures below of our gorgeous, hilarious, comforting mothers!

“A mother is the truest friend we have when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”  ~Washington Irving

William and Mrs. Irene

Leigh and Mrs. Elizabeth
  

Robert and Mrs. Sharon

Melissa and Mrs. Michele

-WM Events