Event Planning Ideas, Trends & Inspiration

The friendly faces of Occasions Magazine recently featured the bat mitzvah we did last year, correctly explaining that it’s “not exactly your typical bash.”  We loved planning the jaw-dropping CSI themed mitzvah at the Denver Ritz Carlton. So go see what Occasions has to say. More pictures after the jump.

-William Fogler
WM Events

Would you call that Blush or Rose? Cloud or Bone? Marine or Sapphire? Never guess again with the new gadget for color lovers everywhere. CAPSURE is an easy to use and portable image capturing device that quickly displays the Pantone color breakdown of anything and everything around you. With it you can capture color inspiration from any surface, material or fabric and match it quickly and accurately to a Pantone color.

Simply point and click, and CAPSURE will process the color information in front of you and turn it into inspiration you can save for other projects. Created for professionals in fashion, home, interior, industrial and graphic design, as well as for contractors, paint retailers and do-it-yourselfers, CAPSURE comess preloaded with more than 8,000 Pantone Colors. Additionally, a Palette Application software allows you to easily integrate captured colors into your design programs and update your stored color libraries. It even comes with protective carry pouch and wrist strap.

 -William Fogler
WM Events

Having one of the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the nation, Atlanta’s Buckhead is no stranger to massive mansions situated on beautifully landscaped grounds. Many of these homes are available to rent for parties, conferences, and temporary housing. We recently toured a newly opened venue, and decided we would share our findings with you. One element that sets this home apart from others is the classic Tudor facade contrasted with Southeast Asian decor. Below are some pictures of the compound, including a beautiful sun room, two pools, and a chandelier that will take your breath away. Enjoy!

 -William Fogler
WM Events

Once we’re done celebrating Independence Day with our favorite aerial spectacles, we often look around wondering what the next cause for celebration will be. So we’ve compiled a list of interesting festivities in July with a corresponding theme, so you can get your party fix while you wait for the Holidays to roll around. Here goes…

July 14th – Bastille Day

Why celebrate only one Independence day this year? The French stormed the prison in 1749 and have been celebrating ever since. So why not join in on La Fête Nationale with some baguettes, red wine, fireworks, and a stroll down the Champs-Élysées. French pop music is fun to have in the background to liven the scene and fill the silence. Let them eat cake with festive red, white, and blue icing. Je voudrais célébrer avec vous!

July 23rd – Anniversary of Ford’s 1st Car Sale

Last year Ford sold 5.5 million vehicles. That’s a lot. A great way to celebrate the accomplishments of this all-American car company is to throw a Fiesta in their honor. A taco assembly line pays tribute Ford’s revolutionary technique of mass production. Cupcakes or cookies with Model T’s are a sweet treat for your guests. You will want to Focus on games and activities that are pleasing to all ages, like an Explorer scavenger hunt!

July 29th – Tim Gunn’s Birthday

Make it work! Celebrating the birthday of a style guru like the Gunn is a quirky way to let the inner Klum run wild. Mini fashion challenges are fun and creative activities that will be fun for everyone. Who can make the best evening gown out of streamers and balloons? Have a runway show of your own- either with your favorite outfits, or make special hats or t-shirts to strut your stuff in.  Watch reruns of your favorite Project Runways and score the dresses as if you were the celebrity judges. Remember,food and fashion go hand in hand.

-William Fogler
WM Events

BANG! POW! CRACKLE! WHISTLE! Happy 4th of July Weekend! Today we’re talking about the science behind everyone’s favorite grand finale, fireworks! They are the perfect ending to a celebratory summer day and can really put a spark in your event or wedding. So let’s dig in to how they work and learn a thing or two about those explosive treats.

Fireworks were invented in China during the 7th century to frighten away evil spirits. Today, spectacles are closely monitored and supported by the Pyrotechnics Guild International (founded in 1969) to support safety and cautiousness.

Colors in fireworks are usually generated by pyrotechnic stars—usually just called stars—which produce intense light when ignited. Stars contain five basic types of ingredients: a fuel which allows the star to burn, an oxidizer compound which produces (usually) oxygen to support the combustion of the fuel, color-producing chemicals, a binder which holds the pellet together, and a chlorine donor which provides chlorine to strengthen the color of the flame.

The color of a compound in a firework will be the same as its color in a flame test. Ideal colorants produce a pure, intense color when present in moderate concentration. Here is a quick list of which compounds produce which colors in fireworks:

Calcium – Orange
Sodium – Yellow
Barium – Green
Copper – Blue
Potassium – Violet
Charcoal – Gold
Titanium – White

The shapes of fireworks depend on the  arrangement of the star pellets inside of the shell. So, for example, to make a linear circle firework, you arrange the stars around the outside of the shell with black powder inbetween. Peonies, Willows, Palms, and Spiders are just a few recognizable shapes in the night sky.

In 1999, Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, pioneered the commercial use of aerial fireworks launched with compressed air rather than gunpowder for the Epcot night time spectacular. The display shell explodes in the air using an electronic timer. The advantages of compressed air launch are a reduction in fumes, and much greater accuracy in height and timing. Not surprisingly, the Walt Disney Company is the largest consumer of fireworks in the United States- they really know how to party!

So now that you know everything about fireworks, blast on down to your favorite spot to watch them light up the sky!

-William Fogler
WM Events

It’s no surprise to our readers that we LOVE to salvage and reuse displaced items. That’s why I flipped when I found this amazing website that sells reclaimed industrial lighting, decorative salvage and interiors. Based in the UK, Trainspotters holds a large stock of industrial and period lighting, salvaged vintage fixtures and 20th century reclamation, from the UK and the former Eastern Bloc. They supply to restaurants, museums, individuals, stores, and even movies (X-Men: First Class). Below are a few of our favorites, NYC Walk / Don’t Walk signs, Rail Car Luggage Racks, and Victorian Air Vent Plates. You’ll undoubtedly find something that speaks to you. Enjoy browsing the site!

-William Fogler
WM Events

So now that it’s OFFICIALLY SUMMER, here are those pictures we promised you a few weeks ago of the NACE Summertime Cookout! Collaborating with great vendors and people really elevate the enjoyment we get out of planning parties. The folks over at Low Country BBQ were so inviting and helpful as we decorated the front of their store with a summer themed tent. Bright oranges, pinks, yellows, and greens instantly put everyone in a happy mood- or was it the banana pudding? Thanks toPeachtree Tents and Events and Graceful Tables for all their help in pulling this celebration together.

-William Fogler
WM Events

Last weekend I took a break from painting my floors to do a little thrift store shopping. Luckily, I found this awesome set of table and chairs inspired by Knoll Furniture’s Tulip series. An Eero Saarinen design (Saarinen also designed St. Louis’ Gateway Arch.), their construction allows for a very modern, clean look without the hassle and impediment of multiple legs. And their swiveling features provides greater range of motion, and to be honest, fun! However, the best quality of my great find was the amazing price. I bought all 5 pieces for only $40! Thrifting is one of my favorite things to do, and when it’s good for theenvironment and local business, how could you go wrong!?

-William Fogler
WM Events

This weekend Peachtree Street’s Midtown Mile, the Midtown Pop Up Store was hoppin. Live music, art, entertainment, kids’ activities, restaurant specials, street food, pop up shops and trunk shows lined the streets for a fun and festive weekend. Our favorite warm weather treat, King of Pops, was on the spot with just the thing to cool you off in the 92 degree heat. The stores had everything from gifts for dad, jewelry, kids clothes, on the spot monogramming, and housewares. There was even a custom logo designed by SeeMeDesign! However, the decoration could have been a little more cohesive- the perfect job for WM Events. Check out the pictures below and stay in the loop about the next one that pops up!

-William Fogler
WM Events

A trend gaining momentum in gardening and cuisine these days is ready-to-grow fungus kits. The entire kingdom can basically be grown in your backyard or on your counter top. With companies like Fungi Perfecti, Earth’s Tongue, and GMushrooms, growing your own fungi has never been easier- you basically just add water! You can buy one of these Mushroom Cultivation Kits which range from $18 to $40, depending on the variety and size. You can even recycle and compost the indoor kits because they grow in organic substrates like wood chips or sawdust. So the next time you need the perfect ingredient for your favorite recipe, or the cure for cancer, (or just want to look at something pretty) pick that fungi out of the ground and dig in! With this growing fad and companies involved with mushrooms, you’d be surprised with all of the advantages mushrooms bring to the table. Find out more about mushroom’s health benefits and even delicious recipes here!

-William Fogler
WM Events

Despite the official beginning being 2 weeks away, Summer is in full swing here in HOTLanta. Here is a preview of a super colorful ceiling treatment we did for a party tonight at Low Country BBQ! We’ll have more pictures up soon, but just wanted to share how a few tissue paper fans could really transform a space. We went with chartreuse, pink, orange, and yellow for aSummer-Themed party. What are your favorite color schemes for summer?

-William Fogler
WM Events

Earlier this week we brought you the Top 10 Atlanta, Georgia Venues to showcase some awesome celebration locations in the peach capital. Here are our favorite scenes in Denver, Colorado that would be just perfect for your corporate, mitzvah, wedding, birthday, or just-because festivities. Just as with Atlanta, the Mile High City offers a broad range of venues that offer different pros and cons. We like some because of their vaulted ceilings and others because of their flexible load-in times. So without further ado, ahem, here is our top 10 list of Denver, Colorado venues.

1. Mile High Station

2. Seawell Grand Ballroom at Denver Center for Performing Arts

3. Denver Art Museum

4.Devils Thumb Ranch

5. Ritz Carlton Denver Hotel

6.  Kevin Taylor’s at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House

7.Robischon Gallery

8. Four Seasons Denver

9. Clock Tower

10. Fillmore Event Center

-William Fogler
WM Events