Welcome What's The Buzz Blog

No matter what your event may be, proper branding can make it more memorable for everyone concerned.
How?

• Colour scheme of linens
If you are using table linens, think about using the colours of your logo to subliminally heighten awareness of your company.

• Use gobo lighting to project your logo.
Although you would probably have screens for daytime meetings, what about the dance floor for the evening portion. Throughout the dinner, the floor is fairly empty and can easily be used, Once your guests are up on their feet, the lighting reverts to ambience.

• Your logo on food
There is a number of really talented food carvers out there, your logo could be incorporated into the side of a melon or into an ice sculpture (or full bar). You can brand the top of a cake at the Buffet, or cookies for a mid afternoon break.

• Your logo on napkins
Caterers are a crafty bunch, always providing napkins with their own logo as a form of advertising, for your guests. But for a reasonable price you could have your logo imprinted on paper napkins for use at the bar or on the Buffet table.

• Your logo on giveaways
If you are giving any kind of gift to attendees, and you have the time for processing, 5-10 days depending on the type of imprinting, you must use this opportunity to give your attendees a reminder of who you are.

• Think Outside the Box
One very clever planner I know had the living image of the logo, an American Bald Eagle, strategically placed at the door (on the arm of a very pretty Lady). The first and last thing the guests saw was this powerful and beautiful reminder of the company.

Whether this is a corporate function or a wedding the most important thing to do when planning is to talk about it with the others involved. It is absolutely important that anyone planning an event be on the same page, whether it is the bride and groom or a planning committee. Why are you having the event, what is important to you in terms of food, entertainment and most importantly the budget? Very often we get so wrapped up in our own concept of what the event should be that we ignore some of these important elements rather than blending them into one seamless and memorable occasion.

The last few Blogs have been wedding oriented, so let’s tackle the concept of corporate functions, fundraisers and invitations.

Ok, in many cases the invitation to a corporate event might not involve the ability to not show up, but the excitement about the event will be greater if a little thought goes into the invitation: and certainly in the case of a fundraiser, with the huge number of events which occur, making your event standout as the one to attend is paramount.

Basics: Your invitation must answer
• What: what is the nature of the meeting
• Where: The venue
• When: Time and Date

What is important in that this is where you let your guests know whether there will be a speaker, information session, breakout rooms for groups, Food (do you want to pay for a breakfast and have your guests show up having already eaten- it happens time after time).

The need for where and the when are self explanatory. Include the start and finish times.

If you are feeding your guests and are not having a buffet, RSVP’s are absolutely necessary to ensure that the numbers for food are appropriate. In either case, the words “Please, let us know if you have any special dietary needs” is a good idea to include on your invitation. Make sure that the appropriate email or phone numbers are included.

More and more our donors, and sponsors, are getting Fundraiser Burnout. I have on occasion seen the same group of four or five couples at fundraising evenings four days in a row. There is a very good chance then that your list of VIP invitees is the same as someone else’s list, particularly if you are not in one of the larger urban centers. How many silent auctions can they realistically take part in? And so, despite the fact that our fundraising dollars are being stretched to the maximum, we have to find other ways to get them interested, and donating.

How?

Make the event more of an experience than before.
Make use of the many performance troupes out there, the cirque performers, the singers, the visual/performance artists!

Quebec Artist Harold Gilbert does live presentations, here painting live to the 45th and 83rd Symphonies by Haydn

Consider having your dinner at the theatre followed by the show. Finish with dessert and coffee, with perhaps a live auction with fewer items, but tied in with whatever show you’ve just seen.

Think about having a daytime event, with activities for the kids, and others for the whole family. Food costs can go down with a more casual fun feeling for everyone involved.

As a postscript to How to plan your wedding…inexpensively, I had the good fortune to attend a wedding last week that perfectly expresses what I was talking about. The hall was not much, although it is in a wonderful Botanical setting, the Maid of Honour and Bridesmaids had all pooled together, just the right amount of drapery and décor to dress the room, lovely centerpieces put together by hand from dollar store purchases, inventive place cards, fun luncheon-y food and 3 staff to pull things together during the reception. The ceremony took place at the front of the room, and then the head table was moved into place. All very simple, very lovely and a good time was had by all. At the end, the bridal party headed of to have an after party!

Oftentimes, there is a sense of dismay when decisions are being made, and the Bride and Groom realize that they are well above the budgeted amount for the wedding: or the budget doesn’t get made at all. Either there are suddenly too many guests, or the meal has grown into an epicurean Hydra. So today we're going to go over a few ways to cut down on costs, and give you something to leave in the savings account.

The first place to look is the guest list. Go over it again and ask yourselves why each person has been asked. Are they coworkers, childhood friends you haven't seen since grade 8, your parents' bridge partners , or business partners?

Very often what should be a decision based on real friendship and caring can become a political decision. Think about separating the ceremony and the reception; keep the reception for the people you really see as important in your life, close friends and relations. You can invite a larger list to the ceremony.

Dinner for 150 can be a very expensive proposition, consider instead making your ceremony early and having an afternoon reception with simpler food or a tea with desserts only. You can always then invite the wedding party and parents to a wonderful intimate dinner. Consider the cost savings of the stationed meal instead of a full buffet or waiter service. Talk to your caterer about what might be a less expensive version of something that you want, not all steak is filet mignon, but the flavour ,that's a different story.

There a certainly many other ways to cut costs which I will cover as I tackle each of the other aspects of hosting a wedding.