A few of my favorite things

This recession has really taught me to be on the look out for great products and services that don't cost a fortune.  Here are my favorite things that will help you cut corners and save your budget from a bail out!

 

Mascara -

I have been on a hunt for a great mascara for years.  Mascara shelf life is suppose to last up to two months and that can add up if you are paying $24.00 a shot.  As a faithful consumer, I have been using one of the top name brands for years.  After a long search, I found a mascara that I like for less than 1/2 the cost. 

 

Revlon's new Grow Luscious by Fabulash*. You can't miss it - the tube is bright green and the wand has a long and wide brush.  Check it out at your local drug store or visit their web site.


*please consult your dermatologist before using any new product.

Off Site Catering -

We handle several off site events every year and we are fortunate to be exposed to a wide variety of caterers.  I have found that some have great food, but lack professional staff and some have great food as well as service, but their charges per person are super steep and then, there are those caterers that have terrible food as well as service, but there prices are enticing.

We found a light at the end of the tunnel when two years ago, one of our clients turned us on to Michael C. Events. Michael Compean's culinary training and dedication is impressive and well orchestrated.  Michael takes pride in hiring friendly and hard working captains and staff.  He understands that a tasting for two people can be easy to pull off, but the food should be as delicious for 200 or more guests. Michael C. Events starts at $80.00 per person which includes staff.

"Michael Compean began cooking as an adolescent and by the age of 20 he knew food was his passion.  Chef Compean has over 15 years experience as a chef and pastry artisan.  He has honed his skills at several exclusive establishments including  L'Auberge resort in Del Mar California, La Valencia Hotel in San Diego and The Sunset towers in Hollywood.  He was also a pastry chef in Budapest, Hungary.  Most recently Michael has joined the staff as Executive chef for the beautiful historic landmark in culver city - The Culver Hotel.

Chef Compean has competed in numerous cooking events and competitions nationwide, including America’s best pastry chefs at The Patisfrance U.S. pastry competition in New York and Chef Magazines Best Of Buffalo competition.  He also placed 1st in the Wild Rice Board professional chef’s competition.  His varied experiences have allowed him to master an eclectic and elegant style rarey matched in the culinary arts. His ingenuity and use of traditional andcutting edge techniques and styles will captivate you."

Chandeliers -

There are a few more photos coming for this blog...stay tuned.

Chandeliers are a great way to dress up a party or special event.  I love working with decorative chandeliers for all types of events. In the past, we have used chic green waterfall chandeliers for an elegant dinner party and cigar bar and red crystal chandeliers to dress up a black tie event.

Cupcakes -

I try very hard to stay away from sweets, since this career can be very hard on one's diet.  However, I have to sample our vendor's work, so I can make first hand recommendations to our clientele. Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach rocked an event recently with their cupcakes and cake pops.  I love red velvet cupcakes and cake pops and these guys took the cake - pun intended. 

Wedding web sites  -

I am addicted to www.stylemepretty.com. They are big on DIY and fun details.  I love their site and I must confess, we get a lot of inspiration from their weddings.


ATTIRE -

Stylin Tape for the Bride - bristol6.com

When you want to look great on your wedding day and you don't have a lot of under garment options due to the design of your gown, these are great, plus these cover ups are a lot sexier than band-aids:)

Men's Suits -

Looking for a quality men's suit?  Please check out Roger Stuart Clothes, Inc. in downtown Los Angeles.  This clothing store is one of the best men suit wholesalers with 40-70% off retail. 

Sexy Shoes - 

I love Stuart Weitzman's shoes. When I discovered Stuart Weitzman for my own wedding, I fell head over heels...there I go again with the puns. Anyway, their shoes are stylish and prices are fair, plus they are comfortable.  Our advice for all of our clients - have a dress rehearsal with all your accessories and break in your shoes before the big day!

Clutches -

I love to see brides have a clutch on their wedding day. I know they don't hold a lot of items, but they look so pretty.  Most of them can hold your lipstick, compact mirror and a hankerchief. When the budget can handle a splurge, then I prefer saks fifth avenue. But, I must caution, before you splurge, check out Loehmann's or Nordstrom Rack and see what they have on display and if you are patient, you can find a clutch for a fraction of the price!

Thanks for allowing me to share my favorite things.  Happy Holidays and shopping to you!

Cafe Pinot

Early this fall, we had the opportunity to do a wedding for a client with great taste!

I loved the vibe of her wedding and the photographers that she chose to do the photography.

The bride chose to get ready at a beautiful suite at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.  The Biltmore is such an amazing hotel with so much history!

After hair and makeup and the bride and groom's first meeting, the photographers took the bride and groom and their entire wedding party around key places in the downtown area for some really great shots.

The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the Cafe Pinot.  I love working at this venue! The service, food and ambience are amazing and everyone that works there is great!

There were a lot of details involved for this wedding and I was grateful to have the help of the Natalie Stephens-Sleigh with the Patina Restaurant Group.  I really can't say enough great things about Natalie!!!!

I hope you enjoy the photos from Brian and his lovely wife Allie Calloway from Callaway Gable Photography!

Very truly, 

Party Goddess Uncensored March 2010

Last March, I spoke at the first Party Goddess Uncensored.


When asked to be one of the speakers, I jumped at the chance, since I absolutely love Marley Majcher and her team at the Party Goddess!


Since our company had a great year in 2009, Marley and I thought it would be a great idea to have me talk about making money during a difficult economy. I presented a fun and informative power point presentation that listed the tools and strategy that I used to respond to one of the worst economic crisis that our Country has faced in years.


As you can see by the photos, it was a really fun seminar for the attendees and the guest speakers too! 

Gratuities - included or not?

Many of our clients ask me about tips and I have been wanting to write about this for long time.  One of my favorite vendors, Oksana Lanis from Details by Oksana, found a great article about this subject matter.  I hope this helps, but please remember that tips are discretionary. When our clients want to tip, we ask them to place the vendor tip inside a sealed envelope with the vendor's name written on the outside.  I prefer to hand these out at the beginning of the event - it seems to put a smile on everyone's face and a skip in their step:)

Here is the article -

"Though you may think you've accounted for every imaginable wedding expense, there is one fee that might elude you: the tip. Rewarding vendors with a tip is expected, and it will serve as a thank-you for a job well done. But figuring out whom to tip, how much to pay, and when to offer it can be tricky. While some vendors include gratuities in their fees, many will leave the amount up to you -- and the level of service they provide can influence what you give them. Tips can add up quickly, costing you a few thousand dollars. Gratuities for caterers alone can be $200 to $600 or more, for example, depending on the number of guests, your catering costs, and where you live. Most tips should be handed out the day of the wedding, so it's wise to assign the job to a friend or family member. A follow-up thank-you note is often a valued tip in itself, as your word can be a recommendation for the vendor.

Officiants

While it isn't necessary to tip priests, ministers, rabbis, or other religious officiants (many of them, in fact, won't accept cash tips), if you want to thank them for their services, consider making a donation to their organization or house of worship. A typical amount is $75 to $100, separate from any fee you may be charged for the officiant's time.

If you belong to a church, your own minister or priest may perform the wedding at no charge. In this case, you could make a donation to the church, and as an extra thank-you, consider sending something personal, such as a gift certificate to a nice restaurant.

If your wedding is performed by a civil employee such as a judge, clerk, or other nonreligious official, then forgo a gratuity. Such officiants are paid a flat rate and are usually not permitted to accept tips or donations -- local law may actually prohibit it. A thoughtful card, however, is always appreciated.

Catering Staff

Many caterers include a gratuity in their contract to be divided up among the workers, but be sure to ask. If the gratuity isn't included, plan on tipping all staff members, including the catering or banquet manager, waiters, bartenders, chefs, and other essential workers who help serve guests.

"Most catering staff members receive a decent hourly wage, however, so you needn't go overboard on their tips," says Joe Piane, sales manager and executive chef at Piane Caterers in Wilmington, Delaware.

You can calculate the tip as a percentage of the cost of your total catering bill. Figure on paying about 15 to 20 percent of the amount for the banquet manager to share with the kitchen and serving staff. Another way to compute the gratuity is to offer a flat amount for each worker, which is often a more economical method, especially if your catering company is expensive. You'll want to give roughly $100 to $200 for the catering or banquet manager, $50 each for chefs (and bakers), and $20 to $30 each for waiters and kitchen staff, divided into separate envelopes.

Tips can be paid in advance to the director of the catering company, or you can hand them to the banquet manager toward the end of the evening.

Musicians and Deejays

Tipping customs vary, depending on whether you hire an independent band or deejay or book through an agency. For independent bands that book their own gigs, tipping is not customary.

"No matter what your deejay or band is charging, the money is going right into their pockets, so don't feel like you have to give extra, unless of course they really went above and beyond," says Kelly Scriven, owner of the Bride's Maid, a wedding consulting business in Whitman, Massachusetts. Valerie Romanoff, owner of New York City--based Starlight Orchestras, adds, "We're always pleasantly surprised when clients tip us and recognize the entertainment value of what we provide, but it's not expected."

If you employ your band or deejay through an entertainment agency, the company will usually either include a gratuity in the contract or suggest that you give each band member or deejay a little extra in cash. If your contract includes a "service charge," don't assume that it is the gratuity. "The service charge often goes right back to the company," says Scriven.

Musicians should be tipped about $20 to $25 apiece; deejays get at least $25. Many bands offer a vocalist for the ceremony at an additional cost. Tip him or her the same amount as you would one of the other musicians. Hand out the tips in cash at the end of the night.

Stylists and Makeup Artists

Even though it's a particularly special day, you can still tip stylists and makeup artists as you would for a regular appointment -- 15 to 20 percent. For each assistant who helps with secondary tasks, such as shampooing, plan on giving a gratuity of $3 to $5.

You can hand out tips in envelopes directly to stylists, or leave them at the salon's front desk. If you're short on cash, it's fine to tip by check or include it on a charge. If a stylist comes to your home or the wedding site, tip as you would at a salon, but in general, makeup artists and hair stylists who own their own businesses are not tipped.

Photographers, Videographers, Florists, and Wedding Coordinators

For people who own their own businesses, as many of these vendors do, tipping isn't necessary. "They've already negotiated their fees and expect only that amount of money," says Jeremy Faryar of LIFEstories Film, a New York City videography company that specializes in weddings. For photographers, videographers, and florists who do not own their own businesses, tip $30 to $50; wedding coordinators should be given about $50 to $100.

If you feel that the service you received from one of these vendors was extraordinary (say, if the videographer stayed and took footage of an after-wedding party even though it wasn't in his contract), an additional 10 percent tip would be a nice gesture, says Ruth L. Kern, an etiquette consultant in Barrington, Illinois. Or you might send a thank-you gift such as flowers or a print from your photographer showing the vendor in action at your wedding.

Site Staff

Wherever you have your wedding, there will likely be many behind-the-scenes workers, such as coat checkers, powder-room attendants, or parking valets. Make sure you do not overlook these people -- while you may not have much contact with them throughout the celebration, they help keep guests happy. Sometime before the wedding, ask the site manager to instruct workers not to accept any tips from guests. Instead, plan on tipping them yourself. At the end of the evening, pay coat checkers a total of $1 to $2 per guest, which they can share. Powder-room attendants should receive 50 cents to $1 per guest, to be divided among them. Set aside $1 to $1.50 per car to give to the parking manager, who can then divide up the cash among the valets.

Seamstresses, Delivery People, and Drivers

Though they won't actually be at the wedding, these workers' preparatory roles are just as important, so be sure to thank them in some way.

The people delivering the flowers and cake should receive at least $5 each at the time they make their deliveries. A gratuity for your limousine driver may already be included in your bill, but if it's not, consider giving a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the cost (pay it in cash when the driver picks you up). For seamstresses, a cash tip is not expected, but sending a small gift such as a photo of you in your dress is a wonderful way to show your gratitude."

{Martha Steward Living}

Roof top party

Last May, one of our clients wanted a very unique rehearsal dinner.

We made a recommendation - The London Hotel in West Hollywood.  They fell in love and rented the roof top for the party!  

The guests were greeted with passed cocktails and appetizers and very cool music performed by Fortune Entertainment.

There were three aerialist performances over the swimming pool. G2 lighting built a silver truss over the pool, so the aerialist could perform above the water. After each show, the aerialists used one of the hotel suites to get ready for their next performance, which included being repainted by the body painter that was hired for the event! Guests loved having artwork applied during the party in one of the cabanas!

  The lighting company did a great job with the different colors, so each performance looked unique.

I loved working at the London - everyone from Alison Montgomery, the private events manager to our captain Jean Paul and the entire staff were amazing!

The photos were photographed by Salvatore Soria. Salvatore captured so many special moments that I wasn't sure which ones to place on my blog.