Just an FYI

            After writing the last post, I realized how much I really do love writing, hence the whole English major thing, and decided that this doesn't have to be a blog only for events. Besides, Wonderland Events is about me and a journey to my dream job... so why not write about other things along my journey? Random they might be, but a need a little randomness in my completely OCD, Type A mind.

Cheers.

-M

A New Year's" Revolution"...

                What does a "new year" really bring? For some, it's the hopes of a fresh start, dropping ten ( or thirty) pounds, taking more time out for yourself, and wishing all of the bad habits you have had since  you were four would go away. I don't usually make a New Year's resolution because I know if I haven't thought about changing, doing, or getting rid of something throughout the past year, then I probably am not going to decide it is important enough to post on Facebook for the world to see and start drastically changing my life just because the calendar is changing.

                Instead, I have been thinking about what 2011 was about and what I want 2012 to be for me and those close to me. 2011 was a rollercoaster, and if you are reading this and know anything about me... you know that 1. heights aren't my thing and 2. I get dizzy driving much less doing loop-de-loops. I fell victim to losing one of the greatest people I will ever know and saw first-hand how good people continuously get the short end of the stick. But good and evil seem to keep each other company and I have been blessed with another year with my family. The best family anyone could ask for and I have seen how strong and encouraging my parents are despite what this world throws at them. If I was a "NY resolution" kind of girl, it would be to be as strong, kind, helpful, and brave as my parents. To understand that even though bad things happen, good is found in every situation. To know that everything will be ok and work as hard as you can to make it that way. Yeah, be jealous that they are super-humans in this normal world. :)

                I was also blessed to spend another year with someone who makes me better. Yes, this is about to get cheesy and gushy so skip this paragraph if you must :)  In movies, people say when you meet your soul mate, you will just "know." If that is the case, then I am screwed. I don't "know" what I am supposedly supposed to know or feel, but I am blessed to have a best friend I can kiss :) But really, meeting someone who you think about when you wake up, or when you hear something funny on TV, or can call no matter the occasion is pretty stellar. Especially when they are attractive, SO driven, funny, extremely loyal, smart, interesting and giving... did I mention attractive? I did lose a great man in 2011, but I started to see my boyfriend change roles from over the years. From party buddy to boyfriend to love of my life, to another man that I consider great, honest, and caring. To someone who I not only look after, but who will look after me and take care of me, just like that great man I lost. No one can ever be replaced, but they can send an angel to look after you and for that , I am forever grateful.

                2011 brought me a diploma and a job. A great job, but not my dream job. So I decided to go after my dream job and created Wonderland Events. Then I started thinking... "What is MY dream job?" Well, something where I can meet new people, be in a leadership role, continue to grow and become GREAT at what I do, and to have fun while doing it. I wanted to plan events for people and make them feel special. Feeling special is a great gift and if I could give that to someone, then that's what I want to do, but as I got deeper and deeper into my "real" job, I realize that in a way, it had sort of turned into my dream job. I was named the Director of Programs and Events  and given big projects to work on with lots of great vendors and speakers...like Sarah Blakely who created Spanx and Congressman Lynn Westmoreland who is so much fun to hear speak. I started a young professionals program and have got to work with planning new events and conferences with people my age... whoo!! And to put the cherry on top, I adore my boss, co-workers, and board of directors. So in a way, my dreams were right in front of me and Wonderland Events got pushed to the side. I'm not giving up on WE, but for now, I am just having fun getting more event experience and loving my job. I know I will eventually turn WE into a more of a job than hobby, but who said that had to be at 22 years old?

                2012 is another year to add to my life and another year that I am sure will come with guns to a knife fight, but I will take it with stride and try to make it count. That is all I ever want to do, make IT count. Make the memories last, make everyday matter, and be thankful for what I have been given.  Think about what life would be like if you woke up and only had the things you said thanks for the night before... what would you have left when you woke? May 2012 bring you as much adventure as I hope it brings me. May you find whatever resolution you are looking for and make it count.

Best Wishes and Luck for the New Year

You Are NEVER to Young to be a GLAM Girl: Madi turns 8!

Ok Y'all, this was just too much fun! Between having a super client and a great theme, this Glam Girl party was a pleasure to put on! From every color of pink you can imagine, to high heel shoes and tutus, turning eight has never looked so good!

This party was held in a hotel room so please ignore the black chair, picture, and AC unit! :) This is a picture of the food table.  Love the upside down balloons, the personalized flags, pink lemonade dispenser, and all the different shades of pink.

Here is a close-up on some of the decor. I used wine glasses filled with pink gemstones, beads, and ring pops for this display. You can also see the table cloth and a better picture of the adorable flags!

This pink purse was one of my favorite props. Every glam girl loves purses and shoes! I had that in mind when I included this candy filled purse and designed the high heel-shoe favors. The favors were made by vendor in North Georgia. They were hot pink, cardboard high heel shoes filled with candy. I also designed I necklace to go with the shoe. They were too cute! None of the pictures did them justice since they were all wrapped up... guess you will have to hire me if you want to see one! ;)

Here I am after the hard work was completed! Giving you all my signature 'W' :). 

I hope the girls loved the party as much as I did. What is not to love about all pink, glamour, and your own dress-up booth I made in the corner?! 

My next event is scheduled to be pretty glamorous as well! It is sure to be full of bright patterns and holiday cheer. I'll keep you posted on that.

Until then,

-M

All Hallows Eve

Halloween is a great excuse to plan a party. From the costumes to the colors, I had a blast putting together this bash!

First things first! I have said it before and I will say it again. Your invite sets the mood! Thats why I went with a funky, bat inspired invite. The wording is catchy and fun. The guest knew what to expect before they even arrived!







Working in a small space? No problem! Streamers can work dreams for decor. I strung them up from four corners and used the extra to cover a door. I also added a decorated circle to tie it all together. Lighting is key in a small space. Make sure to turn on your lamps!

Space may also be limited in your entryway. I added this funky fabric filled with colorful spiders to greet the guest as they came in!

This table display was a crowd pleaser! My main colors were lime green, purple, and black with a touch of orange. I wanted to steer clear of the normal orange and black. I used a sheer fabric to tie all the colors together. I kept my serving piece to a sold white with black accents. I loved using a Edgar Allan Poe book to give the cake stand a little more height. It went perfect for Halloween.

Here is a close-up of the food. We made name tags from vellum and scrapbook paper and gave all the foods a Halloween name. The menu was as follows from right to left:

"Spider Boo"- inside a cute spider dish was a chocolate Oreo cheese ball. Animal crackers and

nilla wafer for dipping.

"Graveyard dip"- a yummy chicken dip with tortillas and crackers.

"Creepy Caramel Apples"- apples made into perfect bite-sized circles drizzled with caramel (and some extra to dip in on the side!)

"Monster Cake"- the star of the show! A vanilla cake with lime green frosting covered with a hot fudge glaze and topped with googley eyes.

"Candy Cocktails"- simple martini glasses filled with Halloween candy

"Zombie Eyeballs"- cooked in the crockpot all day meatballs

"Ghostly Pizzas"- pita bread cut into 4s topped with lots of mozzerella and two turkey pepperonis for eyes!

Another hit was the "Swamp Water." If I told you what was in it, I would have to kill you! But, I am sure you are dying anyway over how cute this display is! A mason jar drink dispenser inside a birdcage... I did give myself a pat on the back for this one!

This is the drink station! Lined with solo cup monsters and a great carved pumpkin! I used a vase for the flowers before putting them inside the pumpkin so that after the party was over, you can simply pull out the vase and toss the pumpkin out!

A close up of the

pizzas and apples!

Favors for the end of the night filled with a ghost shaped Peep, chocolate bar, and graham crackers.

"Come back next year for S'MORE fun!"

It's not everyday you can get away with decorating a party with spiders, ghosts, and black/orange color combos, but on this day of the year it is fun to pull out all the stops and enjoy a nice glass of Swmp Water with your friends.

Happy Halloween Y'all!

Time for Turkey

Love, M

Deck the Halls

It has been awhile! Between a successfull business expo, planning a Halloween Ball, and another fabulous birthday party, I haven't been able to post as much as usual, BUT I am BACK!

I was asked to do a post on ideas I had for Christmas party centerpieces. The client is actually living in Hawaii (yes, jealous) so I tried to come up with some traditional pieces and a few tropical pieces. Bring on the tacky Christmas sweaters!

All of these ideas are super easy, inexpensive, and most of them are DIY (which we all know I love!) Starting at the top, we have a silver serving platter holding Christmas ornaments of your choice, covered by a glass cake cover. Most of us have all of these things laying around and could whip this one up easily! Same with the next. Wrap boxes with festival paper and ribbons and set them on your dessert stands. In the bottom corner, we have a serving piece, some candles, and Xmas candy... does it get any easier?

Turns out it does! Take your favorite Christmas cards, (or make your own) and put them in bold black or white frames. Try doing all different shapes and sizes to get more of a attention-grabber. My suggestion would be to do 3 cards and place tealights around them to add some subtle lighting.

Spray paint pinecones, (or in my friend's case, maybe seashells) with green, red, silver, white, or gold and throw them in a bowl to make a fun and unique display. Go by the local grocery store and see if they are selling candy trees you can place on top of candle holders. Grab some extra candies to spread around the centerpeice!

Fill cannisters with candy as well and add ornaments or letters to make it more formal/fun. Small Christmas trees can make a bold statement if they are given the right ornaments and decor, or play them down with a simple starfish like above. Last but not least, (yall know I had to do a mason jar!) MASON JARS filled with epson salt and tea lights. I think adding a colored candle would be great!

Two other quick ideas I had that aren't pictured  were to get a flower pot and paint it according to the colors of your party. Line the inside with candy canes so that the top of the candy cane is hanging over the edge. Then fill the pot with flowers!

Grab a clear vase and line the inside with lime slices to get a festive green, then add in your flower arrangment for a fresh take on Xmas or fill your vase with strands of Christmas lights and ornaments for lighting and decor!

I hope this helps and gets you in the Christmas spirit! It may only be October, but I get excited for Christmas as soon as my birthday is over in March!

Can't wait to hear jingle bells and drink eggnog,

-M

100 Likes!

It's official! Wonderland Events made it to 100 "likes" today! I started my page in July, so to have 100 "likes", not including all of the pages that have "liked" WE as well which do no show up in the count, I am thrilled. The love and support of my friends, family, and co-workers is amazing!

In the happy spirit of today, I designed a Citrus colored theme party. Bright watermelon pinks, orange oranges :), and hints of lemon yellow fill this party with cheer. I picture this as an outdoor or garden party for a young girl. I love the pink lemonade cupcakes and the cotton candy. I also love the place settings (minus the neon green :) ) for the party. They would be a super easy DIY project! The hot pink golf cart is a great prop and also a fun thing the play around on at the party! Not to mention how awesome the pictures would be with this beauty! DIY yard balls, ribbon stick favors, and centerpieces pull in the colors and are great added touches. Check it all out here:

Once again, thanks to everyone and keep the "likes" and love coming!

Blessed
-M

Easy Breezy Beach Board

Yay! I finally got my beach board done! I found a lot of really cool details for this wedding that made me fall in love even more with saying “yes” on the sand.  Check it out:



I'll go from left to right explaining my picks! First, the DIY seashell candles are a great inexpensive touch that adds subtle lighting and lots of detail. Use these on the sign in table or even around the centerpieces at the reception.

The guys boutonniere made from starfish are great and will standout on any color of suit with the greenery in the background.

One of my favorite touches to this wedding is the living favors. These small plants can go a long way and will make your guest remember what a great wedding you had when they see the plant grow. I think it would be cute to add a saying to it with a decorative tag. Maybe, "May these plants grow each day more and more like our love has." Love it!

Another one of my favorite is the tandem bike pictured above. For vintage weddings, the couple leaves in a vintage mustang, or for posh weddings, they may have a limo as the get-a-way car, but for the beach, a tandem bike is a must have! Think of what great pictures that would make!

The invitations were hard to pick since there are so many that would look great for a beach wedding. I went with sailboat invites to give more of a laid back feel for the guests. You could do any color to match your palette.

Could the sand aisle and driftwood be any more perfect for a beach wedding? Only if you add this gorgeous greenery! Love the simple, but bold set up for the vow to take place.

I gave two options of bridesmaid dresses, one in blue and green and a neutral tone. Both would be appropriate for the beach. As for the bride, nowadays you can go traditional with a full skirted dress or go ultra flowy with a strapless number. Your pick!

The table set up pulls in the greenery and uses the wood tables to add to the natural setting. I love the centerpiece and white settings. The cake is fabulous and is elegant ivory. Those seashell made of white chocolate add the perfect beach detail.

I could see many happy guests at this wedding full of surf, sand, and lots of love. Make me want to go to the beach!


More to come soon and as always, feedback is welcomed! :)

-M