Gift Horsing Around

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So your wedding party is spread out over the US and you've been dreaming of gift cards as a final thank you for their assistance... but how do you know what's in their area? What if they're picky? What if they already have everything and couldn't really use another Target gift card?

Enter the online discount industry! Groupon, Half Off Depot, Double Take Deals, LivingSocial, Crowd Cut, and others are spread around the US and tend to pick the better restaurants and shops in the area to promote with deals. Just check out the hometown deals and get them dinner, lunch, or even a massage!

Agape

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Agape is defined as a true and selfless love that one person has for another-- I named my company Agape Events because whenever you plan an event, you are keeping in mind the people who are nearest and dearest to you. Weddings, graduation parties, birthday parties, retirement parties, and any other event you can think of involves considering the needs of others as well as yourself. At the end of any well-planned event, you should feel closer to those around you and a sense of fulfillment that leaves you glowing from the inside out!

This week I'll be putting up inspiration boards for other events I love to plan and that have been inspired by the people I love!

Happy Mother's Day!

Me, Mom, Kim, and Amelia Anne

Without my mother, I wouldn't be half the woman I am today-- and my wedding wouldn't have been nearly as spectacular! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Something for Everyone!

I've been thinking about this particular subject for a while now-- ever since the press started pondering the menu at Chelsea Clinton's wedding. Many outlets slammed the family's assumed choice of a vegan, gluten-free wedding, and shamed them for pressing their own dietary needs on the guests, and though I generally would agree with that, I'm quite certain that the Clinton/Mezvinsky event had enough funding to get some tip top options. But what about you? What if you can't afford to dish out $100/head? 

I believe that you should put out something for everyone at your reception-- yes, the wedding day is "all about you" but your guests are there to help you celebrate and have surely been a part of your life and therefore a part of everything leading up to this day. Notice that I didn't say audience, I said guests... When you have an intimate dinner party, it's easier to know off the top of your head if you should adjust the menu for allergies or dietary lifestyles, but a party of more than 10? That gets tricky.

This is where a buffet comes in handy-- sure, it's not as formal as a sit down dinner, but that doesn't mean it can't be just as classy and high-brow. These days, companies like Avalon Catering offer some amazing choices for a cocktail reception (fancy speak for buffet), including Georgia peaches wrapped in serrano ham, cheese and preserves, tortellini, pork shoulder, and oh so many more. If you're doing stations (another form of buffet), they offer h'ors dourves like gazpacho, lighter fare like bean salad, sage tarts, pasta salads, and main courses like Georgia trout and beef brisket! 

The point is that no matter your dietary needs and the needs of your guests, looking in to the cocktail and station alternatives may be the best way to suit everyone's needs and provide delicious food at the same time!

The buffet at my friend Jill-Marie's wedding-- Chopped BBQ Pork, Crab Souffle, Fresh Crudite, Stone Ground Grits, Cheddar Cheese Ring