Archive for May, 2009

Quick Tips – Wedding Decorations

Posted in calgary chair covers, calgary weddings, five star events, wedding decor on May 27, 2009 by fivestarevents

When it comes to décor, all you really need to know is:
1. What is your budget?
2. What is your color scheme?
3. What kind of look do you want for your special day?

CEREMONY
What does the venue allow? Check to see if they will allow fresh flowers, candles, pew bows, fabrics, or even other structures. It’s always best to know what you CAN do, as opposed to finding something you WANT and can’t have.

RECEPTION
“Keep it simple”. Use no more than 2 colors, or one color with an accent color. Check with the reception location to see what is allowed, and what is not.

The basic rule of thumb for reception decorations is that the “main tables” should be decorated. That might include the head table, the cake table, the gift table and the guest book table. Also, you might decorate the buffet table, the DJ or band area, a table for favors (if you are having one), even the doorway or the entrance.


CHAIR COVERS

The quickest way to transform your venue from a boring hall or ballroom into an elegant, formal space is by adding chair covers and sashes. Chair covers come in a variety of colors and styles, although Five Star Events carries chair covers in white, black and ivory. Sashes come in various colors and fabrics, usually organza and satin. Organza sashes look beautiful with a standard “shoelace” bow, whereas satin sashes can look stunning with various other tie options.

CENTREPIECES
If you are having a dinner, as opposed to a cocktail party, you will probably want to have table centrepieces. Fresh flower centrepieces are lovely, but can be costly. Know what is your budget and work within it.

Check with the venue as to what size and shape the guest tables will be. If you are seating guests at rectangular tables, or round tables, you might select different shaped centrepieces.

Check the sizes of the other main tables, such as the gift table, the guest book table and the cake tables. Be sure that they will be large enough to suit your needs.

TABLE LINENS

Check with your facility, or caterer, to see if they will provide the linens for your guest and peripheral tables. If they do not, ask them to provide it for you and negotiate the price on that.

It is always a good idea to visit the ceremony and reception venues with your decorator to communicate your vision. Clearly explain what it is that you want, what your color scheme/theme is, what your budget is, and what other services you may want them to provide. For example, they might be available to set out your favors, your table numbers, your place cards, etc.

Wedding Decorations – transforming your venue from a corporate function into an elegant wedding venue!

Posted in Uncategorized on May 26, 2009 by fivestarevents




Most wedding venues these days offer minimal, if any, decorations for your wedding. The venue representative is in charge of maximizing their food and beverage revenue, and won’t encourage you to bring in your decorations elements on your own because they have no financial gain in the matter.

However, the quickest way to transform your wedding venue from a space that looks like a corporate luncheon into an elegant, formal wedding space is by adding chair covers and linens.

Why you need a wedding planner!

Posted in calgary chair covers, calgary wedding planner, wedding coordinator, wedding decor, wedding director, wedding receptions, weddingn ceremony, weddings on May 26, 2009 by fivestarevents

Five Star Events® is a full service wedding planning company

Our principle concern is working with our clients, meeting your objectives, exceeding your expectations, and creating an atmosphere in which your wedding day becomes the day you have been dreaming about for years… and more!

We take care of all of the details for you! From the linen to the food, the beverages to the equipment rentals, the entertainment and decor, allow Five Star Events® to plan your wedding.

Why should I use a professional wedding planner?

Many people attempt to plan their wedding on their own, with the help of their family and friends, yet they seek professional help for many other services, such as lawyers, doctors, mechanics, and so on. Where is the logic in that? Why would you ask a professional travel agent to book your vacation once a year, or visit your dentist twice per year, but attempt to plan your own wedding, which happens only once in your lifetime, without any professional guidance?

Five Star Events® – A Professional Difference

As professional wedding planners, we do it all! No detail goes unnoticed, whether it’s your invitation, flowers, decoration, wedding favors, musicians or refreshments. From concept to completion, your wedding is in the hands of professionals. Each guest will marvel at how you’ve managed to wave a “magic wand” to pull together such a wonderful wedding so effortlessly.

Consider allowing Five Star Events® to creatively and professionally plan your wedding. We bring together many different areas of expertise. We will work with you to develop a theme for your wedding. We work within your budget, make suggestions for location, menu, and entertainment, then you leave the rest to us! We can handle the logistics such as transportation and accommodation needs of your guests, we handle the refreshments, and all rentals such as audio requirements, tables and chairs, linens, glassware, etc..

Never before has there existed an opportunity to call upon one team of creative, innovative and talented individuals to plan and implement an entire event, from concept through to completion. Let your family and friends relax and take part in the day the way they should be. Let Five Star Events® do what we do best – produce results!

A complimentary 1 hour consultation with the bridal couple is offered and encouraged.
Wedding Service Packages

Wedding Consultant

As your consultant, I will meet with you to plan your wedding on paper and give you referrals and ideas. This will be a 3 to 4 hour meeting, in our office. You will then go ahead and do all the legwork, which won’t be too hard since you’ve already been supplied with a game plan.

This is ideal for people who don’t know where, when or how to start. After you have selected your venue, I will also meet you at the venue (for a maximum of 1 hour) to discuss floor plan and layout. This service does not include ongoing phone calls, e-mail or support, and no personal meetings. A complimentary “Wedding Planning” binder is included.
Consultant package is $450

Wedding Coordinator

After we have had our initial consultation and designed our game plan, I go ahead and put the plan into action. I will negotiate contracts with your ceremony and reception venues, as well as with your florist and decorator, where you will proceed to do the rest on your own.

As your wedding coordinator, I will be a big part of your life, especially the last month prior to your wedding, helping with all of the final details. I will attend the ceremony and direct the day and vendors for you.

This is ideal for people who are too busy, or who realize that planning a party, of any size, can be overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. This service package includes ongoing phone calls and e-mail support, but no personal meetings until 1 month prior to your wedding date.
Coordinator package is $2000

Wedding Planner

As your wedding planner, I will plan your entire wedding from beginning to end with your instructions. I will take charge and make all of the arrangements according to your wants, specifications, needs. I will be present for your entire wedding day and handle all of the vendors for you.

This is ideal for people who either have too many family and friends who are too involved in the planning process (too many chefs, if you know what I mean), or who have no one who is offering to help at all. All you have to do is relax and enjoy your day. This service includes unlimited phone calls and e-mail support, as well as personal meetings as necessary.
Wedding Planner package is 13% of your wedding budget, starting at $5000.

Stress Relief – Wedding Day Co-ordination and Direction

Many bridal couples endeavor into the planning process on their own, but recognize that they need someone to pass the responsibility of coordinating and directing the day to a professional.

As the wedding day director, I get involved 2 weeks prior to the wedding day to review all of your vendor contracts and make suggestions where necessary. I contact each vendor, provide a production schedule and ensure that the wedding day stays on schedule.

I also ensure that each vendor is performing according to his or her individual agreement. I handle all of the last minute details and, above all, ensure that the vendors have a contact person to come to for questions so that the bridal party and families are not burdened or stressed with last minute queries from various vendors.

The ultimate responsibility is to ensure that the bridal couple, party and families are relieved of all duties of the implementation of the ceremony and reception and can relax and enjoy the big day. In addition, I attend the rehearsal (or run it as necessary) and handle all of the details.
Stress Relief package is $1000.

www.fivestarevents.ca

From DRAB to FAB – Chair Covers & Decor … DeWinton Community Hall

Posted in Uncategorized on May 26, 2009 by fivestarevents




Often times brides (and their families) hire Five Star Events to provide decoration rentals and services for their wedding. We have the ability to transform a boring community hall (or banquet space) into a beautiful wedding venue that your guests will remember for years to come.

Check out some of these photos. This venue is at the DeWinton Community Hall (just south of Calgary)

www.fivestarevents.ca

Posted in calgary chair covers, calgary wedding planner, calgary weddings, wedding decor, weddings on May 26, 2009 by fivestarevents

Ten Things You Must Do
Before You Say “I Do”.
As published in Vivaah! Magazine Premiere Issue
Summer/Fall 2003

1. Meet each other’s family — Get to know them because they are part of the entire package. Like the saying goes, “You don’t just marry your partner, you marry his whole family.”

2. Meet each other’s friends — Spend time with your mate in his or her comfort zone. It might be the hockey rink, the basketball field, the scrap booking classes, or even at the mall or gym. If he or she is accustomed to spending free time at a certain place, or doing a certain activity, it will not change after you’ve exchanged vows. And if you expect it to change, you’ll be setting yourself up for a big disappointment.

3. Have “the talk” — Give serious consideration to where you want to be, short and long term, in your relationship. If your partner said he or she wanted three kids when you first started dating, see if that is still what they want. Discuss where you want to live (maybe your new spouse will want to move to another city?), what you both consider to be your respective roles in the relationship and as you raise children. Discuss future scenarios. For example, she might think you should move in with her parents when they retire in order to support and take care of them, and he might think you should stay home and raise the children. If you hadn’t discussed it until now, you might be surprised. There are often many ethnic, cultural and religious differences between couples and different customs, which may be obvious to one partner, may not be acceptable to the other.

4. Discuss financial goals — Will both of you continue to work after marriage? Will one partner stay home with the children? If so, which of you will stay at home? It doesn’t necessarily need to be the spouse with the smallest income.

5. Set a budget — Set a budget for the wedding and stick to it. Weddings can be very costly, and unexpected expenses can come up if you’re not prepared. Spend money on what you feel is most important to you. If, for example, you want a large guest list, then cut down your food budget by having an afternoon luncheon or a cocktail party. Or if your priority is to have an eight-course dinner and your budget won’t allow for 500 people, then you cut down your guest list.

6. Make your own decisions for your wedding — Your wedding day is your day, and you should make the decisions. Resist the temptation to allow parents and friends to influence your decisions. Do you really need your mother’s boss at your wedding if you don’t know him or her? Go over your guest lists carefully. Selecting vendors is a personal decision; so don’t allow your friend’s neighbor’s cousin’s stepson to be your photographer or caterer unless you know he or she will be your best choice.

7. Review all vendor contracts — Make sure there are no possibilities for error on your wedding day. Give the limo driver a map for pick up and drop off locations. Review the florist’s contract to see if it includes delivery, and maybe alternate arrangements if your specific flowers aren’t in “wedding day” shape. Discuss with the photographer before hand what pictures should be taken.

8. Review details with your Emcee — Review your evening schedule with your emcee and ask him or her to stick to it closely. And ensure names are pronounced properly by providing a list of names (i.e. priests, out-of-town guests) in advance. Best-case scenario, either you or your partner will meet with the Emcee in advance and verbally practice the correct pronunciation of each name. Sometimes they are obvious… sometimes, they are not.

9. Get a marriage license — If it is a provincial requirement, get a marriage license and bring it with you to the ceremony. This is an important task that easily gets forgotten.

10. Smile! — Solve dry mouth problems by smearing a little Vaseline petroleum jelly on your teeth (sounds yucky, but it works). Your family and guests will be taking many photos of your wedding that will be in the family for generations.

11. Relax — Enjoy your special day. Your wedding day memories will stay with you for the rest of your life. Proper planning, staying within a budget and staying true to who you are as a couple will produce wonderful results. If something does go wrong, there’s nothing you can do about it at the time. A portion of your budget should be allotted to hiring a wedding planner, and he or she will take things under control so you won’t even know when there’s a problem.

Welcome to the New Millennium

Posted in calgary chair covers, calgary wedding planner, wedding decor, weddings on May 22, 2009 by fivestarevents

And here I am, trying to leap into 2009 with a blog. Not quite sure how this will work, but hopefully my readers will find some insightful information here, gain some valuable perspective into the world of wedding planning, and be entertained too!

I’m happy to receive your comments.

Let the games begin…..

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