A Splash of Color On Your Wedding Day

When you think about a wedding the first color that comes to mind is white; the color of purity, virginity, fresh and new beginnings. We have been trained by society and etiquette that white is the acceptable color for such an important day in a woman’s life. In the past, the bride’s wedding dress has been all white; the wedding cake has been all white; the table linens has been all white and even the flowers has been, yes, you guessed it, all WHITE.

However, a few years ago, brides have been gently kicking the door in by staring away from the norm. More and more, we’ve been seeing ivories, creams, off-whites and champagne colored wedding gowns with our modern brides while our more daring brides have opted for all varieties of colors to incorporate their personalities and cultures.

Today, it is more acceptable to infuse color into to your wedding day design pallet through your table clothes, napkins, centerpieces, bridal bouquets, bridesmaid’s dresses, invitations, favors, candles, up-lighting, and the list goes on. However, there are still standards of etiquette that still outlines what we can and cannot do on our wedding day, according to society. They are known to us wedding planners and designers as the “traditional wedding colors”. You’ve got your lavender, your baby pink, your light blue, your burgundy, your gold, and your silver; God forbid you choose any other color and your grandmother’s head will spin!

Well I’m here to tell you modern brides that COLOR IS IN! White is a thing of the past! In fact, you only see the color white on the bride. It is the one aspect of tradition that has remained for most brides; no matter how modern they may be. Brides are mixing and matching colors together based on how they feel their wedding should look and how these colors will make their guests feel when the walk into the ceremony and reception rooms.

Here’s what new in color pallets for weddings design and décor right now:

1. Vanilla & Slate Gray

2. Pink & Orange

3. Mustard Yellow & Bright Green

4. Black & Yellow

5. Midnight Blue & Purple

At N’Chantment Events, I encourage my brides to select a color that evoke emotion and set an ambience in a room. So play with color in your design pallet to create the setting and feeling that you want your guests as well as yourself to remember on your special day!

A Very Special Father's Day Dinner Event Idea

He is the first man you ever fell in love with. The man you could always count on. The man who protected you from the monsters in the closet and under the bed.

The man that stayed up late at night to make sure you came home safe from your first date; even though you didn’t want you to go in the first place. The man that took you to your first game.

The man that took you to get your first haircut at the barber shop. The man that walked you down the aisle on your wedding day and danced with you at the reception even though the idea of giving you away was one of the hardest things he ever had to do! The man who sat at the head of the table and served as the head of the household.

We all know him, and we all love him! We call him dad, daddy, father, pops, papi, and even papa but at the end of the day he could do no wrong because he was our hero, our superman!

Dad’s are often neglected or even forgotten on their day all because of the sad few that use the title of “DAD” but do not live up to this powerful and privilege position. Well, that ends here because N’Chantment Events is here to salute all of the DADS that are taking care of business. You are truly appreciated for all you do! That said: HAPPY FATHER’S DAY


So what should you give to the man that watched me grow into the person that you are today? Simple; like the old saying, “the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach!” So gather the gang (mom and all your siblings) and get to cooking in the kitchen!

Assign a dish to each person. Make sure it’s one of dad’s favorite dishes. Even daddy’s littlest one can pitch in by helping to set the table. Make the entire dinner event is all about him by ditching the usual table cloth and place settings to ones that are of his favor color. Buy or make him all the desserts that he craves! (Even though we might be watching his cholesterol, let’s give him a break today) Don’t forget to get him something to wash it down with.

After dinner is over, pop in a favored comedy or action movie that he’s been dying to see but haven’t had the time because he’s been too busy making sure that you guys are all okay!

Then right before the evening is over, put on a family award show just for dad with your number one man as the night’s honoree! This might be the part where you might get the old man all emotional by writing a page each of what your dad means to you! Read them aloud to him and then present him with something fun like a certificate for the World’s Greatest Dad, or a trophy/plaque made just for him. If that’s too much, simply shower him with handmade cards and gifts. But most of all show your dad just how much he means to you on father’s day with a great, creative and affordable stay-at-home dinner event!

Remember no matter what your differences were in the past it’s never too late to be the dad that we all know you can be! So you got on board a little late, well its better late than never!

Moreover, you don’t have to be a biological father to be a dad. This is for all the stepdads, godfathers, grandpas, foster fathers and dads that adopt. If you are: A man who creates a child; A man who adopts a child; A man who raises a child; or A male parent, then guess what, YOU ARE A DAD! So HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to you!



A special Father’s Day Salute to the following men who molded me into the woman I am today:

Sydney G. Margetson Sr.

Pelham Warner Sr.

Ivan Harvey Jr.

Lester McKoy

James F. Herbert

James E. Herbert

10 Ways to Make the Groom Feel Special

So you've picked out the perfect dress; you have a magnificent venue; the cake is a work of art; the ceremony and reception decor is amazing; the flowers are being flown in from central america... BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GROOM! You know, the man who got down on his knees and presented you with the ring   of your dreams and started this whole planning process!

With all the razzle and dazzle of planning a wedding, the groom can often go un-heard, or just fade into the background period. But have no fear because I have some unique ways to incorporate your groom into the festivities!

10 Ways to Make the Groom Feel Special

1. Have a Sports themed Grooms Shower for the groom-to-be and a few of his best friends and male family members packed with beer, chips, pizza, sandwiches and Buffalo wings. The gifts will be exclusively for the groom.

2. Make the Groom’s cake a must at the wedding to incorporate the groom’s favorite hobby.

3. Let the groom walk down the aisle to a song of his choice.
4. Incorporate the groom’s favorite color into the reception.

Assuming that the groom likes navy blue; incorporate it into the table linens or use it as the font color on your menu cards.

5. Make plans for a surprise performance for the groom either by the bride or by a paid entertainment such as singing the groom’s favorite love song.

6. Honor your groom’s mother by allowing her to walk with the bride and her mother down the aisle.

7. Let the groom be completely in charge of an aspect of the wedding like the music or the photography.

8. Send the groom along with his groomsmen to get pampered i.e. haircuts, massages, etc.

9. Give the groom a wedding day gift for something he loves to do or watch. Sports tickets or personalized sporting equipment.

10. Get the groom’s opinion on male geared favors for the reception.

So You've Got The Ring: Now What?

10 Things to Get You Started

Getting engaged can be the most exciting time of your life. However, it can be the most stressful time as well. After your now fiance has expressed his undying love for you; ask you to spend the rest of your life with him and has gotten up off of his knees, you're left thinking, "NOW WHAT?"

It's not like you haven't planned your wedding in your head over and over again since you were a little girl but now the time is actually here. Don't get me wrong, it's completely okay to feel a little overwhelmed or unsure of how all the planning and details will turn out but before all that...what should you do first?

Here's 10 Things To Get You Started:

1. Announce your engagement (call up friends & family, local newspaper, free wedding website, or engagement party) 

2. Set your wedding date or at least have a tentative date with a little room for flexibility just in case (a week before or a week after the desired date)

 

3. Determine a realistic budget to meet your every desire for your wedding. Stand firm and stick to your budget by placing things in order of highest to lowest priority (Remember: Your venue should be your most expensive purchase ranging at 50% of your budget)

 

4. Hire a professional wedding & event planner/consultant to assist you with this most important time of your life

 

5. Determine the amount of guests you can afford to invite. Start to compile a list of potential guests. Use this to keep your list at the desired amount. Break the list down into 4 categories:

a. Bride’s List

b. Groom’s List

c. Bride’s Family List

d. Groom’s Family List

Break the lists down a little further with 3 additional categories within each list:

a. Those who must be invited

b. Those who should be invited

c. Those who would be nice to invite

6. Book a venue(s) to secure your desired wedding date (at least 9 months or earlier)

 

7. Pick a theme and/or color scheme and stick with it! Incorporate this theme and color scheme into your Save the Date Cards (which you should be sending out right about now!), your wedding invitations (mail 6 to 8 weeks before the event date) and ceremony & reception décor.

8. Order passport, visa or birth certificate, if needed for your honeymoon plans and research marriage license requirements and regulations for your city and state.

9. Shop around for wedding photographers and book your photographer

 

10. Select the members of your bridal party: Best Man, Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor, Groomsmen, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl, Ring Bearer etc.

Bonus: Take a deep breath, relax and request help because you will greatly need it if you plan to be energized and refreshed for your big day!

N'Chantment Events: Planning an Affordable yet Elegant Graduation Party for Your Shining Star!

It's that time of year again, when friends and family pull out their cameras to get that first shot of their high school and/or college graduates. So why not congratulate them with a Graduation Party?

Planning a party of any caliber can be stressful, time consuming and expensive! But I’m here to assure you that, “It doesn’t have to be!” Here are my three steps that you MUST follow:

•Set a budget and stick to it, no matter how bad the urges are to add things at the last minute

•Set a theme and color scheme, let it be evident throughout the entire event

•Tap into your inner you and DIY! Make the local 99c Store, Party City, Target, Michaels and other craft stores your best friend

The first thing that you need to do is set the date and time for your event and determine how many people you want to invite. Figure out where you’re going to have your party. Don’t go for the expensive places like reserving a space at a restaurant or a catering hall. Keep it simple and affordable! There are many places that can be transformed into the ultimate party places. For instance, your backyard (free of charge but remember to contact your Home Owner’s Association for permission if necessary), a local park (it might cost as little as a trip down town and a park permit), a local community center/hall or even your church’s community space are all great inexpensive party venues.

After you’ve got your venue secured start sending out those party invitations! You should send them out just around the time of your loved one’s graduation. Therefore the invites will serve as a formal invitation to the party as well as an announcement of your loved one’s scholastic accomplishments.

In this day and age there are so many ways to send out an invite. You can do it the old fashion way and buy packs paper graduation invitations from the store or get on board with technology and utilize free options. You can create an electronic invitation using Evite.com or you can design your own invitation and simply email it to all your friends. However, if the invitation is the most important aspect of your party then you might want to allocate your budget accordingly. Remember, your invitation sets the tone for your event! It introduces your theme, color scheme, and makes the first impression. It can also help your guests decide just how formal or informal your event is. The invitation can potentially alleviate a guest showing up in jeans and a t-shirt as opposed to wearing slacks and a button-down shirt with a tie. Simply put, it eliminates mishaps like the former. I got you thinking about it now, huh? You probably never thought about an invitation serving such a huge purpose before, until now! But relax, and have fun picking the best invite to match your theme and color scheme. Try looking for invites in the shape of the graduate cap or roll up the invite printed on a plain white paper and seal it with a ribbon to emulate a diploma. The ideas are endless! However, while you’re having fun with all the possibilities, don’t forget to include the directions or a map to the location of the event.

Are you overwhelmed yet? Don’t be, because you’ve just dipped your toes into the water! Next up is your décor! You want to make sure that your guests can identify the theme as soon as they arrive through the visual atmosphere. This includes your decorations (balloons , streamers, banners); your table décor (table cloth, centerpiece, napkins, cups, plates, utensils); and your focal piece (head table, cake). But always remember your budget, if you choose to go big on one thing, cut back on something else. If you choose to get cloth table cloths for a more elegant look (highly recommended if the event is held in doors) as opposed to plastic table cloths (suggested for outdoor events), then cut back on the allocated amount for your plates, napkins, cups etc. Pick those up at the 99c store or Family Dollar to save money. As for your centerpieces, there are many crafty ideas that are inexpensive. Instead of using vases, get some cardboard gift bags in your color scheme and use them as your vases. Insert a glass of water and place your flowers in there. A gorgeous DIY idea! Here’s another good and affordable idea that can serve two purposes. It’s called wanderfuls and can be used as your centerpiece and then distributed as your party favors. They come in all colors and themes and can be customized to your liking.


Your cake on the other hand can be a sheet cake from your local baker, a few dozen cupcakes (really popular right now) or even a great BJ’s cake customized from the bakery section. If the cake is one of your main expense then go for it, how does a three tier custom cake sound?


Now that you are knee deep into this pool of water, ask yourself, how am I going to entertain my guests? Well, it all depends on the age group. But remember, keep it affordable! Utilize your iPod base and connect your iPod to DJ your event. Music always gets a party going! Pull out those group board games like Gestures, Taboo, Twister, Charades, Cranium, and Jeopardy to get a friendly competition going. If the party is for an elementary grad, you might want to purchase a piñata and maybe play musical chairs. Whatever you do, make sure it’s fun!


With all this event planning you must be starving! So what’s on the menu? For an event like this you’ll want to keep it light with inexpensive finger foods. Cheese and crackers, fruit platters , pigs-in-a-blanket, vegetable platters, mini beef patties, chicken wings, chicken fingers, mini burgers/sliders , just to name few. As for beverages, you want to make sure you have something for everyone. In other words, don’t just get soda! Your guests might prefer juice or even water. As for your college grads, you might want to include some cases of beer, wine coolers, margaritas etc.


Finally, the day is here is everything went well! How do you thank your guests? You guessed it, party favors! One of the most popular favors is candy because everyone has a sweet tooth. It can be candy or even chocolate but the presentation is what counts the most. It should somehow relate to your theme or match your color scheme. If candy is not really your thing, not to worry customized mints filled favors are very popular these days. Or how about these cute candle favors?


Well you made it! Now was that easy or what? Or maybe not so much? Remember if it’s too overwhelming and time consuming or you’re just not tuning into your creative you, then you can always ask for expert assistance. An event planner can help you from start to finish and be present on event day to setup and breakdown as well as ensure that the day starts on time, runs smoothly and goes according to plan while you relax and actually enjoy your party! N’Chantment Events can assist you in all your needs!


N’Chantment Events presents Shining Star Graduation Party Design Canvas