Easy holiday recipes that I made myself

Over the holidays I got to try out some good recipes to treat my family and friends to. If I can make them, anyone can! They also taste and look great. What more can you ask for!

Red Velvet Trifle
After my first and last attempt at cake pops, I had some leftover cake still. I was about to throw it out until a friend mentioned I could make something out of it. So I did some searching online for a recipe and found this! I made a tasty trifle out of it and brought it to my family gathering. It was messy but darn good! I guess I can’t really claim to have ‘made’ it, but I did assemble it! I used the recipe below as a starting point. I ended up using packaged vanilla pudding mixture and CoolWhip, and the cake was excess wedding cake from my friend Jenn from Sweet Escapes. All borrowed or premade.. but hey, it was still a hit!
Find the recipe here.

Caramel Cashew Popcorn
I’m heading to my friend’s place in a couple days for a games night so I was thinking of what I could bring. I don’t even know how I stumbled across this recipe but I am so happy I did. It is a really easy caramel corn recipe that I added cashews to an added yummy factor. I have a popcorn maker and kernels at home so it was pretty simple to prep. I melted the caramel candies just as I did with the chocolate over a pot of boiling water. I made more than enough too, so I will have a snack to eat at home or at work. Let me tell you – it is SO DELICIOUS! I will definitely make this again. Note: Do not overcoat the popcorn. The popcorn will stay crunchy with 1/2 to 2/3 of it covered with caramel. Once it has too much caramel, it will be too chewy.
Find the recipe here.

Peppermint Bark
This is a holiday classic and is pretty easy to make. After my not-so-satisfactory attempts at cake pops, I ended up with bags of chocolate that I had nothing to do with. So I made some of this! I like how pretty it looks, and it is tasty. This would be great for a winter wedding favour, packaged with some nice ribbon and cellophane.
Find the recipe here.

The honest truth about starting in wedding/events, Part 3: Keep your day job

My last three blog posts have been about an interest topic – how to become an event or wedding coordinator and some hard truths I’ve learned along the way. My first post was about getting educated, my second post was about it being a very people-oriented job and the most recent one was about your job and vocation. Now I get to the nitty gritty. A lot of people have asked me whether I would do weddings full time or not, and even more have asked me if one can make a living off it. Here are some thoughts from one who works weddings part-time and events full-time.

Photo credit: Sweet Pair Photography

The stats

As glamorous as an event or wedding coordinator life seems, it is not easy to rely on it for a full-time income.

The jobs out there for a full-time salaried event coordinator are few, and only organizations/companies that are large enough to be able to afford and value a coordinator will hire for one. More event jobs out there are contracted than permanent (from my observations only, not a fact).

For weddings it is a bit different because you can work on your own. The more effort you put into advertising, promotion and networking, the more jobs you should get (ideally). On the flip side, you can be an amazing coordinator with out of this world skills, but if no one wants to book you, then tough luck.

I think the statistic is about 20% (or less) of coordinators are doing weddings full-time in Canada. With over 2000 coordinators nationally, that’s not a lot. That means the other 80% are only doing it part-time, and to what extent part-time (two weddings a year? ten weddings a year?) likely varies a lot as well.

Full-time coordinators suggest one could likely start doing weddings full-time 3-4 years from the time they start, and obviously this will depend on a lot of things.. the quality of your work for referrals, your networking and promotion, the city you work out of and the saturation of other coordinators, etc. It all depends on your own goals and how hard you will work to keep at it.

Being realistic

I compare wedding planning to acting.. it is great to get a gig when it comes around, but make sure you have another job to pay your bills. Like any other self-employed business, if you don’t have clients, you don’t get paid. With so many automated bill payments these days, you can’t afford not to do work. That’s pretty scary!

You would need a ton of weddings every season to have it pay all your bills. You can see my prices listed under my services here on my website. You can do your own calculations to get an idea of how many day-of’s, partial planning contracts and full planning contracts I would have to do to make a decent living.

Let’s do the math. If I wanted to make, say, $50,000 a year. If I only did full planning contracts (for the sake of this example), that would be about 16 weddings at my current starting price for full contracts. I would need to book more than one full time planning contract every month. We all know that weddings don’t often happening in the winter time, so from April to October, I’d have to book about 2 full time wedding contracts every month. If I did fewer, I’d have to do a couple day-of’s or partial planning contracts to make up for each I didn’t do. All the while, I could be juggling 10-12 clients at any given time, helping them plan their wedding with unlimited consultations. Then I need to make time for initial meetings to discuss the possibilities of booking someone new, because, you know, you have to keep booking clients if you want to make a living off of it. Usually it will be a mix of all types of contracts, not just full. But, man, that is starting to look like a lot of weddings and a lot of insanity! And that’s only if I am able to book enough clients.

Weddings full-time?

At the rate I’m going (and I don’t consider myself to be doing poorly) it would really take a LOT more weddings for me to do it full time. I’d also have to work my butt off so that I have a consistent amount of weddings every season to support myself.

Also quite honestly, I might get bored living and breathing only weddings all year-round, so it works for my temperament that I plan events for charity 9-5 and plan weddings 5-9. It keeps things interesting for me and they both inspire me in different ways.

Did I mention I also like to have some sort of social life on top of my work life?

When and if weddings keep me busy enough that I can even consider doing it full-time will be another day and another discussion! But for now, it works well for me.

My one word of advice – Keep your day job. Oh, and get experience.

Many coordinators who are starting out are encouraged to volunteer their time to get experience and give big discounts to industry standard rates so that couples will give you a chance. It is like starting fresh in any other industry. Don’t expect to rise to the top with no hard work and no experience! With my event experience, I was lucky that I had a handful of weddings to coordinate immediately following my certification in my first year (I wouldn’t say this isn’t the norm).

It’s not that doing weddings full-time cannot be done, but don’t expect it to happen overnight, especially if you are just getting your feet wet. If you have dreams of starting your own wedding planning business, keep some sort of day job first and find a way to build up your experience. Set realistic goals for each year in business, have a marketing plan and put in 110% effort!

If you are looking to get started in events, if you have zero experience, you’ll have to get some somehow. No one is going to hire an event coordinator with no event coordinating experience. Volunteer and do some events on your own! Get a taste for the work and time involved. If you have transferable skills, you may be able to land some sort of assisting role that is events-related. I can’t tell you how the job market will be or how easy it is to get a job, only time will tell!

Ready to jump in?

I’ve learned a lot these past few years and I’ve made my mistakes. But honestly, it has been really rewarding too. I love being a part of someone’s most important day and I get to put to use my creative energies and take-charge attitude. I also love being a part of so many different events at the charity I work for, knowing that my efforts are for a worthy cause. It has been a blessing to do what I love and get paid for it. Who doesn’t want that right?

If you think you have what it takes and the freedom to ‘try out’ a line of work without the pressure of making money right away (that is what it is right?), go for it. If you’re not sure if you should jump right in, try volunteering at an event or help out at a wedding/event of someone you know to get a feel for it before putting all your marbles in one basket.

This concludes my mini series on getting started in the business. Thanks for following along! I hope it sheds a little bit of light on this relatively new line of work. Feel free to drop me a comment if you have any questions. Good luck and have a very Merry Christmas!

Update: CNBC Calls Event Coordinators #6 on the top 1- most stressful jobs in America!

Really last minute gift ideas under $100

Are you like me looking for last minute gift ideas to give to your parents or loved ones?? Here are some ideas for your last minute shopping to hopefully get your creative juices going.

Tassimo® Hot Beverage Machine – $79.99 at Sears
These instant beverage machines are all the rage right now. We gave one away as a raffle prize at my charity gala in October, thinking not much of it, and now I see them in every store! They come in all shapes and sizes, some making cold and hot beverages (usually the more expensive kind), but they are really neat to get as gifts. The only bad part is that you need to keep buying the little cups to keep using them in the future. But hey, if you love the drinks, it beats running to Starbucks when you can make your own for much less! If you’re feeling generous why not buy an extra refill kit (maybe of different flavours?) to go along with what is included?

BedandBreakfast.com Gift Card – Get a $25 card for every $100 you spend!
Does your loved one need time to relax or really enjoy travelling? This is a nice encouragement to go out and spend a bit of time on yourself. BedandBreakfast.com is actually running a promotion where you get a free card for purchasing a gift card, so everyone wins! There are 4000+ registered BedandBreakfast.com places to choose from and there isn’t anyone I know who couldn’t use a mini vacation. I love staying at B&Bs instead of hotels, it makes for a more authentic travelling experience. Because it is so last minute, you won’t be able to get a gift card shipped to you but you can print it off the website after purchasing and it is just as good. Maybe package the “gift card” printout with a bin of other goodies that represent travelling and relaxing like slippers, scented candles and a bubble bath jar to make it more festive.

Cuisinart EasyPop Popcorn Maker – $69.99 at Canadian Tire
Fun appliances are always a great gift. If your loved one like to snack, this makes a great batch of fresh popcorn with no oil needed. I got a popcorn maker from a friend as a house warming gift earlier in the year and it gets a lot of use! It’s also fun if you like hosting people and need a snack to serve them. Waffle makers, panini presses and fondue sets are also great hosting gifts.

Night-time Fuchsia Pierced Earrings – $85 at Swarovski
You can’t go wrong with a beautiful piece of jewellery! A girl can always use another classic pair of earrings. These earrings from Swarovski are not only understated beauty but have a great boldness to it in the bright colour. Perfect for going out during the holiday season to add a pop of colour to an outfit.

Happy shopping everyone! Whatever you get, make sure to ask for a gift receipt. I’ll be venturing out to Eaton Centre shortly for my last minute shopping. Not looking forward to the lineups!!

The honest truth about getting into wedding/events, Part 2.2: Your job and your vocation

I’ve started a mini series about getting started in the wedding and events industry and I’ve touched upon some of the more practical steps like getting an education and having the soft skills required.

Before touching upon making money in the business, I wanted to take a step back and reflect upon something that I’ve come to terms with the last few years.

After a trip to a conference in the states called Urbana, I came back with a book called Courage and Calling. It is a faith-based perspective on the ideas surrounding your vocation in different times in your life (vocation as a defining purpose or mission in life). I read this book at a pivotal time in my life—in my last year of university—and a couple things really stuck with me since.

One idea in particular was that your vocation is not always about finding a job doing what you love to do (though it can be). Let me explain.

For a single mother looking to feed her children, her vocation may not be tied with what she does in the 9-5. Her mundane job may or may not be something she has a passion for, but it allows her to do what she is called to do first and foremost – to be a provider for her children. Does it mean her life is not fulfilling or meaningful because her job is mundane? Not at all! But in that specific time in her life, her calling was to her children.

For someone starting out in their career, especially in North America where we have so many options available to us, most of us dream of getting a job in a field that we have some dying passion for. But the reality is, once we get our first job how many of us can truthfully say that we have a burning desire to audit financial statements or to fix people’s cavities as a dentist? Ok for some of you, it is, and good for you, hurray! But for most of us, a job is a job.

A lot of people I know dream of doing something different than what they are currently doing but let’s look at the facts. If your job is something you have the skills for, it pays your bills and you’re not miserable doing it, you’re probably ahead of the pack . What this job allows you to do is to do ‘life’, whether that is to explore hobbies, to volunteer for the homeless, to travel the world or to enjoy simple pleasures like eating out with friends. This job allows you to explore your vocation, whatever that may be, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be connected with your job (and that’s ok!). You can very well be someone who works a mundane job, but you can be living out your passion by volunteering your time doing weddings and events. Your calling does not necessarily have to be your job.

A choice

For others, your job is your calling, where you do what you were created to do in the 9-5. Some people tell me I’m ‘lucky’ that I get to do what I love to do (and I definitely count it as a blessing too!) but I also see it as a choice. I choose to make a living doing something I love to do. Maybe I was lucky in that I inherently knew early on what I loved to do and I could identify it. However now that I have made this choice, I know that this line of work does not pay as well as being a doctor, dentist or accountant, but I am ok with that. I get to do what I love and I get paid enough that I can put some savings aside, and I’m content with that.

Media always glorifies people who have been made rich from doing what they ‘were made to do’, be it singing, acting or sports. But these are the exceptions, not the norm. The term ‘starving artist’ comes from somewhere! My point is that doing what you love does not always pay well but you get rewarded in the doing itself, and that is a choice that you make.

So all that to say… If you are considering being an event or wedding coordinator as a career, know that it is likely the latter that you are choosing. You run the risk of maybe making money doing what you enjoy. For some, it is worth it and for others it isn’t. Just know your own life goals, reflect on your risk tolerance and be realistic in your expectations. Also know that your job does not necessarily have to be your calling, though it can be.

Phew, that was a lot to get through. Are you still with me? Next I’ll answer one of my most FAQ about making money. Stay tuned!

Brave the cold with me on February 25, 2012!

As some of you might know, I work at a great charity in Toronto called Yonge Street Mission. We work with people living with poverty in the city, and have been doing so since 1896!

I am coordinating the Toronto location of the Coldest Night Of The Year walkathon on February 25. It is a non-competitive 5k and 10k walk around downtown Toronto, supporting the hurting, hungry and homeless. This is an event that is managed by the same guys who bring you Ride For Refugees, so I am anticipating a great event and we are so excited to be the Toronto location of it.

We are looking for enthusiastic and energetic Team Captains to join us and start a team to walk for us! All this means is you bring on friends, coworkers and family to join us team to raise funds together and walk on February 25. Your main job is to recruit an army of people who will walk for hope it the city! I am challenging all of our teams to raise $2000 and to bring on 6-9 people (the more the merrier!). Most people can raise $250 on average, so $2000 isn’t that difficult with a lot of people. This is a great thing to do as an office or church group, and it is equally rewarding with a group of friends.

Are you with me??

Alternatively if you want to do more of the fundraising and join as an individual, you can sign up as an individual with Team Yonge Street Mission online.

If and when you are ready, you can sign up a team online at www.coldestnightoftheyear.org. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions!

I hope you will join me this February for this amazing fundraiser!

The honest truth about getting in wedding/events, Part 2: Are you cut out for it?

Photo credit: Calculated Style Photography

I just started a mini series about getting started in events/weddings. If you have been following along you will know that my last post was all about getting an education. This post will focus in a bit more on who you are and whether this line of work is suited for you, because it isn’t for everyone!

It is client-oriented work

The one thing I did not expect in this industry is the amount of time you spend with your clients. What matters most is that your clients are happy. You can be the most talented designer/planner in the world, but if your client doesn’t like it… well, tough luck! In the same way, designing and planning an event does not happen in a bubble. So many interactions with vendors and clients come into play to make a successful event/wedding.

Are you an introvert? Not able to handle fussy people? I would think twice about this line of work. You must love connecting with others, meeting new people and not be afraid to network.

It is hard work

As an events or wedding coordinator you will regularly find yourself working outside of normal working hours; that is a non-negotiable. Events and weddings rarely happen in the 9-5 grind. Not only are you working outside normal hours, you are the first one there and the last one to leave. Just to give you an idea, my wedding days are typically 14 hour days on my feet, and I take a couple days to recover. At a wedding though, typically you don’t have to stay to clean up (luckily). However if it is an event or event decor, you may have to stay back to strike (aka clean up). Expect long days and hard work. Also since it is client-driven work, with events and weddings often booked months ahead of time, your social life is a second priority. Your paying clients come first!

The joys of self-employment

Going along with the fact that it is such client-driven work, it took me a while to get used to all the initial meetings where I essentially had to sell my services to strangers. I’m quite used to working with people who know me, my style and what I am capable of. They know I produce quality work and I just have to ‘work my magic’. Trust is already there. But when you are meeting a couple for the first time, you have about an hour to build the trust up and communicate all that you have to offer. After all they are paying you money and entrusting their most special day to you. It takes a lot of practice to do this well! It still is a bit unnerving meeting people for the first time, whom you have no relation to, who likely found you off Google.

Two years ago, I did not land a single wedding client that I did not know ahead of time from those initial meetings. Referrals were an easy sell, but couples who found me on google just didn’t click. This year, I’ve booked probably 90% of the couples that I’ve met with for 2012 weddings (Thank you for your trust! I’m thankful for each one of you!). It probably has to do with all the practice I’ve had, and also learning what has and hasn’t worked over the years, but it is not easy still! As someone who has no problem speaking on a stage or meeting new people, it still can be challenging at times.

In addition to countless initial meetings, I always am networking, giving out my cards and finding new ways to promote what I do. My boyfriend says I’m always working, and with your own business, I guess that is true. It doesn’t have to come naturally, but you will have to end of doing this at some point. It is just a part of the job!

You must have a thick skin

With any people-oriented, service-driven industry, you will soon enough realize that you will always have to take beef from people. Not every client is easy-going with deep pockets. Many clients are on a tight budget and expecting you to give them the world with it, and then will voice their opinions when they don’t get it. When a mistake happens, it falls on your shoulders of the event manager or wedding coordinator. As a coordinator, you take the responsibility of, well, pretty much the success of the whole event. When problems arise, you are the one people turn to. When budgets don’t balance, you are the one to blame. When guests aren’t happy, guess who everyone sends them to. You get the point.

If you don’t have a thick skin already, you will learn to develop one. Not only do you need a thick skin, you need to still be happy and pleasant when you interact with unhappy guests or clients. When event jobs require the lucrative ‘interpersonal skills’, they actually mean it. This is all apart of a day’s work!

So, if you plan on getting an education and you have the people skills to make it work, you’re off to a good start. But an education and a great attitude won’t do you any good without any contracted work where you make money! My next and last post will focus a bit on the job aspect of it and actually making money. Keep posted =)

Cake pops and empty jars

A couple nights ago I hosted a dinner for my family at my place. I had a great time sharing my photos from my trip to Mexico and it was so good to have yummy sushi! I accented my table with some fun jars I got for free at the Drake Hotel’s annual warehouse sale. They acted as my pitchers of water for the night and they were so cute!

Also the last couple of nights I attempted to make cake pops for the first time. I had this whole plan for how to make them, complete with a schedule, drawings and all the accessories for decorating. I was hoping they’d turn out more like this. Darn.

Turns out that they are really tedious and annoying to make!! You have to get your hands all messy, you have to wait for the layers of chocolate to dry before adding another layer and the chocolate isn’t easy to work with. I totally have respect for bakers who can make beautiful ones. At least they taste delicious =) I guess I cheated a bit on that one because the cake is from Sweet Escapes by Jenn, some scraps she had from a wedding cake she made recently (even her leftovers taste amazing!). I guess I’ll have to think of something else to give people now…

The honest truth about getting into weddings/events, Part 1: Education

Photo credit: Vivek Bhattacharyya

Over the last year or two, I’ve gotten a handful of inquiries about getting started in the wedding and events industry. I hardly count myself as an expert, but I’ll take it as a compliment that I’m worth asking advice from!

Whether it is through reality TV (rich bride, poor bride perhaps?) or just by word of mouth, people are starting to see that being a wedding or event coordinator is a real job (afterall I am working 1.5 jobs doing it!). Everyone seems to think that running events is this glamorous job where you meet celebrities and get paid to boss people around. Well, this can be partially true, but for others it isn’t as fancypants as it seems. The reality is that events/weddings is a small industry, it is hard work with long hours and it doesn’t always pay well. But hey, if you love it… there’s no better place to be.

So if you are crazy enough to want to be an event or wedding coordinator, you may have a few questions. How does one get started in it? Can you make a living from it? Is it really for me? For any aspiring planners, or just for curious onlookers, here are some of my honest and candid thoughts in this 3 part series.

If you want to get into wedding planning, this one is a no-brainer. The first thing you need is to get certified. The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada is the only place to go for this in Canada. It is an intensive weekend course with a test, with no yearly fee. They teach you the how-to’s to get started, give you an overview of wedding and vendor basics and inform you of the business basics. A couple vendor guest speakers come in to speak about their specific industry as well (when I took it, we had a photographer and a DJ). After you get certified you get connected with all the coordinators in the country, with great online resources for certified planners only.

Some people take the wedding course to learn what the industry is all about (I don’t think this is a smart use of money.. can’t you just read about it online?). Others take it knowing full well they want to do this as a job in some way. Some come with experience and others with none. It is like getting an undergrad in something like business… you must get your feet wet before you know if you really like it, and getting the undergrad does not guarantee you work (but hey, it is a good start!). Please note that this course is not something to take if you want to learn to plan your own wedding; it really is about the business of wedding planning. What you do with what you learn is up to you (you will hear this again!)

If you are interested in just event planning, the rest of this post is for you. There are a number of colleges offering programs. I don’t think it matters a whole lot which one you take, but what matters is that they provide you with practical experience built into the program. Event planning is an experience-oriented job, and without real-life events experience, your education isn’t all that useful.

I must stress that getting an education is only the first step, a means to an end.

Just like buying a camera does not make you a photographer and having a license of Photoshop does not make you a designer, getting a paper does not necessarily make you an event coordinator. What you do with the paperwork is up to you!

Come to think of it, in my events post-grad program there were about 14 people altogether. It was such a wide range of people taking that program. There were introverts who had never even volunteered in an event before and then there were people who had been managers at big companies who were looking for a career change. Everyone came out with the same qualification and you were off to fend for yourself. A quick facebook/linkedin search tells me that maybe half of our graduating class are working in events right now. Not the best statistics, but those I expected to do events after the program are still doing it. That tells me that it is more about who you are than what education you get.

All in all, it is an experience-oriented line of work. If you are really starting from scratch and don’t even know if it is for you, than education is a pretty vital stepping stone. If you’ve never done events before, you will likely learn a lot.

In my opinion, at the end of the day you can only learn so much about event coordinating from a book. Don’t get me wrong, there is value in learning in a classroom setting about balancing a budget, giving a client presentation and learning about insurance. But the most learning you will do is from getting your hands and feet wet, volunteering or helping with an event. Your experience will speak much more than what any program will teach you.

When I decided to apply for the event management program at Seneca, I already had a few years of event planning experience under my belt. In university I held a job with my college as the events and projects coordinator, and I volunteered at a lot of special events throughout the year. I also had experience with promotional jobs that were event-oriented. For me, I didn’t learn a lot in terms of the how-to but what this program did was expose me to the higher-end special events industry of galas and soirees and making centerpieces and working with crazy decor budgets, something I would have never seen without it. I came out of it with having done a 6-month decor project working with the Design Exchange for their annual gala (named one of the top charity events in Toronto by BizBash), an in-depth understanding of decor and hands-on experience helping at a ton of high-end events in the city. At the wedding planning course I met some people who did distance learning for event coordination… Honestly, what’s the point? I came out of my event program, probably paying the same and using the same amount of time, but with a TON more experience than they probably ever will have gotten from a distance course.

For me, the value of the education was getting experience. What you get out of an event education is really up to you!

Ok that’s it for this one. Check back here for more thoughts on getting started. My next couple posts will cover some of the soft skills required and about making money.

Wedding-inspired holiday party ideas

Going along with my last post about fun holiday party ideas, I’ve brought to you a few ideas from my wedding experiences that can be easily implemented in your next house party over the holidays. Consider bringing some of these lavish ideas used at galas and weddings for your next holiday party (for a fraction of the cost too!). They really aren’t too hard to manage and won’t break the bank. They just need a little bit of love and some planning. Enjoy!

Make a simple photo booth
Buy some festive (or tacky) wrapping paper and make a backdrop out of them. Fabric from your local store or Ikea works well too. You may need more than one roll/sheet to get a good height and be sure not to get anything too shiny. Create some fun props out cardboard and popsicle sticks, or find some items at your nearest dollar store. Bring in a few stools or chairs and drape them with a fabric. For just a few dollars, you can create a makeshift photobooth for your guests to take fun pictures at. If you have a Mac laptop, it’s easy to just use their built in Photo Booth application. After the party, send the photos to your guests. Don’t forget to remind guests to bring their cameras!

Create your own props and photo booth background at home!
Photo credit: Calculated Style Photography

Use centerpieces and floral accents to decorate
Centerpieces are often a big expense at a wedding because there are so many tables, but for a house party with only a couple main tables and seating areas, it isn’t so bad! Consider arranging something yourself by picking up some flowers from a local shop. Be open to mixing and matching what you find and remember to cut them to a height fit for your container. Use some mason jars or unexpected containers as vases and disperse them around the party. Throw in some floating candles and you’re set. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive to add a bit of ambience to a party!

You don’t need to look far to create a nice floral centerpiece
Photo credit: MattVPhotography from my event, A Sweets Affair

Add a dress code
Whether it is a wacky dress-up theme or a black tie affair, a dress code always makes a party more special. It also makes for great photos too! For a nice house party, consider something like black and white, 70′s glam, or James Bond. Or if you’re up for something fun, eras are great for a fun dress up and check out my last blog post about an ugly sweater party. The most important thing about a dress up party is if you are the host, make sure your outfit rocks!

A volunteer appreciation party I held the last two years for a NPO. Left is a 70′s theme and yours truly in a wickedly awesome 70′s dress from my mom’s closet. To the right are some rockin’ 90′s outfits from another year’s party.
Photo credit (right): MattVPhotography

Whatever party ideas you throw into your special night, keep your guests in mind and make sure to have fun. What are some fun and lavish ideas you’re planning on including in your parties this season?

Fun holiday party ideas

I just got back from the beautiful Mayan Riviera, Mexico, and I have to shift modes from vacation to holidays (sigh). At least it’s not snowing yet! It’s only the first week of December and I have my first holiday party this coming Friday for my significant other’s company shindig. It’s being held at The Warehouse, the new event space at Downsview Park. It looks like a neat space, really keeping up with the trend of raw and modern event spaces popping up in the city. I’ll definitely post up photos from this year’s holiday’s parties, so stay tuned!

In case you are still looking for ideas for your upcoming party, here are some fun ones to get you started:

Ugly Sweater Party:
I love dress up parties! Show off some of the wonderful clothes you got from your Aunt Betty or Grandpa Joe. Now that vintage is so trendy though, maybe you already have an Aunt Betty sweater in your wardrobe… Anyway, make sure to give a prize out for the worst sweater (voted in by guests) and don’t forget your cameras!

Re-gift Exchange:
If your party happens later in the holiday season, consider re-wrapping a gift you didn’t want in a post-holiday gift swap (a yankee gift swap works well for this). I always find something better to bring home at a re-gift exchange than what I brought!

Host an ethnic themed dinner party for charity:
If you have an international or ethic-oriented charity in mind, host a party focusing in on the culture that surrounds it. Explore exotic flavours that you normally wouldn’t try, provide some traditional accessories to accent your clothing and, most importantly, encourage guests to give a donation in honour of the evening.

Thinking of all these ideas really gets me into the holiday spirit. Speaking of Christmas, I’m going to attempt to bake something fun for gifts this year too… More on this later (if it turns out well!). Cheers!