Just a reminder that the toy drive, "Polar Express", to benefit Sulpher Springs Elementary School is tomorrow night at The Rack from 6-8 p.m.  Bring a new, unwrapped toy for a boy or girl in grades K-5 and enjoy some networking, a cocktail and maybe even a game of pool!  Looking forward to seeing lots of people there!

'Tis the season, right?!  Well, this is a special Polar Express... one that is designed to help children who have never experienced the joys that holidays can bring because their parents simply cannot afford to buy them presents because they are struggling just to put food on the table or keep the lights on at home.  Eighteen89 is a group of young (yes, I'm hanging on to the term young for as long as I can...) professionals who support programs of the YMCA that most people do not know or hear about.  At our last meeting we heard about this program that helps families in one of the most poverty stricken area of our very own community - Sulpher Springs.

At Sulpher Springs Elementary, the YMCA created a Community Learning Center.  In seven months since its inception, the enrollment has exploded to over 200 children.  The average annual household income for a family of four is $14,000.  Most of the children have never seen, none the less decorate, a Christmas tree or gotten a visit from Santa.  So the Polar Express program was created to change all of that. 

We are currently collecting new, unwrapped toys for children in grades K-5.  There are 550 kids at Sulpher Springs Elementary and the goal is to give each child one toy to unwrap and enjoy this holiday season.  As you shop for your families and friends this Black Friday, please throw in a toy that can make a child's holiday much brighter.  Suggestions of items for girls include: barbie dolls, jewelry making kits, hair accessories, board games, makeup kits, coloring books, tea sets, purses, movies, music CDs.  For boys: Transformers, Matchbox cars, books, puzzles, super heroes, sports equipment, playing cards, legos, trucks and Bakugan.

On December 2nd, Eighteen89 is hosting a networking happy hour at The Rack in South Tampa from 6 - 8 p.m.  This is an excellent opportunity to stop by, meet some people and drop off any toys you would like to donate.  If you cannot make it to the event, just call me to set up a time to swing them by my office between now and December 9th.  Volunteers will wrap and tag all of the gifts for distribution by Santa on December 16th!  Thanks in advance for your support in helping to make a child's holiday brighter!

I am pleased to announce that Divine Creations Event Planning Specialists will be sponsoring an unpaid internship for one college student this spring (January - April/ May 2010).  We are affiliated with Florida State University and St. Leo's University and have had students as interns in the past from those universities.  We are also open to working with other colleges and will follow their required guidelines if provided.  To qualify you must be a student enrolled at an accredited college, majoring in recreation and leisure (concentration in special events), marketing or public relations.  You must also be covered under the school's insurance plan (usually the case if you are obtaining school credit).  This internship can qualify for school credit.  The internship will begin on January 4th and you must be able to work weekends and evenings for events.  Day hours are flexible around class schedules.

If interested, please e-mail a resume and cover letter through the website or to info@tampaeventplanner.com. 

Divine Creations is having a super sale on personalized cards just in time for the holidays!  Perfect for showing off your annual family picture, your wedding or engagement photo or for companies who want to stay in touch with their clients and express their thanks for helping them through an economically challenging year.  Now through November 30th all personalized holiday cards are 25% off the retail value!  Simply call 813-839-5824 to set up your private appointment or stop by our studio at 3309 South Westshore Boulevard in South Tampa.

So obviously I have been absent from my blogging... sorry about that!  The day after my last blog I left for a wonderful vacation in Ireland with my husband Joe.  Some long overdue R&R mixed with fun adventures.  We started our journey in Dublin - what a great city.  Of course since it was our first time in Ireland we did all of the touristy stuff: Trinity College (Book of Kells), Guinness Brewery (fun), Jameson Distillery (lots o'fun), Dublin Castle   (all of the English speaking tours where sold out so we hopped into a Spanish one... and no, we don't speak Spanish!  Luckily there was a couple from Corpus Christi who knew enough to give us the highlights!) and kilmainham gaol (famous jail where leaders of the uprising where publicly executed).  Very quickly we learned that the map we received at the hotel was not to scale.  On the map it looked like a stone's throw from Guinness to the jail.  After about 2 miles I finally stopped a lady on the street to ask for directions.  If you have never been to Ireland before the best thing (in my opinion) is the people.  They are SUPER friendly!  Always willing to talk, lend a hand and always smiling.  Big difference than most US major cities.  Anyway, instead of pointing us in the right direction, this lady actually turned back around, put her groceries back in her car, invited us in and drove us right to the front door!  My aching feet thank her still!

Next we headed for Kilkenny and the real adventure began... we picked up the rental car!  I heard the stories about the roads and dangers of driving in Ireland - ha!  Those stories were nothing compared to real life!!  Did I say we went on vacation for some R&R?  Talk about some white knuckle driving... well actually riding... I refused to do the driving!  Kilkenny was a quiet little town.  We did stop at some really cool castles along the way and in the town itself.  It's amazing how much  history is just sitting on the side of a road.  There are ruins everywhere you look - in the middle of a cow pasture, next to the coast - everywhere!  We climbed to the top of this little round tower.  The stairs were straight up (great workout for the legs) and the turns were very tight.  One gentleman actually got stuck and had to work his way back down!  At the top there was a great view of the town, but it was so windy that the entire tower felt like it was swaying.  I think we made it down to the bottom in half the amount of time it took to climb to the top!  With the building being a few hundred years old, we weren't too sure about its maintenance  scheduling!

Then on the Kinsale and Kenmare.  Kinsale is a sleepy little town and wasn't our favorite.  Might have had something to do with the never ending rain!  Even though we had a car we decided to walk to Charles Fort because the B&B owners said it was only about 1/4 mile.  I don't think they walk much... it was at least 2 miles if not more and lots of hills to top it off.  We were drenched and I was getting cranky when I heard the voice of an angel, "Want a lift?".  I could not have jumped in this stranger's car any faster!  Once again, love those Irish!!  Kenmare was a little more happening.  We stayed above a restaurant in this B&B right on the main street.  There was this great pub where Mikey O'Connell played the "squeeze box".  He was fantastic!!  The place was packed and people were up on tables dancing and having a great time.  Joe had developed quite a fondness for Guinness by this time so most nights were could be found in the pubs, enjoying music, Irish food and of course a few pints.

We drove the Ring of Kerry which originates in Kenmare... I think I saw most of it but when a huge tour bus is coming towards you on a road that fits only one car, I felt like my hands were over my eyes for half the drive.  If it wasn't a tour bus, it was sheep or cows crossing the road.  All cars in Ireland have massive scratches and dents all along the passenger side (and remember, the steering wheel is on the other side of the car and you drive on the wrong side of the road!).  That's because the passenger always ends up in the shrubs or ditch!  After the Ring of Kerry came the Dingle Peninsula drive which is right along the coast.  It really is breathtaking... when there are no oncoming cars or sheep or cows in the road!  We arrived in Dingle and our B&B was awesome.  We had a large room with a terrace that overlooked the harbor.  And the house dog, Rio, was too cute!  We adored her and would spend hours on the lawn playing fetch with her.  It was truly the town for that much needed R&R.  We did take a boat ride out into the harbor looking for "Funji", the wild Irish dolphin.  Yes, I know, we live in Florida and can see dolphins on a daily basis.  What can I say?!

Then we were off to Doolin - the place where musicians are made.  Well, Doolin consists of 3 pubs, a church and a souvenir shop.  The entire town is like a block and a half  long!  But the pubs were the place to be and the music was good.  We took rides out to Connemara and the Buren during the days and kicked back with a few pints and some fish and chips at night.  After all of the small towns we were ready for a bigger city so off to Galway we went.  Small city, but a city none the less.  We were in a pub (go figure) one night and they plopped a wooden board down on the middle of the floor... out came some River Dancers!  Too cool.  We also went out to the Aran Islands.  Unfortunately the weather was Irish that day, but the trip is one that will remain in our memory for a long time.  I love boats and have been around them all my life.  My husband on the other hand doesn't much care of them and can get a little green around the gills on boat rides.  Well, on the way back from the Aran Islands we took a boat for about an hour through the Atlantic Ocean.  The ocean was not happy that afternoon.  The swells were HUGE.  I have never seen a boat roll from one side to the other like this.  I freaked out when I saw the crew freaking out.  Never a good sign.  Joe couldn't even look up - he had the right idea.  If we had been cats, that was probably worth about 2-3 of our nine lives right there.  Happy to be on land that day was a big understatement!

We wrapped up our time in Bunratty with the huge castle and village.  That castle was a little different than the others in that it was still largely furnished and you could actually get up close and personal.  They even let you have access to the dungeon.  Would have hated to tick off the King in those days!  Of course, last chance for the true Irish pubs and we made good use of the time.  Then the next day we headed back to the airport, returned the car and hoped they did not care about the additional scratches that we undoubtedly added to the car!

It was a great two and a half weeks, but we were ready to come home.  Unfortunately the fondness of Guinness caught up with Joe.  Apparently they do not pasteurize their beer or milk in Ireland like we do in the States.  Well, let's just say Joe met a bad batch of Guinness on our last night there and spent the next two weeks sicker than a dog.  So between playing nursemaid and trying to play catch up at the office, blogging fell to the back burner.  But now I'm ready to get back to it!  Look out for pictures from recent events and some more tips on planning the perfect event!  Cheers!

Recently I was flipping through the most recent edition of InStyle Weddings magazine and they did a story on the newest stationary trends.  Whether you are getting married, having a bar/ bat mitzvah or just a good ol' fashioned fun party, everyone needs invitations and there were several great tips that I wanted to share.  And of course, I have to throw in my own two cents as well!

1) Go Bold and Graphic - Strong patterns, bright colors and a clean font are the up and coming trends for invitations.  Blues and greens are topping the color palette for 2009 as the hottest trends.

2) Get Nature-Inspired - Instead of the traditional flowers that are often seen on wedding invitations, if you are having a more contemporary event, you may want to consider branches, leaves or coral (not the color, but what you find in the ocean).  Recently I had a couple select an invitation with a bamboo motif which was very cool and modern.

3) Personalize Your Stamp - the envelope is the first thing your guest sees; why not make the stamp memorable?  The theme logo if it's a bar or bat mitzvah or a picture of the couple if it's a wedding makes a lasting impression.

4) And last but not least, they suggest creating a calling card so that guests can reach you after the wedding.  These days texting or connecting via social networking like Facebook or Twitter can keep you connected better than ever.  About the size of a business card that can be inserted into your thank you notes you can communicate your new address, phone number and e-mail addresses.

No, I don't mean the 4th of July, I'm talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah!  Those who prepare well in advance save the most money!  Divine Creations is offering personalized holidays cards between now and September 30th for a 25% discount off the retail price plus free return address imprinting.  Many different selections to choose from and perfect for home or business!

Call today to set up a time to stop by, browse... and save!      

As we all know, hurricane season started this week.  As for me, I'm very thankful we've been having some rain (my lawn was starting to look like straw with the City's sprinkler ban!)... as long as Mother Nature keeps it dry on the weekends.  But as much as I do my rain dances to keep the rain away when I have events, for some reason they don't always work!  That's when insurance comes into play.

If you're looking for a great deal in Florida, you look at our summer months to hold your special events.  Obviously there is some risk associated with that.. the two "H's" - heat and hurricanes.  With the heat, you can't do much about it - except turn up the air conditioning and stay inside.  With the hurricanes, well, you can't do much about those either except pray that they go somewhere else and get some peace of mind by purchasing event insurance.  These insurance policies, depending on the level you select, will usually compensate you for money lost if your venue closes due to an evacuation and the event has to be cancelled or postponed.  In addition, you can also purchase liability insurance which offers protection regarding alcohol-related accidents, property damage, bodily injury, as well as insurance for those venues that require you to have it just to hold your event there.

I highly recommend event insurance to my clients, particularly if they are having their event during the summer months, but it's not a bad idea to have anytime.  Often you will receive the best quote through your homeowner's insurance, but if they do not offer it you can try: www.wedsafe.com or Traveler's Insurance.  It's just like health insurance... it's a good idea to have it, you just hope you don't have to use it!

As I blogged a few days ago, I was on Fox 13 Good Day Tampa Bay yesterday morning.  Knowing that it was being televised live, the "normal" thoughts go though your head before heading out on the set... what if I trip and fall or open my mouth and nothing comes out; you know, the stereotypical live television things that you see on, well television, and kind of chuckle at while sitting comfortably on the couch in the privacy of your own home.  Of course, then there are those unexpected things that can happen that just don't even cross your mind... like the anchor's microphone suddenly stops working.

Good news is that I didn't fall and the words came out of my mouth just fine.  Bad news is that the anchor's microphone suddenly stopped working.  So the segment started right after a commercial break and there was the music to the "Wedding March" and then Ann Dwyer started to speak.  Of course it sounded fine to me, but then again, I was sitting right next to her.  Unbeknownst to either of us, those of you watching at home saw her lips moving, but heard nothing.  Fortunately it only lasted a couple of sentences.  So Ann introduced me and dived into her first question about ways you can save when looking for a wedding dress.  As I started to answer, the camera person walked over and told Ann that she needed to change out the battery on her microphone.  So needless to say, there were some distractions.  Fortunately I was able to stay fairly focused and answer the question (I can't really remember what I even said!), but unfortunately it was taking a while to change the battery.  So Ann, being the professional that she is, explained that they were having some technical difficulties and asked me to hang on a minute.  It was probably about 10-15 seconds of silence (which felt like 10-15 minutes!) and then Ann continued on with the interview and let the camera person continue to mess around with the microphone. 

Fortunately the rest of the interview went very well and Ann was absolutely wonderful when it was all over.  She apologized about the microphone mishap and commented on how well I did.  As a matter of fact, the producer called me and read me a message she sent him after the show.  It read "the wedding planner was goood (he stressed there were three o's!), very informative and calm even during the microphone disaster".  I appreciate her kind words, and actually what she said was very meaningful to me.  No matter what's going on around you, during an event or on live television, a professional planner has to take everything in stride and run with it.  It may have been a rocky start - which by the way has NEVER happened before during a segment... lucky me! - but the ultimate outcome was fantastic.  I'm glad I did my profession proud!

Monday morning on Fox 13 Good Day Tampa Bay, I will be interviewed live on television!  The segment will be about 3.5 minutes long and we will be discussing different ways to save money during the recession when planning your wedding.  I've got some great tips to share! 

So tune in Monday morning about 7:45 and watch!