Oct. 10 Events Show Power of 10/10/2010

By Lisa Hurley

The countdown starts tomorrow, when it will be 10 days until Oct. 10-or 10/10/2010-which for some event planners is shaping up to be a great day for special events.

To be sure, many in the industry say 10/10/10 won’t be as big as either July 7, 2007, or Aug. 8, 2008. Not only was the economy better then, but “lucky 7″ July 7 fell on a Saturday, and Aug. 8 (eight is considered a lucky number in Asian cultures) fell on a Friday. In contrast, Oct. 10 will fall on a Sunday, which puts a damper on its appeal.

Texas weddings traditionally feature “large receptions, open bars and bands that play until the early morning hours,” notes Tara Wilson, president of Tara Wilson Events in Fort Worth. “Sunday night is a hard night for pulling off that kind of activity!”

Even so, other event professionals are seeing a boom in business for 10/10/10.

WEDDINGS ALL DAY

Destin, Fla.-based Sugar Beach Weddings is performing nine weddings-one per hour-on Oct. 10, starting at 9:10 a.m. and ending at 5:10 p.m., according to owner Connie Reeder. “Brides were booking over one year ago, and although we have no more openings, brides are still calling for 10/10/10,” she says. July 7, 2007, saw the company perform a dozen weddings, but that summer day offered more hours of sunlight, Reeder explains.

“We rarely do Sunday weddings, “says Jerry Edwards, CPCE, head of Timonium, Md.-based Chef’s Expressions. Yet on Oct. 10, “We have four that day,” he says, adding it will be “the busiest Sunday ever.”

Though 07/07/07 was good, both 08/08/08 and 09/09/09 were “a bust for us,” says Patrick Cuccaro, general manager of Atlanta’s Affairs to Remember Caterers. In contrast, his company has five events booked for 10/10 Sunday, a day that is usually pretty slow, he says. “I consider this a good sign that happy days are returning!”

Main Event Caterers, headquartered in Arlington, Va., is “completely booked” for 10/10 weddings, notes general manager Cheryl Bennett.

TOP 10 THEMES

Bennett is seeing many “10″ theme elements, including one couple scheduling their first dance for 10:10 p.m. Some brides are choosing elaborate “10″ decorations on their cakes, Bennett says, and one has created a “10″ logo for her invitations. Other brides are having 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, Bennett says, and still another couple wrote the poem “10 Things I Love About You,” which will be attached to their wedding favors.

Master Bridal Consultant Frank Andonoplas, head of Chicago-based Frank Event Design, booked a 10/10 wedding five months ago. The bridal couple will hold their ceremony at 10 a.m., with the bananas Foster dessert station opening at 10 p.m.

Miami’s A Joy Wallace Catering Production & Design Team is producing a “perfect 10″ wedding on 10/10, with a total of 100 guests-including the bride and groom-who will sit at 10 tables of 10, notes client coordinator Sabdy Pacheco.

UNFORGETTABLE DATE

Why is the 10/10/10 date significant to some clients? Many event professionals say their clients like it simply because it’s memorable.

Vince Early, CSEP, event designer and director of sales with Indianapolis-based Thomas Caterers of Distinction, explains that the bride he is helping on Oct. 10 told him, “We’re terrible with dates, so I thought we could at least remember this date. Plus, a Sunday wedding sounded unique.”

Bennett adds, “Secretly, I believe the brides are just trying to find a date their husbands can remember when it comes time for an anniversary! Why not make it goof-proof?”

THE POWER OF 10

Perhaps the most perfectly themed 10/10/10 event will the Powers of Ten Day dinner, overseen by Los Angeles-based Kai’s Catering and Events.

Legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames, probably best known for their iconic midcentury furniture designs, created the movie “Powers of Ten” in 1977. The nine-minute film explores the astonishing results a change of perspective provides as it takes viewers on a journey from earth to the edge of space, then back to the inside of an atom.

The event, which will be held at the landmark Eames House, will include several dishes based on molecular gastronomy, notes Kai’s founder Kai Loebach, along with innovative cocktails. “The evening will be a treasure hunt of thoughts on the power of 10,” he explains.

AND AFTER 10 …

The big date next year, of course, will be 11/11/2011. And even now, clients are calling to schedule events.

Doug Brown, co-founder of Ovations Catering in West Palm Beach, Fla., already has a wedding booked on 11/11/11, which is slated to end at 11:11 p.m. “And many others are asking for that date because of the uniqueness, and it’s a Friday!”

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I loved what I was doing, I love to sell! 

I was CEO of the company and spent 90% of my time selling and a minimal amount of time on operations.  Selling to me was  where the action is.

Well heaven became hell.   We were hitting the wall and I had to make a change in my career.  We were heading down a negative production spiral to failure.   Our production department was not developing in an acceptable fashion.   We were servicing a more discriminating buyer.  We were turning more transactions.  We were running into cost overruns, slow turnaround times and bloated labor costs.  Our product was not being maintained, cleaned, stored or shipped the way I wanted.

What is crazy is that new sales still were growing even in a recession.  

I knew for years what I should do but either did not have the guts or I wanted to do what I liked best rather than what the business needed most.

I did the about face in my career on May 4 2010.   I did not plan to do it that day but was forced to.  An emergency forced my hand. I took my computer, moved two miles down the street to my warehouse facility.  My daughter Ashley took over running the Party Sales department and all other operations at the main office. 

It is now three month since the move.  The transition has not been seamless.  Sparing detail I have bullet pointed the early results

1. Most Warehouse personnel welcomed the change
2.  The situation was worse than I thought
3. There was a production surprise  every corner  and every day
4. We were six months  behind in prep for the season
5. It’s a lot of work to instill core values of quality, process, procedure and personal responsibility  for your action
6. It won’t happen overnight     
7. The owner(me) can make faster, crisper decisions than a salaried manager

The real reason I did not do this earlier is I did not want to get out of my comfort zone.  A lack of guts on my part?

The major regret I have is that I didn’t do it sooner.    

Feel free to email me with any advice, support or questions

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The secret to staging a perfect seaside ceremony
By —Dinah Gold |
Photos by Photographer: Luca Trovato

Picture the most relaxed, romantic setting you can imagine. There’s a very good chance it’s a beach—a tropical shoreline framed by lush palm trees or a rocky coast where foaming waves rush to meet dramatic jetties. If you think this is paradise, why not get married here? Below, what to know when planning seaside I dos.

Timing and Weather

While no one can guarantee a beautiful day, you can increase your chances for sunny skies by researching your site’s seasonal patterns before booking a date (contact the town’s chamber of commerce or log on theweatherchannel.com). If possible, pick a month when the weather is most consistently temperate.

Find out about other weather-driven factors, such as how windy the beach gets at different times of the day; you can then plan accordingly (for example, using decorative mesh screens behind you during the vow exchange to shield everyone from overzealous breezes). If you’re determined to get hitched at sunset, visit the Navy’s Web site at usno.navy.mil.com to fine-tune your timing. Pay attention to the ocean’s cycles, too, so you know when the tide comes in.

Getting There

During high season, beach traffic can be heavy, and during the off-season detours are common, so send guests instructions listing several possible driving routes, including one from the nearest airport, suggests Jeffrey Jacobs, banquet manager of Gurney’s Inn, a seaside resort in Montauk, New York. Parking can be tricky, too, if your ceremony is taking place far from the reception (which is best held indoors, not directly on the beach).

Call the chamber of commerce even before you book your date to ask about reserving parking spaces and applying for any permits. If the lot is far from your wedding site, you may want to provide a shuttle bus or van for guests. At the very least, post markers along the route. Balloons tied to a post may blow away, so try something sturdier—for example, a trail of well-placed, tulle-decorated buckets weighted down with heavy rocks.

Your Look

Let guests know the wedding will be right on the beach so they can dress appropriately. Word your invitation accordingly, with a phrase like “beachside ceremony” or “ceremony on the sand.” High heels and a heavy, elaborate gown with a long train will look stiff and formal; instead, consider marrying in a gown of a simpler design made of an airy, lightweight fabric like organza, chiffon, charmeuse, or crepe (avoid silk, which can make you perspire).

Go barefoot or wear flat, dressy sandals; flip-flops are too adolescent. Flowers in your hair are a safer choice than a veil, especially if there may be wind. “If you do want to wear a veil, make sure it’s weighted at the bottom with beads or fabric flowers, so it doesn’t flap or go airborne,” warns Kevin Tobey, social catering director at the Four Seasons Palm Beach in Florida. One word about panty hose: Don’t!

The groom’s outfit should match the formality of yours: a white dinner jacket for a dressy wedding; a blazer, khakis, and a white or light-colored shirt if it’s informal. So you glow rather than burn, apply sunscreen under your makeup.

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So far this year the Northeast has experienced very early, warm and relatively dry weather patterns. Also, this beautiful spring seems to be transitioning into a sunny and pleasant summer. Keeping that in mind, the following story confirms that outside events by themselves have become a more popular trend this year. I am sure after reading this article you will have developed some creative ideas yourself, moving your next event outdoors.

Summertime brings many wonderful clients to Exeter Events and Tents. They rent tents, tables, chairs, stages, dance floors and more . . .  so call us today and see how we can help!

Planners and suppliers alike are saying that clients are looking for beautiful, organic, natural, fun and affordable. All of these things are leading to the estimated 11% increase in outdoor events this year.

Anything Weddings!

You don’t have to look any further than the magazines at the supermarket checkout to see that weddings are on the rise and planning them outside is definitely the hip way to go. Nico Cervantes of NICO designs comments, “Outdoor weddings are HUGE right now. The backyard wedding is so so so back.”

Cervantes believes that even if the wedding isn’t actually taking place in their backyard, the couple wants it to look like it could be their backyard. Adding personal touches through décor allows couples to create that intimate feeling that they are truly sharing their lives with their guests. Cervantes is using a lot of vintage items as decor including old bird cages, crystal door knobs, skeleton keys, lace, milk glass, old perfume bottles and mis-matched chairs.

Using outdoor spaces also allows couples more control over their budget. Choosing the right venue offers them the flexibility of selecting food, décor, entertainment and rentals that all fit within their budget. The large number of DIY wedding blogs and websites are creating a new type of wedding coordinator. Couples no longer come to their wedding planner with just their color and flower selection, but also an intricate list of the personal touches and “wow factors” that they want incorporated into their special day.

Under the Big Top

Tents aren’t just for weather back-up any more. The demand on the tent manufacturers for new and different is at an all time high. An architecturally pleasing-to-the-eye look is a must. If a client has the financial resources to go creative, they will select the tent that looks custom designed for them. If financial resources are more limiting, then the custom look is coming from interior design through fabric liners, lighting, and simplistic design elements.

When using a tent, clients are really just looking for ways to be outside, without braving Mother Nature. This has created a demand for more innovative siding on tents with glass walls, windows, clear walls and shear fabric panels.

A creative use of tenting that is becoming popular is allowing guests to eat and celebrate in open air spaces, and then creating lounge environments under smaller tents throughout the space. Along the same lines, a tent might be used for the dance floor or a reception space, still allowing for the open air experience for most of the event.

Unique Lighting Options

There has been a trend toward more complex lighting in both tented and non-tented outdoor events for the last several years. The creation of new technologies in the lighting and video world are translating well outside of the traditional ballroom.

Companies such as Firefly LA are able to design a tent’s total space décor through lighting & video. They are using 360-degree projectors to create a custom look throughout the entire tent – painting the tent with lighting, so to speak.

Old carnival string lighting is also extremely popular at the moment. I feel this look has become more popular because of our economic times.

Another trend in lighting is the use of chandeliers, both in tents and used creatively as table décor or staked in the ground. They are being seen as both extravagant and ornate or simple with lanterns, paper lanterns, or chandeliers that look more like you would find them in a home.

Go Natural

“Going Natural” for outdoor events means two things, one is the trend toward using natural elements when doing an event in nature and the other relates to green event initiatives.

The use of natural colors, such as corals and turquoises fits well with many outdoor events. Designers and planners are using organic elements, like grasses, sand and even dirt, in their designs. All of these concepts are creating a “natural chic” feel that is minimalistic and well-suited for smaller budgets and natural environments.

It can’t be ignored that in spite of the economic challenges, the world is looking to more green solutions for our lifestyles. This includes events. Recycling, reusing centerpiece vessels and other design pieces, organic products, and in general, using event elements that have a smaller environmental impact are definitely on the uptrend. Most venues and event suppliers are offering these types of solutions for their clients in an effort to stay ahead of the imminent greening wave.

From a design perspective, being outdoors lends itself to a very organic and natural feel. Valerie Bihet, owner, Miami-based the VIBE agency, wraps up the trends for outdoor design as, “Everything is more art infused – real life, real colors, more exquisite versus gaudy, more refined. Sophisticated, modern, minimalistic, and simple.”

Splashes of Color

When an event calls for color, the colors will be bright. “Brighter colors are trending this summer,” predicts Bihet. “Violets, romantic shades to correspond to flowers and classic reds, then turquoise blues and pink champagne to add some neutrality. This balances out all of the brilliant colors.”

Bright colors are celebratory and offer an immediate “wow factor” to an event. These color splashes are translating into flowers, linens, tent liners, lighting and sometimes in very small ways, such as having the napkins on the table be the only bright color at the event.

Designing through the creative use of color and more personal décor items is fast becoming the replacement for “themes,” and is bringing sophistication to both outdoor and indoor events.

The feeling about outdoor events is that if it can be done indoors, it can be done outdoors. Event supplies and services are available for anything you can imagine that would make your time outside more comfortable. High-end restrooms, weather-resistant furniture, heaters, air conditioners, lights, flooring and even special outdoor throw rugs are all available to bring the comforts of home to your next event with Mother Nature as host.

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I hope you enjoy the article!

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Research first

Book your reception site before hiring a caterer. Keep in mind that many banquet halls have exclusive (or “preferred”) relationships with in-house caterers, which may limit your ability to work with an outside company. Check before you interview outsiders.

Menu matters

Plan to set up your menu at least six months in advance. If you’re marrying during peak wedding season (June-October) you may have to order it even sooner, especially if you want a big-name caterer.

Seek out referrals

Ask friends and family for recommendations, and talk to brides in your area. Once you find a caterer you like, speak to satisfied brides and ask for references before you sign a contract.

Set priorities

If having a large number of people at your reception is important to you, scale back on the refreshments. On the other hand, if gourmet food is a priority, then keep your guest list to a manageable size or restrict your bar offerings to wine and beer.

Buffet or banquet

Do you want a five-course dinner menu with individual wine pairings? Or is a barbeque buffet more in keeping with your wedding theme? Consider your personal style to determine what will work best for you.

Special requests

Are there dietary needs (vegetarian, kosher) to consider? Make sure your caterer has experience preparing these types of dishes.

Set the scene

Bring in photos of your dress, reception site, and flowers—anything that will give your prospective caterer a better sense of the type of reception you have in mind.

Tasting time

If the caterer is offering a complimentary sampling, be sure to clear the number of people you can bring beforehand.

How to save money

Daytime affair

Opt for a wedding brunch or luncheon reception instead of dinner, which is typically much more expensive.

Cocktail hour

Skip the full meal and celebrate with tasty refreshments instead—an option that works best for a celebration after a 2 p.m. ceremony (not dinnertime). Or host an afternoon tea or a late afternoon/early-evening cocktail reception.

Course cutting

If you have your heart set on a seated meal, cut back the number of courses from five to three.

Smaller selection

Ask guests to select their meal preferences on the RSVP cards so caterers can plan ahead, or choose a pasta or protein dish that you think has the broadest appeal.

Top quality

Keep the menu simple and focus on quality ingredients. Ask your caterer to use in-season produce from local farms.

Kid friendly

Order an inexpensive kids’ menu for the children’s table at your reception. Chances are they’d much rather have a cheeseburger and fries than foie gras, anyway.

BYOB

See if your caterer will let you bring your own liquor. (Be sure to ask about corkage fees.)

The basics

Limit your bar offerings to wine and beer. Liquor (especially premium bands) can add a wallop to your bar tab.

Size matters

Keep your guest list to a manageable number.

What to include in your contract

• The date, time, length and location (include specific room or hall) of the reception.
• The date by which you need to supply the caterer with a final headcount.
• Type of food service (buffet, cocktail reception, seated meal).
• Your approved menu and courses.
• Alcohol arrangements: Does your caterer have a liquor license? Can you supply your own wine? Will there be a corkage fee? What brands and vintages will they be serving? Can you return unopened bottles? Will there be an open bar? (If so, specify the hours.)
• Server specifics, including staff-to-guest ratio and dress code.
• The cost of renting equipment, silverware, glassware and linens.
• Arrangements for feeding other wedding vendors (photographer, band, planner).
• The name of the banquet manager who will be overseeing the reception.
• Price quotes for food and maximums on unforeseen menu expenditures; cancellation and overtime fees; deposit and refund policies; payment schedule; extra fees including gratuities and sales tax; and the total estimated cost.

What to Ask…

Choosing the right vendor comes down to asking the right questions.

Click for a printable worksheet to take to your appointments.

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New Hampshire offers some very unique challenges in the tent rental business. Challenges with wind at the seacoast, granite everywhere in the ground and now floods from Nashua to Manchester and all around the Concord area… work can be a challenge! I read this article that appears in the latest issue of intent magazine about a tent rental company in western Canada and was comforted by the fact that things are the same no matter where you go.  The article outlines some of the same challenges and solutions Exeter Events and Tents faces every day and addresses the daily obstacles we all face, from overcoming not only work challenges but the struggles with the current economy and some of the unique solutions we found in common.

Alberta & British Columbia are beautiful and challenging locations to be in the tent rental business

InTents | April 2010 . Photo courtesy of All Occasions Party Rentals Inc.

Surrounded by mountains, lakes, ski resorts and wineries, the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada, is a beautiful—and challenging—location to be in the tent rental business.

“I am sure our plight is no worse than many others, but we do live in a valley on a lake with rocky and sandy shores and mountaintop houses where the soil is bulletproof,” says Dwayne Ranson of All Occasions Party Rentals Inc. of Kelowna. “Not to mention a very high USPSF (my technical term for underground sprinklers per square foot!) as our climate is very arid.”

In Alberta, tent renters contend with a short season due to extreme winters. “Rentals usually start in April and end in October,” says Averill Torrieri, marketing manager for Special Event Rentals of Edmonton. “Rates are typically a bit higher here than warmer climates due to the fact that our rental season is only six to seven months long.”/p>>
Ranson says that his company uses only frame and clearspan tents, engineered and on adjustable legs to deal with irregular ground.

“Tents that can’t stand up in the wind are of no value to us,” Ranson says. “We would prefer to have tents that go up and come down quickly but have chosen to go with tents that are more structurally sound for the added measure of safety and peace of mind they provide.”

Both Ranson and Torrieri note that one positive to the downturned economy is a favorable labor supply.

“Being an oil-producing province, our labor supply can be very volatile;

when oil prices are up, quality labor is hard to find,” says Torrieri. “That said, with the recession affecting all of us  more people are looking for work and, as a result, we have been able to reduce the overinflated wages we were forced to pay when oil was high.”

The challenging economy has motivated Special Event Rentals to discern where inefficiencies lie and employ new systems to address them. The company installed a Teeco tent washer in January, which will reduce cleaning labor costs by 50 percent, Torrieri says.

All Occasions Party Rentals also is approaching the recession as an opportunity.

“Now is the time to bargain hard for future space, invest in not-so-used equipment at a fraction of the new cost, train your people and entrench yourselves with your customers and suppliers,” Ranson says. “When the good times come back, we are striving to be in a better position to build our brand and expand our client base.”

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I spent a lot of time looking at all the new silverware and glassware pattern .  The glassware by Riedel was stunning.  It is lighter and more elegant than conventional rental glassware and is a well known brand in the wine industry.  Many of you folks who cruise have probably already been introduced to it in the wine tasting events held on the major cruise lines. Stay tuned I hope to purchase it for this summer season!

Here is a summary of other exciting new items at the show:

The talk of the show was the new tents presented by Aztec.  They have designed a sailcloth frame tent.   It was the prettiest tent at the show.  It is a manufacturing marvel, joining the engineering of a frame tent with the nautical soft flowing lines of a sailcloth tent.   Sailcloth has become the hottest product in the tent industry over the past few years.

I spent a lot of time with Drake Manufacturing who was displaying Chivari chairs in fruitwood, gold and clear.  Natural garden chairs were seen in most booths for a more natural organic wedding look and feel.

Tent wares of Londonderry N.H. had oriental and Japanese lanterns in all the latest colors including tangerine, fuchsia and white.  We utilize their product for custom tent lighting at all of our events.

The hottest linen colors displayed by A1 Tablecloth Company for 2010 are a navy blue and white combo for this summer’s fashions.   The most popular way to add an additional splash of color is to add table runners in contrasting colors and fabrics.    Tablecloths in taffeta and satins graced many displays.

We will be e-blasting color photos and detailed descriptions of all the new products we will be carrying very soon. So if you are not on our mailing list and would like to be follow this link Join Our Mailing List and tell a colleague, in-law or future in-law in our tell a friend section at the top of the blog. We give you just about any way under the sun to tell your friends about our blog and it’s contents. While you’re at it fan us on Face Book. It’s a great place to see all the latest event products, valuable links and just for our fans coupon discounts.

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Being first is not always being the best

I remember the Sperry Tent had a nice light flowing feel to it and not opaque like the other tents available at the time. I thought why not create a new and improved version of the Sperry Tent? I now understood one of the reasons why sails were lowered in a storm. This tent needed to be more water proof and durable while at the same time not lose any of its elegance and beauty.

Ingenuity and change is the life blood of an Entrepreneur

If we combined this more durable tent with our full service special events experience we would create a unique and superior buying experience for today’s weddings and corporate event

Why go one place for a tent and then another for chairs a third for linens and china.   What an imposition on a bride or event manager! We approached what we felt was the best tent manufacturer in the United States to make our next generation sailcloth tent. This newly designed sailcloth is the most beautiful weather resistant product on the market today. Clients rave that they are the most beautiful tents on display on all the most recent national tent shows so far this year. Couple these tents with our other award winning products, valuable guidance and impeccable customer service you’ll agree we have created a seamless one stop experience you won’t soon forge

Proof is in the pudding

Seeing is believing so let us show you up close and personal what we have found to be the latest and greatest available, in all aspects of wedding and corporate event rentals, on the market today. Please call any of our professional account consultants Ashley, Cedar or Sarah at 800 677-9838 for a free personal consult regarding your wedding.

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With Ashley’s new title comes added responsibilities including introducing Exeter Events & Tents to the Concord area. “We are opening a new showroom in downtown Concord located directly across from the State House. Concord compliments our business well and we are excited to provide the area with a full service wedding and event rental company. We are expected to open February 15, 2010.” The new Concord showroom will be located at 118 North Main St.

Exeter Events & Tents is Northern New England’s premier full service wedding and event rental organization. With over 25 years of combined experience, our consultants are more than happy assist you with planning your event rentals. Our extensive line of tents, dance floors, dishes, linens, tables, chairs, and other party supplies are perfect for a backyard barbeque, wedding, birthday party, or family outing.

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