On a Personal Note.

As of this morning's weigh-in, I've officially lost 30.4 pounds since January 30, surpassing my initial goal of 30 by July 1!


I want to thank all my friends and family for their support, and of course, I have to tip my hat to the Weight Watchers program. I'm still progressing through to a larger goal, but I am really excited about this milestone!


I have to say that I have been pretty motivated throughout these last few months, but I think the below sums up what people on this journey often encounter. To that I say, don't give up!

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Allison on Pinterest

Party Planning 101 - Fancy Ideas for your BBQ.

As summer is quickly apporaching (and since it's going to be above 80 this weekend in Chicago), I thought it appropriate to share some cute ideas for fancy'ing up a BBQ this week!

Included below are some of my favorite ideas from Pinterest - any one of these could turn your average back-yard bash into a memorable Memorial Day affair. Happy (and safe) Grilling!

Source: celebrationsathomeblog.com via Allison on Pinterest

I love the idea of adding fresh flowers and using old wooden boxes to dress up a folding table!

Source: blog.hwtm.com via Allison on Pinterest

Turning your serving area into a build-your-own bar is a fun way to deviate from the traditional buffet.

Source: socialcouture.typepad.com via Allison on Pinterest

This is a great way to keep your flatware organized and festive!

Source: myrecipes.com via Allison on Pinterest

Who doesn't love a fresh heirloom tomato salad?

Source: google.com via Allison on Pinterest

Patriotic Chocolate Strawberries - how cute!

Source: stuff.icanhascheezburger.com via Allison on Pinterest

I couldn't resist these - you can even use store-bought cupcakes to create these little edible 'grills'.

Source: Uploaded by user via Allison on Pinterest

And, finally - no BBQ is complete without corn on the cob. I like mine with mayo, cayenne and lime juice!

Party Planning 101 - Every Dollar Counts.

There's a saying that goes, " A day late, A dollar short." Since I am indeed behind on this post I thought it would be the perfect introduction in to today's party planning topic.


This Week - Budgets!

I know this isn't a topic that's of much interest to people, as I know that the budgeting process at my 9-5 illicits headaches and groans throughout the company. However, the budget, and how you keep track of it is KEY to your party's success and you/your clients' bank account.

Worksheets and resources run the gamut around the web, but my approach is to use a simple spreadsheet method to keep my budget organized, creating a simple tabbed layout that's separated by different aspects of the event - so you can keep track of each area and adjust easily if needed. Then, I add one final tab that brings all of the costs together in one place.

I suggest creating the following tabs:
 

• Venue - here you can add the main rental costs, any licencing/permit fees, and any staff you might be utilizing that go above and beyond the baseline cost.
• Food - clearly this is the catering budget, but make sure to keep it separate from the venue tab, even if the venue supplies catering on premises.
  
• Beverage - If you create a beverage package where it's a certain fee per person, this section will become a lot easier!
  
• Decor - themed decor, lighting, any linen, tent or rentals (chairs, tables, etc) are found within this tab
• Music/Entertainment - DJ and lighting costs fall within this section.
• Invitations - design, postage and printing
• THE FINAL TAB to bring it all together - This is where you'll place each section's total costs to create your total party budget.

I consider this a fool-proof way to track costs for parties, and I think this could apply to weddings and larger events - you'd just need to add more tabs!

Ok, enough business speak for today! As we head in to the weekend, I hope that you have some fabulous plans ahead of you - we're off to a great start here in Chicago!

Party Planning 101 - Finding Your Theme.

I am happy to introduce a series on party planning! Every Thursday, I'll share fundamentals, tips and creative ideas with you - in the hopes that you'll find inspiration for your next big event, cocktail party or casual get-together.

This week - Finding your Theme.

It's my belief that every event needs a theme. Think of it as if you were building a house. No matter the size, establishing a "blueprint" gives you a foundation to build on. It works the same way with events -finding a theme will help you outline venue, color scheme, food and beverage, attire - and will even help dictate things as small as party favors.

For example - I planned an anniversary party. Thinking about the time of year (June), and based on the couple's original wedding, I established a theme of an afternoon garden party - highlighting the lush green of the trees and accenting that with the colors of light blue and white (original colors from their wedding in 1980). Below are some pictures of how this played out.

Hydrangea with a touch of light blue.

Blue and White lanterns in the trees!

Even the signature drink (Mojitos) picked up on the theme.

Being that this was one of my first events, I think that creating the event around a simple idea really helped to keep me on track as I put all of the pieces together. I am the type that tends to have a lot of ideas so I keep myself in-check based on the theme I am planning around, filing away those that don't fit for another 'space' and 'time.'