Tuesday, June 30, 2009

2009 Hotttest Wedding Trends - Vibrant Wedding Colors


Think wedding and pretty pastels, pinks and whites spring to mind. Not really the perfect wedding color combination for colour-loving brides! If you love colors, fret not because the hottest 2009 wedding trends are filled with bold and vibrant colours to make your wedding a colourful and exciting event. More.

Monday, June 29, 2009

How to Have a Green Wedding

A 2009 David's Bridal Internet survey found that 45 percent of some 500 engaged or recently married women had considered some aspect of caring for the environment in their wedding planning decisions. This trend is going to continue to grow and although hard figures are difficult to find, evidence of the growth of green weddings can also be seen in the increasing availability of green wedding planners, caterers, limo drivers, florists, DJs, photographers, and honeymoon hotels and resorts.

Of the 2.5 million weddings that take place each year a small fraction can currently be considered green by virtue of the waste accumulated from just one wedding. What all green weddings typically share is an effort to conserve resources and reduce waste.

More.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Production Priorities

Often event planners have a fairly consistent set of questions on their mind: I have a limited budget, yet I need AV — how do I set priorities in my budget? If I want lighting, sound, video, staging and decor, should I just give each part of the production a smaller piece to make sure I get some of everything?

STEP ONE: TALKING MONEY

When setting the budget for production, your first call should be to a producer or production manager you trust. You can also call two different production companies to get a good sense of what your money will get you.

In turn, the first things we will ask you are: “What is the event budget? How many people are coming? Where is it? Is there a theme?”

I realize that some planners are reluctant to get into budget discussions this early. But you absolutely need to. Why? Because some production companies specialize in large-scale events and some in intimate gatherings. Some do both and need to get a sense of which an event will be, whom to assign within their companies, and what resources to provide. More.

Friday, June 19, 2009

FAST TRACK Conference Management & Event Planning Certificate

Starting July 13 in Las Vegas:

Conference Management & Event Planning Certificate
Become a meeting and special events professional - Learn to plan, design and manage meetings, special events, conferences, conventions, tradeshows and more. In Las Vegas, conferences and events serve more than six million visitors per year.

Learn directly from industry pros and receive personalized career placement counseling. Every course includes a guaranteed internship and extensive networking opportunities.

This course is also available as an online program. Click here for more info.

Don't be a victim of the economy. Edge out your competition today.

One Month FASTtrack Classroom Program
Classes meet Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm
Graduates of this program will be equipped with the skills and tools to plan and execute meetings, conferences, special events, tradeshows and more. Learn from credentialed industry professionals and educators, all with years of experience in their field. Students will engage in interactive learning experiences that include class lectures, site visits, industry exclusive networking events, guest panel speakers and much more. The course features an internship placing candidates in different segments of the industry. Students often make many business contacts before they graduate, with more opportunities to connect at regular alumni association mixers. Part of the requirement for completing the program is to plan a comprehensive conference / special event from start to finish, serving as a professional portfolio of the student's work. It is suitable for participants with little or no experience, as well as for those seeking specialized knowledge for advancement to supervisory positions.

We offer career assistance you can rely on.

Guaranteed Internship
One-on-One Career Coaching
Resume and Cover-Letter Writing
Career Plan of Action
Technical Support
Industry Association Networking
Mentorship Assistance
Job Postings
Alumni Association

We will work with you
Flexible payment options and monthly financing plans available

Not sure where to begin?
Come in for a free personalized career counseling session

3614 E. Sunset Road, Suite 110
Las Vegas, NV 89120
702/947-7200
Find out more at: www.tisoh.com

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Concierge Services For Ordinary People

Concierge services are an indispensible part of life for many people. The tradition of the concierge goes back many centuries – in the Middle Ages, the concierge was an officer of the king, whose job it was to execute justice. The term originated from the French Comte des Cierges – the Keeper of the Candles. This functionary catered to the needs of visiting nobles to castles of the time.

In modern times, the term usually refers to an hotel employee who attends to the special needs of guests. These might include making travel arrangements, recommending restaurants and nightclubs, procuring tickets to events or arranging spa treatments. In luxury hotels, the concierge is expected to be able to deal with any request, no matter how bizarre.

The saying among concierges is, “The answer is yes. Now, what’s the question?”. More.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Event-Planning Tips: Choosing the Right Entertainment for the Right Event…for the Right Budget

After the dinner dishes have been cleared from the tables and the desserts have all been devoured, the event audience is ready to be entertained. Actually, this will probably be one of the most memorable parts of the conference/business meeting/special event. Link.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Psychology of Color in Marketing

Different colors carry different psychological meanings and impacts. They can affect your mind and the way you think and feel.

With this in mind, you should choose the color for your logo, website and all of your marketing materials carefully. It has been my experience in Las Vegas that most small business and even medium-sized companies clearly don’t take this into account. In doing so, you’ll be able to keep ahead of your competition and look more professional and polished and you’ll be able to narrow down your choices for color much more easily.

So what do colors mean, both positively and negatively?

Blue

  • power and success
  • trustworthiness
  • peace and harmony
  • conservatism and idealism
  • reliable and stable
  • professionalism More.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Putting the Concierge to the Test

The Four Seasons resort in Maui is an exclusive vacation destination—the local saying, “Maui No Ka Oi” translates as “Maui is the best” and as such, guests expect a superlative level of service for the price they’re paying. Many of the concierges at the Four Seasons wear the cross key Clef d’Or (“gold key”) badge, the international concierge call sign for quality and professionalism.

According to Concierge Karen, a Clef d’Or member and concierge of 14 years, the most common requests are for dinner reservations, directions, diapers/formula, surf lessons, helicopter tours, and surprise arrangements for marriage proposals, birthdays and anniversary celebrations.

And then here are some unusual requests such as the man who called to ask, “I heard this really great song on the radio, can you tell me what it is?” They did.

Or there was the woman who wanted a boat escort while she swam between the islands of Maui and Lanai. And don’t forget the celebrity who turned up for a month with her children who needed home-schooling: The concierge organized their event schedule and was rewarded with a Gucci purse and wallet. Link.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Ben Stein's Commentary about Meetings

EXCELLENT video from CBS News. Link.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Alice in Wonderland Theme Wedding


What kind of flowers would go well at an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding?

Link.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Logo Maker

Create your own logo online for free. Easy. Link.