Chefs Share: Queen of Cupcakes The Cupcake Station of Birmingham and Ann Arbor shares a sweet family recipe Kim Kovelle A fresh year is a sweet thing. So why not indulge your family a bit with cupcakes? The classic kid-sized snack has made a big comeback - in fact, FoodChannel.com just dubbed 'em one of the top 10 food trends of the last decade, up there with sushi and bacon.
Michigan's original cupcake shop--and one of the first in the nation, The Cupcake Station, has been serving up the delish little goodies since 2006, now in both Birmingham and Ann Arbor. Here, co-owner Kerry Johnson shares a perfect from-scratch recipe from his grandmother, dubbed "The Queen Elizabeth" and featuring a touch of raisins. It's sure to make your family feel like royalty!
WEDDING PARTY FAVORS
A Guide to Wedding Party Favors
Author: Steven Barnhart
Wedding party favors are an important part of most weddings. Many couples do not realize just how important picking the right favor is or they overlook them altogether. Wedding favors are small gifts that a couple gives to guests which have a very special meaning to all who attend your wedding. Many wedding guests expect to receive a wedding favor and look forward to them. Most guests appreciate receiving a favor and enjoy them because they give guests a way to remember your special day for years to come. Wedding favors are also a great way for the wedded couple to say thanks to all of their guests and honor their presence. For more, click here.
INVITATION TIPS
Ideas For Handmade Wedding Invitations By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Elise_Cooper]Elise Cooper
When trying to find ideas for wedding invitations the best place to start is on the internet. The internet has invitations from all over the world that your guest have never seen before. Your invitation is the first glimpse at your wedding that your guest will see, so you want your invitation to stand out from all the others and provide your guests with an idea of what kind of wedding your will be (the most special kind, of course!)
The most important thing you should remember when searching for the perfect wedding invitation is that it does not have to cost a fortune to be great. When you are buying online you can find great deals because the companies are competing for your business. You can find gorgeous wedding invitations for half the price you would pay at a local store. For full article, click here.
10 Tips in Saving On Wedding Invitations
Author: lillian
Almost all the girls are dreaming of a romantic wedding, of course, wedding should be wonderful and memorable in the whole life. However, there is no need to waste too much money. The following 10 tips will teach you how to save money on the invitations. 1. Send one card. Usually, the new couple would send their guest wedding invitation plus thank-you notes. Why not just use one card, combining the notification of wedding ceremony details together with your sincere thanks? It would work better surely. Read the rest of the article.
How To Videos
For some easy to follow, quick tips when planning a party, check out these how to videos from Roz.
Welcome to PartyPlanningPlus.com, your ultimate one-stop source in the Metro Detroit area for fabulous tips, hints, resources and how-to's.
Shower them with love
How to Throw a Fabulous Bridal Shower Your best friend just got engaged and you're throwing the shower. One of the best things you can do for the happy couple is to generously take on the planning of the bridal shower without burdening them with unnecessary details. All they need to know is where and when to show up.
Here are a number of tips, tricks and trends as well as some do's and don'ts for the organizer and the bride.
Tip #1 Use a notebook or 3-ring binder (with pockets) that you can use to house all the details
Tip #2 Work with the bride to set a date-the shower should be held 1-2 months prior to the wedding Click here to read the entire article.
Lower Bar, Bat Mitzvah Budgets Bedevil Event Planners, But They Respond with Creative Cuts
Nov 25, 2009 12:24 PM, By Lisa Hurley
Even milestone events such as bar and bat mitzvahs are facing the brunt of the brutal economy.
In the latest online poll from Special Events, 38 percent of respondents say that their bar and bat mitzvah budgets are down 20 percent or more compared with last year. Eleven percent say their budgets have fallen off between 10 percent and 20 percent, while 16 percent say their budgets are down 10 percent or less. Five percent of respondents say their bar and bat mitzvah budgets are on par with last year; no respondent says that budgets this year are bigger. The remainder of respondents say they don't know or have no opinion. CUT HERE, CREATE THERE
Not to be outdone, event planners are responding to the challenge by cutting out elements that won't be missed and adding in some extra creativity. Click here for the rest of the article.
Romantic Dinner for 2 (or more)
Fondue is fun. You can
share, you can feed each other, you can experiment with ingredients.
Whether you're planning on 2 or 20, a fondue menu will be a great
conversation starter and allow you to create a moveable feast around
the house. You can start in the kitchen with Cheese fondue and move
your way into the dining room and then family room for a chocolate
fondue dessert. Click here for the rest of the article and some wonderful wine pairings to get you
started.
TREND INFO 2010 Happy New Year, 2010 to all of you ladies, AND gentlemen who received an engagement ring for the holidays! CONGRATULATIONS on your exciting news! The Floral and Event Professionals at Blumz have researched many sources as well as interviewed brides and grooms they have had the honor of assisting with the plans for their upcoming 2010 weddings. Here are a few of this year’s projected wedding trends.
Trend One Large scale "explosions" of flowers are waning. Earthy landscapes are in. Branches and trees encompassed by moss and small pots of greenery or herbs are the big trend starting to peak around the corner. Top that with a few white dendrobium orchids blooms and you have yourself a stunning table centerpiece!
Trend Two Roses, roses, roses. Beautiful unique colors and textures, abound. This is not your "Mothers round, tight, red rose ball bouquet". The "loose, just picked ” look is totally in! The rose has always been and will continue to be, a lovely classic flower to be incorporated into the bouquets to carry. They have just been "set free" from their former tight bounds! Additionally other popular flowers this season are hydrangea, peonies, dahlias and orchids. However, many of these flowers are seasonal or have special handling requirements that must be met for optimum effect. Work with a professional certified florist to find out which flowers will work best for your particular situation. As much as many "flower people" wish to give you advise and opinions, trust the certified professional to know the difference in a wives tale and a fact.
Trend Three Another huge trend right now is to give a favor that is meaningful and useful. For example, paying tribute to the couples family heritage ie. unique chopsticks for a couple of Asian decent. Who wouldn’t love a pair of chopsticks for a fun night in with some yummy take out? Or another example is to make a donation to charity in the name of the couples’ guests. A great way to do this and get something in return, is to purchase fair trade or eco friendly items from websites like thehungersite.com who donate food or a portion of the money from your purchase. You get the best of both worlds because you get an actual item for your favors and a donation is made! Don’t forget, decoratively enhancing the package takes the favor and allows it to become an added touch to your overall table décor. Nothing finishes off a table like a little more splash of your wedding color and theme.
Other trends are as follows: Vintage dress and theme is strong. Black and white photography with a vintage flair further enhances the overall effect. Warm, bright, vibrant color tones are making a big showing for 2010. Candy buffets continue to add a "sweet touch" to the reception. While DIY (do it yourself) and thriftiness is prevalent, always seek the advise, guidance and assistance of professionals when deciding if "doing it yourself" is going to be appropriate for your particular needs. Tungsten jewelry is adding its own touch to the "bling" in the wedding plans. Video streaming of the wedding event on the internet continues to gain interest.
While each wedding should reflect the personalities, wishes and expectations of the individual bridal couple, use of current trends can add a contemporary or up-to-date feel to the festivities.
The professional staff at Blumz are ready and eager to help guide you through the wedding planning process. From beautiful and creative floral designs, tuxedo rental, specialty linens and chair covers, invitations/menu cards, favors, decor, and even officiating, Blumz will be there with you from beginning to end.
Planning a party? Love to entertain? We believe that parties should be fun, for the guests and for the hosts. At PartyPlanningPlus.com we're here to take the stress out of party planning so that you can enjoy your special occasion as much as your guests. Whether you're planning a small at-home get together or the wedding of your dreams, we'll help it make it stress-free by guiding you through the process from the moment you set the date until the last guest is gone. We have a variety of tools to help make your next party a success-without the added stress that often goes along with the process. Take a few minutes and explore our site. You'll find unique content, such as our Fabulous and Frugal series. You'll also find an extensive list of vendors (see Resources) in the metro Detroit area, as well as useful planning tools such as timelines and customized checklists, all designed to make party planning fun and easier than you ever imagined. PartyPlanningPlus.com is here to provide useful information in a fun and easy-to-use format, so please come back often. You'll find new articles, secrets from experts in the field, and creative ways to save money on virtually everything. We're here for you, so please let us know if there's something you need help with-we'll do our best to provide it!
Happy planning, and here's to a season of fabulous parties.
How Do I Throw a Kid-Free Dinner Party?
By Nicole Yorio
I'm planning a dinner party and want it to be adults only. How can I say this without offending friends who have children?
Parents should assume that unless it's an afternoon barbecue or the equivalent, kids aren't invited, says Kim Izzo, author of The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Decorum. But just to be clear, here's how to say that it's a dinner party, not a playdate. Izzo suggests saying, "I'm hosting a dinner party and I'd like to invite you and Jeff. I hope I've given you enough time to find a babysitter." If you're sending an invitation or Evite, you can write: "You and Jeff are invited for a glamorous evening of dinner and cocktails." Be sure to extend the invitation two weeks in advance to allow time to find child care. If a friend asks if she can bring her child, be prepared to say no gently. Try, "Actually, this won't be a great party for children. But if you do find a sitter, I'd love to see you there."
GETTING YOUR HOME READY FOR OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS by Ronelle Grier
Out-of-town family and friends can add another dimension to your party preparations. . Even if your party guests are staying at a hotel, your home will quickly become "Party Central," the place where everyone gathers for Friday night dinner, Sunday brunch, and everything in between. Designer and event planner Dave Heidt offers some easy ways to make your guests feel welcome without overburdening your budget or your already lengthy to-do list. more
Fabulous & FrugalSM
In these crazy economic times, we've all become more budget conscious. But that doesn'thave to mean replacing the bone china with heavy-duty Chinet. It's still possible to give great parties without breaking our budget, and that's what this series is all about-hosting designer style parties at discount prices.
Our first installment is Fabulous & Frugal Dinner Parties. Here you'll learn creative and inexpensive ways to throw great at-home parties that ill leave your guests eagerly awaiting another invitation.
You'll find step-by-step instructions for making centerpieces that look like they came from the finest florist in town, tips for mixing-and-matching your dinnerware to create elegant table settings, innovative drink recipes, ideas for hors d'oeuvres that look and taste like the catered kind, and much more.
HOW TO PARTY ON A BUDGET MIAMI - For a generation of girls, coming of age during the
recession calls for a celebration that can be as much DIY as it is
mini-wedding.
Planning a quinceanera? Think about choreographing your own dance
routine. Feeding a Sweet 16? Hope you know how to bake. Bat mitzvah on
the way? You might want to share your party with a neighbor.
"You
don't know if you're going to lose your job. You don't know what's
going to happen. You don't want to go overboard," said Yanicet Ganuzas.
For her daughter Yanelis' quinceanera, the lavish party many Latino
families throw when their daughters turn 15, she spent $14,000 -- a
little more than half of what she spent two years ago on another
daughter.
Temple Beth El Party Planning Showcase Vendors 2010 Browse the list of more than 60 vendors who will be exhibiting and available for conversation this Sunday at the 22nd annual Temple Beth El Party Planning Showcase in Bloomfield Hills. Find a caterer, a venue, a photographer and more to put together a fabulous party. Don't see what you're looking for? Email Roz for FREE referrals.
WIN! Sign the Guest Book to be entered to win great prizes!
Fabulous and Frugal
The party of your dreams doesn't have to empty your bank account. by Ronelle Grier - Special to the Jewish News Celebrate! March 2010 Danielle
Keith of Farmington enjoyed the candy buffet at her bat mitzvah. Can
you throw a marvelous party that doesn't blow the lid off your budget?
Absolutely. Follow simple guidelines for a celebration that's
cost-effective and unforgettable. Read entire article.
Party Tips, Tricks & Trends
Want a romantic twist to your special event? It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to incorporate these simple steps into your plans. Set the mood with scented candles. When you're planning an intimate dinner, filling the room with candles creates a feeling of romance and togetherness. Click here to read entire article.
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Been to a fabulous event recently. Send us a note and we will post
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photos (jpeg or gif files) and offer up kudos to all your fabulous
vendors that helped make your party a success. Let us hear from you. We can't wait to see your party pics.
We're brand new. Every
day we're adding new articles, ideas and content that will give you the
tools you need to plan a fabulous party. PartyPlanningPlus.com will
help you make memories that you'll treasure for years to come. Thank
you for checking us out. Don't foget to sign our guestbook. Come back
again and you're sure to find something new each time. Can't find what
you're looking for...drop us a line
and we'll research it for you. Happy Planning.
Q & A With the Experts
You've set the date...now what? We spoke with Janice Cherkasky of GOURMET PARTIES to get some insight into how to begin. Q: My daughter just got engaged, and I don't know what to do first. Any suggestions?
A:
Planning a wedding, Bar Mitzvah, or any big party can be overwhelming.
The first thing to do is pick a date. Then establish a budget and
choose your venue accordingly. Decide what kind of party you want; how
many people, what time of day, etc.
Q: What are some of the things to consider when I'm deciding where to hold the party?
A:
The obvious first step is to make sure the venue is available on the
date of your party, and that it has the space to accommodate your
guests. Be specific about the kind of space you need, such as a
separate room for hors d'oeuvres or a dance floor.
Then meet with
the catering manager, since you'll be working closely together, and
determine whether this is a person that is open to suggestions and easy
to communicate with.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST Extra-Point Football Snacks Celebrate football with this hearty spread of dips, snacks, main dishes, and desserts, all of which are easy to eat while cheering on your favorite team.
