Is one of your friends getting married? Is your kid having a birthday? Are you going to host a company meeting? Most of these events require sponsors to give tokens or favors to their guests as mementos of the occasion. Here are some creative and fun party favors for parties and events in general.

Weddings are probably one of the most common events that people usually expect to have a token or give away. Some of the most common wedding tokens and giveaways are vellum envelopes with the couple’s names with a thank you of some sort inside, picture frames with the couple’s picture, trinkets engraved with their names and other similar effects. Although cute and fun, these ideas have been used and reused time and time again.

Instead of the usual, why not give your guests a disposable camera where they can snap a picture of the wedding couple together and their guests to take home as their memento of the occasion? Or how about envelopes containing seeds like sunflowers, tomatoes and other similar seeds which they can plant in pots or in their gardens. This is not only earth friendly; it is also cheap and unique. Instead of the usual trinkets, give them something that they can actually use instead of something they stuff in drawers or something that collects dust. Like chocolate bars with your names in the wrapper or stylish mugs or even organizers and planners that can really be used to organize desks and appointments.

Conventions and seminars are also events that usually dish out tokens. Most seminars give participants T-shirts to mark the occasion. Instead of these boring items, why not give out tickets to a play to select guests or gift baskets filled with fruit, cheese and other goodies. You can even give out something similar to the suggestions under the wedding tokens like organizers and chocolate bars!

The same is true for birthday parties. Kiddie parties usually hand out loot bags filled with sugary food, junk food, small toys and other plastic goodies. Instead of these typical loot, how about some puzzles, small games, bags filled with healthy snacks, homemade cookies and other similar goodies.

The key thing to remember when trying to think of souvenirs, tokens and giveaways as party favors is to pick something unique and something that guests can use. Most of us have been to at least one party so we all know that usually these end up somewhere forgotten. So make your gift useful and unique so that they can be remembered by your guests!

More and more people are relying on their email to communicate and get in touch not only with family and friends but with business associates too. Almost all people with access to the web have at least two email addresses and at least one Facebook or MySpace account. E-mailing has not only become a convenient way to communicate, but one of the best ways of communication.

With this in mind, how many of you out there have gotten invites to parties via email? The practice has become so common that even wedding invites are sent through email or Facebook and MySpace. Announcements for events are also broadcasted and publicized using these forms. But is emailing party invite an acceptable way of inviting people to come? Does it conform to etiquette?

The answer depends on how formal the event at hand is. Sure, Facebook and MySpace are hip and everybody is in them, but they are a definite no-no for formal gatherings and occasion. In accordance to the event’s ambiance and atmosphere, formal gatherings and events still require printed invitation. Printed invitations easily convey the theme of the event giving the receiver a brief sneak as to what to expect for the coming gathering. They are also easier to RSVP to. The type of guests one will have at the party should also be considered as it would be tacky and rude to invite VIPs using email.

Emailing is more convenient and cheap and they are OK for family and friends and informal occasions. These types of party are usually casual so a call, text or email will generally be okay especially to those near and dear you.

So when emailing an invite, remember to consider the type of party you will be hosting and the guests that you will be entertaining for the party.

Weddings are happy, joyous events wherein the families involved can participate as they welcome another member into their folds. Most weddings are exciting and both bride and groom are brimming with happiness at the union to come.

Most couples nowadays simply hire a wedding planner and just follow their lead blindly. While this is hot a bad idea, it’s also not a good one. Hiring professional organizers can be expensive and so others do some of the tasks themselves instead of entrusting the entire event to a professional to save on some of the costs.

To help with the bride and groom on their big day, here is a small helpful checklist every couple needs to ensure that every thing will run smoothly on their big day.

First of all, check that everything that the bride and groom needs during the day will be there. This list should include their complete wedding clothes and other personal effects. This chore can be delegated to the best man and maid of honor.
If a honeymoon is booked after wards, make sure that everything is packed into their respective suitcases. The artist in charge of the bride’s make-up should also be informed and reminded of the appointment beforehand. The same is true for whoever else on the wedding entourage is scheduled for hair and make-up.

At the church or the wedding venue, check that everything is in place including the bible, the flowers, carpet and other effects that will be in use for the ceremony. Never forget the wedding contract as this is very important! Make sure that the people who will cover the wedding are reminded of the event. This list of people includes the priest, pastor or judge, the photographer or video grapher as well as the entourage for the wedding.

At the reception area, also check if everything is where it should be. This includes the entertainment, the food and servers as well as the decorations and seating arrangement for the guests.
The entourage and guests should also have RSVP-ed before the appointed time. Check and double check that the list matches that of the seating arrangement.

Weddings large or small are easy to manage as long as there is ample time to prepare and a very good director who can plan and coordinate the whole event with ease. Remember that, if the planning gets too much, then its probably time to seek the help of more friends or a professional who has the expertise and the contact to ease the wedding preparations.

Hotel packages have become a very charming idea for event planners nowadays. Why? It’s because they offer predictability in terms of budget and of course, it makes life a little easier for the event planner since the person won’t need to secure individually other important things such as food and beverages. Also included in a package is making sure your audio-visual needs are adequately provided for. It seems that hotels are now making themselves a one-stop shop for all your corporate event needs.

The idea behind this marketing move for hotels is completely understandable. For years, they have been taking the backseat for both corporate events and personal affairs, always landing as the second best for an event planner’s preferences. Two of the main reasons why they never quite make it to the top are budget and lack of style. These days, a budget-challenged corporate event will find hotel packages as not only a time saver but also budget-friendly, making it possible for event planners to make ends meet.

Hotel packages are usually offered in two ways, one being the flat-rate and the other being per-head. Flat rate means you rent the whole place which will allow certain number of participants to the room while per head is when you pay for each attendee. Depending on the number of people who are expected to come, the event planner will then make his or her decision according to their best judgment.

Most hotels also offer flexible packages to interested parties. This means you can make special requests and adjustments to an existing package. Rooms are also offered at discounted rates for event’s participants. However, it is not uncommon for hotels to apply additional fees if something unexpected occurs.

Seminars are important in familiarizing or training a group of people about a particular subject matter which can be, but not limited to, projects. In general, it aims to help participants to advance current level of mastery on the subject at hand. Normally, there would be a group of people which can range from 20 to hundreds and one speaker who stands as the expert. Seminars usually adapt a classroom-type setting in which the speaker is the teacher and participants are the students. However, seminars today encourage more participation from its attendees in which the speaker will stand as the moderator to the ongoing activity.

As simple as it may seem, seminars run on a tight schedule which should be followed closely or else you risk domino-effect. Aside from that, an event planner must make sure that the atmosphere is conducive to learning and everything that is needed is right within reach particularly electronic stuff.

It is not common for a seminar to have a theme but it can be done to add flair to your seminar. Just make sure you don’t go overboard or else it can distract the participants. Having a theme will help you make design decisions a little bit easier since themes usually serve as a guide.

When choosing a venue for your seminar, pick one that is accessible for all attendees. Take note of the security of the place in terms of building stability and neighborhood issues. If you are in doubt, consider hiring security personnel to assist your guests. Furthermore, all seminars should be promoted adequately. Your guests should know your seminar in order for them to attend and as the event planner, you should be organizing this. Lastly, your job as the event planner does not end at prep time. On the actual day, you should also be there to attend to last minute issues and whatnot.

If there’s one group of people who loves to party, it must be seniors! These fun loving gals and guys won’t let one party pass without them being part of it, either as a host or an attendee. Functions and get-togethers are seniors’ way of socializing and having fun at the same time. Indeed, these people know how to party and would love to attend one!

Unfortunately, not all parties are adequate for seniors therefore most held no interest for them. We know that the golden rule of themed parties is to target-focus to the participants in general, as much as possible. We throw themed parties to satisfy an interest that all your participants share but what if your participants are mostly seniors? Here are some excellent party ideas for seniors:

· There are things you need to consider if you are going to organize a senior’s event. Top three things are: pace, safety and accessibility. They should be able to go along with your event’s activities without getting overwhelmed with what’s happening around them. It would also help if you prepare safe activities for them but nonetheless, something that they can truly enjoy. Keeping it near from where they are is another thing you need to consider in terms of location.
· As much as possible, aim for relaxation. At this point in their lives, the last thing they will ever need is stress. Spa parties are the greatest for seniors! Not only will it relax them but also de-stress and rejuvenate them making your party a double thumbs up!
· Seniors love to learn especially if it’s for free! Why not include an activity that will help them learn new things they can do at home?
· They also love to dance. Play some retro music and let them dance the night away!

Event planning comes easily if you have a knack for it. First and foremost, you must be fond of parties and people. The eye for detail should be there as well and the uncanny ability to multitask. Personally, I think organization comes last in the list especially for people who find solace amidst chaos and event planning is indeed one, fun chaos in its own.

If you believe you have these attributes naturally in you then it’s about time to make it work to your advantage. But how? Here are some good tips to jumpstart your event planning career today!

· Assess where you stand. What are your resources? How good is your network and contacts? Are you going to need additional courses or perhaps a refresher course in event planning? It is important to have a good, reliable network if you want success in this field.
· Pinpoint where you would like to specialize in. Event planning is such a big industry, it has room for everybody. Target-focusing your services will help you get connected in no time.
· Volunteer in charity events. It will help you get noticed in your area and can also build your portfolio. This proves to be very helpful especially if you’re under limited budget.
· Have an office. Once you start dealing with people, you’ll need a central location where you operate and have all the things you need within reach hence the office. It doesn’t have to be a fancy one—not even rented—just assign a room or an available space in your house where you can operate in peace.

Finding a good event photographer is easy. You just have to ask your friends for referrals and voilà! They’ll come snapping their cameras away without you even knowing when. Some of the best, you can even find with just a few clicks of your computer mouse, complete with their contact info and portfolio. Indeed, all you need to do is ask and they shall come!

But, the scary is part is yet to come. These photographers are prone to last-minute price adjustments that can sometimes lead to heart attack and catfights. Contract or no contract, a photographer’s fee can throw you off budget in a blink of an eye! Here are some tips to prevent this from happening to you and save a little on your event photographer:

· Professional photographers work all-year round while hobbyists work part time and most of them keep decent jobs in between. The quality of work can sometimes be of the same caliber but what sets them greatly apart is how they deliberate on their quotations. Your best bet would be the latter.
· “Off season events” means discount while peak season means high, high prices to pay.
· Go for photographers who operate right from home. If your event is small-sized then go for a one-man team. The rule of thumb is: the more your photographer has to pay, the more will be passed to your bill.
· Unless you are aiming for the annual company book or had thought of doing a press release after the event, then you don’t have to hire a professional photographer at all. There are point and shoot cameras in the market today that can produce good, quality pictures. Use them instead.

It is fairly common nowadays to see events being promoted using different social media sites and I must say, they truly work! For one, social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace prove to be an effective way to invite people from all over the world to come and attend the said event. Social networking sites are most effective for intimate, friendly get-togethers held for smaller groups while larger events require more time—and creative ways—to get your message across. The only thing that annoys me the most is when an event planner sets up individual pages which will only be abandoned after the event. This practice is never practical and it clutters up the web space. I would rather set up a page for myself and promote my events from there. This way you have a centralized location of all your promotions and it makes a good portfolio too for potential clients.

Promoting an event using social media sites involves time and energy. The only difference it has from going the traditional way is that it is cheaper and you spend half your time sitting in front of the computer instead of running around in circles. If you are thinking of promoting your event through this route, here are some basic tips to get you going:

· Nothing beats personal interaction with anyone. Be it the client, the people you need to invite, or even the suppliers. The beauty of the worldwide web is that almost all your transactions can be done here which provides the ultimate convenience for the user. The downside appears to be the impersonal approach it indicates. Try to avoid this trap by initiating personal interaction through direct mails and such.
· Be clear. Your message should not confuse your viewers. Draw maps to the said event. Include everything there is to it so the viewer won’t have to contact you with questions anymore.
· Make it accessible for them. Sometimes, the only problem is that they don’t see your promotional page without you even knowing what’s going on. The easiest way to solve this is to do a page-test every morning.
· When launching an email campaign, be sure you are sending emails to the right person. Do an extensive research and gather enough data about the person to make it more personalized.

Planning a green event is not so bad. In fact, it will only require resourcefulness and a little sensitivity from the event planner. Considering the rewards you are about to reap, and adding to that is the good feeling closely associated when doing something good, these requirements are miniscule.

Green events are the latest trend in event planning. If you want an event that will surely get you noticed, this should be it since more and more people are getting environment conscious nowadays. Green events are sure to make a statement that will last longer than other types of events.

Green event planning is easy. The idea behind green event planning is consuming less, if not, aim for quality and use. The event planner must be able to do without the things that are only pleasing to the eye but don’t have enough value such as giveaways that bear no use. Every aspect of the venue must be addressed right from the invitations down to waste issues. Here are some recommendations for your green event planning:

· Invitations. Try e-invites instead. Electronic invitations are those you can send over the internet. It reduces the need for paper and ink, not to mention the time and energy one will probably waste in delivering paper invites.
· Venue. Make it more accessible for your guests by holding the event near their place. If travel cannot be avoided, arrange for a bus to carry your guests to the venue.
· Food. You don’t need to import foods from miles away. Support local produce and save in transportation money.
· Tableware. Opt to use washable tableware over disposable ones.
· Decoration. Avoid using plastic decors and go for live plants instead.
· Giveaways. Souvenirs must be usable.