Pre GC8, large scale, elaborately themed events were commonplace. The amount of corporate events that take place is starting to steadily climb again, however the laissez-faire days of free spending seem long gone.

Post GC8, event managers are having to justify every penny they spend be it to shareholders, management and even their customers.

The challenge for event managers now is to create an event that is visually appealing without blowing fortunes on design. At 88 Events, we’re always here to advise and guide our clients, yet we’ve noticed many of them being very creative themselves in how they spend their money.

The secret to creating a great looking event with a low spend is to allocate an event design budget and use that budget as creatively as possible. You can still create a great looking event that is visually stimulating, however you need to think outside the box.

Here’s 3 easy ways you to be creative with a limited event design budget…

1. Don’t Theme The Event

If budget is limited you should stay clear of actually themeing your event. Succesfully basing your event on an elaborate theme requires an A-level budget. However, if you try to do everything using a limited budget, your event could well end up looking mediocre.

Instead, try to keep things simple. Choose a base colour for your linen and then add in an accent colour(s) by using a different coloured napkin, runner or overcloth.

2. Create A Focal Point

Create a focal point using a nice centrepiece or elaborate flower arrangement. You’ll have far more impact if you put the majority of your budget into one or two items of interest as opposed to lots.

A nice table centre can act as a focal point

Get creative and group decor items such as flower arrangements and props around the stage area. This will have far greater impact than spreading them around the room where they could just get lost.

3. Accessorise Your Tables

If you’ve been following 88 Events for any length of time then you’ll know that we’re all about maximising your available table real-estate. Instead of cluttering your table with side-plates and lots of bottles, incorporate a charger plate into the table design.

This will give your table a lovely looking focal point and is a great way to add a splash of colour. Click here to see our full range of charger plates to hire.

Another simple way to accessorise your table is with nitelight holders and ribbon or ribbon bands for the napkins.

Decorating your napkins can lift a plain looking table display

The following two articles will give you lots of creative ways to use charger plates and napkin ribbons to enhance your event:

Enhanced Table Dressing – Napkin Decoration

Enhanced Table Dressing – Charger Plates

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and that it’s given you some fresh ideas and concepts to consider.

88 Events can help you create an event that is truly special – one that rises above the norm and ensures great client feedback. Whether you want help with event managment and design or you simply wish to use our hire service, the first port of call is to get in touch. Do that here:

http://www.88eventscompany.com/contact-88-events.html#

It’s fair to say that wedding photography has progressed somewhat since the days when our own parents were married. An industry in itself, the sheer choice of wedding photographers is simply mind-boggling. A quick glance through a typical wedding magazine will list a huge amount of advertisers yet they can’t all be good can they? When faced with so much choice, how do you decide on who will be the best photographer to capture those special memories for you?

The Right Personality

According to Ditte Solgaard of First Light Wedding Photography, a wedding photographer needs to have the right personality for the job. This means that certain photographers will be better suited to certain couples. Ditte says:

“A wedding photographer needs to have the right personality for the job – a friendly, professional, discreet, calm manner is crucial to instilling faith and confidence in your bride and groom before the day has even arrived.”

Wedding Photography By First Light Weddings

A Good Communicator

According to Christina Golian of Elemental Weddings, good communication between the photographer and couple is extremely important:

“To be a great wedding photographer, you also have to be a good communicator and great people person. We work together on the day (usually against the clock!) to ensure that we not only deliver all of the specific photos our clients have requested, but also the ones that they haven’t thought to ask for. And we do this in a way that is enjoyable, creative and true to their personalities and individual style.”

Wedding Photography By Elemental Weddings

Great Technical Skills

Being a great wedding photographer is not simply about turning up on the day and getting some nice formal photos with the bridal party and their close friends and family. There’s much more too it than that. Whilst formal wedding photos are still the norm, couples are looking for something extra such as other types of shot throughout the day and even in the run-up to the wedding.

In order to do this, a good wedding photographer needs a varied set of skills. Christina says:

“In our opinion, the best wedding photographers are not only highly skilled in multi-disciplines including portraiture, documentary photography and product photography, but they also have the ability to look at every wedding afresh, and to create beautiful images, time and time again – no matter how challenging the lighting conditions, the elements or the timescale may prove to be!”

Ditte agrees:

“I love the creativity I can bring to every wedding, whether it’s an intimate affair with a handful of people in log cabin or 300 people in a Scottish castle. When photographing a wedding, I have to be a photojournalist, fashion photographer, architectural photographer, portrait photographer and sports photographer, all in one day.”

Magic Powers!

There’s one other thing which is vitally important and that is the ability of the wedding photographer to simply blend in with the surroundings so that none of the guests actually notice he or she is there. Ditte thinks that being able to make yourself invisible is key:

“I have also found that the ability to make myself invisible can come in very handy too! I will always try to exceed a client’s expectations, whether that is in capturing the fleeting precious moments of the day they were too busy to notice, or making sure that the formal photos are done quickly, allowing them to have as much time with their guests as possible.”

How To Choose

The decision making process is certainly tough when it comes to choosing your ideal wedding photographer. Ultimately, for many couples it will come down to cost, however within each cost bracket there will still be a number of competing photographers all vying for your attention.

The best place to start is with a reccommendation. Ask other couples, your venue and even your planner if you are using one. They will all be able to refer you to someone.

Once you have a shortlist, do your research. Have a good look around their websites and decide whether you like or dislike their photography styles. The next stage would be to request a consultation with one or two and certainly no more than three. This will give you an idea of whether you click ‘personality wise’.

Remember, you are inviting a stranger to your wedding to share some intimate moments so you absolutely must get on with each other. If you feel uncomfortable in any way then you’ll know they’re not the right person for you.

Similarly, you’ll know which photographer is the one for you as as it will just feel right!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article on wedding photography and it helps make the decision-making process less daunting.

If you’d like to find out how 88 Events can help you design and plan your dream wedding, including sourcing the best wedding photographers in the industry, sign-up for your complimentary Dream Wedding Info Kit which explains how we go about creating your dream wedding just as you always imagined.

http://www.88eventscompany.com/dream-wedding-kit.html#

1. Get Feedback

Gathering feedback from the previous year’s event is a crucial first step that must be taken before you start planning for the current event. Find out what your guests or clients liked and didn’t like.

For example, was the food great or just good? Did they like the venue? Was the entertainment fun?

Giving your guests the opportunity to reflect on the event will give you great insight into what worked and what didn’t thus allowing you to make changes without lots of guesswork.

Warning! If you get positive feedback, don’t rest on your laurels and re-create the exact same event. Its essential that you tweak certain elements to keep things fresh. For instance, if the food was well received, use the same caterer but change the menu. If the style of entertainment was good, opt for a similar style but with a different performer perhaps.

Tip! The easiest way to ensure a high feedback response rate is to offer an incentive such as a free prize draw, gift vouchers or discount on your products and services.

2. Change The Décor

If you’re restricted to using the same caterer and venue, then you can easily spice things up by freshening up the décor. In fact, our advice would be to NEVER repeat the décor from the previous year’s event. First impressions are crucial, no more than in the events industry. If your event looks like a carbon copy of last year then your guests will immediately think “Here we go again”.

88 Events is the official design sponsor of the annual SSBA Gordon Ramsay Gala Dinner and although the venue for this event has regularly changed we have kept things fresh each year by completely changing the design. Here’s what we did each year:

2008 - Traditional style incorporating candelabras and damask linens

2009 - Contemporary styling using lots of glass and perspex

2010 - Glam look with diamantes and crystal

2011 - Summer ball using bright coloured linens and plant box table centres

For another client, we designed 3 consecutive awards ceremonies around different themes. This was essential as the event was in the same venue each year:

Year 1 - Scottish Castle Theme

Year 2 - Wild West Saloon Bar Theme

Year 3 - Viva Las Vegas Theme

Whether your event is in the same venue each year or you switch venues, it is crucial that you mix things up a bit. Changing the visual feel of the event is the easiest way to do things without necessarily commiting more budget.

If budget is an issue, you can do things as simple as seating guests at long tables as opposed to the more traditional round table format.

3. More Spontaneity

Surprise your guests with something out of the blue such as human canapés, celebrity guests, special cocktail on arrival – anything that will be unexpected and create a buzz.

Create something spontaneous and exciting

How about adding a new component into the event such as speed networking where all guests would be required to switch tables at an appropriate part in the evening? This could be a cheap yet effective way to increase client engagement as one of the most common complaints from people attending events is that they didn’t get a chance to speak with the people they wanted to speak with.

Creating a spontaneous feel to your event tales a lot of creative thinking, however the rewards in terms of increased client engagement could be huge. The only problem you’ll have is going one better next year!

4. Spice Up The Menu

We’ve already alluded to this, however the food is another element of your event that can be easily changed. Review your feedback and decide whether the food was well received or not. If there was an issue, then you might need to consider different catering options.

If the food was well received, speak to your caterer about creating new dishes especially for the event. Make sure that your guests are aware that these dishes have been created especially for the event and ask your caterer to give some commentary into the ingredients used, why they were used and where they were sourced from.

All the top restaurants do this but it is a tactic seldom used in an event scenario.

TIP! Always arrange a tasting prior to confirming your menu choice especially if you are using a new caterer.

5. Change The Venue

The size of your event is going to have  major impact on whether or not you can source a new venue. If your event involves large numbers over 500 guests then this will limit your choices.

However, if you are in the 100-300 guest range then you will have far more flexibility. New venues or venues you weren’t previously aware of crop up all the time so have a scout around for something different.

Oftentimes, a simple change of venue can be all that’s needed to give your event a fresh impetus. If you’re considering sourcing a new venue, then you might find this article of interest:

How To Choose A Venue For Your Corporate Event

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and that it’s given you some fresh ideas and concepts to consider.

88 Events can help you create an event that is truly special – one that rises above the norm and ensures great client feedback. Whether you want help with event managment and design or you simply wish to use our hire service, the first port of call is to get in touch. Do that here:

http://www.88eventscompany.com/contact-88-events.html#

If your venue already has their own wedding chair covers or offers them as part of a package (often hired in from an external chair cover supplier) then you have a further choice in deciding whether you take the venue’s own offering or search for another chair cover you prefer.

When 88 Events first started out back in the mid 1990′s, the amount of events we designed that featured chair covers were in the minority. Today, they are far more common. However, what if you’re bored with the same old plain looking white chair covers and your budget won’t stretch to hiring a more luxurious type of chair cover?

Fear not! There are lots of ways you can still create a stunning looking wedding without going to the expense of hiring wedding chair covers.

First port of call should always be a floor length tablecloth. If we have one mantra when it comes to table dressing then it is to use a floorlength tablecloth. Always!

Put simply, banqueting table legs are plain UGLY! They should be hidden at all costs. Why? Well apart from the ugliness factor, they will invariably have a negative effect on any dramatic impact you’re trying to create when you’re guests first enter the room.

Most venues still offer as standard a square tablecloth that sits on a round table. Whisper it, but 88 Events even offers these square tablelcoths to a select few of our most loyal trade clients, however you will NEVER see us using a square cloth on a round table at one of our own events or weddings.

Here’s some tips that will help you create something visually exciting without the need to hire chair covers depending on your budget.

Low Budget £1 – £2 per guest

• Use the venue’s basic tablecloth and hire a runner or overlay
• Hire a nice (but plain) floor length tablelcoth
• Hire some nice coloured napkins to add a splash of colour

Mid Level Budget £3 – £10 per guest

• Hire a more luxurious floor length tablecloth in an interesting colour and/or fabric (think Satins, Silks & Damasks)
• Add more impact with an overlay or runner
• Add napkin accessories
• Hire charger plates
• Incorporate a more dramatic table centre such as a candelabra or tall flower arrangement

High Budget £10+ per guest

• Luxurious tablecloths
• Runner or overlay
• Hire nice looking chairs (not venue’s own)
• Exciting table centres
• Chair wraps for chairs
• Accessorise tables with napkin decor, charger plates, and nightlights

Hopefully, you can see that there are lots of ways to create interesting designs without having to hire wedding chair covers. Our personal view is that hiring chair covers for your wedding will be worth it but what do you think?

Naked or Covered? Leave a comment below..

88 Events’ Online Hire Catalogue is THE place to go if you want to create a design led wedding that thrills your guests. You’ll find plenty of choice in one of the UK’s largest hire collections. Our collection fetaures lots of linens in 12 different fabrics plus an amazing collection of table centres and tabletop products such as charger plates.

We were truly delighted to design and plan this wedding for Nicola and Vito who are a real fun-loving couple. The whole wedding was based around having a great time and so incorporated lots of entertainment and of course, stunning design.

Wedding Breakfast Styling 

The colour scheme for the wedding breakfast held in the Turnberry Suite was black and ivory. We used our own ivory Duchess Satin chair covers and tablecloths with bespoke black Velvet napkin bands and chair wraps with diamante buckles. We also made special matching covers for her vases of cream roses.

Half of the tables were styled with Crystal Candelabras surrounded with small floral displays and half with the large floral displays surrounded by Black Ribbed Nitelight Holders.

All tables were covered with a scattering of cream rose petals.  We accessorised the tables with a Clear Glass Charger Plate, Black Vintage Damask pocket napkin with personalised menu and black velvet designer napkin wrap.  The room was uplit with blue lighting.

Design For Evening Celebrations

This was truly a couture wedding featuring numerous acts and multiple types of entertainment.

The main evening celebration was in the Caledonia Suite and we created a completely different look totally geared around a party atmosphere.  Lots of black starcloth was installed all around the room to cover every inch of the walls.  The room was washed with beautiful colour from a purpose built lighting truss. A purple LED bar added yet more glam to the occasion.  Poseur Tables and three foot tables were used to create casual seating, covered with Black Chic Linen for a glamorous look.

Nicola and Vito spared no expense on their wedding and so to complete the look, we completely recovered the room in black carpet.

Entertainment

Nic and Vito were set on providing a visual and auditory feast for their guests and so we put a lot of thought (and budget!) into creating an entertainment show that would elevate this wedding to an extremely high level. Quite simply, this wedding was filled with great entertainment from start to finish.

Highlights included a string quartet and choir for the church  (including an amazing rendition of Beyonce’s song, Halo for when they signed the register).  During the drinks reception guests were treated a surprise performance from 4 Poofs and a Piano.  They had written a special song for the bride and groom and we had t-shirts printed with the couples face on, just like they used to do on The Jonathan Ross BBC show.

We also integrated a special voiceover created to welcome everyone into dinner. As it was X-Factor final night we had the familiar X-Factor voiceover man welcome the bride and groom to their seats which was a fantastic hit amongst the guests.

Nicola and Vito understood the power of great entertainment and how important it was to make their wedding one that would be talked about for years to come. Here’s a complete rundown of the various acts tehy had at their wedding:

• 8 person choir at the church
• String quartet for the reception
• Four Poof’s & A Piano (YES! Jonathan Ross’s ex house band from his BBC show)
• Top Sinatra/Rat Pack interpreter Andrew Beasley and his swing band
• Legendary covers band, Big Bern & The Shootahs
• A solo soul diva belting out Motown hits
• Top London DJ for house party
• A stunning fireworks show to end the night

A Glorious End To An Amazing Wedding

The wedding ended with an amazing fireworks display set to  “A Moment Like This” by Leona Lewis. Everyone watched from the balcony of the hotel overlooking the sea which was a perfect spot to see the fireworks over the whole town.

Check out the gallery and video to get a detailed look at Nicola and Vito’s stunning winter wedding at Turnberry.

Like What You See Here?

Then request 88 Events’ Dream Wedding Info Kit featuring everything you need to design and plan your own dream wedding.

Here’s 3 wedding trends which we’re sure are going to be huge in 2012 not only for our clients, but brides and grooms up and down the country.

1. Fusing Bright Colours With Neutrals

Whilst bright colours were huge on the catwalk this summer (indeed we used them to great effect at the Gordon Ramsay Summer Ball), neutrals were the elegant alternative.

For 2012, we think lots of  stylish brides will be fusing bright and neutral coulours. Neutral colours provide a fantastic base for an accent of a beautiful bright colour.

Don’t be afraid to use a pop of bright yellow, aqua or coral but pair them with soft neutral tones such as greys, taupes and lattés to create an effortlessly chic style for your wedding.

2. Victoriana

Seen on the catwalks at Marc by Marc Jacobs, Anna Molinari and Prada to name but a few, Victoriana-inspired styling will be hot on the high street.

Victorian wedding dresses are also going to be a huge trend for the 2012 bridal season. Get the look by incorporating this trend into your wedding styling and bring in a hint of Victoriana with elegant damask prints, vintage tableware and ornate floral displays.

3. Outdoor Weddings

OK, so this summer wasn’t exactly the warmest or the driest for that matter. And, if you believe the doomsayers, December through February is going to be COLD and SNOWY.

However, we’re ignoring all that and already dreaming of summer again and what better way to celebrate the warmth of summer than by having an outdoor wedding ceremony?

Outdoor weddings have been becoming increasingly popular throughout the last couple of years and this trend looks set to continue into 2012. With the unpredictable British weather you need nerves of steel and a great back up plan, however when it all comes together the results are spectacular.

You might also like:

The Pros & Cons Of An Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Jackie’s Vintage Wedding

If you’re lucky, your public liability insurance kicks in. Of course, you should hope for a very merry and fruitful Christmas celebration. However, at a time of year when out-of-office gatherings and holiday celebrations in general are a common occurrence, making sure you have protected your business against unfortunate incidences is a necessary preparation. If you haven’t done this, you may find far worse than a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking.

Public liability insurance is a type of financial protection that you can use in case one of your employees or business partners is found liable for an accident with someone of the general public. If someone claims that your business or one of its employees has caused them to become injured or sick, your insurance will be able to cover their medical bills and follow-up treatments. Public liability insurance can also pay for repairs to damaged property if your business is found liable. This kind of coverage can provide you peace of mind during staff celebrations at public places such as a restaurant or banquet hall as well as cover you at all times on the premises of your own business

Party organisers, who often find that the months of November and December are the busiest time of the year, should especially obtain public liability insurance to stay in Santa’s good graces this holiday season. If you are an event planner who doesn’t have public liability insurance, you should at least make sure that each venue that you do business with has a policy that will protect you from claims of wrong-doing.

While it is true that public liability insurance is not obligatory by law, smart business owners invest the time and money to make sure that they have this coverage so that they don’t ever face the possibility of losing their business because of a public accident.

The changing landscape of business law practices has also made public liability insurance a virtual must-have for business owners. Because so many people seek legal counsel from firms claiming no legal fees if their clients don’t win their court cases, the prevalence of liability claims against businesses has risen. To make sure you are not taken advantage of, you should obtain a keen legal adviser of your own and always keep the details of your public liability insurance on hand.

If you don’t have an idea of how much public liability insurance you should obtain, there are several solutions. Most business owners and event organisers use a combination of these methods, which include:

• Speaking to an insurance agent that can guide you through the process. You can use a company like Constructaquote to get a fast, reliable quote constructed by several insurance industry experts.

• Examining recent court cases that have involved a public liability law suit with a business similar to yours.
• Covering yourself for the entire cost of your business.

Now that you have all of the information, make sure you and your business are covered before the party begins.

This article has been provided for advice purposes only. 88 Events will not gain financially should you choose to obtain a quotation from any company mentioned in the article.

The event is in aid of our official charity, The Scottish Spina Bifida Association and takes place at Ardoe House, Aberdeen on 18th November.

Here’s all the info you need to know if you would like to pose a question at the old dragon himself:

The Mercure Ardoe House Hotel & Spa, Aberdeen
Friday 18th November 2011

Join SSBA Patron, Duncan Bannatyne OBE, for an evening of glitz & glamour, including a sumptuous feast of the very best Scottish produce served in the fabulous setting of the Ardoe Ballroom in Aberdeen.

Best of all the evening is personally hosted by Duncan and guests are invited to place a bid, to ask him questions about his journey to success. No matter what you ask him, for one night only, he will have to answer!

Tickets are £1500 for a table of ten, or £150 per person.

Held at the stunning setting of the Mercure Ardoe House Hotel, the evening will commence with a reception of champagne and canapés, followed by a sumptuous feast of the very best Scottish produce served in the fabulous setting of the Ardoe Ballroom.

‘Rock Star’ scientist, Professor Brian Cox was the main man at the first event back in May called “A Question of Science” .

Then, just a couple of weeks ago it was the turn of John Torode of Masterchef fame to host a dinner called “A Taste of Science”.

Here’s a picture of John and GSC head chef Kenny Meechan. You’ll notice Kenny’s sporting some fabulous chef’s whites emblazoned with the 88 Events logo against of stunning backdrop of white chair covers and black linen supplied by our good selves!

Kenny Meechan, Head Chef at Glasgow Science Centre With Celebrity Chef, John Torode

The GSC are literally next door neighbours to 88 Events and we look after all their linen and chef whites for them. As they are a registered charity they have a mandate to help educate us all about all things to do with science and they are a truly great cause and venue that Glasgow should be very proud of.

These events help raise funds to support the charitable pursuits of the GSC and so we were delighted to be involved with this event.

440 guests were treated to a presentation from John Torode before enjoying a fabulous 4-course meal designed, prepared and cooked by Kenny Meechan and his team at Glasgow Science Centre.

The menu aimed to embrace the idea of experimenting and rule breaking with flavours.

Click the link below to see Kenny’s wonderful creations:

Taste of Science Menu

At 88 Events, it’s fair to say we love charger plates. They tend to feature predominantly in most of the gala dinners and weddings we design. We also rent thousands of the fellows throughout the year so its clear that our many clients love them too!

What’s great about charger plates is how versatile they are.

A Great Design Tool

Incorporating a charger plate into your table design is a great way of adding colour and an interesting feature to your table dressing.

You can use a specific colour to accent your tablecloth or a floral arrangement. They also work well as a way of developing certain colour themes such as corporate colours or other event branding.

Alternatively, a clear glass charger plate can highlight linen textures and colours by adding depth to the table.

Fun Way To Serve Food

Charger plates are also an interesting and alternative way of serving food compared to more traditional china and crockery. They work especially well for desserts and starters. Many of the top caterers we supply to hire charger plates from us to ‘funk’ up their food presentation.

They are also ideal for presenting canapes.

 3 Things To Consider When You Hire Charger Plates

1. Carriage Costs

Glass charger plates are obviously very delicate. This means that they need to be delivered and collected on a dedicated vehicle as opposed to being slung in a box and delivered by a carrier. You should take this into account when working out your budget.

2. Be Aware Of The Potential For Breakages

This also relates to the delicate nature of a charger plate. When you hire charger plates, you should ensure that there is a responsible person charged with the task of ensuring that all the plates are wiped clean of any food and then put back in their boxes the way they came. If you try and squeeze 40 plates into a box designed to only hold 25, there is big chance of breakages ocurring. Be aware of any replacement costs before you place your order.

3. Table Size

Using a charger as a base plate that sits on your table before your guests sit down will have an impact on the number of guests you can seat at the table. It’s sometimes common to have 12 guests at a 6ft round and 10 guests at a 5ft round. If you want to hire a standard 12″ charger plate, you’ll only be able to get 10 guests at the 6ft table and 8 at the 5ft table if you want your guests to be comfortable.

A Huge Collection of Charger Plates For Hire

88 Events has one of the UK’s largest collections of glass charger plates for hire. Featuring an eclectic mix of colours, textures, shapes and designs, you’re sure to find something that will appeal to your clients.

To find out more about charger plate pricing and availabilty click the following link and add your preferred options to a wishlist. One of the team will then get back to you with all the info you need on how you can go about hring them.

Hire Charger Plates From 88 Events