Archive for the ‘Event Planning’ Category
Spotlight on “Laurie’s Bridal and Formal”
Wednesday, April 25th, 2018
Laurie Dickman
Congratulations! Laurie’s Bridal was recently featured in the Best of Our Valley 2018 for Valley’s Best Bridal Dress Shop by Arizona Foothills Magazine. Read about it here So excited for Laurie and her team! Come see Laurie’s Bridal at the Mitzvahs & More Expo 2018 as well as catch them LIVE during their Fashion Show that they will be presenting on the Main Stage with the latest in Bat Mitzvah girl dresses. Laurie’s Bridal has a wide selection of beautiful dresses for Bat Mitzvahs, Proms, Wedding as Special occasions.
Laurie’s Bridal
14891 N. Northsight Blvd #130
Northsight Crossing Shopping Center
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 699-3973
www.LauriesBridal.com
www.facebook.com/LauriesBridal
Sponsor Spotlight
Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
5402 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
A special Thank You to the management and staff at The Camelback Inn. They always go above and beyond for our annual Expo.
2017 Mitzvahs & More Expo
Tuesday, August 22nd, 20172017 Mitzvahs & More Expo!
September 24, 2017
JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort – Arizona Ballroom
5402 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
12 noon – 4:00 pm FREE ADMISSION
• Raffle Prizes • Food Sampling • Entertainment • Jewish Community Resources
Melissa Mulera and Tina Celle – Show producers
480-949-7040 • info@studionumber5.com
www.MitzvahsAndMoreAZ.com
The Falls Event Center
Friday, August 26th, 2016The Falls Event Center
www.thefallseventcenter.com
Gilbert, Arizona (and soon opening in Peoria in 2017)
4635 E BASELINE RD, GILBERT, AZ 85234 480.535.2141
The Falls Event Center Gilbert offers two stunning buildings surrounded by beautiful landscape & waterfall features. The buildings can be rented separately or together. We have the perfect space for your next Birthday Party, Wedding, Anniversary, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Quinceanera, Masquerade ball, or any other event you can dream up! Not only do we have the best space, but our unique open vendor policy gives you the flexibility to dream big and make it your own!
We also have business/corporate packages available.
From seminars & board meetings to corporate retreats & parties. Whether you’re a start-up, small business, or large organization, we have the perfect space for you. Our cutting edge facilities & modern technology give you the tools to plan, build, & create the future of your dreams.
Kettle Heroes – Gourmet Artisan Popcorn
Thursday, August 25th, 2016
Gourmet Artisan Popcorn by Kettle Heroes
Personalized popcorn bags are perfect for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, baby showers, and company meetings. Common uses are for welcome bags for out-of-town guests, ‘Thank You’ gifts, party favors, and logoed giveaways.
Handcrafted in small batches in Phoenix, Arizona
Made with only all-natural ingredients and no preservatives
Cholesterol, trans-fats, gluten, and nut-free. Packaged in re-sealable, stand-up pouches with a 3-month shelf-lifePersonalized with your text, and/or high-res photos on a 4” square label. Kosher Pareve and Dairy certified flavors by Rabbi Mendy Deitsch from Chabad of the East Valley. SAVE 20% when you order by 10/1/2016, Use Coupon Code: MITZVAH16
www.KettleHeroes.com
1-855-KET-HERO
info@kettleheroes.com
Chuck Field – Comedy Ventriloquist now in Arizona!
Thursday, August 25th, 2016
“Whats Up Chuck”
Comedy Ventriloquist – Chuck Field, (847)814-5120
New to Arizona
Invite a DUMMY to your next Event.
Chuck Field, a Chicago Native and his stage partners, Ziggy, Nick and Dr. Sol, have been wowing audiences for over 40 years in. Their hysterical humor and superb ventriloquism are truly delightful! Fast-paced, incredibly funny and often customized to specific events, audiences from all walks of life are falling prey to the charms of Chuck Field and his cast of characters. He has performed nationally for every type of event imaginable. This show brings all ages together through a mixture of hilarious comedy, amazing ventriloquism and interactive audience participation. Not only a great choice for Mitzvahs, but perfect for Rehearsal Dinners, Brunches and Fundraisers.
“Laughter is the best medicine!”
www.whatsupchuck.com
These MakeUp Eraser’s are Amazing!
Saturday, August 20th, 2016The Original MakeUp Eraser is made up of a proprietary blend of Polyester. This special blend with a shorter and longer side will remove all makeup with water only. This includes waterproof, smear proof, theatrical makeup and mascara. 
MakeUp Eraser is very simple to use and excellent for travel and any makeup wearer wanting an effective solution for the dreaded task. No Chemicals Required. Gentle On Eyes And Skin. Reusable & Machine Washable.
Great for fundraisers, dance studios, cheer squads, competitive athletes, makeup artists, theater troupes, and just about anyone who wears makeup. www.juliekessler.makeupEraser.
Julie Kessler, (480) 577-9714 or email: thejuliesmue@gmail.com
MissFit Presents “Sit Down & Shape Up” Fitness DVD and Lauches New Website
Monday, August 15th, 2016
Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, Anita Terlizzi, (480) 747-7584
Her latest DVD has just been released…”Sit Down & Shape Up” is a seated exercise program designed for anyone looking to build muscle, gain strength and endurance, boost energy, relieve pain, improve balance, and slow down the natural aging process. Both DVD and bands will be available for purchase. Give the gift of FITNESS to you or someone you love.
Anita has been training clients in the valley for years. They range in age from 8 to 98 years old! If you are a teenager looking to loose weight and build muscle, or an athlete who wants to improve your agility, strength and cardio endurance, maybe you’re a parent and you are looking to get in shape for that big occasion (wedding, Bar/Bat Mitzvah). MissFit is the place for you! You will love the variety of equipment, the customized workout and nutrition plans, and best of all…the RESULTS! Call today to schedule your first FREE appointment. (workouts available in MissFit studio located in Scottsdale or in the privacy of your own home). www.missfit4u.com
9 Tips for Throwing a Memorable Party on a Budget
Saturday, July 9th, 2016
Guest Blog by Kelsa Dickey
Financial Advisor at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix
fiscalfitnessphx.com
9 Tips for Throwing a Memorable Party on a Budget
There are many times in your life where you just have to celebrate in a big way. Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, birthdays and showers top the list as the celebrations you usually have to shell out a little more cash. My husband and I had our first daughter on New Year’s Eve last year, so not only are we going to have to plan her first birthday, we are also going to have to plan for a New Year’s Eve Party.
We love to host parties in general; wine tastings, game night and even a “Prom on the Patio” on Memorial weekend. People dressed up in old bridal gowns, bridesmaid’s dresses and Tuxes they bought at Goodwill and came over to dance and celebrate Prom, some 20-30 years later. It was a blast, but we really tried to stay within a reasonable budget and not go crazy. We used dollar store decor and reused items from another party and shopped for clothes at consignment stores.
As a budgeting professional I pay cash for as much as possible and avoid putting expenses on credit cards unless I can go and pay it off online immediately. With a little planning, preparation and forethought, you can make your party an event to remember, that also didn’t break the bank.
- Remember the “why” behind your party
Try to keep in mind why you are actually celebrating. You are celebrating your son or daughter becoming a man or a woman or the love of two people getting married, not trying to impress all your friends. Sometimes the parties that have a homemade and personal touch are more memorable than those that are extravagant.
- Pick 2-3 thinks that you want to be the focus of the party
You want to have a memorable party but usually there are only a few things that your guests remember and actually thought made the party. If you find those 2-3 things you can compromise on price for everything else and not feel bad about it. You might want to just have appetizers and finger foods so you can dance the night away with a DJ with lights, lasers and smoke machine. For some people having an open bar is very important but maybe limit it to only wine and beer. Lastly, maybe you make the cake yourself but cater the food or vice versa.
- Set a budget
Now that you have a few items you are allowing yourself to spend extra money on, think about all of the expenses you will have for your shindig. Here is a partial list: cake/ desserts, food (meal and/ or appetizers), entertainment (DJ or just a playlist on Spotify), venue (hall or backyard), alcohol (for a drink calculator go to http://www.perfect-party-planning.net/drinks_calculator.html), decorations, favors, etc. Do some research and set a hard budget that you will not stray from. Make sure to overestimate costs because you will likely go over what you plan on. Make plans far in advance so nothing is an emergency and lack of planning won’t be an excuse to put it on a credit card.
- Plan your budget as far in advance as possible
Give yourself at least six months of planning. Yes, for real! Take your total amount you budgeted for the party and divide by 6 (or however many months out you are planning). That is how much you have to save every month. You might have to start way further out than six months to make this work on a monthly basis. The end result is two-fold: you avoid using credit cards to pay for things and you pay extra close attention to what you spend so you won’t overspend. You have the cash in hand and you can’t spend any more than what you have.
- Choose a weekday instead of a weekend
Most venues charge significantly less for a weeknight than on a weekend. Another bonus is that alcohol expenses will probably be a lot less since everyone will have to be heading to work the next day.
- Ask for help from friends and family
People love to help their friends and family. This is doubly true when they have a specialty that everyone raves about and you make a point to bring it up to them. You can ask Aunt Jane to make her “famous cake for dessert because nobody else can make it like she can.” Offer to pay for materials, ingredients and other costs. Some people are happy to do it for you for free or as a gift to you. You can put a friend or family member in charge of researching specific vendors. One person can be in charge of food and beverages, another might want to coordinate entertainment.
- Get creative with decor
The dollar store is a great place to walk around and let your imagination run wild. Get crafty if you have to by using Pinterest to find the perfect diy decor. You can find deals on Amazon or buy in bulk at Costco or Sam’s club. I was at a wedding where they bought mismatched plates and cups from thrift stores and used mason jars with votive candles in them for centerpieces – it was delightful and memorable. Love flowers? Look for seasonal and locally-sourced varieties for the best price.
- Don’t nickel and dime yourself
This is easy to do if you use your credit card for everything you need. If you use cash you will be very averse to splurging. You should try to get large portions of your shopping done at the same time, either on the same day or the same store. If you buy one item from Amazon then another at Walmart then another few at Target it is easy to lose track of expenditures.
- Plan to tell yourself NO!
Remember why you are having the party in the first place and what your top three most important aspects of the party are. Everything else should be replaceable with something less expensive. Sometimes you need to say no to stay within your budget.
Remember that parties are a celebration of a moment in time. Sometimes the smallest and most inexpensive parts of the party are the most memorable. If you plan on making memories for your guests, celebrating the occasion and just facilitating fun, you will have created the party to end all parties!
Fiscal Fitness offers many options for financial coaching and advising; 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, coaching for small businesses, couples coaching, debt reduction coaching. For more information about Kelsa Dickey and her financial services at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix call (480) 788-4588 or email