12 JulVendor Love – Ever After Honeymoons

katieMeet Katie from Ever After Honeymoons, she started the company based on her love of travel (a girl after my own heart).  Now she helps couples plan their perfect honeymoon. Once you meet Katie you won’t even think twice about leaving your honeymoon in her hands.  She’s so good you may even invite her along before you realize. I sat down with Katie a little while ago and got to know the woman behind Ever After.
Thanks Katie!


What made you decide to start Ever After Honeymoons?

I absolutely love to travel, and really enjoy the process of planning trips. Based on this, I decided to start my own travel planning company. I started working with a lot of honeymoon couples and decided this was what I wanted to focus on. I love working with couples to plan their perfect honeymoons, and then hearing what a great time they had once they return.

What are the advantages/benefits of booking a honeymoon with Ever After Honeymoons?

There are a lot of benefits to having me plan your honeymoon. I save couples time, money, and get them extra perks like room upgrades. I take care of all travel arrangements to make everything as easy and stress free as possible. Plus a lot of couples that contact me don’t know where they want to go. I ask a lot of questions and then make suggestions for them. I have traveled a lot and am constantly getting feedback from my clients so I am able to make recommendations based on this.

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Where is your favorite Honeymoon Destination so far?

I absolutely love Italy for the history, food, wine and scenery. And I love Playa del Carmen for the beaches, resorts and fun downtown area.

Where would you most like to travel to?

New Zealand and Croatia have been at the top of my list for a while now. I like visiting places with unique culture, beautiful coastlines, nice people and great food. I am planning on visiting Croatia next Spring, and am hoping to make it to New Zealand soon as well.

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What FireFly package would you pick for your bachelorette party?

I would definitely do the Sonoma Valley wine tasting and bike tour! I love wine tasting and it would be really fun to experience Sonoma on bikes.

Name 3 famous people you’d invite on your bachelorette party? Why?

Oh that is a good question! Chelsea Handler for the laughs, Britney Spears to get everyone dancing, and Cameron Diaz because she seems like she would be a blast to hang out with.

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What’s your most outrageous wedding memory, either one you have planned or one you have been a guest?

Another great question! At a wedding I was a guest at there was a circle in the dance floor. The groom got in the circle and was going crazy with the dance moves and ended up breaking a girls nose!!! Skipping dance classes before the wedding was a serious mistake!

If you could give one piece of wedding advice to a couple, what would that be………..?

Well I am going to make this honeymoon advice. I would say to really talk about what you each want to do during your honeymoon before you start planning anything. A honeymoon does not have to mean going to a beach resort if that doesn’t interest both of you. Compromise if you don’t have the same ideas of what your honeymoon should be. There is a perfect destination for every couple, and just ask me if you need help finding that!
Check out Ever After Honeymoons: http://www.everafterhoneymoons.com/

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09 JulWriting a Best Man Speech – The hilarious approach

The wedding toast/speech is a huge part of a Best Man’s duties. Will you be hilarious, sentimental, or crash and burn? Luckily for you, we’ve got the computer machine working so that you can combine all three outcomes. Our scientists deep inside our underground hidden terrorist proof bomb shelter thingy, have created an artificial intelligence whose sole purpose is to write kick awesome speeches for guys like you. Sound too good to be true? Believe it. The future is here We say.  Click here to attain epic – http://www.fireflygroupevents.com/best_man_speech_generator.php

Best Man Speech Generator

Check out some of our best man speech writing tips – http://www.fireflygroupevents.com/bestManSpeech.php

02 JulBachelorette Party Drinking Games

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We have selected a few of our top bachelorette party drinking games for playing at a party or in the bar.  Gather your friends, your courage,  and the most important item… the liquor of  your choice. You’ll know you’re doing it right when everyone is falling out of their seat from laughter or because the room is spinning.  Enjoy!! Also check out our drinking games for Bachelor Parties.

Alpha & Omega:

What you need: Drinks

Object of the Game: Word game

How to Play: Select a category for example (Names of cities, Names of countries, Names of rivers or famous people etc.) and the first player names a word under the category and the next player must name a word beginning with the last letter of the previous word and so on around the circle. At each failure or a prolonged time period between answers the player must drink.  If someone uses a double letter for the first and last name for the celebrity (Donald Duck) – you reverse the direction of the play.

Who am I?:

What you need: Drinks, paper, pen

Object of the game: To guess which famous person you are

How to Play: Each person needs to write down a famous person on their piece of paper.  Once everyone has done that, place it face down and pass it to the person on their left.  That person needs to place the piece of paper on their forehead.  You then take turns to ask questions about the person you are, each time you get the answer wrong you have to drink.  This goes on until you work out whom you are.

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I have Never:

What you need: Drinks

Object of the Game: To find out as much as you can about your friends

How to Play: No list of drinking games would be complete without I have never. Players take turns making the statement ‘I have never ………”. , for example ‘I have never had a one night stand’ The person says something that they have supposedly never done. It is most fun when you try to be creative with what you haven’t done or you are a bit tipsy, but if you are lucky / unlucky enough not to have done something you know others have, you may use this to your advantage. If you have done what the person says they have never done, you drink. It’s a great ice breaker and if you play long enough you will find a lot you didn’t know about your friends! If at any point someone doesn’t drink for something that someone else knows that they have done, they must finish their drink.

Drink or Dare:

What you need: Drinks

Object of the Game: To humiliate everyone.

How to Play: The Maid of Honor starts this drinking game by asking the bride, “Drink or dare?”.  The bride then has to choose to either except the dare or take the shot.  When she takes the dare option, the MOH dares her to do anything to her liking.  If the bride refuses she drinks double.  When her turn is over, it goes onto the next person, until everyone has been humiliated!

Veggies:

What you need: Drinks

Object of the Game: Not to show your teeth

How to Play: Funny game, everyone sits in a circle and everyone picks the name of a vegetable. Let’s say for instance the Bride is a pepper, Maid of Honor is a cabbage, bachelorette #1 is a broccoli. You say your name out loud so everyone knows everyone else’s veggie name. To start the game a player says their veggie name and then another player’s veggie name. The player who’s veggie name was mentioned repeats this process. The object is to avoid showing your teeth. If at any time you are caught showing your teeth you have to drink. And it is hard to remember not to show your teeth. This game is good for laughs!

Fuzzy Duck:

What you need: Drinks

Object of the Game: Not to mix up your words

How to Play: The game starts off with someone saying ‘fuzzy duck’ to the person directly to their left. This process continues around the table until someone says ‘does he?’. The direction now changes but now players have to say ‘ducky fuzz’ instead.  This carries on until someone says ‘does he’ again, where players must now revert back to ‘fuzzy duck’. This has to keep going but as fast as possible. When someone messes up and says it wrong they must down their drink.  If somebody says ‘does he?’ twice in a row, they must down their drink as this is cheating!

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Don’t forget to check out our bachelorette party tips!

29 JunBachelorette Party Ideas – Cocktail Party

Mad Men got you wanting to wear A-line skirts, bake-lite beads, and smoke a cigarette with a martini in the other hand? Scratch that retro itch with a cocktail party for your bachelorette party. We’ve assembled some fabulous cocktail recipes for you to try.  They are perfect for starting the night off or staying in and hosting the party with friends.   Don’t forget to make or buy some nibbles – we love Trader Joe’s for nibbles, great cheeses, snacks and desserts.  We highly recommend throwing out a little audio ambiance with something like - Boss N’ Stones or Bottoms Up from Ultra Lounge.

The Last Fling:

Not too strong or too fruity, a nice all rounder.

Ingredients: 1 oz Vodka, 1/4 oz grenadine syrup, 1 oz gin, 1 oz light rum, 1/2 oz barcardi 151 rum, 1 oz amaretto almond liqueur, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice.

How to: Pour everything into a hurricane glass 3/4’s filled with ice, except the grapefruit and pineapple juice.  Then fill equal parts of grapefruit and pineapple juice and serve.

Champagne Dream:

A refreshing fruity champagne drink.

Ingredients: 1 oz pama (pomegranate liqueur), 1 oz cointreau, 1 oz fresh orange juice, 3 oz champagne or sparkling wine.

How to: Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice, gently stir in the champagne.  Strain into a flute and garnish with orange zest.

Flirtini:

Feeling flirty with the fizz.

Ingredients: 1 oz vodka, 2 oz champagne or sparkling wine, 2 oz pineapple juice, garnish with a cherry

How to: Combine all 3 of the  ingredients in a tall glass and fill with ice.

Mr Right:

This man catcher will draw them to you like bees to honey.

Ingredients: 2 vodka, 3/4 oz campari, 2 oz pomegranate juice, 1 oz triple sec, squeeze of lemon juice

How to: Shake this man catching martini over ice and strain into a martini glass, garnish with fresh mint leaf.

Something Blue:  2 great simple recipes

No wedding related list would be complete without something blue. Try one of these great concoctions.

Ingredients: 2 oz Hpnotiq, 2 oz white wine, 1 oz ginger ale.

OR

1 1/2 oz tequila, 1 oz blue curacao liqueur, 1 oz lime juice, coarse salt (or sugar) (refreshing and cool with a tart finish)

How to: rub the martini glass with lime juice, dip the rim in the coarse salt or sugar.  Shake the tequila, blue curacao and lime juice with ice.  Strain into the glass and serve.

Get some more ideas from our friends at Aisle Dash – http://www.aisledash.com/2008/07/16/signature-cocktails-for-your-bachelorette-party/

Check out some of our other bachelorette party tips and tricks: http://www.fireflygroupevents.com/girls/tips.php

28 JunVendor Love – Just Wenderful

Just Wenderful

Wendy from Just Wenderful is a fabulous addition to your wedding or event.  She helps couples create a flawless wedding day.  She makes you feel at ease as soon as you meet her and your wish is her command - she is a true delight.  She  is bursting with great ideas and inspiration to truly make this YOUR day.  Ask her about her fabulous candy buffets which,  in my eyes, is a must for every wedding.

Thanks Wendy.

What is your favorite trend for weddings at the moment?

My favorite trend is not a trend at all!  It’s those twists on trends that couples come up with whether it be an ice cream bar buffet instead of the candy buffet or the framed backdrop for pictures instead of a photo booth. I love the couples who think outside the box!

What are the advantages of hiring a wedding coordinator for your wedding?

HUGE advantages!  From the planning stages, we will refer you to the best vendors (which we’ve worked with before and trust) and stay within your budget.  On the day of, there are countless tasks that we take care of you so you can enjoy YOUR day.  We supervise set up so that it goes accordingly and we’re on top of the time line so we don’t run out of time, just to list a few things.

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What FireFly package would you pick for your bachelorette party?

The kayaking/wine tasting/sailing package would have to be my pick!  There were so many packages to choose from but this one has everything!  Kayaking for my adventurous girls and wine tasting while sailing for a relaxing finish.

Name 3 famous people you’d invite on your bachelorette party? Why?

Sandra Bullock just because I love her!  Ingrid Michaelson so we can sing kumbaya-style and Wayne Brady for the laughs!  He can strip if he wants to too!  Ha!

What’s your most outrageous wedding memory, either one you have planned or one you have been a guest?

Drunk guests are always funny.  I always worry about it becoming an issue, but it never has, thank God!  Lately, one of the bridemaid’s zipper broke of her dress, but she was buzzing away, dancing and showing her panties like no one’s business.  All was good!

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Which wedding are you: Beach, Mountain, Forest, or Countryside?

Definitely beach!  My own wedding was in Long Beach right in front of Mr. Pacific Ocean and I loved it.  I think breathing that beachy, fresh air made me less nervous!

If you could give one piece of wedding advice to a couple, what would that be………..?

Don’t be afraid to try something new!  Personalize your wedding with the little things you love about yourselves and each other and most importantly, please enjoy your day!  Once 12 pm hits on that clock, you’ll realize that it went by too fast!

Visit Wendy’s site at: http://justwenderful.com/

09 JunBachelorette Party Tip – Theme Ideas

Choosing a Theme

  • Decide if you want the bachelorette party to have a theme, think about what costumes, props and accessories you might need.
  • If you go with a theme the first thing you should consider is the Bride’s tastes. What is she into? Is she a huge fan of anything?
  • It’s not all about the costume. If this is a home based party you should consider theming every aspect from the place settings to the decor.

Here are a few bachelorette party ideas:

  • Burlesque – You could all pick an industry and then dress up cute – flight attendant, nurse, maid – everyone must wear suspenders and stockings with their chosen outfit. – cocktails in martini glasses, lots of red lipstick and fake eyelashes.
  • Vampire Theme – you could dress up as sexy vampires, wild hair, fake teeth. Have only red drinks the entire night.
  • Sports – You could all pick a sport and dress up in cute outfits representing your chosen sport or team. Men love a girl in nothing but a jersey. =0

04 JunFeatured in Orange County Business Journal

Whoo Hoo! We got a little love in the Orange County Business Journal this past week. They did an article on how small business owners (that’s us) are coping in the current economy. It’s definitely a topic close to our heart(and pockets). If you want to see what wisdom we spewed check out the article: http://www.ocbj.com/news/2010/may/16/small-business-owners-find-different-ways-grow-rec/

Orange County Business Journal

02 JunBachelor Party Tip – Planning

Time Line – Planning

Plan your bachelor party  a few months prior to the big night or weekend – this will give you enough time for everyone invited to plan ahead. Planning ahead will also insure that you are able to get first choice on activities, accommodations, and transportation. Booking ahead is also a great way to save some cash. Four months is a great time frame. For some more tips check out our bachelor party guide http://www.fireflygroupevents.com/bestManParty.php

28 MayBachelor & Bachelorette Party Links

Sunday Suppers DIY Martini Bar

Here’s some funny, cool, and out there bachelor/ette party links that we scrounged off the interwebs this week.

DIY Martini Bar – http://sunday-suppers.blogspot.com/2010/05/rustic-italian-martini-bar.html

Man is “abducted” in front of a restaurant “Old Schoo” style  for his party – http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/05/27/Police-Abduction-was-a-bachelor-party/UPI-96531274980343/

Adorable “Unmentionable” bachelorette invitations: http://www.etsy.com/listing/45078791/unmentionable-bachelorette-fill-in

Another set of adorable invites: http://www.etsy.com/listing/44268434/go-go-girly-stationery-set-of-8-cards

Avoid Bars that Hate Bachelor parties(the man registry): http://www.onewed.com/blog/savvy-scoop/category/expert-answers/2010/05/26/man-registry-bachelor-party-avoid-bars-hate-bachelor-parties/

27 MayBachelor Party Ideas in San Diego

Looking for a great town for a bachelor party? San Diego should be at the top of your list for a place to party in California. Great night life, solid location, and plenty to do. There are plenty of activities for high strung, laid back, or hard partier.  Here’s a list of bachelor party ideas in the San Diego Area :

Beer Tasting – Yeah, you like drinking beer, but do you know the difference between ale and a lager? Can you tell a Tettnanger hop from a Cascade hop just by the floral aroma and taste? Or maybe you don’t care. Either way, you’ll have a great time blowing the frost off some great local microbrews with your best friends.

Check out some of our beer tasting packages

Ropes Course - Admit it: when you watch Indiana Jones movies, you always think you could do the stunts and make your way through the labyrinths you see on the screen. This is your chance to prove it on a high ropes course for the bachelor party. Test your puzzle-solving skills and athleticism 60 feet above ground! This is the definition of adventure. San Diego is home to some amazing courses.  Check out one of our previous ropes course parties.

Click here to see some Ropes Course bachelor party packages!

ATV Trips - The back tires throw up a rooster tail of sand as you blow through the last stretch of the beach, and then you’re slowing to start the ascent. These mountain trails were part of the Baja 500, you remember, and you grin and gun it. The quad growls beneath you and you rocket uphill. At the top is a stunning view of Mexican terrain, a view and an experience you and your buddies will never forget. An ATV trip in the gorgeous landscape around San Diego captures the heart of bachelor party.  A few guys getting together for one last adventure (until the next one).

Click here to see our ATV adventures!

Paintball – You dive for cover just as a flurry of paintball rounds splatter on the ground behind you. That was close—too close. You call out for your teammates to lay down some covering fire, but no one answers. It’s just you now, and oh yeah, the guys waiting to put a paintball between your shoulder blades. You’ve got mad skills, though, and now’s the time to prove it.  Do you have what it takes to see the Groom through?

Click here to see our Paintball excursions!

Rock Climbing -  Some 50 feet below you, at the bottom of the rock face, your friends are watching, and beyond them stretches the desert, dotted with the one-of-a-kind Joshua trees. You take a deep breath of desert air, then reach up to start the final crux of the climb and hope your arms and legs don’t give out on you. San Diego sports some phenomenal rock climbing spots. Get the crew together and jump on the rocks for a crazy fun adventure

Click here to see our Climbing Adventures

Shooting – Sorry, but your shooting skills in Nintendo’s Duck Hunt don’t prove anything. It’s time to step into a real shooting range, strap on a real-life firearm, and test your skills on a modern 8-position skills challenge. The competition is on and bragging rights are at stake. Grab a gun and prove whether you’re a Dirty Harry or a Dirty Mary. Don’t let the rest of the Groom’s friends show you up…

Click here to view our Shooting bachelor party outings!