Things We Love

Designer Reusable Bags: A Great Event Give-Away

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 06:25:00 +0000

Envirosax is creating the next generation in 'stylish' reusable bags. I am seeing these all over the city. They make a great inexpensive gift and with so many styles or patterns, one that is perfect for your personality for less than $10 bucks! Lightweight polyester, waterproof and super portable.

Custom bags can be created with your brand or company logo and make the perfect event give away. Visit Envirosax to learn more.

Bound: Your custom guest book!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:35:00 +0000

Make your guest book as personal as your event itself. Heather Zerah hand makes each and every album for her clients, personally selecting handmade papers, textures and ribbons to create your guest book, photo album or memory book. A beautifully and very personal keep sake for many years to come. Prices start at $190, and go upwards, visit Bound.com

'Far East' Caipirinha

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:33:00 +0000

I had the chance to spend New Years in Porto De Galinhas, a local vacation destination outside of Recife Brazil. In the 10 days I spent in Brazil, I drank more Caipirinha's than I have in my entire life. Heres my favorite Caipirinha recipe created with Sake.

Ingredients:
2 oz Leblon Cachaca
1 oz Sake
2 oz Lychee Puree
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Vanilla & Lemongrass & Chili
Small pieces of Lemongrass & Chili
Champagne to top

Preparation:
1. Muddle Chili and Lemongrass
2. Shake with remaining ingredients
3. Strain over ice into a highball glass
4. Top with Champagne and Stir well
5. Garnish with Lemongrass Straws

Stripey Straws

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Their are tiny things you can do to add some charm your party or to your drink! Check out these nostalgic Sippy-Straws from Jack and Lulu!

These Earth Friendly Straws are perfect for your next summer soiree. $6 for a pack of $20, visit Jack and Lulu to learn more.

Ring Bearer Bowls!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:50:00 +0000

I think these little Bowls are just too cute! Perfect for a ring bearer to use as he walks them carefully down the aisle, and post wedding day bliss they serve as a safe place for your rings during a very busy day.

The tiny bowls are handmade in Northern California and can be customized with any inscription, logo, or date. Learn more about these bowls at Say Your Piece. Prices begin as low as $12

I have never once seen anyone save a ring bearer pillow, no matter how pretty - what do you simply do with it after wards. These customized bowls however can turn into an original modern heirloom.

Beautiful handmade soap gifts

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

These Brooklyn handmade soaps make amazing gifts! I love walking into this small West Village Store it always smells so amazing and inspires me with their creative packaging. I am a huge fan of the Rosemary Leaf Olive Oil Soap, and certainly recommend checking it out. Visit Soapology.

Inspiration from Turkey!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:59:00 +0000

I just returned from a fantastic vacation in Turkey, I spent 6 days traveling the countryside, and then another 6 days in Istanbul. One of my favorite things was simply strolling thru the small markets and the Grand Bizarre in Istanbul. Their is an endless supply of colorful ceramics, evil eyes, jewelry, and the largest selection of carpets I have ever seen. The whole experience felt so unique. I wont go into the laundry list of things I purchased, however oddly enough after returning home, I found a vendor online in Pittsburgh that basically has an online Turkish Tourist Spot.

So if you cant get to the Grand Bizarre in Turkey, all you need to do is visit Cafe Anatolia, kinda funny. Our world gets smaller and smaller each day.

Dazzle Pops

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:14:00 +0000

Add a little dazzle and a lot of edible glitter at your party. Dazzle pops have a glitter coating on top of over-sized lollipops, in 24 different colors you can mix and match to party colors. These unexpected treats are just plain fun, anything with glitter is better, go ahead add some sparkle to your day. Items are available at Bedazzle My Bonbons.

Chocolate Olives or Cholive's

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Obsessed with these Chocolates in the shape of olives! What a genius idea! All my friends are getting these for Christmas, what a unique gift. Try our favorite 'Chocolate Orange' martini mixed with a Cholive,

THE CHOCOLATE ORANGE
2 oz. Grey Goose L’orange
2 oz. White Crème de Cacao
1 oz. Kahlúa
1 Skewered Cholive

To purchase or learn more visit The Cholive Company online.

Papered Accents Jazz

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Add some class to the trash, and many other items, with scraps of vintage wallpaper. You may find only a roll or two of a vintage print (ebay is great for this), and a single roll of paper is more than enough for these small-scale projects. Jazz up Table Tops, Umbrella Stands, Pencil Holders, Notebooks and Lampshades. Use good-quality wheat-based wallpaper paste and then seal and protect them with a spray lacquer for a finishing seal. For a table, simply cut paper to fit, and set glass or Plexiglas on top. Its simple and adds a lot of personality.

How to open Champagne!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:29:00 +0000

No other drink seems better suited to a celebration than champagne, but when those special moments arrive, you will want to make sure that the champagne is chilled to just the right temperature and, when the bottle is opened, that there's no overflow.

Cut the foil and remove. Wrap a towel around the bottle; this will help to keep the cork from flying away and to catch any champagne that might spill. Hold the neck of the bottle while securing the top of the cork with your thumb. Twist off the cage; it takes about six turns to undo it. Remove the wire cage while you are still holding the cork. Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle. Hold the cork with one hand and the bottom of the bottle with the other; turn the bottle-not the cork-slowly and carefully.Release the cork gently, and pour the champagne.

Bandana Luncheon Napkins

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0000

Get rowdy with bandanas luncheon napkins! A great new look for your guests especially summer backyard barbecues. Mix and match it with your cutlery and accessories to create your own cowboy look. These cute bandana napkins are available in red or blue jean and make a great decoration that could not be cheaper .

Bandana luncheon napkins $2 for 20, Target stores nationwide

The Chocolate Show

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Erin Halley Events & Productions has been selected as the Production Agency for the 2009 Chocolate Show to be held October 30th – November 1st. The Chocolate Show is the largest US event dedicated to Chocolate Lovers. It is the Chocolate Mecca where families, consumers, media, and trade converge to celebrate chocolate. Read more about the Chocolate Show at www.chocolateshow.com or contact us for additional information.

Mae Mougin - couture ceramics and porcelain

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:28:00 +0000

A house is not a home - not until, that is, it's been graced with one of these fabulous finds. Meet Mae Mougin, couture ceramics and porcelain maker in Southampton. Her pieces are very simple and pure, she uses a lot of common typed text to label the plates always including her signature finger tip and paddle mark edges. Her one of a kind pieces have found homes amount celebrites, artists and select retail stores. Think of Mae when you need to order a unique gift for a trend-setter or commission a family heirloom.

Prosecco delightfully bubbly!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:53:00 +0000

A true Prosecco hails from the Veneto region of Italy, and is produced from the Prosecco grape. Its a young wine, often fruity and light as well as lower in alcohol content than many wines. The relaxed friendly bubbly has exploded in popularity so much that bottling has increased dramatically over the past five years in Italy and 'copy cats' are now found all over the world.

We love Prosecco and think this is a perfect wine to bring to a picnic, not only for its light airy quality but also because its relatively inexpensive. Since picnic season is officially upon us we wanted to share the Dow Jones Prosecco Index of inexpensive Prosecco:

Minonetto Brut. $9.99
Best tasting and best value. Some Champagne-like finesse. Minerals, toast and real fruit tastes, especially apples and pears.

Bartenura Extra Dry. $15.99
Good fruit, with ripe, white grapes, a touch of brown sugar and complicity that many lack.

Astoria 'Cuvee Tenuta Val de Brun. $19.99
Nutty, mineral nose, with some tasted almonds. Very pleasant.

Bisol 'Crede'. $22.99
Easy drinking. Clean, with hints of mango and lime.

Col del Sole Extra Dry. $11.99
Clean, fresh nose with some minerals. Vibrant bubbles. Lychee and mangoes - a bit tutti-frutti but relaxed and happy.

Di Fliore 'Passionne'. $9.99
Lively, with ripe tastes, nice balancing acidity and a very easy, light finish.

Foss Marai Extra Dry. $15.99
Fun, with tart, green-apple tastes and a little hint of minerals.

Desiderio Jeio Brut. $14.99
Ripe lemons with a touch of sweet fruit. Clean, soft and nice, with particularly charming little bubbles.

Catering with... integrity, personal respect, and honest bang for the buck

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:04:00 +0000

Your guests interact again and again with your catering team during your event, no matter the event format or length, so choosing the right catering team is essential. Food that meets your guests tastes. Courses with impeccable style and surprising presentation. Service by a team that understands and appreciates good service themselves.

Meet Indiana Market & Catering. They state quite simply, we love what we do and we do it well.

Wondering what a corn-belt state like Indiana has to do with sophisticated parties, masterly cuisine, and meticulous service? It all begins with values they hold dear and instinctively associate with the American heartland: integrity, personal respect, and honest bang for the buck.

And for that we send our kudos (and our love) to Indiana!

City Winery - Bringing the vineyard to SoHo

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:00:00 +0000

In January, a former printing house in SoHo was transformed into a two floor winery, complete with its own custom grape crushing facility - straight out of I Love Lucy. From the same group that created the Knitting Factory, City Winery is more than just a winery. The winery hosts live music, wine classes, private dinners and 21,000 square feet of space are ideal to host your next private party.

Custom Wedding Cake Stands

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:08:00 +0000

If you are fascinated with your wedding cake, its worth while to look into creating a beautiful cake stand to go along with your cake design. NJ based Robert Edwards is just the man for the job! His intricate details in cake and cupcake stands large and small, square and round, high gloss or matte finish is gaining the markets attention, the options are really endless. The top of your wedding cake my survive to your first anniversary, but your wedding cake stand can be passed down for generations.

TOP 10 Cost Cutting Wedding Tips

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Managing your wedding budget is the first big hurdle you are going to encounter on your road to marriage. Take time to make a budget as a couple and work together to make a list of what is important deciding where you should spend money and where you can skimp! We have listed a few helpful cost cutting tips below to stretch those dollars…

1. Avoid Sugar Flowers on your Wedding Cake – as beautiful as these elaborate cakes look with cascading sugar flowers. Request an all white cake from your baker, and have your florist decorate the cake with fresh blooms. Your cake need not be overly extravagant to still be beautiful.

2. Set Up a Wedding Website – all your wedding information including local hotels, directions, and registry can add up when you try to include these details in your printed invitations. Both theknot.com and weddingchannel.com offer simple tools to help establish a personalized wedding website for free. Its saves you on printing extra cards to include within your wedding invitation and is better for the environment.

3. Choose a Full Service Wedding Location. Its about 30% less to host your wedding at a full service location that already has tables, chairs, linens, plenty of bathrooms and a kitchen. Hosting events in non-traditional locations such as galleries, raw loft spaces or private homes are often much more costly.

4. Avoid a Champagne Toast – So much champagne often goes to waste when you do the traditional toast for the bride and the groom. Guests will take a sip of champagne and never pickup the glass again. Save the good champagne for those that request it at the bar, and let your guests toast you with their own drink or with the wine you are serving at dinner.

5. Save on Save The Dates – Save-The-Dates are usually sent 6 to 9 months prior to the weddings, and even further out if it’s a destination event. If timing works out, Kill two birds with one stone, and mail out your save the date information within your holiday cards.

6. Enlist Music Students for the Cocktail Hour – you will pay half the price for the background music and still have the elegance of live musicians.

7. Play with Color – Hotels and Rental companies can get white linens for the same cost as they can get colored linens. The same is true for the standard reception chairs, they come in all sorts of colors! All you have to do is ask. Play with the colors and make the most of your budget by using color in a smart way!

8. Non-Floral Centerpieces – Candles will stretch your budget and add a romantic glow to your reception. Or use organic items such as branches, seasonal fruits or nuts in unique ceramic containers to create your own centerpieces.

9. Ornate Fabrics – you can find great deals in the garment districts for fabrics. Use these fabrics to jazz up traditional cotton linens. Create your own runners or table toppers, its very minimal sewing and is an easy way to involve or enlist your female relatives for help.

10. Family Style Food Service – you don’t need to have a traditional four or five course meal. Large plates of food, saves not only costs but also encourages good interaction between your guests and creates and at home ambiance.

Non-Floral Floral Centerpieces

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:46:00 +0000

Flowers can be expensive! Begin to get really creative and think of using non-traditional items as centerpeices. You can use oversized branches in large containers, unique ceramic bowls filled with nuts, or a composition of seasonal fruits or tons of candles. The sky is the limit.

One of my favorites is using paper to create flower like arrangements. In this image we created paperflowers, and then arranged the flowers. Its very unexpected for your guests, and you can create these pieces well in advance and they wont die!

Recycling weird things 101

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:15:00 +0000

If you have a draw full of old weird party favors, what do you do with them? We like to turn them into other types of decorations and reuse them for another party. shhh... don't tell, but we like to re-gift too.

For a recent event in a dark basement, we had to add a bit of pizazz to the dungeon like space at a very small budget. We mixed up old LED party favors, glow in the dark ice cubes, necklaces, and mismatched colors of sea glass inside mason jars. The mason jars where then mounted on to the center columns in the space - creating the glowing illusion of design. The total costs, mason jars and labor costs. A small price for a big impact.

Party Favors that work... and these are not it...

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Today I was doing some spring cleaning around my apartment and I did so wearing a pair of LED blinking blue sunglasses. These were found in a long lost draw mixed with scarfs and gloves and other things I would be embarrassed to admit to saving. These glasses are also part of a big pile of items that has found its way nicely to the curb this afternoon.

We spend so much time with clients (and money) coming up with the perfect parting gifts or dance floor accessories, it makes me wonder how long some of these favors last. Money, no matter the amount, should also be spent on items that your guests will use or have the most interaction with. While my blinking blue glasses are quite fabulous and fun for a few minutes, its a costly accessory to supply to your guests for such a short amount of time.

Become your best!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Here are few tips to keep a positive attitude during this turbulent economic time:

Show up! Leave an impression on people. People have to remember you because you are really involved in project and you stay engaged.
Don't undercut colleagues. Stay focus on your strengths instead of your colleagues' weaknesses.
Adjust your positioning to stay in the race. Event and communication are the first line-item cut, you have to demonstrate to your client that your understand the challenges.
Be professional and keep straight values. Quality and reliability are really important values to keep our clients.

"Hard Times" themed party!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:51:00 +0000

We loved this party theme: create an entertaining cost-effective party that really that is not only inexpensive it
party. Everything in your daily life can be transformed and used in this kind of party.
Your Soup cans become funny vases and newspapers tablecloths .

Awe - Inspiring Spots to tie the knot!!

erin@erinhalley.com (Erin Halley) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:47:00 +0000

The Hearst Castle is a dreamy destination for the romantic bride and located between San Francisco and Los Angeles. If the Mediterranean gardens, enormous terraces and swimming pools are not enough, the 360 degree views will knock your socks off. This property is enchanting and only for the those seeking romance.

Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel is a little paradise in Brazil. This hotel is set among the canopy level of the rain forest - literally among the treetops. Just outside of Manuas, you must arrive on property via boat or helicopter - however the two helicopters landing pads allow for a speedy arrival with no lines. With an amazing event space image this will start your marriage off on the right adventure!

MBWENI Ruins Hotel in Tanzania near the Zanzibar Mbweni Ruins is a destination your guests have never seen before. With only 13 luxury suites on the entire property, its possible to have this entire place to a few who are nearest and dearest. Play in the ruins with a bushbaby, lay on the beach or get pampered in the spa. Your guests have a long list of options. Take your guests off the beaten path.