Autumn is, and Winter will soon be, upon us. But that doesn’t mean that the season for parties has come to an end. Instead a whole new world of cozy fires, comfort food and warm beverages is beginning to opening up to us. So here’s 10 ways to keep your guests warm as you party on.

1. Heaters, Fireplaces & Fire Pits

I thought I would start with the most obvious of winter warmers. If we’re cold we turn on a heater or light the fire, right.  Whether you are indoors or outdoors there are so many options. Most of us will have some sort of heating system in our home, so I won’t go into this side of things. But here are some of my favourites from more of a party side.

Patio Heaters are a good choice for outdoor areas. While you can buy these at places such as Bunnings, Mitre 10 Mega, and The Warehouse you’ll find that most hire centres will have them too. These particular ones can be hired from www.insphire.co.nz

I am loving these electric fireplaces, available for sale at www.mitre10.co.nz . Some of them look so realistic and all you have to do is plug them in and turn them on.

Fire-pits are becoming increasingly popular. Both wood burning and gas burning options are available. This one can be seen on www.bestplants.com . For those operating on gas there is the option of covering the pipes with Fireglass instead of the traditional fake logs or coal. You can see here how effective the fireglass looks here in this picture. Fireglass is available in New Zealand click through to www.nzfireglass.co.nz for more information.

2. Warm Lighting

Creating an atmosphere of warmth can also help your guests feel warm and one of the key components of this is lighting. Consider using lighting options that have a warm-toned glow (colours like yellow, gold, orange, and red). Things like warm-white fairy lights and candles do a great job of this.

As seen on hwtm.com

3. Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate is such a great way to warm up from the inside out, and it is great for all ages.  I love the idea of setting up a Hot Chocolate drink station which guests can help themselves to. Add a few extras like flavoured marshmallows, spices and sprinkles to make it even more interesting.

As seen on discoverweddings.ru

4. Other Warm Beverages

Instead of the usual cocktails you might have on offer, mix it up a bit by trying some that are served hot. There are many great recipes out there just waiting for you to try them out.

As seen on mycrazygoodlife.com , click on the link for the recipes.

5. Active Entertainment

Keep your guests busy and active by having a variety of activities for them to do throughout your party. If they are moving they are more likely to stay warm and if they are enthralled in what is taking place they’ll have less time to think about the temperature.

 6. S’mores Bar

I love S’mores. Toasted marshmallows, chocolate and biscuits – what not to love, right? So setting up a station that has all the ingredients for guests to make their own is a great idea. Not only is it warm food, it is a great activity. So guests will be entertained and fed.

As seen on glamourandgraceblog.com

7. Other Warm Food

‘Tis the season for warm comfort food. Break out the slow cookers and casserole pots and start cooking those family favourites for your guests. Consider making a hearty vegetable soup or heating up some Watties canned tomato soup and serving it with fresh, warm bread. Or maybe if you’re feeling a little more adventurous have a go at cooking a roast dinner. Oh my goodness, now I’m hungry.

 8. Mini Wheat Bags

Heat up these little wheat bags in the microwave for your guests to pop in their pockets to warm up their hands.  They can also make great party favours for the guests to take home.

As seen on weddingpartyapp.com

9. Borrow a Blanket

Some people are going so far as to give their guests a blanket or shawl as a party favour, but if your budget doesn’t extend that far your can simply offer to loan them one. Some of our lovely local venues consist of covered in porches and if guests are unaware and don’t come prepared then this is a particularly a good idea.

As seen on theknot.com

10. Give Them Warm Treats for the Trip Home

Thinking of your guests comfort on their journey home is a way of sending your love and warmth home with them. It’s this kind of warmth that goes beyond temperature. Maybe it’s a warm chocolate brownie or beverage of some sort. Or maybe you can zap those mini wheat bags again or gift them a scarf. I’m sure with your creativity and maybe the help of Pinterest you’ll come up with the perfect idea for your guests.

As seen on weddingpartyapp.com

I hope this has inspired you for your cooler weather celebrations. Remember that we’d love to see your celebrations, so take some great pics and drop us a line.

© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

Photo credit: Brides.com

It’s been about a year since I wrote about ‘The Evolution of the Cardboard Camera’ and I think it is high time we update this further with the addition of the hashtag.  For those who aren’t in the know, a hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by this symbol #.  It is used on most social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to group photos or messages of a similar topic. It also allows for that topic to be searched, which will bring up all the tagged items.  With Instagram’s rise in popularity the use of the hashtag has become a great, no-cost, and easy way to collect photos from your guests.  However having said that, it still requires a little planning on your part for this to work well – so here are a few tips to make your hashtag a success.

The first and most important thing to do is to come up with the hashtag you want to use for your special occasion. Think of words that are unique to you, like your name, nickname, the date of your party, the venue or a combination of these. If your hashtag is for a wedding consider adding words like hitch, love or weds into the mix.  Whatever you end up choosing try and keep it short and catchy so your guests can remember it easily.  Things like using only letters and numerals, and avoiding spelling mistakes also make it easier for your guests to remember and use properly.

The next thing to do is to test it out.  Search to see if anyone else is using the hashtag you have chosen.  Remember the key word here is unique.  You really don’t what to be sharing your hashtag with anyone else, otherwise when you go to look for your photos you’ll have to spend hours sifting through other people’s photos as well.

This is a simple card we designed for one of our clients.

Once you have your unique hashtag all sorted and ready to go, the last thing to do is to tell your guests about it. Do this in as many ways as you possibly can.  Put it on your save-the-date cards and invitations; mention it on your Facebook page or wedding website if appropriate; and then remind your guests again while they are at your party.  This can be done through signage, little cards (business card size) and announcements from the MC/host.  If you want to make it a fun and interactive part of your party, type up a list of shots for your guests to collect (e.g. a photo of you and the birthday girl or you and the bride and groom etc.).

So there you have it. I hope these hashtag tips will enable you to collect many great photos, helping you to build lasting memories of your celebrations.

© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

The story goes that hundreds of years ago when a couple got married all of their guests were required to sign a book or ledger as a way of testifying to the reality of the marriage.  Of course over time with the introduction of marriage licences, and the need for only two witnesses, this became unnecessary – yet the tradition of the guests signing a book remained, serving more as a memento than anything else.

As with many traditions there will often come a point where people begin to question why – and wedding guestbooks are no exception.  Many couples will tell you that theirs ended up in a box somewhere, or if you are like me on a shelf gathering dust, only to be looked at once in a blue moon.  So it only seems natural that people are saying goodbye to the book part of the tradition and applying the written memento part to items of more relevance.

I think it is a beautiful thing to see couples creatively consider items that represent themselves as a couple and that can be enjoyed in the years to come.  So without any further ado here are 5 fun guestbook alternatives that we hope will inspire your choice.

Jenga Game Pieces

As seen on: Rustic Wedding Chic

Outdoor Furniture

I could see this becoming quite the conversation piece at many future BBQs.

  As seen on: Imbue You I Do

Personalised Puzzle Pieces

 As seen on: As You Wish Events

A Patchwork Quilt

As seen on: Etsy

Love Locks

Inspired by the Love Locks bridge in Paris.

 As seen on: stylemepretty.com

© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.