How to Stress Less this Christmas

12 Days of Christmas Ideas 2015 – Day 4

A little pre-planning can go a long way towards reducing Christmas stress, which is why today’s idea is a planning one.

Christmas in the early years

My family’s Christmas in the early days.

I’m from a family of five girls. If you’re thinking ‘Oh your poor Dad!’ no need to worry, the son-in-laws and grandsons have finally tipped the numbers in his favour. We are also quite a busy bunch and even when we are on holiday there is always a lot of activity. One day while on holiday together, and having just survived another last minute call to gather as a full family at another location, my sister (mother of 3 boys under 5) and I got to talking about how stressful it was to rally our families of pre-schoolers and get somewhere in 20 minutes – after all it can take that long just to get the kiddies to put on their shoes!

My family's Christmas now

My family’s Christmas now.

Next time the holidays came around I was determined to reduce the stress and enjoy our time together. I figured that a written schedule for the busiest part of our time together (this just happened to be Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day) would be very helpful in achieving this. So I gave my parents and my sisters a call and explained that I wanted to be able to enjoy our time together with as little stress as possible – which was something they all wanted too. I asked them what their hopes, plans and expectations were for this period of time. We also agreed that the schedule was flexible – we could easily change anything on the schedule as long as everyone was consulted. I typed up the schedule and sent out copies to everyone. All my family were happy and it worked well – yay!

Now I get that being this kind of organised is not for everyone, it really does depend on what your family is like. For our busy and super active family it worked well. But let’s just strip this idea back to the basics for a moment – stress comes when relationships are put under strain and let’s face it Christmas comes with straining factors. So why not try these 3 basic principles:

  • Talk with those you are spending your busiest times with this Christmas season. Explain why you want to talk with them about their plans – when people can see the ‘why’ they are often quicker to buy into it. Find out what their expectations of you are and of the holiday  season in general – unmet expectations lead to disappointments which leads to strain and stress.
  • Write stuff down and put it somewhere it can be seen – don’t expect your loved ones to remember every detail of your social calendar and what tasks need to be done. This is the busiest time of the year and it is also the end of the year, so they are probably worn out and ready for a holiday too.
  • Be flexible – prepare yourself for the fact that things may not go according to plan. Think about what might go wrong and organise a ‘Plan B’ now. Do this purely for your own peace of mind, no one else needs to know.

I hope this helps you as we approach this year’s silly season. I have truly found that when we approach life head on and are deliberate in our planning great things happen.

 

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© 2015 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.

 

One Super Juicy Idea

12 Days of Christmas Ideas 2015 – Day 3

I recently spoke to a lovely group of ladies in which I used the example of creating a Hot Chocolate station. I love Hot Chocolate stations, they look great, the drinks taste amazing and they help to create a warm and cozy atmosphere. Sadly, for those of us living in the southern hemisphere Hot Chocolate stations at Christmas time are not such a practical idea. So this got me thinking – what could a summer alternative be?

Since I have a number of family members who love smoothies and fresh juices I thought how about creating a make your own Juice station.

Juice BarFresh Juices and Smoothies

Fresh fruit and vegetables

Strawberries and tall glasses

Homemade Juice Station

Armed with a few books from the local library (prior to this idea I knew very little about juicing) I went shopping for a variety of fresh fruits and veggies. The key here, so I learned, is to buy what is in season. If you grow your own even better. Also try and avoid using over-ripe produce. I decided to keep it very simple, but if you want to, you can get quite fancy. The little bit of fancy that I added were some bottles of sparkling water. I figured some people like to water down their juice a little and others like bubbles in their juice – so sparkling water seemed like a fun and healthy way to provide this option.

Waiwera Sparkling WaterJuices and Smoothie recipe books

Juice bar set up

Juicer and glasses

Gathering the equipment was the next thing to do. Glasses, knife, chopping board and a rubbish bin were some of the basics. And of course there was the juicer itself. I was fortunate enough to have been given a juicer a few years back. There are a few different types of juicers on the market. They all have their pros and cons, but at the end of the day they all make juice. So whatever you choose is fine. I’ve also seen these on Trade Me and in the second hand stores – so don’t feel you have to spend big bucks.

Juice station setupClose up of Juice Bar

When Life Hands You Lemons

Finally it was set up time. Really you could set this up anywhere and in a variety of ways, but I opted to go with a bit of a rustic look that had a fresh and citrus twist. I used some wooden gift boxes to create the shelves. I lined these with vibrant wrapping paper that I brought from Warehouse Stationery. And I then added a chalkboard sign which I made out of an old picture frame that I found in a second hand shop.

And there you have it – one ‘Make You Own Juice Station’. There are so many reasons why I love this idea. Yes it’s healthy, looks good and tastes great, but it is also a help-yourself-solution to serving beverages that is fun and interactive. A little bit of pre-planning and setting up beforehand means you can enjoy the time you have with your guests even more.

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© 2015 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 Ultimate Guide to Creating Stunning Lolly Buffets

The Ultimate Guide to Stunning Lolly Buffets

Who doesn’t enjoy a sweet treat every now and then? To be honest, I probably enjoy them way more than ‘every now and then’, and when I’m faced with a stunningly put together Lolly Buffet (or Candy Buffet – depending on where you are from) the likelihood of me resisting is even smaller. But I love Lolly Buffets for more than just the sweet treats – when put together well they add to the décor of the occasion; if you’re only serving a light dessert option they help add to this part of the menu; they make for a fun and interactive party favour option; and lastly, they create an awe and wonder that brings out the inner child from even the oldest of guests.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white

But what does it mean to put a Lolly Buffet together well? What is it that makes the difference between throwing some bowls full of lollies on a table, and creating that space which inspires awe and wonder in your guests? Really it comes down to following certain steps. Steps which I’m sharing with you here today.

Before you do anything else you need to ask yourself a few questions. How many guests are you catering for? This will determine the quantity of sweets you will need. What is your colour scheme? This will help guide your sweet selection and overall design. What style are you going for? Rustic, Boho Chic, Classic, Elegant, Modern etc. And do you wish to add any design elements? These are things like glitter, crystals, and specific patterns etc. This will also help guide your overall design.

Once you have this sorted, it’s time to go sweet shopping. I suggest breaking your sweet search down into 3 categories.

Bulk Lollies:

These are the kinds that are usually sold by the packet e.g. M&Ms, Jellybeans, Milk Bottles, Liquorice Allsorts, Marshmallows, Chocolate Éclairs, Fruit Bursts etc. Quantity wise, I would recommend buying around 100g – 150g per person of this type of lollies.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - bulk lollies
Lolly Buffet, in gold mint and white - bulk lollies
Designer Sweets:

These are more likely to be sold individually or in smaller amounts. They tend to cost a little more and look rather fancy. Examples of these are Ferrero Rocher, truffles, handmade fudges etc. Of course, if you are keen, you can always have a go at making some of these yourself. Quantity wise, aim for one piece per person – give or take a few.

Lolly buffet, in gold mint and white - designer sweets
Lolly buffet, in gold mint and white - designer sweets
Display Sweets:

These can be anything you like really – it is all in the way they are packaged to match the theme. Some examples are cake-pops, Hershey’s chocolate bars, and mini bags of candyfloss. I would also be inclined to include those swirly lollipops and rock candy-pops in this category. Quantity wise, whatever you like. These are mostly used to fill in spaces on the buffet table and make it look more decorative.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - display sweets cakepops
Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - display sweets cakepops
More Shopping Hints:

Whatever sweets you choose make sure they fit in with your colour scheme – this contributes to your overall design. Also if you have favourite lollies that don’t work in with the scheme, don’t despair, consider packaging them so they do match.

Lolly buffet, in gold mint and white - bulk candy repackaged to match the theme

Lastly, shopping at your local supermarket or at the nearest Warehouse can be a little frustrating when you are looking for specific colours – so I recommend shopping with online lolly shops such as Crazy Candies, LollyShop and Hey Hey Candy. These companies are all based in New Zealand and they organise most of their lollies by colour.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - apothacary jars
Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - apothacary jars

Now that you have purchased all the sweets it is time to design the layout of the buffet table. Let’s break this down into 3 parts also.

The Vessels:

While the fancy apothecary jars with their curvy lids look lovely, you certainly can still achieve great results without them. Hunt around to find a selection of jars, vases, glasses, trays etc. that will work with your selection of sweets and overall design. Mason jars and jam jars would work perfectly for an occasion with rustic design elements. Crystal bowls, cake stands and cut glass vases from Nana’s china cabinet or the second-hand store would work beautifully for a more elegant, classic themed. These day most hire companies stock a variety of lolly vessels too. You will also need to find scoops, spoons or tongs for the handling of the lollies. And last but not least the little lolly bags or favour boxes for your guests to fill.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - apothacary jars
Here’s a few extra tips for filling your vessels:
  • Put your larger bulk lollies, like marshmallows, into your bigger containers.
  • Show off your designer sweets by using trays or cake stands. We used photo frames with paper in them that matched our theme.
  • If the containers look too empty once you’ve put the lollies in, you can place an upside-down cup in it first to take up some of the space in the container.
Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - apothacary jars
The Placement:

The two words to remember here are levels and symmetry. When you look at the layout of your buffet table you should see 3 obvious height levels – flat (at the front of the table), medium (around the middle of the table), and tall (towards the back of the table). This can be achieved with the size of the vessels but tends to look even better when you use risers (boxes covered in paper or painted to match the theme). Symmetry is basically trying to have the right-hand side of the table mirror the left-hand side of the table.  Just keep in mind that this isn’t an exact science – if you have a play with these aspects before hand you will generally find a balance that works.

Lolly Buffet in gold mint and white - buffet layout
Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - buffet centrepiece
The Printables:

You can do everything mentioned thus far and have a nice Lolly Buffet, but I believe it is this step that will make it truly stunning. Whether you design the printables yourself or buy them it doesn’t really matter. The main thing is that they pull together your overall design, which includes your colour scheme, design elements and style.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - printable swing tags

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - printable tent cards

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - printable wrap and flat label

Oh and don’t forget the signage informing your guests of how to use this enchanting space. This will further enhance your guests’ experience.

Lolly buffet in gold mint and white - printable signage

 

I hope this guide sets you well on your way to creating your own stunning Lolly Buffet. Of course if you wish to have the pleasure of enjoying one of these without all the hard work you can always get in touch with us. As always, feel free to like and share this post with your friends.

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© 2015 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.

 

 

Go the All Blacks!

Create your own Sports Bar at home!

We’re now getting down to the final rounds of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. What better time to gather with friends and watch the games. Technically even the most casual of ‘get-togethers’ qualifies as a party so why not kick things up a notch and set up a refreshments station for all your guests to enjoy. Here’s some great ideas and products to help get your creative juices flowing.

All Blacks Party Supplies

Set up a table that is in view of your TV, but not obstructing it, and add a few decorations to it. If you’re not keen on making them yourself, then Build a Birthday have a great selection to choose from, and you can order them online too.

 

All Blacks food products

Next you need food. Some of New Zealand’s favourite brands are supporting our team by going black, so why not make use of them. Photo credit: 100% Pure New Zealand

 

All-Blacks-Popcorn-Tin-Nz-Kettle-Korn

I think these tins full of popcorn, are a must. Available at most major supermarkets, not only is it a great game watching snack it adds to the décor. Photo credit: Countdown

 

Game Watching Food Recipes

So that all your snack food isn’t out of a packet, choose 1-2 sweet and savoury options to add to the table. Here’s some tasty ideas from KitchMe – if you choose dishes that can be prepared in advance, even better.

 

All Blacks Cookies

And if you feel like getting a bit fancy, you could even give these a try. Photo credit: The Whole Cake and Caboodle

Now while this may seem like a lot of work, as my Mum will often say, ‘there is a method to my madness’. Not only will this look amazing and help build a great atmosphere for watching the game – because you have put out everything your guests could possibly need on this “self-serve” food and beverage station, you’ll get to enjoy the game more because you won’t have to keep getting up to get things.

For more ideas check out our Rugby/Football Party pin board on Pinterest, and if you do give this a go we’d love to see your photos.

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© 2015 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.

 

 

 

Space Rocket Party

Space Party Title Photo

I couldn’t believe that another year had passed us by, when we recently celebrated my son’s 4th birthday. This year it was a Space Rocket theme.  Earlier on this year I found this awesome rocket ship puzzle at Kmart. We have had hours of great imaginative play with this simple toy. We’ve taken many trips to Jupiter and occasionally Saturn or Mars, so it was only natural that this became the inspiration for the whole party.

Party Highlights:
  • I really wanted iced rocket shaped cookies but didn’t want to spend the time piping on all the little details. So I was pretty excited to create an image that matched the cookie cutter and then to have it printed onto icing by a company here in Auckland called Photocake. (More about this next week.)
  • As always we work hard to have the food match the theme too. So this time we had Cupcakes decorated with our printables; Planet Pops; Rocket Cookies; Star Sandwiches; Meteorite Meatballs; Saturn Rings (Burger Rings).
  • I always try to have a combination of games and activities at each party I create – this time we made a cardboard rocket shaped playhouse to match the theme, along with Galactic play-dough and a game we called ‘Twinkle, twinkle eat a star’. This game involved cookies in the shape of stars hanging across the doorway for the kids to try and eat without using their hands. Very entertaining to watch!
  • I love to use child sized chairs, so I was super excited to find that Carlton Party Hire in Henderson had just added to their range child sized Chavari chairs – eeek! They have been available overseas for a number of years, but have only just arrived in New Zealand. In fact I was the first person to hire these ones. They looked so cool and matched the theme perfectly.
  • Lastly, I have a bit of a thing with the concertina rosettes at the moment so I was thrilled to use them in the birthday banner and as coasters.

 

Kids Space Rocket Party Table SettingKids space rocket party table setting 2

Kids space rocket party table centrepiece

Kids space rocket party kids chavari chairs

Kids space rocket party helium balloons

Kids space rocket party table setting from above

Kids space rocket party centrepiece

Kids space rocket party astronaut

Kids space rocket party drink bottles and coasters

Kids space rocket party table setting and playhouse

Kids space rocket party playhouse

Kids space rocket party playhouse and food table

Kids space rocket party game galactic play-dough

Kids space rocket party favours

Kids space rocket party favour bags with printables

Kids space rocket party food table

Kids space rocket party iced cookies

Kids space rocket party cookie printables

Kids space rocket party cupcake printables

Kids space rocket party printables

Kids space rocket party planet pops

Kids space rocket party cakepops

Kids space rocket party theme colour candy

Kids space rocket party themed candy

Kids space rocket party buffet table

Kids space rocket party star sandwiches

Kids space rocket party star sandwiches and printables

Kids space rocket party saturn rings printables

Kids space rocket party meteorite meatballs

Kids space rocket party meatballs

Kids space rocket party birthday cake

Kids space rocket party cake topper

Kids space rocket party rosette banner

Kids space rocket party birthday banner

Kids space rocket party food and banner

Summing Up:

With every party that I do I put a lot of time, thought and energy into it. Sometimes I even get stumped over what to do next. But when the day arrives and it all comes together perfectly and the guest of honour just beams from ear to ear it is all worth while.

If you have any questions or comments regarding how we put this theme together or if you would like us to create a party for you then please contact us either via email or through the comments section below.

Vendor Credits:

 

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© 2015 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Fabulous Father’s Day Ideas

Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday. If it has snuck up on you and you haven’t got anything planned yet then we’ve pulled together five of our favourite  Father’s Day ideas that are bound to inspire you.

The Manly Gift Bucket

A different more manly take on the gift basket, this gift bucket is a great way to put together lots of those little gifts for the Dads in your life.

As seen on: Tried and Twisted

The Sock Bouquet

If socks are what your Dad needs, then this is a novel and fun way to present them.

As seen on: One Good Thing

Car Treasure Hunt

If your Dad loves an adventure, then this could be the perfect gift experience.

As seen on: The Dating Divas

Photo Fun

I think there is always something special about giving and receiving a photo gift. This idea is awesome, and would be fairly easy to make too.

As seen on: House Hunt

Bow Tie Brunch

If you’re planning a Father’s Day brunch or dinner why not dress things up with these bow tie bundles.

As seen on: BLOGLOVIN’

We hope this inspires you for your Father’s Day celebrations. But if you’d like to see more ideas for Father’s Day then check out our Pinterest board by clicking here.

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© 2015 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 Blossoming Bride – Florals for all Styles & Tastes

This month’s guest blogger is the very creative Erin Swaney from Rosebud & Willow Floral Design. Her artistic approach to floral work is sure to inspire you.

For women their wedding day is one of those days that are especially important to them and it is not often I meet a bride that is not particular about how they want their day to unfold. Even if they have no idea about flowers, you can bet they have still thought about what elements they want to incorporate into their day and type of ‘feel’ they want to capture. Wedding flowers play an important role in helping to achieve this, and more than most people realise.

Different flowers evoke different feelings and senses, and once these are identified they can really help to bring a wedding to life! As I mentioned earlier most brides already have an idea of what they want their wedding to look like. As an example, I worked on a wedding recently where the bride wanted to keep things very classic and minimal but wasn’t sure on flower choices. When I met with her, I was able to show her the best florals to achieve this. The result was gorgeous foliage table garlanding consisting of Ruscus, Berried Ivy and Deep Green Mistral and the bouquets consisted of a mix of White Avalanche Roses, and White Spray Roses with White Carnations and Crisp White Bouvardia.

RW Image 1

Other looks that are super common with brides at the moment include the Romantic Bride, the Bohemian/Rustic Bride and the Funky/Alternative Bride.

The Romantic Bride generally has visions of a luxe occasion with flowers and props that emphasise love. Romantic Brides are usually after blush pinks in their flowers and soft delicate, dreamy colours. This type of occasion is usually rather elaborate incorporating lots of flowers to create the ultimate wow factor and atmosphere. Florals that would usually be included in a wedding of this nature include: Roses, Lisianthus, Hydrangea, Stock, Peonies, Dahlias & Queen Annes Lace.

RW Image 2

The Rustic Bohemian Bride covers a large range of looks but all have one thing in common in that they are all after a more relaxed look and approach to their day. Brides who are after this type of look generally like more natural tones and colours and like to incorporate lots of foliage into their arrangements. Creams, Peaches, Gold and Greens are common colours to feature. Flower Crowns are so popular in this look incorporating lots of vine and leaves with a few flowers for the ultimate Bohemian look. Another item that is really trending at the moment are “all foliage bouquets”, these bouquets look amazing when done right and the way to achieve this is to incorporate different tones and textures within the bouquet and utilise a combination of berried foliage and flowering foliage. Other Florals that are regularly used to achieve this look include: Garden Roses, Hellebores, Scabiosa, Flowering Jasmine, Ivy, Berzillia Berry, Hypericum Berry, Eucalyptus, Conifer, Viburnum and many more.

RW Image 3

Our Funky/Alternative Bride is quirky and loves different, she is not your run of the mill Bride and delights in standing out. This type of Bride is probably a florists dream as we are able to use our own creative licence to produce something different and something that stands out. Funky can be in the way colour is used in an unlikely way or in the types of flowers that are used to create an alternative look. Quirky and different types of florals that would work for this type of bride could include, King & Queen Protea, Leucodendron, Sea Holly, Scabiosa Pods, Orchids, Hypericum Berry and Green Trick (Dianthus). The above mentioned combined with regular florals and foliage can create something unique and beautiful.

RW Image 4

It is important that all Brides have a chance to express what they want on their Wedding Day and it is a Florists job to help guide and advise Brides on the best way to approach and achieve what they are after. A good florist will know what is available to use in the season of each wedding and if something isn’t available, will be able to provide similar alternatives to the original ideas.

Regardless of what ‘Type’ of Bride I am working with, I always count it a privilege to be invited into the Bride & Groom’s day and to work closely with them to produce something I am proud of and that they love.

RW Image 5

Rosebud & Willow was founded by Erin Swaney at the beginning of 2015 and since then has seen swift growth. They specialise in bespoke wedding and event work, and as their name suggests they work best with natural products drawing much of their inspiration from their natural surroundings. Rosebud & Willow relish in creating gorgeous arrangements that are beautifully crafted and speak for themselves.

 

To see more of Rosebud & Willow’s work or book them for your wedding or event, check out their website or find them on any of the social media links below.

www.rosebudandwillow.co.nz

www.instagram.com/rosebudandwillow

www.facebook.com/rosebudandwillow

www.pinterest.com/rosebudandwillow

 

 

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© 2015 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.

Re-O Week Theme Parties

Introducing today’s guest blogger, the talented Laura Sherson. Laura is currently studying event management at Uni and is also our intern here at As You Wish Events Ltd. With all the experience she has been gaining this year we felt that it was time to add blogging to the list. 

 

A celebration is a great time to bring people together and to have good food, good décor and good company. The week before a university starts back is often filled with parties and celebrations. These are often thrown by the universities, the student bars and the students. This time is called O (Orientation) week and Re-O (Re-orientation) week, the parties surrounding this celebration period are often themed parties, here are some inspiration photos for a few of our favourite theme idea’s for next week’s Re-O week parties.

 

partiesforpennies

Hawaiian/Island theme party

 

kaotichectickitchen

Pirate theme party

As seen on: My Kaotic Kitchen

 

9gag

Superhero theme party

As seen on: 9gag.com

 

designislovelee blogspot

Mexican theme party

As seen on: Lee Owens Design

 

Have fun with your Re-O week parties, send us in any photos from your themed parties.

 

There’s some great ideas here, I hope you are inspired for your next theme party.

 

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© 2015 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.

Parisian (Letter P) Theme Party

We have so much fun here when a client comes to us and says “Here’s our theme and here’s our budget – please weave your magic and surprise us.” Having such freedom often means we can go above and beyond to create an occasion that will exceed the expectations of the client. One such party is what we have featured here, in today’s blog.

The theme had been set as a ‘P’ Party. To be honest, when I first heard this was the theme I had a hard time getting my thoughts to move past the tacky ‘P’ parties I attended as a teenager (for some reason they were all the rage back then), but since the client had given me plenty of notice I was able to brainstorm and plan something quite elegant. I’ve always liked the idea of a Parisian themed party so I was quite excited to make this the basis for the décor. From there items starting with the letter ‘P’ just seemed to fit in without any effort.

Party Highlights:
  • The hanging parasols looked fabulous and made the atmosphere more cozy.
  • The striped backdrops made from rolls of wrapping paper brightened up the space and provided the perfect background for the Photo-booth and Perfume Bar.
  • I was pretty excited to find that the venue had a collection of Eiffel towers that we could use at no extra charge.
  • For each table of guests we had an ‘eye-spy’ style challenge. The prize for the person to found the most décor items starting with the letter ‘P’ won a packet of Pebbles.
  • My most favourite thing had to be the Perfume Bar. Not only did it start with the letter ‘P’, it was also the party favour for the guests.

 

We hope you enjoy looking at the photos as much as we enjoyed creating it.

 

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 Vendor Credits:

 

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© 2015 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.

Kicking Off a Soccer Party

Inspirations for a Soccer Themed Party

Putting all the FIFA scandal aside, it is pretty cool that New Zealand can play host to another World Cup. With the FIFA U20 Soccer World Cup now well underway I thought it would be a good time to gather up some ideas for a Soccer themed party.

ticket-invitations

As seen on: Catch My Party

 

Team Party

As seen on: Catch My Party

 

 

 

 

There’s lots of fun to be had with a theme like this, whether it’s a birthday party, a party to celebrate your or your kid’s soccer team or even for the watching world cup finals with friends. So be creative, have fun and we hope you are inspired for your own party.

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© 2015 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.