Chic, unique & inspiring edibles

Bite sized edibles are fantastic whether they are appetizers, desserts or favors. These are a few of our favorites. The simple and clean presentation makes them even more appetizing!

Inspiration board designed by Lisa West

Sources: Tasting Table, Martha Stewart Weddings

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This is a fantastic infographic that captures all social media touchpoints you need to address in planning your trade show, conference or event.

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Just over a month ago we had the pleasure of working with Chicago Metro Association for the Education of Young People (CMAEYC). The organization produces Opening Minds — a professional development conference that welcomes professionals from all walks of life who are working with young children in some capacity. The event welcomes some 5,000 attendees who attend 300 workshops covering 15 content areas during the 4 day conference. We loved working with this group. Here are three standout qualities CMAEYC possesses that you should to!

Engagement
Opening Minds welcomes a diverse group of professionals from multiple sectors, nationally and globally – libraries, early childhood education, social work, mental health and more. Recognizing this fact the organization does an exemplary job of providing content that engages all attendees. The organization works hard to provide content that provides true professional growth opportunities for all. They also do a tremendous amount of data mining to deliver content that is also industry specific, but that is presented in a way that cross-pollinates over multiple sectors. This has resulted in the conference becoming a gathering place for professionals from all walks of life who are simply seeking exemplary professional development content.

Choosing the Right Partners
Often, as event professionals, we work with many who are focused on the bottom line to a fault. Don’t get me wrong the bottom line counts in a big way. It can make or break you and is essential in guiding your future planning. What many fail to recognize is when you choose partners who are not genuinely interested in your attendees it shows up in a big (and often catastrophic) way. CMAEYC respects it’s attendees at a level I rarely see. If you can’t present the case for how you benefit their attendees, you won’t have visibility there. The attendee is the priority with this organization.

Ongoing Outreach & Reflection
The organization takes the time to reach out before, during and after the events they produce. They’ve honed the skill of consistently maintaining a dialogue with attendees, vendors and presenters involved with the annual Opening Minds conference. Their high-touch way of gleaning information, reflecting on all feedback they receive and the flexible way they are committed to presenting their conference allows them to shift aspects of the experience to ensure the needs of their massive audience are being met. If there is a notion that something isn’t working as well as anticipated, they work in tandem with presenters to shift gears to address it immediately. Few have this level of commitment to ensure the satisfaction of all attendees.

What qualities do you find most important to making meetings & conferences successful?

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Fashionably patriotic look for an Inauguration Party

Our favorite political party is an Inauguration Party! Here are a few tips for hosting a grand old party of your own (coupled with some fashionable patriotic looks)!

Politics aside
Let your affair be a space for celebrating democracy and the opportunities to successfully move the country forward in the coming years. Be mindful that not every guest may agree with the choice the majority made. Keep the partisan rhetoric to a minimum and allow for a celebration for all.

Scrumptious Pie with a Patriotic Spin

A two party system
Allowing two parties – you and them — to plan your inauguration affair engages your guests well in advance of the event. Invite your guests to cast their ballots for appetizers, desserts and signature sips! To keep controversy at bay, last make sure there are – read my lips — No Hanging Chads!

Purple Majesty Macaron Tower

Customized experiences
The key to a successful memorable affair are the customized aspects. Sure, you can go to the local party store and get your standard red, white and blue hats and napkins, but what makes the event something to talk about is being thoughtful about representing the overarching theme. Maybe feature gourmet fondue to represent the melting pot we’ve truly become. Cap the night off with “purple mountain majesty’s” in dessert form like the featured macaron tower or the patriotic pie.

Red, White & Blue Classic Look

Style
Encourage your guests to wear attire that’s patriotic, but not cliché. Have a ballot box for voting. Best look gets the “award”! People love a good contest. We love the looks in the posted photographs.

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A few weeks ago we had the wonderful opportunity to work with Johns Hopkins Medicine. Their Journey to Hope Conference provides a wealth of content in the area of Alzheimer’s and Memory Care. It is a wonderful resource as it provides practical approaches and information for these challenging illnesses that affect entire families. The conference featured presentations on caregiving, how communities can be of assistance to Dementia patients and their families, how to effectively communicate with your doctor, research in the field and a number of wonderful exhibitors.

As someone who is a part of a family who has seen the results of Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s, it was our pleasure to support other families in this information gathering conference.

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Magnificent Couple Erin & Kevin!

There are times, as an event planner, where you just feel lucky to witness true, majestic love. The kind of heightened affinity between two individuals that makes you believe in magic and dwell upon blessings. Erin Farfaglia and Kevin Moore are exemplary of exactly that.

Mother & Bride as they begin their walk down the aisle

On a late July day we witnessed the picture of effortless love, rooted in friendship — the sort that commands you to simply cherish the day. We’d say they were mirror images of each other except he stands at least a full foot taller than she. We beheld glittering eyes as they were joined in together in matrimony, but even better, joined together in bliss at The Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Stunning details of the day

Art Deco Cake

The nuptials were followed by an unforgettable affair at The Belvedere in Baltimore. With the Art Deco aesthetic, it was the perfect venue for the couple and their guest’s to celebrate the occasion. The live band, LOVE – one of the most magnificent we’ve ever experienced, performed everything from Hey Jude and Bridge Over Troubled Water to Rolling in the Deep and Nicki Minaj’s SuperBass. It was a non-stop dynamic celebration.

The reception at The Belvedere

Dance!

Celebrate!

Mr. & Mrs. Moore!

When evening fell we knew they we couldn’t help, much like Kevin & Erin, to feel the luckiest to be a part of this day.

Truly “The Luckiest”

All (stunning) photos courtesy of Greg Land Photography.

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Kalorama Cookie Company Tablescape at District Sample Sale

Last week we had the pleasure of collaborating with Kalorama Cookie Company on their table design for one of D.C.’s favorite fashion events, District Sample Sale. Kalorama Cookie Company is a custom design cookie company based in Washington, D.C.

Wedding Cake Cookies

With owner, Patti Greenstein, at the helm the company is set to make a major mark on D.C.’s “sweets” market. With custom, themed creations as the standard, the company brings to vibrant life nearly any design you request.

Cupcake Sprinkle Cookies

Fruit Cookies

Their magnificent cookies were one of the go to spots at the affair. You were bound to see a number of fashionistas enjoying a sweet, including part of District Sample Sale’s Haute Committee and owner of T.H.E. Artist Agency, Linda Erkiletian. You’d be doing yourself a grand disservice not to place an order immediately. Enjoy a few more shots below!

[flagallery gid=all name=Kalorama Cookie Company]

Images courtesy of Natarsha N. Wright Photography

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[flagallery gid=2 name="ComeHomeBAltimore"].

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How much wedding experience do you have?

I speak with some bias, certainly, but your wedding photos are no place to cut costs. The more established and experienced your photographer, the better your photos and overall photography experience will be. While hiring a seasoned pro is certainly going to be more expensive, the resulting product will be far superior. Having shot weddings for more than five years, I find that I’m often much more than a photographer at most weddings. It’s important for your photographer to anticipate
events and problems, be prepared for a wide range of lighting situations, manage mini crises that might arise, and bring expertise to make sure everything runs smoothly.

What photography style do you work in primarily?

It is incredibly important that your photographer’s product appeals to your aesthetic and the idea you have of your wedding day. Most pros keep an eye on the trends and should be able to cater to your preferred style, but it is important to see examples of the kind of work you’d like your own wedding shot in. Over the last few years, photojournalistic pictures have become very popular. In a more photojournalistic shoot, the photographer captures candid events as they happen without a lot of posing. That said, some people prefer more traditional photographs
where most of the photos taken are posed. Most professional photographers are able to combine both styles very well. It is important to familiarize yourself with the different types of photography before you go shopping so you know what style you like.

Can I see your images from a full, finished wedding?

Most photographers post highlights from weddings in their portfolios and blogs, leaving a majority of the photos out of these collections. While these images are their best and brightest, it is a good idea to see how they handle the rest of the wedding day, including low light situations, family portraits, reception events, etc. To get a good idea of how your potential photographer handles a wedding from start to finish, she if he or she will show you a full wedding take.

Are you the photographer that will shoot my wedding? How many
photographers will shoot my wedding?

Many photographers work with associate shooters, so it is important to verify who will be present on your wedding day. On top of your primary shooter, many photographers work with assistants and second shooters. A second shooter can capture additional angles and events that I can’t catch as a single person, and assistants help to keep the shooting on schedule and running as smoothly as possible. This means that (skilled, attentive) second shooters have an eye on details the groom’s tie and mom’s boutonniere to make sure everything is straight while we’re running around taking family portraits. A second shooter or assistant is
definitely an added bonus on your wedding day.

What rights will I have to digital images?

In the digital age, we have come accustomed to viewing photos on computers rather than in printed forms. While I absolutely recommend purchasing a wedding album (a post for another day!) it’s important for you to understand what rights you will have to your digital images. You will want to know specifically if you will be allowed to copy, print, and share your images, and what limits your photographer might put
on those rights.

Are you insured?

Any pro worth their salt will have liability insurance to cover themselves, their equipment, and any damage that might be caused by either. Imagine Uncle Albert tripping on tripod and breaks his wrist—liability insurance will provide the appropriate protection. Wedding venues often require a copy of the insurance certificate anyway, but it’s going to be a great peace of mind for you to be sure either
way!

As a final thought I remind you to always, always read your photography contract thoroughly to confirm payment and cancellation policies, completion times, and other technicalities of your photography contract.

Klover Events is pleased to welcome guest blogger, Melissa Kelly. Formally trained as a photojournalist, Melissa has been shooting weddings since 2005, and works out of suburban Philadelphia and the greater metro area (NY to DC). When she’s not shooting (which feels like never), she’s reading tween novels or cooking dinner with her husband. Visit www.melissakellyphotography.com for more information.

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This Rosa Clara contemporary gown with pockets is equally beautiful from, both, a fashion and architectural perspective.

Image courtesy of Polyvore

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