It’s all in the name

When I was a young girl I would dream of my wedding day all white, flowers, bridesmaids and of course changing my name.  It wasn’t until I was a woman and actually proposed to that the panic set in: No white please, my bridesmaid was a boy, I forgot to arrange flowers and then there was My name, I’m going to lose my name!

I battled with it and my husband to be.  He was wondering what the big deal was and I was creating a very detailed story as to why I shouldn’t.  I had travelled the world, visited my parent’s birth countries and felt as though my name was that stamp of history I could not let go of. (Do I make sense?) Was I over reacting? Creating a big deal for just a name?

I am now married 7 years and have finally completed the last name change on my Medicare and I will be honest I was a little sad.  I was not pressured in any way to change my name; I think my husband was very understanding to my mini melt down.  But I had not committed either way and it was getting messy when having to show ID and having maiden name and married names on different things.
 

What made me change my mind?

Having babies and wanting us all to have the same name was the clincher for me.  It’s almost like it came full circle as I think most things do in life.  I still had that moment when naming my first born of losing my heritage by not giving them my name so we came to an agreement that all our children’s middle name would be my maiden name.  This was the best decision and it makes me proud to see my maiden name on their birth certificate and knowing that they will always know their mum’s name!

When brides & grooms come into the showroom and fill out the paper work it is always interesting to see how each bride reacts to the whole name.  I think it should always be discussed between a couple and let it be known that a woman does not necessarily want to keep her name in aid of Women’s rights but for their own right’s.  We were born with these names and sometimes feel quite attached to them emotionally, historically or just because it’s a better name than HIS!

Is it all in the name or is it just a name?

Please feel free to share your name change story or idea for other potential brides.

 

FH

Anything is possible

Anything is possible - by Claire Deller

Love: an undefinable term.

Love is that special bond, connection and undefinable feeling inside that lights up our lives. Here at Mask Events couples allow us to share in that love, on their special day where that love is promised and committed to, ‘til death do us part.’

The Crew at Mask Events honours our commitment to providing each and every couple with a special, unique and flawless Wedding Day. The dedicated team are here to create your dream Ceremony and Reception. With a huge range and variety of chair covers, sashes, centre pieces, table cloths and table runners and affordable packages to suit your budget and needs, Mask Events has it all, just for you.

You can trust Mask Events for a friendly, welcoming company whose priority is you. At Mask Events we are all a family of friends, and we love to welcome our clients to be a part of that, as we too get to be a part of theirs. 

Love gives us that feeling of infinite possibilities, so for all your ceremony and reception needs we welcome you at Mask Events, where anything is possible.  

 Email: info@maskevents.com.au

Claire

A voice to our Mask Events Crew: Welcome Claire

We had an idea during set up last week that our crew should have a voice on our Mask Events blog.
As we are all in love with weddings and events and learn a lot from working within them every weekend, it would only be appropriate for us all to share our knowledge, what inspires us, beautiful things, tips and more.  Please write to us if you have a special request.

I would love to introduce you to a budding Event Planner super star: Claire!

Hi to all our lovely readers,

My name is Claire Deller and I am an employee at Mask Events and it’s a great honour to be a part of the Mask Events Family and do what we do. I hope to share with you all tips, adventures and photos of the breath taking Weddings the Mask crew decorate and the many corporate events we set up. I hope you enjoy reading about Mask Events exciting adventures and our professional advice on Weddings and Events.

A bit about me…

I am a current full time student at The University of the Sunshine Coast, studying a bachelor of Business. I study a major in Tourism, leisure and Event Management, and study a minor in Small Business Management.

If my personal journey can offer one piece of advice, it is:

 'To be inspired by all that is around you, to simply yet deeply be inspired by life'

 

Please ‘Like’ Mask Events on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/maskeventsandweddings

We encourage your feedback and appreciate your support.

Thank you. 

Claire Deller

 

Here are some images Claire sent me from some events in May 2013

 

What’s Your Wow?

It’s the happiest day of your life and for the happy couple, will be a day they will forever remember with intricate detail.  For your guests however, the day can be a blur of unfamiliar faces and one too many champagnes.  

A perfect wedding contains many elements, one of these elements is your choice of centrepiece.  Done correctly, it can tie a room together, create an impression on your guests and leave a lasting memory.

Custom made signs

The look of your centrepieces is the biggest opportunity to make a mark on the entire reception.  Colours and textures used are important and should carry on the tone set with the ceremony.

Whether they are something beautiful to look at, appreciate or smell, adding a bit of romance element and soft light, or even something delightful, your wedding centre pieces beyond doubt set the mood for the entire wedding reception.  Many people do not care about details because they do not realize that detail is the key to success.

Without doubt the key focal point for your wedding reception will be the bridal table.  It’s the stage for the speeches and to take a sneaky peek at the loved up couple stealing their first kisses as husband and wife.  The centre piece for the bridal table should be unique and a larger, more elaborate setting inspired by the overall look of the reception.

Flowers, candles and for a beachside wedding, shells are all popular choices. 

To purchase go to: www.lolodesigns.com.au

By far my most requested centrepiece is my mirrored MR & MRS sign.  It’s a unique décor item and is a take home memento for the happy couple to hang on the wall of their home.  

All in all, the setting and selections of wedding center pieces require patience and careful consideration.

LoLo Designs has a variety of signs available or they do custom made signs upon request.

Go to - www.lolodesigns.com.auwww.lolodesigns.com.au

To sit or to stand?

I get many questions from people with absolutely no experience organising parties or weddings.  One of the first questions needed to be answered is, will it be a sit down or stand up occasion.  There’s much to consider and if done wrong can leave your guests with a lot to grumble about.

Sit down functions are most popular for weddings and larger events and are the best way to enjoy a fabulous meal.  The problem with this style though is the dreaded seating plan, an event organisers enemy!  

Corporate functions where businesses are allocated an entire table make this option easy, but for functions such as weddings when most guests will come in a couple, or worse as a single careful planning is needed to get the seating just right.

Stand up events, also known as cocktail functions, present none of these problems as guests are free to mix and mingle as they please.  Food options are restricted mostly to finger food, but if this is plentiful can still make for a filling meal.  

The biggest consideration with cocktail functions is to have adequate seating.  If guests are elderly this may not be the option for you and regardless a variety of seating options must be on hand for all. 

Get the answer to this question right and your guests will be full of fun and fresh to hit the dance floor!

Tell us what you prefer.. to sit? or to stand?

Help! My Boss Wants Me to Organise a Fabulous Party, Pronto!

Help!  My Boss Wants Me to Organise a Fabulous Party, Pronto! 

Come October, my phone rings with people saying this a couple of times a day.  

The hapless PA who does a great job with the bookwork is probably not the best person for the job of organising a fabulous company function but often the person delegated this duty.
Corporate events present a unique set of issues and should all be carefully considered, there’s a lot riding on making the boss happy!  Here’s my top 5 things you should remember when organising the company function:

Ask questions:  Talk to the rest of your colleagues about what they might like, better yet, rope some in to help!   Suggestions on venue and themes are always great ones to put out to an all-staff email to be voted on.
Entertainment:  Don’t rely on alcohol and a change of scenery to keep everyone amused.  For a party to remember have quality entertainment high on your list of priorities.  Karaoke, comedian, magician are all popular selections and are sure to cater to all tastes.
Be organised:  Write lists and have a rough running sheet of the evening prepared.  These small points of organisation will ensure the night runs smoothly and most importantly allow you to have a shandy and a boogie on the dance floor to “My Sherona”.
Food:  A make or break aspect and will be different dependant on the culture of each workplace.  It’s unlikely that a mechanics workshop would enjoy a fine dining experience or that a law firm would like an all you can eat carvery at the local RSL.   Being sensitive to the uniqueness of your workplace is key and if that means a BBQ  in your bosses backyard then that’s alright.
You will not please everyone:  Every workplace has a party pooper.   Your boss may dance a little too close with Kimmy from reception and at least a handful of people will drink too much and be the subject of office gossip for months to come. 

All these things are out of your control.  If you understand that from the start you will be certain of having a successful shindig!

Why Colour Choice Can Be Critical

One of the things I find most difficult to decide on when theming a room is colour choice. There are so many amazing colours to choose from and I am often led by my heart as to what is the right one to choose.

There’s been a great deal of study into the psychology of colour, what each one symbolises and how it effects people in different ways
Green is the colour that symbolises nature and the natural world and represents tranquillity and good health
Blue is most peoples favourite colour and calls to mind feelings of calmness and serenity. Research has shown that people are more productive in blue rooms
Yellow is most commonly described as being cheery and warm, but research shows that people are more likely to become agitated in a yellow room
Red is a colour that evokes strong emotions and is most commonly associated with love. Too much red however can have the opposite effect and make people feel intense or even angry.

Some interesting things to consider for your next function