Why do I believe that design and décor is one of the most important aspects of any event? Because adding things like lighting, draping and custom design elements can lend a major “wow” factor to any event. Pink Monkey Solutions shares my opinion about the importance of design and décor – in fact, that is all they do!

Pink Monkey is a full service event design and production boutique that specializes in décor, lighting, custom fabric work/draping, and sound. With locations in both Vail and Denver, they are ideally situated to service events both in the mountains and across the front range.

Pink Monkey Solutions believes in the power of transformation. As they put it: “An event is a celebration. An event is a time to escape from the mundane. An event is a time to let your imagination run wild. We believe that no space is beyond being able to be transformed and that every event merits a transformation. The thing we love most about our job is the privilege to bring our client’s imaginations to life. Nothing makes us happier than when the client walks in to the finished space and says, ‘I can’t believe this is the same place!’ ”

The company also believes in meticulous attention to detail. ”Creativity, combined with an exacting attention to detail and our passion for perfection is what sets us apart, and makes The Monkey truly unique.”

Check out some pictures of their fab design capabilities and you’ll see what we mean about the power of transforming a room!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

I am so excited to be working with Megan & Josh on their wedding next weekend at Hudson Gardens. They are such a sweet couple and their love for each other is so evident! As Josh said, “Megan is the most loving and caring person you will ever meet. Her concern for everyone around her and her willingness to do whatever it takes to make them feel better is amazing. Her warm and loving attitude makes her a joy to be around and is one of the many reasons I want to spend the rest of my life with her. She is truly the best friend a guy could want and I consider myself lucky to be able to marry this woman.”

And here’s what Megan has to say about Josh: ”Josh is wonderful, sweet, funny, and possibly the most sarcastic person I have ever met.  Having a bad day?  He’ll say something to make you smile, even if the joke is in bad taste.  Everyone he meets loves him.  He charms them with that sarcastic sense of humor we all know so well, and that made me fall for him.  He has accomplished so much within himself, and has so much he still wants to do.  He wants nothing more than to make everyone around him happy, so much so that sometimes he forgets about himself.  It is all of this and so much more that I can’t put into words that makes up Joshua Paul Prins.  I wouldn’t trade him for anyone (even Aaron Rodgers).  That’s a good thing, because it just so happens that we’re getting married, in case you hadn’t heard.”

I mean seriously? Could I be working with a sweeter couple? Here is a preview from their engagement session, with pictures of their beautiful wedding coming soon!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio 

A guest book is a great keepsake from your wedding day. But I am a firm believer that the guest book does NOT have to be boring! Here are just a few creative ideas for your guest book:

- Have your guests sign bottles of wine that you can save and drink on special wedding anniversaries

- Have your guests sign pieces of fabric that can be made into a quilt

- Have your guests sign Christmas Ornaments

- Create your own, personalized mad-lib guest book

- Reserve a photo booth and have guests take goofy photos and sign them

- Have your guests sign a pair of vintage skis (for all of you outdoorsy brides)

- Have your guests sign your favorite musical instrument (for all of you music lovers)

- Have pre-stamped and addressed post cards available for your guests to write you a message. Let them decide when to drop the postcard in the mail to you…. it’ll be the never-ending guest book with messages that just keep coming!

- Create a recipe book for guests to sign – instead of detailing their favorite dishes, have them dish out opinions on recipes for a successful marriage

- Have your guests sign a book about your honeymoon destination, and then enjoy reading their special messages during your honeymoon

- Hang a large chalkboard for guests to write messages on – this one is great for a vintage/rustic outdoor wedding

- Have your guests sign their names on river rocks and place the rocks in your backyard garden

- Have guests sign a record of your first dance song

- Have your guests sign a platter from a make-your-own pottery store and then have the platter glazed with all of the signatures on it – it will be a great piece to use while entertaining!

Obviously this list is not complete, but hopefully it’ll get your creative juices flowing, and help you realize how much more personal a guest book can be if you put a little thought into it!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

So you’re hosting a Bachelorette Party or Bridal Shower and you stumble upon the inevitable question – what games should we play? Here are 5 of my favorites that aren’t (too) cheesy and will guarantee a few laughs!

1.) The Question Game.  Send a list of questions to the bride’s fiancé in advance of the party, and ask him to answer them. Then ask the same set of questions to the bride during the party – the difference in answers is always entertaining!

1. - What did you do on your first date?
2. - What was your fiancé wearing on your first date?
3. - What were you wearing on your first date?
4. - Who initiated the first kiss?
5. - Who said, “I love you” first?
6. - Where did you go on your last real date?
7. - What is your favorite drink?
8. - What is your favorite meal or food?  
9. - What is your favorite color?
10. - How old were you when you got your first kiss?
11. - How many children do you want? 
12. - What is your fiancés favorite quality about you, and what is your favorite quality about him?
13. - What is body part of yours is your fiancés favorite?
14. - What is the sexiest thing that you wear (in your fiancés opinion)?
15. - What word do you think your fiancé would use to best describe you?

2.) The Calf Game.  This one is great for a Jack & Jill shower! Blindfold the bride. Have her feel the calves of 5 different males at the party, one of which is her fiancé. Then have her guess which calf belongs to her fiancé!

3.) The Panty Poem: A Funny Clothesline Underwear Rhyme.  The presentation of this panty poem requires 8 pairs of panties:

1. - Bridal white for the first night
2. - Sexy lace panties for the honeymoon
3. - Red for Valentine’s day
4. - Leopard print for the 1st anniversary
5. - A pink pair AND a blue pair for first baby
6. - A sexy full cut pair for 25 years of marriage… and finally…
7. - A big giant pair of bloomers or granny panties

You could have a clothesline (or something similar set up)to hang each panty on after the reading of the corresponding verse, or you could just hold up each pair during the reading and then give them to the bride-to-be.  If all of the bridesmaids are in attendance at the party, have  all of them read the opening verses together and then each one can recite a verse that corresponds with one particular panty.

The bridesmaids have a secret to share
About our little bride
She is obsessed with underwear
And that we cannot hide

So for our little panty queen
We gathered up some twine
And working as a friendly team
We made a panty line.

Alternate verse if no clothesline available:
So for our special panty queen
We’ll make her feel just fine
By working as a friendly team
To form a panty line.

(Bride’s name) these undies are to last you
All throughout your life
And (groom’s name) will be pleased to say
He has a sexy wife!

So listen up to hear about
Your lifelong panty plan
These underwear, we have no doubt
Will last your whole life span

The first are for your wedding day
Of course they are pure white
We know (groom’s name) will shout, “Hooray!”
When he sees you on that night

The next are for your honeymoon
They’re sexy and all lace
We hope you’ll leave your hotel room
‘Cause (honeymoon destination)’s a gorgeous place!

On Valentine’s you’ll wear this pair
Before you hit the bed
Cuz Cupid’s arrow in the air
Shoots tushies that are red

After a year has passed you’ll face
Anniversary number one
With these you’ll surely have a blast
‘Cuz leopard’s so much fun!

Then when the time is right for you
And don’t be saying, “Maybe”
You’ll wear your little pink or blue
In honor of your baby

And when your years of wedding bliss
Become the big 2-5
Don’t worry – you’ll just slip this on
To keep the sparks alive

When finally you’re old and gray
With these you can’t go wrong
‘Cuz sorry (Bride’s name) but at that age
You just can’t wear a thong

4.) The Hot Dog Game. You’ll need string, hot dogs and plastic cups. One at a time, each guest will tie a piece of yarn around her waist and leave enough yarn (after knotting) to reach her upper thigh. Then, a hot dog is tied to the end of the yarn and the cup is placed on the floor at her feet. The guest must straddle while trying to see how many times she can dip the hot dog into the cup in 2 minutes. Whoever gets the hot dog into the cup the most times in 2 minutes wins. You could have the winners of each round go against each other until a final winner emerges. It’s a great quad exercise as well as being hilarious!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding registry at Pottery Barn or Williams-Sonoma? Consider registering for your honeymoon! More and more couples are falling in love with honeymoon registries as a way to make their dream honeymoon a reality: through the registry, your guests can give you portions of your vacation as a wedding gift.

Instead of a “place setting for the table” you could receive a “romantic honeymoon dinner” or a “sunset sailing cruise” as a wedding gift. A honeymoon registry is is so much more personal than asking your guests outright for cash – guests will choose something special that they would like to give you as a wedding gift. Unlike getting envelopes with checks in them at the wedding and leaving the next day for your honeymoon trip, a honeymoon gift registry allows you to know ahead of time what you will have available for extras and upgrades on your vacation.

Many companies that offer honeymoon registries also have travel experts on-hand to help registered couples book their dream honeymoons. And companies such as The Big Day don’t charge a fee for your registry if you end up booking your honeymoon through one of their travel experts.

Hello paradise!!!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Choosing a wedding photographer can be a stressful process. You only get married once, and you want to make sure you love your pictures! While browsing for tips on how to ensure your wedding pictures will be everything you hoped they would be, I found this great article on The Knot, “Wedding Photography: 8 Tips to Getting the Wedding Photos You Want.” I wanted to share it, because I think that these tips are spot-on…. follow them and you’re guaranteed to end up with wedding pictures you adore!

Hire for Style:  It’s easy to obsess over wedding photography price points and packages, but do yourselves a favor and start your research process by nailing down a wedding photography style first. There are countless types to choose from – from the more traditional, clean, straight-on shots to creative angles and inventive backdrops (think: garage door with chipped paint) and knowing the aesthetic you’re after from the beginning will undoubtedly help you find a photographer you love for all the right reasons. Can’t find a photographer you like in your budget? Call one you love and ask them to recommend a less-experienced shooter (maybe one of their assistants) with a similar style.

Streamline the Family Photos:  Don’t waste time trying to get every last combo of grandparents, siblings, and cousins. Invariably your little nephews will run off, his grandmother will get tired of waiting, and everyone will end up frustrated. Instead, put together a short (!) list of the must-have family shots you want (like the two of you with your immediate families) and then take one big family photo with everyone in it. Do it this way and you not only buy yourselves more time at the reception, you also free up your photographer to capture the more candid shots from the day.

Don’t Sweat the Little Things:  While it’s totally fine to show your photographer the types of shots you like, it’s even more important that you’re flexible the day-of. So if it rains and you can’t get that sunny shot of you in a field, grab big umbrellas and a pair of bright yellow rain boots and trust your photographer to find the right shot. Same goes for your schedule: If you’re stuck in traffic between the ceremony and reception and don’t have time to hit up all your favorite city sites with your bridal party, pick a few favorites and move on. Trust your photographer to keep you on-schedule, to frame the shots, and to know what will look best – remember, that’s why you hired them!

Choose Your Hues:  Most likely, your photographer will be shooting with digital film, but if you love the look of black-and-white photos, it’s a good idea to let them know that ahead of time. In other words, don’t just assume that because the photos look great in color, they’ll translate to black-and-white in the same way. Let your photographer know your color preference, and that way they can be sure the lighting and camera settings ensure a sharp, classic product.

Get Engagement Photos Taken:  We know engagement photos are an extra cost, but scheduling an engagement photo shoot is well worth the money. Why? Besides the fact that you’ll get gorgeous engagement photos to share with friends and family, you and your fiance will feel so much more comfortable having a camera pointed at you on your wedding day if you’ve already been through it. That confidence will show through in your wedding photos, so it’s essential that you feel comfortable with your photographer.

Cover Your Bases:  Don’t get carried away, but providing your photographer with a top-five list of poses or moments you want is a good way to guarantee you get the photos you’re hoping for. Bring in examples that you find online, or point out samples that they’ve already taken at other weddings. A couple must-haves we love? The just-after-the-recessional shot (when you’re alone and married for the first time!); Mom and Dad at the ceremony (looking proud); and a large overall shot of your reception (to capture the feeling of the evening) are all good ideas. That said, it’s still important to trust your photographer to know what will look right for you.

Add a Photo Booth:  It’s going to be virtually impossible to get a photo with every guest – or even to guarantee that your photographer will – so renting a photo booth is the perfect solution. Guests can let their personality shine, especially if you set up a visually interesting backdrop and provide quirky props (funny hats, fake mustaches, mini chalkboards for writing funny messages). The result is guaranteed to make a great addition to your guest book or wedding album.

Schedule a Day-After Shoot:  Okay, not as essential as, say, engagement photos, but a great idea if you’re worried about seeing enough of your guests. Instead of taking time the morning-of or during cocktail hour, schedule a session for the next day – or even a week after – to snap some couple shots. Yep, you read that right: Get back in the wedding dress (when you’re bound to be calmer) and shoot the fun stuff so that you’re not bogged down by it on the day-of. Do it this way and you’ll also give your photographer time to shoot the candid moments of the day.

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

High fashion meets cupcakes at Bella Cupcake Couture. Started by Carrie Middlemiss after she was laid-off from her job at a bank, Bella Cupcake Couture offers chic textile-inspired cupcake wrappers. Simply bake or buy your favorite frosted cupcake and set it inside the wrapper – et voilà! Instant cupcake style.

Each wrapper is custom-designed and professionally created to ensure consistent and exceptional quality. The designs come in standard and mini sizes, and a variety of styles including floral, swirls and damask. The wrappers are not only fashionable, they are also eco-friendly: each design is printed with soy inks on recycled linen paper.

Bella Cupcake Couture can also create custom cupcake wrappers – a perfect way to bring in your colors, monogram or other custom design elements in order to tie the cupcakes in with your overall design scheme.

Who ever said couture was limited to clothing?!?!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Holy love at first sight! I totally adore Devil’s Thumb Ranch - so much so that I almost wish I could get married all over again, just so that I could do it at this amazing place! It’s an intimate event venue that captures the true spirit of Colorado, with spectacular scenery, a cozy ambiance and an air of relaxed sophistication. Located in Tabernash, Devil’s Thumb Ranch describes itself as “5,000 acres of raw Colorado” at the foot of the Continental Divide, complete with sweeping meadows, meandering creeks, the rustle of pine boughs. In a nutshell, it is the ideal location for your Colorado mountain wedding or event.

The crown jewel of Devil’s Thumb Ranch is the 2,900 square foot indoor reception room, The Broad Axe Barn. The barn is built from the hand hewn beams recovered from a Civil War-era Indiana barn and features a 25 foot vaulted ceiling, 7 x 10 feet windows and a 2,200 sq. ft. deck with stunning views of the Continental Divide. It’s the perfect venue for weddings or events up to 160 guests. The ranch also offers more intimate spaces for smaller events. The Timber House, with 900 square feet and 240 degree views of the Continental Divide, is the perfect locale for up to 50 seated guests. And John L’s Wine Cellar is a romantic and private setting for a rehearsal dinner or another special meal for 16 guests.

I am absolutely dying to plan a wedding or event at Devil’s Thumb Ranch…. any takers?

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Candles are one of my favorite design elements to incorporate into an event. They instantly create a romantic and elegant feel, and they can be used in so many different ways, to create so many different effects.  Whether planning a rustic wedding in the mountains, or a modern affair in downtown Denver, incorporating candles into your Colorado wedding or event is an easy way to up the “wow” factor when your guests walk into the space.

If you are on a tight floral budget, candles offer a less expensive design alternative that can be equally as stunning. Not to mention that replacing flowers with candles is a very eco-friendly option. And the best part? The candle containers – whether vases, votives or tealight holders, can be used over and over. Need some inspiration for incorporating candles into your next event? Check out the images below!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Save-On-Crafts.com is an excellent website for design and décor. They have an amazing selection of anything and everything you need for DIY projects. And the prices are surprisingly reasonable!

With everything from vases, lighting, floral supplies and candles, to baskets, tulle, branches and crystals, Save On Crafts is DIY décor heaven! Whether creating your own manzanita crystal tree or making a custom cupcake tree, Save On Crafts likely has the supplies you need. They even have “how to” guides and project ideas in their “Projects & Inspiration” section.

So if you’re planning a wedding in Colorado and love the challenge of a little DIY décor, be sure to check out Save On Crafts!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio