Manzanitas are also a great for DIY event design. There are a several sites that allow you to purchase manzanita branches online. Some of them even offer complete kits to make your own manzanita centerpieces. A few of my favorites are:

Blooms and Branches

Nettleton Hollow

Save On Crafts

Here is some inspiration for ways you can incorporate manzanitas into your wedding or event design!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

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

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

This week I want to share a few additional tips for making your lounge area exceptional, as well as leave you with inspiration for romantic lounges and beach lounges.

Making your lounge fabulous is easier than you might expect. Here are a few simple ways to jazz things up:

1.) Create a signature drink for your lounge. For a modern lounge, a signature martini would work well. For a rustic or outdoor lounge, pink lemonade (alcohol optional) is a great choice. For a beach wedding, you might want to choose a tropical drink, such as a mojito or pina colada. Think champagne or prosecco for your romantic lounge.

2.) Decorate your lounge the same way you would a room in your home. By this I mean, don’t be afraid to incorporate furniture, coffee tables, chandeliers, rugs, lamps, etc. And my favorite – pillows! Whether they are throw pillows on a rented sofa or overstuffed pillows that take the place of chairs, pillows make a lounge comfortable and inviting.

3.) If your budget allows, incorporate lighting into your lounge. Lighting can transform the feel of an area and can really go a long way in making your lounge feel like….. well, a lounge! 

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

Lounges are actually one of my favorite elements in the planning process, because there is so much room for creativity and uniqueness in the décor. Not sure how to incorporate a lounge into your event? Here are a few suggestions:

1.) Create a lounge area for your cocktail hour and then transition into a more traditional reception for dinner and dancing. 

2.) Forego the seated dinner entirely, and pass small plates or heavy hors d’oeuvres throughout the lounge area.

3.) Have a traditional seated meal and then usher guests your lounge area (complete with a dance floor) for an after party.

The possibilities are endless and because there are no rules, lounges are so much fun! Still not sure how to incorporate a lounge into your wedding or event? I have created a few inspiration boards to give you some ideas. This week, inspiration for rustic, outdoor lounges as well as modern lounges, indoors or out.

Enjoy!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio

• Skip the evite and send paper invitations instead. Sending paper invitations creates excitement and lets guests know this party will be something special!
• Create a signature holiday drink. You think about having a signature drink when planning a wedding, so why not incorporate one into your holiday party?
• Create a festive playlist. Create a stellar holiday playlist on your ipod so that you can just plug and play without having to worry about playing DJ all evening.
• Surprise your guests with décor. Have some fun with your holiday decorations – fabulous décor will help kick the party up a notch!
• Serve a variety of small plates to encourage mingling. Especially if you’ve invited guests from multiple social circles, small plates will encourage movement and conversation among everyone at the party.
• Think about party favors. Why not have a basket of ornaments with a personalized note for your guests to take away?

Happy holidays!

Brooke Hill
Owner & Principal Event Designer
The Celebration Studio