VENUE

There are two types of venues one needs to consider when planning an event – those that have their own furniture, equipment and food service, and those that don’t. Warehouses, museums and public lobbies can create fascinating event spaces, but can
cause you to spend a fortune in rental equipment. Most meeting facilities have their own chairs and standard banquet tables. Also remember that unless a facility offers on-site food service, flatware, glassware and china are not usually included. If the facility has an exclusive or preferred caterer, typically they will assist you with the appropriate place settings or disposables. Some facilities also have exclusive contracts with rental companies, so be sure to ask if you have the option of bringing in what you want from whomever you want. To understand the bare necessities, break the event down by its natural progression.

PARKING

Guests arrive. Where do they park? Is valet service included or do guests self-park? Does the facility own the lot or garage, does it rent the lot or is it public parking? Are you going to pre-pay for your guests’ parking validation or are guests expected to pay? Is parking far away or nearby? Is it cleared of ice and snow in the winter? Is there a parking attendant? What will you do if it pours down rain? Does the garage or lot provide visible signage with directions? Although most meetings have local attendees, individuals are often clueless when it comes to parking. If valet parking is available, are you pre-paying the tip or can guests tip as they please? Remember, most valet, coat check, door and washroom attendants depend upon tips to make their living. If your client does not want guests to tip, bring cash and take care of it on-site. There is no “we will take care of it later.” E-mail specific directions and include a map to eliminate late arrivals and the “I didn’t know where to go” syndrome. Use the terms left and right as often as possible and north, south, east and west as little as possible. Don’t let parking become an issue – it can sour the whole day!

COAT CHECK

Is a coat room provided? Are only racks and hangers provided, or is there an attendant as well? If your client wants a coat check attendant, can the facility provide staff for this job? Again, decide how this person will be tipped. Is the coat room adequate for the number of coats arriving? Will you need to pipe and drape a larger space for coat check? Who will rent the needed equipment and when can it be delivered? For evening functions, heavy jackets and furs take up much more room than usual. Count on needing more than one and a half the normal amount of coat space for a black-tie gala, or a social dinner on a cold winter night. And remember that traditional wire hangers will not support the weight of a heavy coat or fur. It’s like Joan Crawford was so fond of saying, “NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!”

SIGNAGE AND REGISTRATION

Does the facility have adequate signage from parking to the building? Will the staff post signs or set up easels listing what functions are going on in which rooms? If you have to create signs, does the facility have easels? Will you need to rent them? Are you allowed to post signs in hallways? Few facilities will allow you to tape anything to walls or doors – don’t look foolish and attempt it. Does the venue have a front desk, guest service attendant or lobby attendant to help direct guests? Are clothed registration tables included or do you need to rent them? Are there chairs for the staff at registration? Is the linen or skirting floor length on the tables so you can place boxes and needed items underneath? Make sure that your registration tables are not located in the path of cold drafts from open doors or next to glass windows in the hot sun. Also, don’t block stairs or fire exits.

BATHROOMS

Are there bathrooms? How close are they to your meeting space? Is there directional signage leading to them? Are they capable of handling the size of your crowd? Are there attendants or staff who check and restock them throughout the event? Are they clean? Check and see if they are stocked with liquid soap, paper towels and toilet paper. For high-end events, are you allowed to put mints and toiletries on the counter? Are flowers permitted on the vanity? One thing to avoid is putting anything organic or decorative on counters that can stain the countertop. Rose petals sound romantic slathered on the vanity at a wedding. However, water and rose petals can easily stain a porous counter-top and you will be responsible for repairing or replacing it. Any items you place in the bathroom should be functional and on a tray with an appropriately sized floral arrangement on the vanity. You do not want to deal with broken glass or an injured guest. If there is a washroom attendant, decide how the person will be tipped. Also, be sure to thank him or her at the end of the night, as it is often a thankless job. If you are planning an outside event, are there bathrooms located on the property? How far away are they? Are portable restrooms provided or do you need to rent them? Where are you allowed to put them? Who is going to stock them and monitor their cleanliness? What about hand washing? Do you need to rent a station? Can you use antibacterial hand wipes? What will these be placed on? Ask the property managers what vendors they have used before with successful results. Nothing is more of a turnoff than long lines and dirty restrooms with no toilet paper or hand towels! Dirty restrooms are a liability and a poor reflection upon you and your event.

TABLES, CHAIRS AND A/V

Simply, if you want to conserve money, use what the facility owns. By being creative, you can create a functional and attractive event for your guests. Ask yourself, “What are the bare necessities needed to make this event a success?” You will either be amazed at how well the standard basics fill the bill, or you will be horrified at how much you have to rent! Basic 6 or 8 foot tables can be used to create a variety of configurations. A simple overlay with a 10- to 12-inch drop will often be sufficient. What type of chairs does the venue have? Be sure to sit in them and make sure they are comfortable. Are there enough? If you have to rent or supplement furniture, are you responsible for placing the order or is the venue? Are linens, cloth napkins and skirting included? What size and color choices are there? If there is bar service, are paper cocktail napkins provided? If you rent equipment, when can it be delivered and picked up? Will the venue be open and will there be someone to sign for your rentals? How soon will your event be set up and when can you start bringing in your materials? Are there restrictions regarding candles and centerpieces? Where does the florist unload? Note that most facilities no longer allow glitter, confetti or loose rose petals to be used on tables as they damage the linens and carpet.

For audio-visual needs, my best advice is to develop a relationship with an A/V company and use it consistently. Know the staff by name, have their cell phone numbers on hand and get to the point of relying on their outstanding service. Be sure you are allowed to use the A/V company of your choice at the selected venue. Know which manager will be there during setup in case A/V staffers have questions. Find out if they need to break down immediately after the event or if can they strike the next day. If you have technical support during your event, plan on providing meals for the A/V staff.

If the facility owns its own equipment, give your point person a detailed list of everything you plan on doing and providing. If you are bringing in a speaker who claims to have his or her own equipment, make sure it is compatible with the venue – always do a test run! We live in a generation of personal computers. If you are using your own laptop, you must bring the right cables to plug in to the facility’s projector. Don’t expect the venue to have them on hand. Do you need a screen, microphone, podium, speakers, mixer, DVD player or projector? Is there an A/V cart or table for those items to sit on? Audio-visual can be very stressful for the amateur event planner – know your stuff.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

NO ALCOHOL ON AN EMPTY TUMMY! There must be a balance between the two. Heavy Hunger + Light On Liquor = Responsible Guest. What type of food and beverage service will you need for your event – heavy hors d’oeuvres or 3-course plated meals? Does the facility have an on-site or exclusive caterer? Does it have a preferred caterer list? Does the facility require a percentage of food and beverage brought in? Is there a clean kitchen or prep area with a sink? Is there a refrigerator or ice machines, and what is the capacity? For in-house food service, be sure to discuss all of the menu options. For outside food and beverage service, be sure to find out where they unload and prep. Are there work tables for culinary preparation? Do food and beverages need to be in a separate area or in the same room as your meeting? Be sure to consider whether this will disrupt your event and become more inconvenient than convenient. Does the facility own china, flatware and glassware? If so, is there a fee for its use? Can your outside caterer take care of the rentals and simply add that to the bill? Does the company provide disposable serving ware? Is there an adequate number of trash cans? Where is trash disposed? Are there recycling bins? The entire staff of Steven Becker Fine Dining with our in-house catering department can be very helpful in making the appropriate culinary selections and setting up your food and beverage attractively. Allow our expertise to make your job a lot easier and make sure you have the items secured to have a stellar event!

Rob’s Do or Die Documentation

Make sure you obtain the following BEFORE your event (when applicable):
• Food Permit
• Liquor Permit
• Sound Permit
• Sanitation Permit
• Signed Security Agreement
• Signed Parking Agreement
• Signed Facility Rental Agreement
• Signed Catering Agreement

Rob Schaefer
Venue Guy and St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee

It seems that many people do not know the difference between a Gala and a Dinner. Tacking the term “Gala” to your event does not make it Gala worthy…and often leaves guests feeling short changed!
Gala worthy events start with a Gala worthy location and I am proud to say that we are one of them. People want to see beauty, creativity and style! Bland and Boring location + Bland and Boring Meal = Bland and Boring Event. Location is critical especially with a limited decor budget.
A Gala typically serves an upscale dinner menu and bar package that is comparable to the ticket price – and allows guests to feel that it was a social and recreational investment for the evening. Generally, there is some type of theme or design concept that is carried throughout the event which creates brand identity for the organization or cause. Memory recognition! And finally, guests leave the event feeling that they were pampered and proud to have contributed to the evening (generosity can be a powerful motivator).
I cannot say that all Galas are Gala worthy and I have attended events that left me hungry, insulted and less than generous. Providing a beautiful experience, a delicious meal, whimsical touches and enforcing the message of who you are helping, all aid in making me believe it was worth the steep ticket price.
I do not make a meal from cheese and crackers, chicken skewers, meatballs or toasted ravioli so if you are a fundraiser, you need to rethink the appetizer buffet if you have selected the term “Gala” for your event. And never have a cash bar at an event with an all inclusive ticket price. Be it beer/wine/soda or premium bar, I better not have to pull out my wallet unless I am making an auction purchase or donation. It just reads as CHEAP!
Successful Galas have committees that are receptive to feedback and members that have event planning and culinary knowledge. I have been very fortunate to work with three very successful gala events recently, The St. Louis Chapter of Wish upon a Wedding Blissful Wishes Ball, The Lydia’s House Gala, and the Asthma and Allergy Orchid Ball have earned the title of Coronado Ballroom Gala worthy! I had the pleasure to serve with many St. Louis industry professionals to create these special events and among them was the talented and charming Katie ‘Moro’ Saeger. Katie brought a clear vision to the table of how the evening was to flow and practical logistics that worked. Thank you! From the starscape ceiling to the wonderful meal, it was a lovely evening. We love working with our local and very talented vendors!
We live in a time when cost takes priority and making people feel special is secondary. I can tell you that I have grown many of my non-for-profits and seen them double in size as they made their evening an experience. Guests need to walk out the door knowing they want to attend next year…and fortunately mine have. Helping people is a great gift but it comes with great responsibility. Call me if you need a little inspiration. Wishing all of you a successful fundraising year!

Rob Schaefer
Gala worthy and St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee

My grandmother used to say that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. However, growing up on the farm I saw my grandparents stretch the dollar in amazing ways and that is probably where I get my frugal nature! As an event planner with high expectations, I refuse to let the economy downgrade my events. Even if a company is not on a budget, they want to appear to be…and they still want their events to be budget fabulous. Like my friend the plastic surgeon says, “It’s the same face, just pulled a little tighter!” One effective way I have found to do that is theme saturation. Simply take the theme of the event and instill it into every possible event detail. Basically you are just turning up the volume and making ordinary things new and exciting. Lost on how to get started, look around you and relate the mundane to what is hot and relevant today. By using event basics and incorporating the latest trends in fashion, lifestyle, television or even the latest celebrity gossip, you can give your event a Hollywood extreme makeover!

Rob’s Biker Bar Buffet

You can rock out one bad ass buffet with the current biker trends. From graffiti tee shirts to leather, you can make the dress code for servers and guests a huge part of the look. A visit to the Harley-Davidson store in your area can provide a wealth of inspiration. For one recent event, I found cool red graffiti t-shirts at Target and had the staff wear them with jeans and boots…I let them personalize the look with silver jewelry, cuffs and scarves. Think black pleather linens or metallic spandex, chrome serving dishes and novel names for food items like “Back Warmer Beef Cake or “Born to be Wild Brownies”. Inexpensive “Bar Food” is suddenly a delightful surprise and even the standard chicken wings take on a new look. For a dictionary of biker slang, go to www.totalmotorcycle.com. Use auto and bike parts on the hors d’oeuvre trays and bike tires as risers on the buffet. Duck tape, black electrical tape and chrome paint can embellish name tags, place cards and invitations. Light up your space with garage clamp lights. Ask your local dealership to loan out a bike for photo opportunities and have a representative on hand to share information. He or she might just make a sale! A temporary tattoo artist can indulge even the most straight laced executive and may unleash his or her inner demon. Have a local punk rocker with multiple piercings greet your guests at the door. Rock out with a local garage or bar band or play a little Ozzy Osborne on compact disc. This is the one event when I would serve beer in a bottle but you would probably find me sipping a “Metallica Martini” in a glass rimmed in black sanding sugar with the stem of the glass wrapped in leather twine. Peace out.

Rob’s Soprano Supper

Add one part Tony Soprano with 2 parts “Godfather” and shake with a dash of “Casino”…and you have some zesty Italian old school.
Italian cuisine is universally loved and always a good choice for events. Today, there are several wonderful gluten free pastas for those with allergies. A simple lunch with a spaghetti and meatballs or a grilled panini is fun when themed out. Marinated vegetables, risottos and vegetarian pastas are also good choices for the calorie and carbohydrate conscious. Resurrect the red and white checked table cloth and add the Chianti bottle with candle. Cruets of olive oil with good bread can be preset on the table for enhancement. I love a good tomato or minestrone soup year round, but a tomato and basil bruschetta or caprese salad first course is wonderful in summer and fall. A marinated olive bar is also a fun and interesting culinary experience. These can be served in giant martini glasses with containers of picks and plates next to each one.
Vases filled with dried pastas or potted herbs can lend themselves to the theme without going over budget. Italian Cypress trees from the nursery look beautiful on a buffet and can later be planted in the yard. Indicate that the dress code has a Sopranos or mafia theme and you will be amazed at the suit sporting, cigar smoking, hair gel headed men that walk in the door. Track suits and multiple gold chains are always a favorite. Ladies can think along the lines of leopard, lame, liner and lip gloss!

After dinner drinks with cigars are the perfect way to enhance a simple Italian meal. Have a cigar expert on site to explain the nuances of the smoke or a match girl to light up their lives. And for the non-drinkers, an Expresso or Cappuccino machine with cannoli can be the sweet finish to the day. Gaming tables and casino equipment are easy to rent and make a colorful night for all. Light up your event with strands of white or red market lights strung above the guest’s heads. Play the “Godfather” sound track or have a violin or accordion player serenade your guests. They will love it! A great photo opportunity is your CEO dressed like Marlon Brando or get a huge muscle guy from the local gym to be the bouncer /doorman…have him ask for the code word before guests are allowed in. Although wine is the Italian’s drink of choice, you will find me having a “Cement Shoes” Martini made with Limoncello….ah…la dolce vita.
*Bright light interrogations and decapitated horse heads are highly discouraged.

Go Modern Country

Country music is hot and it is a genre that has reached every age group. 20 year old performer Taylor Swift alone has re-defined country music. It is as American as American gets and its message relates to all the highs and lows of life! Say what you want, but southern, home-style cooking tastes delicious. However, do not make the mistake of identifying country with cowboy. Western décor and Modern Country décor are different entities. Leave the stage coach, branding irons and saloon signs in the shed and opt for a look that mixes glamour with down home. Dixie land bands, a guitar or fiddle soloist or even the latest (or earliest) country music can give an event a charming, warm feel. Country line dance instructors could be on hand to teach the basic steps and cause social interaction among the guests.
Lanterns, homemade candles and oil lamps give dining tables a beautiful glow. Go with country ginghams, floral, or denim as table linens. Layer your buffet with burlap or rough cotton cloth but give it the juxtaposition of candelabras blazing with candles or high style floral studded with rhinestones. Mix country store boxes and crates with silver trays and crystal. From iced tea to catfish fritters, there are endless possibilities with comfort food. Is your culinary budget tight, have a chicken wing or rib-let station with various glazes and preparations. Mini BBQ Brisket sandwiches or pulled pork martinis with a baby biscuit garnish are fun, fashionable and easy to eat. Angel food cake and sponge cake buffets with fresh berries and whipped cream, as well as chocolate sheet cake, are a hit as dessert. A staggered display of warm cobbler and homemade pie are a treat in the winter months. Allow the guests to select their favorites and have a server slice and plate it for the guests. Incorporate the guest’s attire as part of this look by encouraging them to wear stylish jeans and boots or a sassy country dress…even a cowboy hat if they like. Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Steve McGraw, and Keith Urban are all stars that one wouldn’t mind emulating. Need a fun photo op, think urban cowboy. A working mechanical bull can still be rented for parties. And a mechanical bull prop can help create great photos and laughs. A whiskey bar, mint juleps, spiked lemonade and hot and cold cider can make your beverage station fun and affordable. You will find me sipping a “Missouri Moonshine” poured out of authentic Ozark jug.
Please see that I get home safely.

Rob Schaefer
An Inspiring Person and St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee

With the holidays right around the corner, many companies will have catering brought into the office. Finding the balance of what you want, where you will put it, and if it can be produced and served properly is not always easy. Start by looking at the number of guests in attendance. As a general rule, you need one buffet line for every 50 to 60 guests if it is served as a full meal. Do you have this kind of space? Do you have a kitchen, oven, or sink? Throwing the caterer in a back hallway or supply room and hoping for the best does not always work! Remember that action stations create lingering aromas and can quickly fill an office enviroment. Try to stagger you staff so they are not all hitting the buffet or station at once. Are you allowed to have open flame or sterno on your property? Do you have the proper electrical outlets? Remember, industrial coffee makers blow fuses easily!
What looks great in the magazines does not always translate into an office space with no kitchen facility. Keep things simple, abundant and beautiful and you will save on food costs, labor and decor. Good looking ideas do not always have a practical application!
A focused meal or culinary experience that is plentiful and artfully displayed always garners good results. Delicious breakfast pastry with some type of egg casserole, hot coffee and juices is crowd pleasing and cost effective. Sandwiches with hot soup, an afternoon cookie and cocoa station, wine and cheese with antipastas, or even happy hour munchies will make your employees feel special.
Start by taking a focused menu such as a Dessert Buffet Station and make the display stellar with a few specialty linens and buffet enhancements. If there are grids or beams above the table, hang candles or lanterns, beads, snowflakes or wreaths. Use a color story that enhances the food and beverage and works with things you might already own. Make your event an experience rather than a deli tray on the employee lunch table.
If you need some suggestions on how to make your employees feel appreciated this holiday season, call us! We have extensive menu ideas and decor to help you celebrate in SBFD style. What is the best culinary item you have ever had at a work function? We would like to know!

Rob Schaefer
Holiday Cheer Provider and St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee

Fall Open House at Coronado Ballroom Benefiting Food Outreach

Missouri Meetings & Events and Steven Becker Catering would like to invite you to attend an Open House & “Familiarization” tour at Coronado Ballroom and Meeting Facility

When: Thursday, October 20, 2011 • 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: Coronado Ballroom and Meeting Facility 3701 Lindell Boulevard | St. Louis, Missouri 63108 – (next to St. Louis University)

Why: Learn how to improve your holiday company party while keeping under budget. Also…
* Unique behind the scene KITCHEN tour of the Coronado
* Sample food STRAIGHT from the oven and enjoy signature cocktails
* Special presentation by Rob Schaefer that will include tips for planning an event with displays for both holiday and non-traditional themes!
* Every attendee will receive a parting gift

WIN BIG! The company that donates the most cans will win breakfast for up to 10 people delivered to the office, courtesy of Steven Becker Catering.

Think a company holiday party is too frivolous this year? Or maybe, YOUR COMPANY IS PRACTICING “The Fear Of Cheer” Learn how to party for a cause while helping others this holiday season!

Cost: Admission to this event will be in the form of donating canned goods for Food Outreach.

What to bring: Food Outreach is able to immediately incorporate the following canned foods into its nutrition center: Tuna Fish, Turkey, Chicken, Salmon, Corn, Green Beans, Mixed Vegetables, Mandarin Oranges, Pineapple Chunks, Peaches and Applesauce

Parking: is available on the Scottish Rite Lot for $1 per hour and the Moolah Garage (maximum $3). Street parking is also available.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Space is limited to meeting and event planners, so call or email today! Vikki Matthews, (314) 781-8880, ext. 103, vmatthews@meetmags.com

Check the label! FRESH goods only, please. For more information, visit www.FoodOutreach.org

Join us for this special FAM & open house to help Food Outreach stock their shelves!

As I look around our modern world, it amazes me how much time we spend on tools, gadgets and schedules to save time. But the interesting fact is that most people are not able to enjoy the time they save! Have we lost the ability to just enjoy and let things happen?
In the event world, we all understand that staying on track during our event is critical. Keeping issues and distractions at a minimum is a wonderful thing so that the client can enjoy all the various activities of the occasion. But there is a fine line between staying on schedule and allowing people the freedom to enjoy the experience.
When it comes to eating dinner, people often have an unrealistic idea of how long it is going to take to consume the meal. During our everyday lives, we often don’t have the luxury to savor our dinner. The art of a well planned meal, serving pieces, accessories, atmosphere and wardrobe don’t play a role in most of our dinners at home. Advertisers promote how quick and easy their product is to prepare, the drive through window is the new market and the television has replaced conversation at the dinner table. As planners, we have to be flexible at our events and allow people to have a good time and enjoy their meal. Time lines that specify the exact minutes it will take to eat a certain course are often wrong. Remember – when a guest is happy, relaxed and having a good meal, talking and chewing slow down. And when a speaker is speaking, often chewing stops entirely. It is important to remember that with a sit down dinner, it is easy to get off course slightly during the first course and entree service but most often the time is made up by the dessert course or shortly after. The wedding novice often trys to build tons of activities into the dinner period and has the client and guests getting up and down…I call it the Bunny Hop. When you take your guests away from their plate, the plate gets cold. My best advice is to let guests completely finish a course before starting an activity and then they can enjoy their culinary or hot beverage fully.
Savor your celebrations.

Rob Schaefer
A very slow eater and St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee

With so many companies trying to find cost effective ways to celebrate the holidays, it is a real treat to see our client’s reaction to the SBFD Cookie and Cocoa Station. Our delicious confection table is brimming over with handmade cookies like chunky chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin tumbles and chocolate sparkle fudge, gooey chocolate brownies, peanut buttery blondies, cool peppermint sticks, old-fashioned pound candy and topped off with rich chocolate cocoa and white chocolate cocoa. Yummy toppings like marshmallow snow drift cream, coconut jingles, chocolate shaving giggles and spicy cinnamon sprinkles puts the perk back into work! Our festive presentation includes two theme options – A Classic Christmas or Winter Wonderland, and includes holiday decor, disposable cups and napkins and festively attired staff. We can also substitute coffee instead of cocoa.

1) Establish a THEME or DESTINATION for your event.
Examples – A Traditional Holiday or Paris in Winter

2) Always consider the 5 human senses and appeal to each one…sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.
Examples:
*Potted Herb and Flowers Mixed with Ornaments or Fruits
*A Piano Player or Holiday CD Music
*A Focused Menu of Local or Seasonal Fare (Traditional, Local, Italian, Asian, Latin)
*Embellished Linens with a Mixture of Serving Pieces – Mix it Up!
*Floating Candles in Glass Cylinder Vases with Greenery

3) Focus on 2 to 3 KEY elements about your event and use them to create a strong impact.
Examples:
*Add Casual Tableware to Your
Formal China for Color and Impact
*Floral or Greenery to Suit the Mood
*A Signature Drink or Bar to Carry Your Theme
*An Amuse Bouche or Tidbit to Greet Guests
*Live Music

4) DO NOT DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF – assign duties or use a
Catering and Event Professional. Call Rob at 314-367-4848 x 108

5) Proper Lighting is Critical! It redefines space.
Lighting should be used to create a feeling of progression during
your party. Colored bulbs, beaded shades and candles make a
huge difference.

6) Try to use Flowers and Ingredients that are in season. This is when
they look and taste the best and cost the least!

7) Focus your menu – having a limited menu of really delicious
food, drink and sweets is ALWAYS better than a lot of average fare.

8) Always have supplies available to create an emergency centerpiece (clear glass
bowls, food coloring, cranberries and floating candles) and purchase at least 3 “on call” gifts for the
forgotten birthday/anniversary or the
unexpected guest. And take a small hostess gift when you go out!
One of my favorites is a candle from Smelly Things Candle Company.

9) Never place bars or food stations near doorways. You will create bottlenecks.
Place your bars “deep” inside the house or yard so guests will not stand near the
front door and create a jam. Passed drinks and hors d’oeuvres should be near the
front door. And remember that the kitchen is the hearth of the home – people are
drawn to it. If the Hostess spends a lot of time in the kitchen, so will the guests!

10) A great event has a beginning, middle (crest) and conclusion.
The Host and Hostess set the tone for the event. If you aren’t having fun…nobody else will.

Rob Schaefer
Inaugural St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inductee

-Work with the Season.
Fall Flowers and Fruits and Vegetables are at their peak and most
inexpensive.
Red, Gold, Copper, Chocolate Brown and Black are fantastic color choices for this time of year.

-Think Upscale
Fall is more than Scarecrows and Corn Shucks. Sleek black vases filled with cattails, clear vases of berries with floating candles, massed out branches with hanging votive candles and outdoor tables strewn with golden leaves look amazing.

-Focus on Impact
Limit your menu and make every course or station an experience.
I have one client who is having cinnamon martinis and butternut soup squash shots while guests walk up the driveway flanked by copper lanterns. Roasted pork mini-sandwiches on tidbit plates with autumn vegetable risotto in martini glasses are featured inside with Fall Sangria and Mulled Ciders. The Backyard will focus on burlap wrapped cocktail tables with pumpkin damask overlays from Party Arts and a lavish chocolate S’more and Crepe station created from old wine barrels and wooden planks. Guests are taking home a fluffy, fleece throw as their parting gift which they can cuddle in all evening long.

-Create an Environment
Lighting – Fall means less light so choose tall scented candles, lanterns and a fire pit or bonfire to create the look. Change your light bulbs in the house to amber bulbs as well.
Music – I love a solo violinist or guitar to get a fall party started and then you can always merge into quality cd or IPOD as the evening progresses.

Live music is an amazing treat for your guests and helps to set the mood.
Decor – I love mixing linens and textures and using my client’s materials to create a great party. Grandma’s mason jars look great on a patio with candles burning in them. Mom’s copper pots and cake molds make great buffet decor and that old orange afghan Aunt Doris gave you makes a great table top linen.
Dad’s Wheel Barrel makes a great statement filled with Iced
Ciders or Sodas.

Rob Schaefer
Inaugural St. Louis Wedding Professional Hall of Fame Inductee