Yes, summer is here, and the season of outdoor cooking and entertaining is upon us! But that does not mean we have to settle for the same old burger and ‘dogs we’ve grown accustomed to. Not that there is anything wrong with it necessarily, but personally, we like to take things to the next level.
So how does one elevate the basic BBQ into an Al Fresco Affair? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Send an official invite and require a dress code. By sending an invite to request your guests attendance and mentioning a dress code ahead of time, you set the tone for the event before they even arrive. Get guests excited by offering insight to what they can expect.
Tidy up, then brighten your space with plants. You don’t need a ton of décor, but the set up should be thoughtful, and on-theme. Well cared for landscaping is naturally stunning and adds to the space without overwhelming.
Add lighting to set the mood. Your party may begin in sunlight, but let guests know they are welcome to enjoy themselves into the night with specialty lighting.
Create unique seating arrangements. Natural wood tables and chairs, printed table cloths, or family style seating are great ways to create a beautiful and functional space for all attending.
Develop a unique menu.Think outside the box. If you do want to go for the classic grilling goods, consider adding some specialty toppings to offer a unique spin on the classics. If you are feeling adventurous, consider something totally unexpected to really wow guests. “Aah, shucks!”
Curate the perfect playlist (or provide live music). No event truly becomes a party until music is involved. Take the time to put together a playlist that will set the mood and add to the overall experience. If you have the budget for it, having a live musician takes things a step further.
Provide appropriate entertainment.Are kids invited? Ensure you have a few lawn games or activities to keep them busy. Lawn games may also be fun for a more mature group as well, depending on the crowd.
It’s been said that any man can become a father, but it takes someone extra special to become a dad. From bring the one you may have feared when you got in trouble, to acting as your best friend and biggest fan, a dad’s love can truly make the world a better place.
To highlight, we are celebrating Father’s Day by sharing some thoughts about dads from the Amazáe Team. Here’s what the team had to say about fatherhood.
CRYSTAL
Plenty of thing to say about my husband, the father of our children. We are all VERY lucky to have this man in our lives; from all the small & humorous gestures to all the work he does for us each and every day. I am grateful to have our girls see what a strong, loving, supportive, respectful, patient, fun, giving and everything in between, husband and father is. I know they will grow into confident women who know what they deserve in a partner for life. We love our Papa!
CAITLIN
I am so lucky to have the most amazing dad ever… I don’t think many daughters can say they convinced their dad to not only go to a Hanson concert, but to wear a custom made shirt reading “my daughter is the #1 Hanson fan”! My dad is hard working, caring, devoted, sensitive and the nicest person you will ever meet! He’s worn many hats over the years… from being my dad to my coach, and always my friend and biggest fan. Happy Father’s Day to the best dad a girl could ask for!
ZAIRE
My dad always says this quote: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” I’ve used the quote to motivate me through any and everything that I do. I would not have made it as far in life if it weren’t for that quote and the support that I’ve had from my dad throughout the years. He’s the reason why I graduated college debt free. I get my extroverted personality from him as well as my sense of humor and even my height. My dad is very invested in making sure that my brother and I grow up to be educated, hard working adults. We appreciate his tough love, dad jokes, and exquisite grilling skills. And no matter how much he may get on my nerves, I know that if I call him with a question he will always have an answer and I will always be a daddy’s girl. Happy Father’s Day! Love you.
NASHELY
9 Things I love about my husband being a father:
1. He loves our children with all his heart. As soon as he walks in the door Mommy is no longer needed/wanted. He is completely hands on with them, never too macho to change diapers or brush our daughter’s hair.
2. He makes our children giggle all the time and their laughter is music to my ears.
3. He reads to them in English and Spanish even though most books we own are only in English. It’s sweet to hear him translate the words or make up the story as he goes.
4. When I have to work or be away from the kids, he makes sure to never call me and ask where something is or what the kids need to eat. He takes care of everything including selecting outfits with matching shoes and accessories. Occasionally he sends me silly pictures with the kids too.
5. I can always count on him to take over when I need a break from the kids He rushes in like Super M Man and takes care of things so I can breathe for a minute or two.
6. Good or bad hs always lends an ear to discuss the details of the kid’s day with me. Even something as little as which kid got time out to proud moments of a first tooth or first day of school.
7. Team work makes the dream work! He is absolutely my partner in crime (parenting). Whatever decision I make, he has my back because we both know we have the kid’s interests ahead of our own.
8. He was never afraid to wear the babies like a kangaroo despite opposing comments. It was endearing to watch him carry both of the children close to him until they fell asleep. Our daughter is now 3 and still loves to be carried by him all the time.
9. This man is someone I admire because of his values, the the respect he gives me as a partner, friend wife mommy to our children. He is certainly a great father and he leads by example. I feel in love with this man 9 years ago and each day I love him more!
ELLEN
My dad is the guy who can’t go out anywhere without running into someone he knows. He will always offer you his opinion whether you asked for it or not. He will do absolutely anything for his friends, family & even complete strangers. He’s always there for you whether it’s to fix a broken taillight or pick you up from bad high school parties at unreasonable hours of the night. And no matter how corny he is, you can’t help but love him. Happy Fathers Day Gary, I don’t know what I’d be without you.
STEPHANIE
Happy Father’s Day to the best dad I could have asked for. He always encouraged me to touch the stars and told me nothing is ever out of reach. Teaching me to enjoy not only the big moments, but the little things in life. Thanks for always allowing me to reach beyond the edge of the universe.
MARIBEL
Fathers are a daughter’s first love. They bend rules that are somewhat meant to be broken and fill our lives with fun and laughter. My daughter is fortunate to have a daddy that teaches self respect and respect for others. He encourages silliness and shows appreciation for all of life’s blessings. Thank you to my husband for being our biggest protector, taking us on adventures and supporting us in all we aspire to be. It’s because of you, our minds are open and our hearts are full!
EMILY
Not sure how this mans man and father of three girls managed to survive the feat of being the only male in the house but he did it. Much more unorthodox my father was practical, sarcastic, and always there to help us build anything, research obscure facts, and adopt every animal we wanted. Grateful for the man who helped shape me to love the outdoors and the happiness in solitude and a great book.
AMY
Growing up, my father did everything he could to make sure my sisters and I had everything we needed. Every night, although he was tired, he always loved spending time with us and would always have a smile on his face. When I was young, I didn’t quite understand why my father was always working, but now that I am older, I appreciate and respect the amount of work and dedication he had for his family’s well-being. He is the greatest dad a girl could ask for. Happy Father’s Day Dad!
NEDA
Father’s Day is a special time to remember my dad for his quirky sense of humor, his hard work ethic, and all of the lessons he taught us growing up. His motto was always to go for your dreams, no matter how daunting or if the odds are stacked against you. We named our son’s middle name after my dad so that we can remember and honor him every day, and while we wish they were able to meet, we will continue to keep his memory alive.
This year is also special because it’s my husband’s first Father’s Day! It’s been amazing to watch him become the dad that I always knew he would be – fun, loving, and dedicated to our son. Our little guy is lucky to have him as his dad! Happy Father’s Day!
LISA
My favorite thing about my Dad?
That his love was so strong and and deep
… I can still feel it
…I can still hear his voice
…I can still smell his cologne
…I can feel his presence.
And it’s been close to thirty years that he has been gone
I feel so very loved; even now
That is some kind of wonderful
CHRISTINA
Ah, my father. What can I say about him? In truth, we don’t have the greatest relationship. He’s never really been there for me, both physically and emotionally, he tends to cause problems, we fight like cats and dogs, and he stresses me out. But you know, none of that matters. I still love him anyway. Because he’s my dad. And that’s all that matters to me.
Happy Father’s Day to all the loving dads out there!
Have you ever been to a wedding or large production event that was executed so smoothly, you felt entertained throughout the night with a steady flow of amusement as well as appropriate downtime? Alternatively, have you attended an event that seemed disorganized, rushed, or behind schedule? The flow of an event, or lack thereof, often has to do with the coordinating beforehand, including the run of show.
While we at Amazáe do this as a foundation to all events, we thought we’d give you a peek behind the scenes to see how the magic happens!
Whether you are planning an exposition, live performance, presentation, holiday party, or wedding, a run of show is essential to ensuring your event runs as smoothly as possible. The run of show is a document outlining the timeline of an event, sequencing details from set up all the way through to teardown, ensuring nothing is overlooked and appears seamless to those in attendance.
Here are several key things you should keep in mind when creating your run of show. – Include all important contacts for the event including vendors and venue staff – Chronologically list all event activities – Highlight the time when each activity should take place – List the location where each item will occur – Assign a contact to each item – Incorporate a notes section to ensure no details are overlooked – Share the document with all vendors and anyone involved in the planning or production of the event days prior to the event taking place – Be open to any feedback you may receive and adjustments that may need to be made
Once you have the document established, it is wise to assign one person to manage the run of show day of, to keep all the moving parts on schedule. This allows each vendor to focus on executing their piece without having to constantly check in with the timeline and clock. The manager can simply send out notifications on timing, check in with individuals as needed, and serve as the primary point of contact, freeing up everyone else’s time to do what they’ve been hired to do.
The run of show serves as an outline to keep things running smoothly, and that includes being able to adjust to inevitable unforeseen incidents of the production as they arise. We must always be flexible in events to allow for the best possible outcome.
Amazàe Events is your boutique event production company. With two decades of industry experience and accolades, we succeed in offering so much more than event production services. We ensure professional, elegant and enjoyable execution of all your wedding, corporate, social and/or destination event visions.
