The 411 on paper lanterns

Paper lanterns are, hands down, the most popular wedding and event decoration, for good reason. They're economical, beautiful, and the perfect way to add color and ambiance to your day..if you purchase and set them up correctly.

I've worked with quite a few couples that purchase the most inexpensive kind they can find just to be very disappointed in the light and quality. I'm here to help to help!

When you purchase paper lanterns, you're actually purchasing four elements.

The lantern
The frame
The light
The Batteries


The most inexpensive paper lanterns you'll find ANYWHERE* is at www.lunabazaar.com. Test me on that. (o.k.-mabye Craig's List or EBAY will have them beat, but that's about it).


You don't want to use paper lanterns if you're having your event where they can get wet or be exposed to high humidity (i.e. a covered pavilion outside). The reason being-paper lanterns are made out of rice paper which will literally melt and disintegrate, leaving the dye to shmear what ever the paper hits.

The solution-Nylon Lanterns. I try to use these all the time anyway, but particularly outside. You can throw water at them all day long and they're fine. The colors are brighter, and they won't tear or rip (so they can be used again).


The next part is the frame. Your lanterns will come flat and will need you to insert it. Be careful how you do this...the paper lanterns will tear very, very easily.


All that's left is the light and the batteries.

When purchasing the light packs, you're going to be very tempted to purchase this-

Or even these...

Because they come with the batteries, and they're relatively inexpensive. ($3.00-$5.00) a pack.


Read the fine print. Even the three bulb lights suggest "two or more packs for brighter light" (which really means noticeable light), and that's just the smaller lamps. If you want really BIG ones, they suggest four to six packs!


These are the lights that the One Girls use.They have sixteen lights in one pack. It says the burn time is eight hours...but I use Duracell batteries and they've been lit for days.

I get our packs from www.paperlanternstore.com

And our batteries?

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/866130/Energizer-Max-Alkaline-AA-Batteries-Case/


That's right, buy 144 at a time. What can I say...? We go through a lot of batteries.


I hope this helps you in your wedding plans. And....I must mention....you can rent a nylon lantern and battery pack filled with fresh batteries from us in an array of colors for only $3.00
With all the math I laid out, you can see that's a really, really good deal. :)


xo,
Shannon
www.onegirlcreative.net

What exactly does One Girl do?

I think there's something I'm supposed to be doing at 2:14 a.m...



Oh yeah. Sleeping.



Well, since that seems to of alluded me tonight, I thought I'd give you the cliff notes of something I get asked a lot.


"You're a Wedding Planner? That's cool. What do you do?"


A lot, actually. It's not like the Jennifer Lopez movie where I talk on a walkie talkie to my staff and hand stressed out dad's Xanax. :) Instead, I take (one of the) most memorable and expensive events you'll ever host and make them more cohesive, creative, and cost effective.


Typically I offer three packages, and 98% of my couples fall into one of the three.



1) Decoration
For the couple that wants to do everything themselves, but -very smartly- knows that, come wedding day, there's 5,000 other things they and their family can be doing besides steaming chair covers and hanging Chinese lanterns. My girls and I decorate when you want, and then come back when you need us to tear everything down. Oops-"tear" is a shop term. We actually pack everything away very nicely for you and yours. :)

We need a minimum of four hours for both setting and tearing, and you get a minimum of two assistants. The cost for this service is typically $300*

*Yes, I may be the only Wedding Planner in history that will out right share her prices, but it is what it is. There's no point in you and I falling in love with the idea of working together just to find out it's not in the budget. Please keep in mind that all listed prices are for my standard, around 120-150 person wedding. If you have an intimate or grandiose event, of course the price is going to adjust. I've decorated for as little as $50, and as much as $1000. I can promise you one thing-I'm very, very fair in my pricing, and this I'll support with as many testimonials as you like. I love, need and want to be part of your wedding. I'm not going to inflate my cost so that you turn elsewhere.


Digressing! Happens at 2:38 am.


2) Decoration and Day of Management

This is for everyone, EVERY couple, everywhere! When you come to me for decoration, I'm going to offer you this package as well because I truly believe it's essential. My girls and I meet with you up to three times prior to the wedding and unlimited text/email/call to assist you in covering your bases with vendors, sticking to a budget and bringing all those ideas into a cohesive design.

We do all the set up and decorating, and then during the wedding, we host and manage.

We work as a first point of contact for all of your vendor and guest questions. We greet your guests, assist them to their seats, take their coats and gifts and explain the event as needed. We coordinate your entrance. We clean up garbage. We jump in to bartend. We've parked cars, held back hair, pinned dresses, cuddled fussy babies, fixed broken boutonnieres, packed up extra cake...you name it, you've got at least two of us for your whole reception, happy and anticipating every need.

Post event, we pack up all of your personal items, clean up the venue, take down all decorations, provide a safe ride to your hotel...whatever you need. There's no time limit or lack of enthusiasm. We're on our game far after the last toast has been made.

Cost for this service is typically $650.

3)All Inclusive

This typically works best for my brides and grooms that live out of the area but want to have their wedding in Central Wisconsin because their family is here, OR those that have full time jobs, family responsibilities or other restraints that just don't allow a ton of time to focus on your weddings.

Keep in mind, this doesn't mean you're "handing over the reigns" and have no input. Not at all. We make your ideas happen. We take your ideas, embelish on them, and help them reach their full potential. We're magic makers.

Unlimited meetings and correspondence, of course.
Vendor referrals and attendance, note taking and brain picking at all vendor meetings
Wedding website and online plans kept at My Wedding Workbook Pro (.com)
Save the dates and invites are hand addressed and sent out on your behalf
All of our pre made rental items are INCLUDED in this service (excluding linens)
Gift bags in all hotel rooms for your guests, complimentary
Unlimited service the day before, of and after by at least two attendants
Storage at One Girl HQ of all purchased wedding items
Retrieving and returning of all rentals, and complete set up, take down and management.

There's more, I know....but 2:45 is starting to tax my brain.

The cost of this service is typically $2000.



So that's my packages. And outside of this...

We rent wedding items, from Chinese lanterns to vases, candy bar displays to gift boxes. We don't rent chairs or tables, but we have some great referrals for you of folks who do.

We rent every linen in every style and color you can imagine. I'm serious-try me. I'm thrilled to be working with BBJ linen and Bay Towel to bring you the practical to the extravagant.


We're The Business for the Best Day of Your Life, and we love it-all of it. Thank you for reading this blog and supporting One Girl!

I'm going to try a warm glass of milk and counting sheep now. Stay in touch.


xo,
Shannon
www.onegirlcreative.net

I came to dance, dance, dance, dance....

the most important event I've ever done is coming up in two months, and I'm getting ready!

My son's 8th birthday. ;)

Kai James is my "baby", and I'm going all out for his party this year. It's probably the last year before boy/girl parties become kind of awkward, and he's old enough to appreciate a good party, but still young enough to go nuts and have a great time!

I'm renting the small banquet room at the Great Dane and getting a DJ. We'll do it up with awesome decorations, a custom cake, a full buffet of mac and cheese, chicken fingers and soft pretzels, and a bartender serving Kiddie Cocktails and crazy fruit drinks.

And...a photobooth. o.k., mabye not a photobooth. Too much...?

Can't wait! My son rocks!

xo,
Shannon
www.onegirlcreative.net

Dirt cake for 350 and hidden trolls

I <3 my job.

So last week I talked to Katie who's wedding I'll be helping with next December. It's going to be heavy in Norweigen traditions, including the hiding of trolls. Find a troll and the couple will kiss. My first question was "CAN I HIDE THE TROLLS???" "yes" she said with a smile. "yes you can hide the trolls".

Woot!

Then I met with Mike and Laura. Vintage romance at the Howard Johnson in Wausau. I was lost in the crystals and chandeliers and billowing draping...caught in the bling and the lights and the glamour.....and then....she says..." I'd like dirt cake instead of wedding cake"

So I spent the last hour finding out who would make 300 servings of dirt cake, which I plan to serve in galvonised buckets with silk orchids.

Seriously? Too cool.

I love weddings that have that little quirk...the thing that makes them stand out from the crowd.

xo,
Shannon
www.onegirlcreative.net

Today is the best day of my life

I'm over the moon, on cloud 9, tickled pink. Happier than a pig in a mud puddle. Happier than a bird with a french fry.

*drum roll please*

As of May 1st, I'm going part time at the day job!!!!! For real! And for permanent!! Which means FULL TIME One Girl Creative, and time to spend with my family to boot.

To fully understand the impact that this, let me take you through a typical day-in-my-life. Up at 5:00. Hit the snooze about 6 times, and then bregrudginly get out of bed. Zumba and coffee. work from 5:45 to 7:15. Wake up the kid. Get him to school. Work until 8:15. Day job from 8:30 to 5:30, spending lunch and two, ten minute breaks taking vendor and client calls and doing research. Home to pick up my kid and cook him dinner. Bedtime for him at 8:00. Back to work from me until 10.

Now I'm only going to have to work at the day job for THREE DAYS A WEEK! THREE DAYS A WEEK!!!! I'll have time! I'm over the moon, I'm tickled pink, I'm....well, you get the idea.

Today is an awesome and amazing, best day of my life kind of day.

One Girl it is!

I was talked out of changing my name. Again. I tried to change it before, but my friends talked me out of that, too. I promised I wouldn't try to change it again, so One Girl it is. My apologies to the One Girl Creative pop art company which I have come to adore over the past three years. Thank you for sharing your name with me. <3

Two great wedding meetings last night, back to back. The first was for Decoration Only, which we'll thankfully and gladly do...but it really got me thinking about the value of my Decoration and Day of Management Service.

We will happily decorate any venue, home, tent, what have you for your event, but it's invaluable to have us on site during the party. Wedding after wedding that have my team and I there tell me how they wouldn't of dreamed of having a wedding without us. I take great pride in that.

The problem with having a family member or friend of the family be a host and manager of the wedding is that they'll most likely have friends and family members at the event, too, and will get sidetracked with the hugs and hellos. Also, hiring a professional team means things like checking the bathrooms every hour to make sure the toilet paper is filled and it stays neat and tidy will get done. We don't sit down and kick back. I have strict expectations for myself and my team, and it's imperative that we blend in while being a support. I don't believe that any vendor should draw attention to themselves, but at the same time, you always need to be on your game and thinking ahead to ensure that everything runs "magically", without a hitch.

We greet your guests, direct them to their tables, assist them in finding the gift and card tables, explain any unique wedding events (the guest book, what time dinner starts, what to expect at the bar, candy tables, etc) and let them know that if they need anything, my team and I are happy to assist. We assist all the vendors with everything, from timing the grand entrance with the DJ to clearing the tables with the caterer. We're constantly making rounds, clearing cups, throwing away garbage, straightening table cloths, stocking snacks and candy. We round up the wedding party for the signature dances, deliver the cordless mic for speeches, keep candles lit through out the night. We know what to look for and what to do, and immerse ourselves in it.

We decorate everything and tear down everything, returning rentals and packing away personal items so you, honestly, can relax and enjoy the wedding.

Here's the best part of this service...in 2012, you get full decoration and tear down, as well as unlimited hours the day before, day of and day after with two attendants for $650. I encourage you to break this up into monthly payment plans. So...if you have a wedding in June and you hire us now, that's $108.00 a month. Its the best $108 you'll spend a month for an event that will live forever. I truly, truly believe that.


E-mail me, call me, ask me more. This is the love of my life, friends. My business is everything to me, and I'll prove to you what a difference having a coordinator makes.


xo,
Shannon
shannon@onegirlcreative.net
715-679-1498

So many updates

One Girl is evolving...again...

I'm changing my business names. Because I won't be One Girl forever. Heck, I'm not a girl now. And I try to rationalize it by saying "the One Girl is my bride...", but, as I'm all about equality, I could certainly have two grooms, too.

Bottom line is, it irritates me, and by the end of the day, I'm going to come up with a name change.

So far Dream the Day is the front runner...

Engaged Events is also on deck...

Shannon Inspired is also in the running. Shannon Events, Events by Shannnon-both taken. I like the idea of having my name in name because every knows One Girl as "Shannon's Wedding Planning business", but I really don't know how to make this sound the best.

If you have any ideas, please throw them at me.

Besides that, I'm quoting my 18th wedding on Monday. That will make eight this year! Crazy how things are growing. My first summer was two....second summer, four...third year (winter wedding, Sara!) was six, and this year it's already at seven. I'm thrilled!!

Back to the name stumper....


love,
Shannon
www.onegirlcreative.net

She works hard for the...love....

Well, its not for the money, that's for sure!

Working harder than I've ever worked on the fundraiser coming up for Habitat for Humanity, so please, PLEASE buy your tickets. www.habitatwausau.org.

I'm also working hard on weight watchers, which I have another blog on. So now I have this blog, twitter, Facebook, and weight watchers to update daily. Oiy. I need a couple extra hours in a day just for social networking!

One the upside, I'm very, very, busy. On the downside...I don't think I'm getting that foreclosure. I have no time to put into anything, and that needs time. I really do feel like that country song most days. "Jesus, take the wheel...."