The Main Event by Memory Makers Event Planning, LLC

It's that time of year - time for wedding mania to begin. It's that time when couples suddenly realize "We're getting married this year! There is so much to do! Where do we start?" Never fear; with January comes wedding show season. The biggest and oldest is the Wedding Party Show. It has been wowing brides for over 35 years with more than 100 merchants, fashion shows, fabulous decor, and everything you need for your perfect day. This year's show is January 9 and 10, 2016 at Boise Centre on the Grove, downtown Boise. Cost is $8 at the door (cash only). One thousand dollars in gift certificates will be given away to a lucky bride after each fashion show.

If you love everything French, the new Chateau des Fleurs in Eagle may be just your cup of tea. The French Provencal center is located at the Camille Beckman complex off State Street on the west side of Eagle. It includes indoor and outdoor space for weddings, corporate and private events.

Leave it to the practical British to include more than flowers in wedding bouquets. Some of my brides have used ornamental artichokes and miniature lemons and limes for several years. Now, brides are taking it to a new level, using broccoli, ornamental kale and cabbage, even tomatoes, in their bouquets. The bouquet on the left contains several tomatoes, as well as artichokes and kale. (Just be careful about crushing the tomatoes and ruining your gown.) This arrangement is best used at a casual outdoor wedding, perhaps one occurring on a farm. The bouquet on the right contains broccoli and dried lime slices. The addition of white roses balances the arrangement and prevents the edibles from overpowering it. Again, a bouquet like this is better suited for an outdoor, casual wedding.   If including vegetables in your bouquet suits your style, be sure your florist agrees. Not all florists are adept at inserting an item such as tomatoes, which are delicate and can be messy, into a...

I was approached by a funeral home seeking someone to team with them to assist families dealing with some of the issues surrounding a death. When a loved one passes, many decisions have to be made quickly - notifying family and friends, choosing the location for the service and a burial site, music, flowers, officiant and much more. If the death was unexpected, the family may be in shock and overwhelmed by all the decisions. Even a death after a lingering illness can be stressful. So many details, so little time.

I was recently interviewed by Cater.com, a website dedicated to helping catering businesses improve their service and professionalism.  The published interview follows.

Re-gifting - we have all done it at one time or another. Perhaps the sweater you received for your birthday was a terrible color on you but looks lovely on your red headed friend. Or you received too many blenders for your wedding, so why not pass one on to the next couple getting married? Whether re-gifting is a good idea or not depends on several things.

Most event planners agree that anyone planning an event needs to create a realistic budget and, unless they have unlimited funds, stick to it. Nothing is worse than waking up the morning after your party, wedding, conference or other event and realizing that you overspent and now must face the consequences, which might be as drastic as losing your job when your boss sees the bill.

Your event is over. You had a wonderful time; your guests loved the food, decor and music. Now the credit card bills are arriving and you realize you spent way beyond your budget. What to do? Unfortunately, you may need to tighten your belt and eat beans for the next few months until the bills are paid. But you can prevent this from happening in the future.

We in America are blessed with homes, food, clothing, cars, access to education and many other things we take for granted. Much of the world's population lives in dire poverty and filth, wondering where the next meal will come from or who might break into the dirt-floored hut they call home. To help us privileged Americans begin to grasp the reality of poverty in developing nations, Compassion International ( www.compassion.com ) developed the Compassion Experience, two large trailers containing the stories of children, now adults, whose lives were changed because they were sponsored children. As you walk through the Experience, you can see and hear what is real life for many of the world's children.

Shabby chic - a decorating style that uses old items in a new way to create a romantic setting. If you have not encountered this style yet, chances are before long you will attend a social event where "shabby chic" is everywhere. The style combines fabrics such as lace, burlap or vintage linens with old window frames, chairs, ladders, vintage dishware and more to create a rustic, yet romantic ambiance. The style is most often found at weddings, receptions, luncheons and other women's events. Rarely will it be seen at a predominately male party.

A bride called to say her photographer had asked her for immediate payment to be made through an app though the wedding was several weeks away. She wanted to know if it was okay to make payment as requested. No, it was not. Here's why.

This is the height of wedding season. As the big day approaches, couples begin thinking about the rehearsal dinner and how to handle the logistics. The dinner may be one of the first events at which members of the bride and groom's families meet, so it should be planned with care so as not to offend.

In this area (southwestern Idaho) more events occur in late spring, summer and early fall than there are available venues. Many venues book a year or more in advance. So what is a person to do, particularly when time is limited? Think creatively; look for unusual locations. You may find that choosing something other than the typical hotel, restaurant or golf club will delight and surprises your guests. Depending on the type of event, a museum or art museum may offer the ambiance you seek. Also consider art galleries, movie theaters, community theaters, airplane hangers, and more. Several years ago we planned a birthday party for a World War II veteran at the War Hawk Museum in Nampa. He and his guests were delighted. There was no need for entertainment - the displays provided it all. Perhaps you are planning a conference at a typical conference center or hotel. Change it up by hosting a pre or post meeting cocktail party at an art gallery or dinner at a museum. Need a stage and aud...

The Small Business Administration recently named Weiser Classic Candy, located in Weiser, Idaho, as Idaho Small Business of the Year. The company is now competing against other state winners for national small business of the year.

In our increasingly technological world, we have many opportunities to work smarter and faster when planning an event. One way to streamline your next conference or employee training meeting is by creating an app to handle registration, agenda, schedule, evaluations, menu selections and more. But, is it worth the time and cost?

Chances are at some time you have purchased baked goods prepared in a home kitchen. Did you know that is illegal in Idaho? Idaho law requires food sold to the public to be prepared in a commercial kitchen that is regularly inspected and licensed by the health department. Commercial kitchens are expensive to install and must be in a locked area away from the home kitchen.

"Need a professional florist to provide centerpieces for our conference. Must be cheap." "In search of a photographer for 6 hours. I can pay $500. Event is in...... (1.5 hours away)" I participate in several event forums. The above are examples of some of the requests posted. Though the person making the request is serious, she/he has most likely not spent time researching costs to learn what the local market considers a reasonable charge for a florist or a photographer. The person asking for a cheap florist may end up with very old flowers poorly arranged and possibly an astronomical delivery fee. The person seeking a photographer on such a limited budget may get someone who has never photographed an event and the photos could be a disaster.

Today's blog, originally published in September, is courtesy of Goeff Woliner. Unfortunately, these things happen all too often. Enjoy your laugh for the day.

One of the first choices people make when planning an event is the color scheme. Often it is based on personal preference of either the hosts or the guest of honor. Planning Grandpa's 90th birthday party? The logical choice is masculine colors rather than pink, lavender or baby blue. Planning Grandma's 90th birthday party? Any of those colors may be just right. Planning a corporate event? The colors most often used are those in the company's logo, signage and/or marketing materials.

Facebook! Twitter! Instagram! We are addicted to our social media. As quickly as a new site appears, people set up accounts and begin posting. That is fine if you want the world to know everything about your personal life, but problems can arise if you invade someone's privacy by sharing their personal details without permission. In some instances, sharing may expose someone to danger should a violent ex or a stalker find the post. Some employers monitor employee or potential employees' on-line activity. The less than flattering photo of someone who had too much to drink or was behaving badly could cost him or her their job or promotion.

Meetings occur every day and for just about every reason, but are they all necessary or are some a waste of time? Could your employees or teammates spend their time more productively by meeting less? Here are some things to think about.

Did you walk down the aisle in 2014? If so, you changed not only your marital status but your tax reporting status as well. To get that anticipated refund in a timely manner, you need to be prepared.

Have you ever received an invitation that left you scratching your head? Who is ABD Dynamics? Why are they inviting you to their event? And look as you might, there is a time and location but no date. Oops. Someone goofed badly; just wait till the boss finds out.