The Quick List: Prepping For Your New Year's Party

New Year's Eve is always a special time of year- one week after the hectic Christmas rush and the start of a whole new year of possibilities.  By your mid-twenties most of us have experienced the overblown & expensive hotel party experience.  If this type of NYE bash is not your style and you are opting for throwing your own house party, here are a few tips to make your night more enjoyable and keep your guests happy.

#1.  A new chic way to label drinks.  This idea is so easy, inexpensive and awesome that I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before!  Dip the base of your wine glasses in chalkboard paint so guests can write their names on their glass AND the chalk will rinse off in the wash  ready for your next party!  This chalkboard paint to label idea can also be used on pint glasses and on wine glasses to give pairing ideas as well.

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#2. Instead of spending a lot on a full bar, have a champagne bar.  Champagne is the drink for celebrations and specifically for New Year's Eve.  Create a champagne bar with different types of champagne, fresh sliced fruit and juices so guests can make any tasty cocktail from mimosas to bellinis to whatever their imagination can envision.  Also a free standing bar means the hosts can be free to mingle and not play bartender all night long.  Let guests know ahead of time that you are supplying a champagne bar and they are welcome to bring any other alcohol if they are not champagne drinkers.

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#3. Decide ahead of time what your crash policy is.  This is one of the few holiday parties throughout the year that you can almost guarantee that guests will want to crash at your place instead of go home at the end of the night.  There are few things worse than drinking the night away carefree only to realize that there is no room for you to stay over.   Hosting guests overnight brings a whole new set of responsibilities.  In addition to letting guests know how many people can stay over comfortably and asking them to bring pillows and blankets, make sure you have all your linens clean and ready to go.  Maybe even put a few 'night lights' around for people who are not familiar with your house to navigate in the dark.  A nice touch is to leave a basket of helpful items in each room/ area where people will be staying over to include; bottled water, tylenol, tissues, travel toothbrush set and anything else you think your guests might need.  Better for people to find the ammenities basket than try to wake you in the middle of the night for something.

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Do you have any other NYE party tips?  Leave them in the comments section or on the FCW facebook page!  Be safe and enjoy!

Guy's Corner: Formal Event Clothes Made Easy

With wedding season now starting as early as March and going through November & December, it is pretty common for most people to attend at least wedding a year.  From beach to black tie weddings, what to wear is always a concern for all guests.  This Well Groomed Blog post breaks down the age old question that most males face in regards to fashion: which color dress shoes to wear with what color suit.  While males do have some room to make mistakes in day to day work attire, formal events such as weddings are a whole other ballgame.  Sure, if you are a guy with a girlfriend or wife who can help you then you are in luck.  But maybe pass this along to your friends who only have their manly instinct to rely on when getting dressed for a formal event.

The other big question is what color suit to wear in the first place.  The tuxedo is on its way out of the wedding circuit, save for black tie affairs.  Modern groomsmen & male guests are opting for black, tan and gray suits.  And there is always the option of not wearing the full suit, instead sporting a suit vest or casual vest over a button up collared shirt.  I've collected a few images below, both from my Felicity C Weddings clients & ones I found online.  Enjoy!

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Diamond Wedding 5.21.10 Credit: Lindsay Hite/ ReadyLuck

Ford Wedding 9.25.10. Credit: Procopio Photography

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Attire, Alcohol & A Face Full Of Cake

As we are in the exact middle of summer, I'm sure that many of you have been at least one wedding this year.  All the attention at wedding is first on the couple, then their families and the wedding party.  But that doesn't excuse everyone else from being aware of their attire and actions.  Yes, there is a good chance that many guests will be in professional photos and you want to make a good impression.  Here is a quick list of do's and don'ts applicable for everyone involved:

1. Make sure that your clothes fit. No, really.  It is distracting and these photos are forever.  Attire, accessories and overall appearance are very important.  Obviously the bride's dress should not be too low and the groom's pant hem should not be too long- you should look your absolute best on your wedding day.  For guests, the same rules apply.  Men make sure your suit fits, coordinates AND is appropriate for the wedding.  Ladies, if you are wearing a short dress, make sure you have enough fabric to bend over, a few inches make all the difference.  If you are wear a long dress, practice walking & dancing so you don't trip.  And please take care of your tan lines ahead of time.  And lastly, know your jumping limits.

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2. Guests are part of the scenery, be on your best behavior.  Most guests are not aware of how many photos they will be in.  Touch up your makeup & make all attire adjustments in the bathroom.  Keep your club dance moves at home if you don't want them to be captured forever.  Don't drink your face off at the reception, that is why the professional photographer does not attend the afterparty.  These sound like basic rules but I have seen some of these party fouls for myself, it does happen.

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3. Again, these photos are forever. A little bit of cake on your nose is cute, a face full of smushed fondant is not.  Playfully reaching for the tossing bouquet is cute, leaping like a maniac is not.  Dressing up for the wedding is expected, attention-seeking attire is not (I'm looking at you, Princess Beatrice).  And lastly, picking your nose is never a 'do'.

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The air up there. In a plaid mini-skirt. Source

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Calling All Recessionistas!

Life doesn't stop because we are in a recession.  People are still getting engaged, planning weddings and being invited to events year round.  I've seen the trend for a lot of my brides to get more creative with their themes and decor and of course the ever popular DIY method, but how do your guests pare down?  Your nearest and dearest will appreciate local ceremony & reception sites and for those out of town guests, searching for the best priced accommodations is a sure way to keep them happy.  More & more couples are taking on the cost of hiring shuttles for the out of town guests as well.  And most registries have a wide range of items that can fit most budgets.  But one costs for guests still remain: what to wear to the wedding.

Well I have the answer, Rent the Runway.  After signing up for free, you are told that you now have access to designer dresses at 90% off retail price AND you get to choose from 95 designers!  They have a calendar application that allows you to select the date of your event and work around it with shipping time.  They have a $5 insurance coverage that takes care of most accidents (spilled wine, lipstick marks) and they do all the dry cleaning!  It is a pretty ingenious business idea and pretty similar to borrowing an amazing dress from your mom... if your mom is Carolina Herrera or Carrie Bradshaw. RTR has 24 occasions ranging from prom to 'meet the parents' to sorority party to rehearsal dinner and even 'bump friendly'.  You are pretty much covered for any life event in need of fabulous attire. 

In addition to dresses for all occasions, they also rent out accessories!  If I was not clear before, this website caters to designers that most of us could never afford to have within 100 ft of our bodies; Missoni, Tibi, Badgely Mischka, etc.  This may be too much for a random night out, but if life calls for something extra special, you should definitely check this website out.  I should mention that this is a great resource not only for wedding guests but for brides since there are a couple of big events pre-wedding requiring fabulous outfits (rehearsal dinner for one).  I have yet to give it a whirl but I've heard great things and I'll post again once I have some personal feedback!  Enjoy!

 

Rachel Roy, Lipstained Stretch Dress

Retail $1,395   Rental $200