Advice from Local Party Vendors on How to Throw the Perfect Event!
…her expression says it all!
She was so grateful and in her own words “on cloud 9 the entire day!”
When my dear friend Sara @hopeformarian announced she was having a Baby “Boy” We quickly decided she needed to be sprinkled with love. With 2 other hosts (Darsha + Leslie) I was so excited I offered to have it at my house. (Back Story) Sara and I met during the touring process of Kindergarten and immediately became friends. Our kids (Emily + Finn) are now in first grade and are best buds!
About @hopeformarian
Time stood still when they learned their younger daughter Marian was in the early stages of a fatal storage disorder. She is fighting for her life against Niemann-Pick Type C, also known as “Childhood Alzheimer’s.” Ten years ago this would have been a death sentence. Today there is hope. They have created Hope For Marian to raise awareness and funds to help find a cure for NPC.
Special Thank you to Lilian at Just Merried Events for helping us orchestrate this amazing event. She was an absolute dream from start to finish. She’s a local girl and mama just like me and we hit it off at our first meeting at Dot’s Cafe in Pasadena. She brought her favorite vendors with her and they were all excited to be a part of this special day and offer their advice so you can throw your own special event.
Event Planner – Just Merried Events
IG: @justmerriedevents
Contact: Lilian
[email protected]
I’m all about being economical and as low-waste as possible when it comes to planning events + celebrations (there is always so much that gets thrown away at the end of an event)! To save $$, I like shopping for seasonal decorative details in the dollar bins at Target or utilizing coupons at crafts stores (Michael’s, Joann’s, and Hobby Lobby always have coupons via their apps). I also try to pick out more generic items that I can reuse for other events or next year (if holiday themed). For our fall themed sprinkle, I picked up the cutest felt pumpkins in beautiful fall hues in the dollar bins at Target, and I plan to re-use them for seasonal decor at home on the fireplace mantle or dining room buffet. At the end of the season, I’ll pack them away for storage and re-use next year!
Rentals – La Pinata Party Rentals
IG: @lapinataparty
Contact: David 310.306.3348
1630 W 132nd Street
Gardena, CA 90249
Most of us don’t have everything we need to entertain large groups at home. Instead of purchasing things like serving ware, tableware, linens, and furniture that you won’t ever use again, look to a local party rentals company – they have EVERYTHING and in all styles to fit any occasion. And if you’re just looking to rent a few smaller things and are worried about a hefty delivery/pickup fee, opt for a will-call pickup! Just bring your SUV/minivan/pickup, and the rentals team will help load it up with the items on your order (and unload everything when you return). If I’m having a weekend event, I’ll pick everything up on Friday and return everything on Monday.
Florals – Violette’s Flowers
IG: @violettesflowers
Contact: Celina (626) 586-0150
922 E LAS TUNAS DR
SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776
Don’t be afraid of color! The classics (e.g. whites, blushes) are always pretty but if they don’t speak to you on a personal level let us help you find a palette that you can truly feel connected to.
If there are leftover floral arrangements after your event, don’t throw them away – share! Bring them to your local convalescent home or hospital, and you’ll bring smiles to many faces. Bring them over to your neighbors and remind them why you’re their favorite neighbor.
Balloon Garland + Decorative Details – Oh Shiny! Paper Co
IG:@ohshinypaperco
Contact: Rebecca + Kelly
3815 E Colorado Blvd Pasadena CA 91107
Save time and money and opt for air-filled balloon designs that can be inflated the night before and don’t require expensive helium. Adding florals and greenery to your balloon garlands will take it to the next level.
Photography –Jennifer Fujikawa
IG: @jenfujphotography
If there is anything specific you’d like photographed or any group photos you really want to capture in particular (maybe a family portrait for this year’s holiday cards or an updated headshot that you’ve been needing – may as well!), don’t be shy about sending your photographer a photo shot list. It will help keep things organized and ensure those special shots you want aren’t missed.
Event-related tip to get the most out of your photography – If you have a lot of amazing details and decorations that you want to be documented, please let your photographer know so we can arrive early to photograph the space before your guests arrive. Once the party starts, we will be focused on getting those fun moments as you mix and mingle, and often times, clean shots of your decor become impossible.
Hair + Makeup – Studio K
IG: @studiokhairdesignory
238 SOUTH ARROYO PKWY #130
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91105
Sara our “guest of honor” aka Queen BEE was treated to a blowout at Studio K
by stylist Yahaira Ramirez @yahairaramirezz
Personally, I love going to Kelly Zhang’s Studio. I have had my hair + makeup done by Kelly Zhang and she has a way of bringing out your natural beauty. Her studio is full of amazing stylists. Lily Rivera does my usual cut and color (bleach blonde and short) and Hair by Alexa does my Brazilian blowouts. This Pasadena salon is my favorite!
Leave room in your budget for hair +makeup. For this event, we surprised the guest of honor
Calligraphy – Betty Ling Calligraphy
IG: @bettylingcalligraphy
Specializing in both Modern and Traditional Calligraphy, Betty Ling provides the art of handwritten calligraphy for weddings and events. She is available for live on-site activations for luxury stores, corporate, and influencer events in Orange County and Los Angeles.
Communicate to your stationer and/or calligrapher your overall design ideas for your event, so that they can help guide you to select a lettering style that captures the spirit of your theme.
Photo Booth – YoroKobi Photo Booth
IG: @yorokobiphotobooth
Let Yorokobi Photo Booth capture the fun and silly side at your next special event! Our slim and easy to operate photo booth offers various photo opportunities with Photos w/ Filters, GIFs, Boomerangs, Videos, and even Green Screens – all which can all be shared instantly through email, text, AirDrop, or high-quality prints. We’re wacky ourselves, which is why we provide premium props to make your special moments all that more fun.
As a host, leave at least 1 hour of free time to enjoy the event and to be present with your guests.
- All the The Set Up Crew
- Ready to Start
- The Ladies
- Lindsey, Sara and Darsha
- Kim + Sara
- Taryn + Leslie
Treats / Cake + Small Desserts – Noelle’s Sweets and Treats
IG: @noellessweetsandtreats
I get asked this question all the time: how many mini desserts should I offer my guests? & while there’s no right or wrong answer, I can give my best advice which has worked well for me over the years.
If you’re offering each guest a slice of cake, then I would allow for 1-2 mini desserts per person. If you’re serving a full mini dessert table minus cake, I would up this number to about 3-4 desserts per person.
Custom Cookie Favors – Sweet T’s for You
IG: @sweettsforyou
Custom designs, unique flavors and the highest quality of ingredients are the foundations of Sweet Ts. Linda Trieu, baker & owner, followed her love of baking and extended her delicious desserts beyond family and friends. She enjoys collaborating with clients to create cakes, macarons and other baked goods to fit into their desired themes. Linda is honored to have a Sweet Ts’ creation be a part of someone’s celebration. She is driven to create new flavors, cake styles, and desserts weekly. Let Sweet Ts cater to your next event with special designs and details.
One of her favorite details is personalized desserts to connect and touch the hearts of the guests. It makes the event unique and elevated.
Party Goods – Just Artifacts
IG: @justartifacts
Once you have your color palette you can easily order functional and decorative accents to add color and texture to your event. Skip the visit to party city and just order online through Just Artifacts or check out their Amazon Store here.
Keep games simple and easy. You can find great print-outs on Etsy in most themes.
For gifts: we gave away a cluster of beauty products and 1 plant that was provided by our florist.
MARIAN @hopeformarian is in the fight of her life against Niemann-Pick Type C
Without help and a cure she will lose her ability to move, speak, eat, breathe and live
She needs your help to stay alive
As do thousands of children and adults fighting NPC today and those that will be fighting it tomorrow
THERE ARE WAYS YOU CAN HELP!
Watch, Follow, Share, Support, Donate
