Whether I’m initially contacted by a bride for planning, for an hourly consult or to rent my amazing facility, I always hear the one thing that holds true; “I never would have thought of that!” I take great pride when I hear those words. It proves that I am doing what my Purpose is on this earth. That said, I’d like to pass along a pearl of wisdom that I wrote for “The Look for Less” by Josie at PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com… one something that you may not have thought of.
Everyone (or most, I would think) knows that you can repurpose the flowers from the Ceremony for some blank spots at the reception. But what about repurposing the centerpiece? What do I mean? Well, what about taking a minute and calling all of those near and dear to you… (Start the conversation by saying “I don’t have a lot of time to talk…” if you don’t you’ll be on the phone forever!) ask if they have a special cake plate, cake plateau, compote or riser.
Photos courtesy of: Amazon, Style Me Pretty, Country Living, Vintage Indie, The Haystack Needle
Ask those very women to make their most special and favorite cookie recipe and fill those cake plates with 2-3 dozen of cookies. Use these as your centerpieces… they will be the hit… trust me!
Not interested in having cookie centers but would like something edible? How about cakes or cup cakes?

Photos courtesy of Clara French

If that doesn’t stir any excitement, not to worry, you could also use the cake plates as flower or candle bases. You could also mix and match with some tables having cookies, some having cakes, some having candles and the others having flowers. Just be sure that you are tying the wedding colors into the centerpiece.

Photos courtesy of: Martha Stewart, Country Living, Ilovelolliblog
Lots of family and friends want to help with the daunting tasks of wedding planning but don’t know how to ask or where they can be of help. This is a perfect fit from all perspectives.

One of the wonderful things about Twitter is the tweets that give me informative tips of my industry. I received a tweet from @EmmalineBride with this tidbit about Williams-Sonoma’s cookie cutters. It definitely caught my attention. I love anything that is personalized. These are just the bees knees.

Watch the video for quick tips of how-to. These would be adorable to add to your cake table in your event colors.
I’m off to place my order….

I think I may just be in love. I’m a crackberry baby but recently decided to try a new smartphone. I found my match.

It was important to me that the touch screen wasn’t hard on my 40 something year old eyes… If you’re looking for a new phone. Give this one a try.

A huge kudos to my friend Diane Meyer on her TV interview. If you like this one be sure to catch the “Tea with Twitter” series here at Perfect Settings. Diane will be giving a step by step on how Twitter can help your business grow.

Diane Meyer’s Site

Have to start with the “WOOT-WOOT”… this is truly awesome!

Lancaster Online Article

It wasn’t a traditional groundbreaking — officials unfurled a banner rather than tossed a symbolic shovelful of soil — but Wednesday’s event at the site of the planned $14 million Turkey Hill Experience project in Columbia signaled a new era for a historic silk mill.

“This old shell of a building will be transformed. By the time it’s opened in April 2011, we’ll have 250,000 visitors a year coming to Columbia,” said John Cox, Turkey Hill Dairy executive vice president, speaking at the event.

Featuring 26,000 square feet of dining areas and retail space, the new attraction, at Third and Linden streets, will showcase nine different interactive exhibit area allowing visitors to learn more about how dairies work, how ice cream is made and the history of the company.

Bob Adams, Experience center manager, said when visitors enter the attraction, they will proceed to a second-floor “hub” with three distinct spaces where they can learn how Turkey Hill makes its celebrated tea, relive the company’s early days serving as a main dairy for Columbia Borough or enter through a gigantic ice cream container for an interactive walking tour on how the ice cream is made.

“This is going to be a visitors’ destination, but on the western side of the county,” Adams said. “By reusing the (former Little Prince silk mill) site, we’re preserving farmland somewhere else.”

Redeveloping an abandoned industrial site has not been without its problems. In September 2009, engineers discovered groundwater containing benzene, a known carcinogen, and two other industrial solvents, located about 30 feet beneath the surface of the 2.7-acre site.

Columbia Borough councilwoman Sandy Duncan said the borough oversaw a $250,000 cleanup of the site with the help of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

That work delayed the project by a year.

“The next battery of tests after the cleanup showed everything was OK,” she said. “The scientists and engineers have assured us that all issues have been resolved.”

The borough sold the property in June for $950,000 to developer Bill Roberts of IBS Development Corp. of Harrisburg, Turkey Hill Dairy and Museum Partners.

The Turkey Hill Experience will work in Columbia, Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said, because the facility is going to be “absolute state-of-science,” pulling visitors off of Route 30 when they might be driving between the attractions at Gettysburg and the Plain-community attractions in the eastern part of the county.

“This is going to be like Chocolate World at Hershey or maybe even something you would find at Disney World,” Meiskey said. “When visitors come here to the Turkey Hill Experience they’re going to want to come back … and they’re going to want to come back to Columbia, too.”

Didn’t get it in writing? It didn’t happen!
That’s the scenario that we all want to avoid. Contracts are more than just a letter of commitment between two parties. Contracts protect the both of you. I’ve had clients that come to me 2-3 weeks before their event and say: “Gosh, if I’d known that xyz was going to happen I would have gotten it in writing.” Then they look to me with puppy eyes and say; can you help? Depending on what the picture is is what will be the telltale of whether or not Perfect Settings can save the day. We have long, tried and true relationships with most event specialist in our area. But that is all besides the point! If the vendor is “throwing in” ANYTHING it’s not uncouth to say; “could I bother you to add that as an addendum to my contract?” If they are committed and honest to what they just offered, they will not have a problem with jotting that down.
Here’s the worst (which actually happened): I’m hired for “day of” coordination. I show up at the reception facility right after the ceremony to find that the stage that was to be “lush like Shakespeare’s A Mid Summer’s Night Dream” was all but. There was a ficus tree, a bench, a lamppost, a trellis and a few ferns. I quickly find the decorator. I say something like: When is the stage being completed? She says, pan faced: What are you talking about? Me? (irritated since guests are about to walk through the door): “What happened to the Mid Summer’s Night Dream?!” She looks at me in the most pained expression: “I decided that she didn’t pay me enough for that so I decided last night that I wasn’t going to do it.” Are. You. Kidding. Me???!! My face must have shown that while my mouth was hanging open. Before I went any further I go to my trusty binder to find her contract. Sure enough… no mention of such Garden is there. Since I was “day of” (which is another topic) I wasn’t there for the signing of this contract, nor was this decorator on my preferred list of vendors. After a VERY heated conversation she agrees to run to her shop and bring some more foliage out. End result: maybe something akin to a backyard garden. No Mid Summer’s Night Dream here. It was more like a Mid Summer’s Nightmare. As the bride came in to the reception facility it was the first thing she noticed. I say to her “this is your day… don’t let the action of one person determine how your reception is going to go” She was almost in tears then I reassure her; “trust me, it was worse!” … of course, the garden was what she was looking forward to the most.
Some years later, I bump into this bride and ask what ever happened with the garden decor. “I didn’t have a leg to stand on… it wasn’t in writing and my wedding was long over” is what she said. How very true.
So, get it in writing!

What an awesome display of fireworks… from the rooftop we saw: Mountville’s, Washington Boro’s, Columbia cottages’ (2 nights in a row + 2 families), Wrightsville’s, Marrietta’s, (some of) York’s and one fabulously talented neighbor around the 2nd St. area’s fireworks. It was like watching a tennis match… didn’t know where to look next. In addition, a previous client put off sky lanterns that were spectacular!!
My rooftop terrace has become a place that’s more than just a pretty view. It’s so serene and peaceful after a long day when you need to regroup.
Maybe next year we will have a porch party!

6 (SIX!) months until Christmas… do you know where you’ll be hosting this year’s Christmas/Holiday Party??

Perfect Settings was in this month’s Business Woman Magazine featuring none other than moi. Be sure to check it out and don’t just skim the paragraphs!
When it’s available electronically, I’ll be sure to post it here and on the press page.

It’s going to be a busy week here in Columbia … here’s a snippet from the Chamber’s email blast:
Friends,
This coming weekend promises to be a busy one in this region. This Friday, June 25, is the fourth Friday of the month which means the art galleries in Columbia will be hosting their monthly Fourth Friday event from 5 - 9 PM. Take some time to visit the galleries, sample refreshments, and view the art work of local and guest artists. Cap your evening with a visit to Perfect Settings for an evening of jazz, or dine at a local restaurant.

Saturday, June 26, marks the 30th annual Antique, Art & Craft Show in Locust Street Park and down Locust Street in Columbia. The show will run from 9 AM to 3 PM. Free parking and shuttle service are available from Glatfelter Field on the east side of Columbia next to Anvil International. A variety of stand holders will be present. We are pleased to announce that the spaces are sold out for this year’s show. All monies raised benefit the SVCC Visitors Center.

Complete your weekend by taking part in the Riverfest, scheduled for Sunday, June 27, from 4:30 to 9:30 PM. This event will be located at Front & Walnut Streets in Wrightsville. Featured activities include a motorcycle show, music by MidLife Krisis, and a ceremonial burning on three bridge piers. Your donation of $2 will benefit programs and initiatives of Rivertownes PA USA.

Gather family and friends for a fun-filled weekend.

Have a great week!