June 26, 2011

Grand Openings

Grand openings are a great way to people excited about your business. Whether your business is old or new, a grand opening or a grand re-opening is a great way to spread the word about your business while also showing your potential new customers that you care.

We have helped with the opening of Flagstaff Ranch over the Fourth of July 2001. We had a BBQ picnic which included live music, hay rides, free food and drinks. Everything was decorated in Red and Blue with lots of stars and stripes. It was a very fun day and we knew our clients enjoyed it as well. Flagstaff Ranch not only wanted to welcome Flagstaff to its newest private club and golf club but to show that they cared about the community.

We also helped First State Bank with a grand opening. This event was a Hawaiian themed event. Again we had live music, great decorations, free food and drinks. It was a great turn out and again the client was very happy.

When Findlay Volkswagen came to Flagstaff, they knew they wanted to have a Grand Opening party. Over 200 people attended and enjoyed a local polka band, free food and drinks. At one point the VW staff jumped in and did the chicken dance. While Grand Openings are fun parties it’s also a great way to showcase you business.

During the Flagstaff Ranch Grand Opening, staff members were giving tours and showing properties for sale. At the First State Bank Grand Opening, their staff was busy inside signing up new customers. At the Volkswagen opening employees were busing showing all the new VW models and scheduling test drives.

Still not convinced a Grand Opening is for you? Call Peak Events to schedule your free consultation today!

Jennifer

June 22, 2011

Event Marketing

Event Marketing is always changing, and not all event marketing is for every event. Before you being any event marketing campaign you need to know your audience and the best ways to reach them. Not only is event marketing constantly changing but there are so many ways to market an event.



You’ve got print which could mean newspapers, magazines, flyers, banners or posters. I’ve even seen car magnets advertising events. TV commercials, TV interviews, giveaways on TV. Radio Commercials, radio interviews, radio giveaways. Street teams can be very helpful when promoting events. Then you have social media and online marketing. Website banner ads, online social calendars and that’s just the beginning. I’m sure you know that social media is growing every day. What you might not know is that Facebook advertising can be very targeted, even down to what interests someone has. Not only can you set up a Facebook page, but you can have an event page and ads. You can utilize twitter the day of you r event and create a new hashtag so it’s easier for people to follow you. Then you can send out specials, deals or giveaways for the event as well.


Always being engaged with your audience before and during your event is key!


If you would like to sit down and discuss any of these event marketing tools, please feel free to call Jennifer @ 928-606-7600

June 17, 2011

Birthdays

Birthdays are a celebration of your life, and they should be celebrated!


When planning a birthday party, you should keep the person whom your celebrating in mind. Would they want a large celebration or an intimate one? Should you look for a band or DJ? Will there be a fun theme? When and where will the party be? You should keep in mind your guest list, can the venue accommodate all the people? Will you need to rent tables and chairs? How will you inform your guests of the party? Invitations, Evite, word of mouth? Who will provide the food and drinks? You’ve also got to consider linens, centerpieces, etc. Will you have a cake?


Birthday parties can be so much fun, but if you’d like some help planning or executing your next birthday bash, please call Peak Events. We have experience with kids birthday parties, milestone birthday parties and everything in between. We can help with every aspect of your party so you can enjoy it along with your guests.

Jennifer

June 14, 2011

Peakcocks and Bling!


On March 12, 2011, Talani Wilson became Mrs. Maurice Rowe at Flagstaff Ranch. I had so much fun on this wedding and it turned out to be absolutely beautiful. I first met Talani and her mother Diana on October 2nd. We met quickly before Flagstaff Oktoberfest and they decided to hire us on the spot. I was excited about this wedding because I’d never done a peacock wedding and it was a challenge to find that line between too much and not enough. Anyone who’s been to one of my weddings knows I try to design from less is more. So, how did we make this wedding so beautiful while honoring the Peacock theme and having a bride who loves bling?


We started with the room design. Flagstaff Ranch has a beautiful set up for weddings, a perfect area for a buffet, a great area for cocktail hour and a great dance floor. The décor at Flagstaff Ranch can be a bit heavy with wooden tables, chairs and trim – we decided to put all those tables and chairs outside on the covered patio and bring in the event chairs that we could cover. Talani’s colors were peacock of course, but we narrowed in on a beautiful blue. We covered the tables and chairs with black lamour and then brightened it up with blue chair ties and napkins.




Our next design element consisted of flowers. In case you’re not aware – there aren’t many blue flowers. The blue delphinium is basically it, unless you’re willing to spray paint your flowers, which – may look really cool in the magazine, but in person, they look exactly as you’d expect, spray painted – plus, it dries them out something fierce and who needs more drying in Flagstaff? Talani loves Calla Lilies, which was beautiful to work into a design. White calla lilies with crystals, green and blue accent flowers, and the peacock eye feathers against the black tablecloth popped and allowed the Peacock to be a beautiful accent instead of an overpowering presence. Also on the tables, we placed origami peacock paper candy boxes engraved from lmk-gifts.com. Again, bringing in the peacock without the wedding going to the birds!




Talani and Maurice decided to go with cupcakes, with a cake on top for the cutting ceremony. Flagstaff Ranch staff delivered plated cupcakes to the guests and everyone was treated to the delicious creations of Beautiful Leaf Bakery. For a cake topper, the couple decided to go with a peacock also from lmk-gifts.com that sat atop the cake, allowing for the feathers to drape down the tower of cupcakes.


 Chef Doug from Flagstaff Ranch, did a fantastic job on the food, delicious as always and the wait and bar staff are some of the best in town.


Having friends who are DJs is helpful when you’re planning a wedding – Kip and Bill did a great job of making sure the event flowed flawlessly, and provided great music at the ceremony and the reception.



It was a great time and at the end of the evening, when Talani and Maurice got into their limo to leave, both were smiling and ready to start their married life together.





Debbi

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club

Event Planner: Peak Events


Cake Designer: Beautiful Leaf Bakery

Entertainment: Family Friend




June 8, 2011

Kristen Daulton Photography

Interview with Kristen Daulton from Kristin Daulton Photography.

 
How long have you been a photographer?

I started photographing in 2001, so 10 years.

 
How did you get started in Photography?

My Dad gave me his Pentax 35mm for a photography class I wanted to take my 1st yearr in college. Hooked every since.




What is your favorite wedding or event you photographed?

I love all of the events I photograph, but I think my favorite was last April in Spokane WA because I got to travel & see so many different locations.



What is your favorite Northern Arizona location to use as a background?

Anything with the San Fransisco Peaks...they are breath taking!



What is one tip you can give brides?

Relax and have fun....let everyone else worry for you for the day.


You can reach Kristen at kristendaulton@yahoo.com





June 1, 2011

Phoenix Blues Society

Interview with Kyle from the Phoenix Blues Society

How long have you been involved with the Phoenix Blues Society?
Nine Years.
What is your most memorable show?
Probably the 2008 Blues Blast with Walter Trout, Deanna Bogart, Harper, Eden Brent, Delta Highway, Big Daddy D & the Dynamites and Soulcatcher.


What is the most challenging thing about promoting blues?
Attracting a younger audience to the Blues. A number of the elder statesman of the Blues are passing away and while new stars are coming along to take their place, we still need to attract a new, younger audience.


Who is the new and upcoming star?
The band Trampled Under Foot and Joanne Shaw Taylor are two that come to mind.
What is your dream lineup?
The 2011 Blues Blast was pretty close with the Tommy Castro Band, Deanna Bogart and Trampled Under Foot. I'd throw Eden Brent into the mix and Bettye Lavette. That would work.


Kyle has been President of the Phoenix Blues Society now for 6 years and has been involved with the Blues Foundation for 9 years. He is part of the writing team for BluesBytes that won a Keeping the Blues Alive Award from the Blues Foundation for Internet content and volunteers extensively at the national level for the past 7 years.

May 25, 2011

Plus Event Services

Interview with Bob Lopez who is with Plus Event Services.

How long have you been in the special event industry?
I have been in the Special event industry for 25 years. I started as a set up and driver and also filled positions in the industry as a operations manager, tenting department manager, general manager and have worked in the sales department in both two of the largest special event companies in the valley. (Classic and Proem)

Why did you start Plus Event Services?
I was inspired by the book Rich Dad Poor Dad and was in search for a method to teach young people about special events and the value of hard work. One of my clients was hosting an event that needed after the event cleaning and I made the suggestion to hire some high school kids to do the clean up. He asked if I had any kids and I said sure and that is how we got started. We started Plus events as a high school project in 2005. Plus Event Services has since branched off as a full service Special Event company specializing in logistical planning, tents , tables, chairs, linens, and various special event equipment rentals.


What is your most memorable Event?
Over the last 25 years I have seen a lot, fiesta bowl, PIR, NFL Experience Super bowl(Glendale Arizona), Scottsdale Fashion week, Bike Week, Country Thunder, Russo Steel Auto Auction excetrera. But I would have to say the most memorable event was for The Make a wish foundation for a 15 year old girl who had leukemia. My role was to help transform a church gymnasium in to a ball room so she could have the experience of going to the prom. Plus donated our time labor and provided the equipment to make this wish come true. I always ask myself and others in the industry when do we have the opportunity to use our talents for the happiness of others. This is a very key component and is at the heart of Plus Event Services.


What is the most requested rental item?
As far as the most requested rental item I would have to say is the basics of the industry. Tables and chairs. With the economy being what it is it boils down to simple elegance and over the years this is what has worked best in any economy.


Why do you love being in the special event industry?
Why I love this industry? I don’t know. I think you have to be crazy to work in this industry but I think for me it is making the impossible possible in the eyes of every client. To provide possibilities and as many options to clients and to set the foundation and the stage for people to enjoy themselves is what makes me happy.




Bob Lopez
Event Rental Specialist
Plus Event Services
Tel:480-263-1115
e-mail: bob@plus-event-services.com
web: www.plus-event-services.com  

May 17, 2011

Sutcliffe Floral

Interview with Kelly Tulloss with Sutcliffe Floral

How long have you been in a Florist?
I have been a floral industry since 2005. That is when my husband and I bouqht Sutcliffe Floral from Dave and Sue Stilley. My previous career was a marketing manager for Verizon. I absolutely love the business and love working with people.



What is your favorite flower to use for wedding bouquets?
My favorite flower to work with for weddings is mokara orchids - LOVE them! I really love orchids of any kind, I think they are classy, long lasting and very beautiful.
What is one tip you can give brides?
I would recommend for brides to HAVE FUN in the planning of their wedding. To have an idea of the color or type of flowers they love is helpful. Having pictures of styles or designs that catch their eye would be helpful for us as florists to know what their vision is for that special day.

Thank you Kelly!

Sutcliffe Floral

(928) 774-0670

111 Beaver Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86001


May 13, 2011

Simply Delicious of Flagstaff

Interview with Janis Hunt, Simply Delicious
How long have you been in the Special Event Industry? I have been in this business since 1989, and have done hotel and restaurant catering services, restaurant management, hotel sales and marketing, conference center sales and am now partnering with Chef Nancy McCulla at Simply Delicious Catering & Cafe Daily Fare
How did you get started in the Industry? I started as a cocktail waitress and bartender when I was in college. I fell in love with the business, finished my BS and then got a job as a manager in a hotel restaurant. Experience and training in the field was far superior (and more lucritive) than changing majors!!


What is your most memorable event? A lovely wedding at L'Auberge de Sedona on the Creekside Lawn...beatiful flowers and fragrance filled the air, the bride and groom were meant for each other and were so easy to deal with, all the food was perfect, the weather was perfect, no bugs and no issues.....they don't happen like that too often.

What is the most requested food item? In Cafe Daily Fare, it's gotta be the Fish Tacos....like none you've ever tasted. As far as Simply Delicious, that's a tough one because every menu is so unique. Our Hors d'Oeuvre Platter consisting of Crackers, Baguettes, Grapes, Berries and a Duo of Tri-Color Pesto Pate and Marinated Goat Cheese with Grilled Balsamic Portabellos is pretty popular.....


What is one tip you can give brides? Relax...remember it's YOUR day and you need to let the little things go sometimes. We can't all have a Royal Wedding :)

Thank you Janis!!!

Simply Delicious
(928) 774-2855

408 E. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
info@simplydeliciousflagstaff.com

May 2, 2011

Red daisies and chocolate covered strawberries!

Christina and Andrew are the shyest couple I have ever worked with! They were high school sweethearts and so in love! Their story and planning process was the most unusual I have ever had! Christina and Andrew came to us need help with planning a wedding a year away, but there was a catch… there were not going to tell their family until right before the wedding…. Not even that there was a wedding in the future! The only one who knew about the planning was their son (big secret to keep huh??)  So whenever we met there was always the off chance we could run into their family!!!! So we always had a story… Just in case! 

A traditional wedding for their families was a traditional Indian wedding, but they wanted to be different. The wedding location would be at Flagstaff Ranch and Christina would wear a modern wedding dress. 


Four months into the planning Christina asked 3 of her friends to be bridesmaids, but they were sworn to secrecy! They went dress shopping and had a blast. Then it was time for a food tasting. Flag Ranch did a fabulous job with the tasting, it was a FULL meal! They served prime rib, chicken parmesan, salad, rolls, grilled veggies and chili powder hot chocolate truffles, to DIE FOR!!!!   I still couldn’t believe they were still keeping this a secret.  The next surprise was a tango. Christina and Andrew practiced every week! There was even and outfit change for the wedding! 

Two months before the wedding they decided to surprise their parents and tell them about the wedding! They were so surprised because the whole wedding was planned already! The day of the wedding everyone was relaxed and excited! Christina and Andrew were nervous and excited about their dance! The ceremony was held on the patio of the golf course, and the guests were thrilled. The reception was held in the dining hall. Christina and Andrew were so thrilled to be relaxed and their family was enjoying every minute! 



Then it was time for Christina’s favorite part, The Cake! Designed by Caked, the cake was a white cake and had drizzled chocolate like a chocolate covered strawberry. The cake was decorated with Red daisies and chocolate covered strawberries, her favorite! Andrew had a favorite of the night too… it wasn’t the cake though; he was most excited about the prime rib!!


The time came for the dance! What a way to enter your own party! Christina was decked out in a short black tango dress, looking stunning; Andrew was handsome in his suit. They danced their tango perfectly and their guest stood to their feet in amazement!! 

The night was smooth and family filled and Christina and Andrew were thrilled to be married! They had such a great time planning and enjoying their day! And we had a blast working with them and helping to keep their secret!

Christina

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club

Event Planner: Peak Events


Cake Designer: Caked