Wedding & Event Planner 2012

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Wedding &event

planner January 11, 2012

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Wedding & Event Planner Ravalli Republic 2012

In This Issue Google it

4

You are cordially invited

7

Wedding Budget Worksheet Wedding dresses Photographers Decorations

10

11 15

20

Party planning

24

Family reunion

28

Themed parties

Advertiser Index

31

Wedding

&eventfair January 14,

2012

First Interstate Center, Ravalli County Fairgrounds Hamilton, Montana

10am-4pm

Publisher: Jim McGowan Project Sales: Kathy Kelleher, Cheryl Tenold, Justine Morris & Andrew Kilian Production & Design: Dara Saltzman & Jodi Lopez Cover Photographs: l to r: Youa Photography, B2 Photography, Sepp Jannotta, B2 Photography Photo above B2 Photography Wedding & Event Planner 2012 is a publication of the Ravalli Republic, a division of Lee Enterprises. Copyright 2012 by the Ravalli Republic. To be included in next year’s publication, call the Ravalli Republic at 363-3300

2nd Street Sushi...........................................................................25 Alpine Meadows Ranch................................................................34 Asmus Jewelers & Coins................................................................5 Bellezza Salon & Spa....................................................................34 Big Sky Travel Management Company..........................................5 Bitter Root Brewery........................................................................8 Bitterroot Black Tie.........................................................................6 Bitterroot River Inn.........................................................................8 Bradley O’s...................................................................................33 Cabin Fever....................................................................................9 Cheers Unlimited..........................................................................14 Cowboy Troys...............................................................................12 Daly Mansion................................................................................30 Darby Community Clubhouse......................................................32 Dr. Eli K. Johnson.........................................................................13 Flying Horse MT...........................................................................27 Flying R Ranch..............................................................................32 Hamilton Party Rentals.................................................................35 Hidden Legend Winery................................................................30 Joe’s Studio..................................................................................27 Long Riders BBQ..........................................................................14 Meetings Northwest.......................................................................5 Mikesell’s Fine Jewelry.................................................................18 Missoula Federal Credit Union.....................................................23 Montana Island Lodge..................................................................18 Moxie Salon....................................................................................5 Noteworthy...................................................................................21 Partyware Plus..............................................................................21 Ravalli County Fairgrounds...........................................................22 River’s Mist Gallery.........................................................................6 Robbins on Main..........................................................................36 Rocky Mountain Grange...............................................................19 Rosewood Wellness Center & Spa.................................................6 Sara Bozik Professional Make-up..................................................33 Serendipity Lane...........................................................................25 Steppin’ Out Dance Club.............................................................12 The Hideout Saloon & Casino........................................................9 The McBarn..................................................................................17 The Montana Photobooth Company...........................................26 Town House Inns............................................................................2 U of M University Center..............................................................29 Voth Photography/Turn It Up Mobile DJ........................................6 Youa Photography........................................................................30

Wedding and Event Planner

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google it

photo Youa Photography

photo B2

LINDSEY GALIPEAU Ravalli Republic

You said, “Yes.” Now what? Google it. The Internet has become a great place for couples to plan their weddings and create websites that guests can visit for information. Some particularly popular sites have RSVP and budget management capabilities, checklists, vendor lists and some even Page 4 •

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

photo B2

have honeymoon booking information. All offer a couple the ability to create a website with date and location information, photos and a wide variety of themes. “Weddings are hard enough to plan without having to make sure your 100-plus guests are able to receive all the important information,” said weddingjojo.com founder Parker Newman. “By having a

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wedding website, you can just direct people to a single website to answer all of their questions.” Weddingwebsites.com compares these sites and ranks them on star values. Their No. 1 is wedsimple.com, which earned five out of five stars. This site has so many features it’s impossible to name them all. Besides the typical photo, checklist and management capabilities, wedsimple.com will send you reminders, offer music suggestions, help you plan your tables, is advertisement-free and offers over 80 website design options. You can even use the site after the wedding to keep track of who sent which gifts and whether you mailed them a thank you. Unfortunately, using the site isn’t free. The price varies depending on which package you choose. You can pay $10 monthly or up to $80 for an unlimited package that will stay online until two months after your wedding. Weddingwebsites. com said Wedsimple is worth the money and the larger the package you buy, the bigger savings you get. But for the cash-strapped, there are other options. Mywedding.com was given 2.5 out of five stars by Weddingwebsites, but the site is completely free and has many valuable features. The site offers vendor information in your area, tips and suggestions for planning, etiquette and foods, as well as honeymoon booking information. Mywedding has many designs for web pages, which are all free. The drawback on this site is you won’t have quite as many features and not as much web space. For the couple not looking to plan online, but who do want a website to share information with their guests, weddingjojo.com is the place to go. The site is free for the most basic package and $14.99 per month for the “full slice.” There is no

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yearly obligation, unlike some sites. Weddingjojo. com takes pride in providing fully customizable, “unique and modern” themes, Newman said. Your website on Weddingjojo will have RSVP features, a guestbook and registry sections alongside the usual photos and information. While a website is a quick, easy way for guests to access important news about your wedding, Newman said there are still some traditions to uphold. “While we hope in the future paper invitations can be substituted for online ones, we still feel sending out invitations by mail is important,” he said. A website may not be for every couple either. For Sheila Welke and her fiancé, having a website was more work than it was worth. “My fiancé owns his own business and I own my own business and between the two of us… we didn’t have time,” she said. Welke said their wedding is small, with many older guests who either don’t have the Internet or don’t know how to use it well. “It was better to send out invitations and do it all the old-fashioned way,” Welke said.

photo B2

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

You are cordially invited Spread the word about your event with unique, customized invitations

Stacey Lishok Ravalli Republic

CORVALLIS - Birth announcements, save the dates, wedding invitations and more help spread the word and can set the tone for an event. “Invitations say a lot about the type of event you’re having,” said Kristina Berger of Custom Cards and Invitations. “Wording and design lets a guest know if it is a backyard barbeque or a black tie event

and everything in between.” They can also be pricey. With more and more picture sharing and do-ityourself websites, creating invitations and cards can be as simple as clicking a mouse. But there are other options. With the right software and creative eye, people like Berger of Corvallis, can help busy brides announce their big day with professional, custom-

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 7

ized invitations at do-it-yourself prices. “Most brides have a pretty good idea of what they are looking for,” Berger said. “They have seen invitations in magazines and online and come to me so that they can have a very personalized version. I can combine designs and do invitations in the exact colors they want for a very customized look at a more reasonable price.” After creating the invitations for her own wedding in 2008 and receiving praise and requests for bride-to-be friends, Berger started Custom Cards and Invitations and has been doing invitations ever since. “I enjoy being part of a

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

couple’s special day,’ Berger said. “I have always loved crafting. I have a very do-it-yourself personality and often see items that I recreate at home for much cheaper and enjoy the process of creating something myself.” Though each project is different, Berger said she can usually turn a project around in a few days if she already has the materials on hand. “It depends on the number of invitations and amount of detail,” Berger said. “I like to have enough time to do each step on a different day, seeing as how I have a day job as well.” Berger said planning and communication with her clients is key. “Communications of your wants is important to those helping you with your event,” she said. “If you do not tell the people helping you with your event what you want, they will do things the way they think they should be done.” This is one of the more difficult aspects Berger has said she discovered in designing and creating invitations. “I have to remember that this is not my event,”

she said. “My taste and my clients’ tastes are two different things. Communication of what the client wants helps to make their experience better and their invitations exactly what they envisioned and wanted.” She advises brides to find out not only what they really like but also what they don’t like. “Take the time to look around,” Berger said. “Be honest with yourself about what you want and what you can afford. You want your special day to go off without a hitch. Having someone to worry about those little details is nice so that you can relax and have a good time.” For more information, contact Berger at kbcardsandinvitations@gmail.com or (541) 778-2271.

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photo Youa Photography

Wedding Budget Expenses Worksheet

Music

My Total Budget: $

Ceremony

3% of overall budget

$

Location fee, officiant fee, marriage license, musician’s fees, ring pillows

Reception

48% of overall budget

$

10% of overall budget

Dress, Headpiece/veil, undergarments and hosiery, shoes, accessories, jewelry, hair and makeup, Groom’s Tuxedo or Suit, shoes, bow tie, cuff links, studs, suspenders

Rings

3% of overall budget

8% of overall budget

Wedding and Event Planner

2% of overall budget

$

Transportation for wedding party, guest shuttle

Stationery

3% of overall budget

$

Invitations, response cards, thank you notes, postage, calligraphy, guest book

$

$

Ceremony, bride’s bouquet, maid-of-honor and bridesmaid bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, centerpieces, flower-girl basket

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$

and/or parking attendants

His and her rings, engraving

Flowers

12% of overall budget

Photographer and Videographer’s fees, albums, additional prints, disposable cameras for candids

Transportation $

$

Ceremony Musicians, Band and/or DJ, cocktail hour musicians, sound system rental

Photography

Reception Site, Food, Drinks, Rentals, Cake, Favors

Attire

8% of overall budget

• January 11, 2012

Gifts

3% of overall budget

Bridesmaid and groomsmen, parents, welcome baskets for out-of-town guests.

$

wedding dresses

photo Youa Photography

photo Youa Photography

LINDSEY GALIPEAU Ravalli Republic

Ashley Breza knows how to find “the one.” No, not the perfect husband. You’ve already done that. She’s talking about your wedding dress. Breza is the assistant manager at Beautiful Weddings Bridal and Evening Wear in downtown Missoula. She’s sold dresses there since the boutique’s opening in 2002, accruing helpful hints for

photo B2

harried brides along the way. “I love finding the unexpected perfect gown for my brides,” Breza said. In her experience, the most important step is deciding on a budget. Have a set amount you’re willing to spend on your dress or, at least, a range. Here’s an idea of where to start. The average amount brides spent on their wedding gowns in 2010 was $1,099, according to a

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 11

survey by the magazine The Knot. The average dress cost $900 to $1,280 in 2011, according to weddingstats.org. Plan to pay more for fancy beadwork, add-ons or embroidery. Also, consider alterations when figuring your budget. Breza said just about all dresses need alterations and they always cost extra. Having a budget makes it much easier to pick places to shop and keeps you from trying on extraneous gowns. Breza said store associates appreciate knowing your budget, too. It allows them to choose dresses that are worth your while to try on. The next step is starting early. “Girls really need to know that they need to be shopping a year in advance and purchasing at least eight months in advance,” Breza said. Not all brides have that kind of time. In that case, start shopping as soon as possible. Brenna Young of Great Falls and formerly Hamilton, where she held her wedding, said she had about nine months to plan. She started looking for her dress right after the engagement. For

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Wedding and Event Planner

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Young, that was just enough time, especially since she had a hard time finding a shorter dress that she liked. “I kind of went to pretty much every place I could think of in Montana,” Young said. She finally found her dress at Beautiful Weddings when she learned they could shorten it for her. With the economy as it is, the common shopper’s attitude is to compare before buying. This doesn’t work for wedding dresses. That’s the main purpose of the budget. You can’t find your perfect dress at every store and compare prices. So, Breza’s next tip: Be ready to buy at any time. “If you have that feeling like ‘This is my dress,’ there’s no point in going to many other stores and coming back to the first,” she said. Finally, be open to trying on something you normally wouldn’t. “You never know what you are really going to want on your wedding day until you try it on,” Breza said. Young said the dress she found was completely different than what she had in mind.

“I would say try on a bunch of different styles, even if you think you have your heart set on one,” she said. The theme that seems to be most popular among brides lately is vintage. “We’re seeing a lot of lace coming back into style,” Breza said. “You don’t get to wear lace all the time. It’s just so elegant and beautiful.” Straps, belts and flower appliqués are catching on, too. All these vintage tidbits seem to make for one girly gown, and that’s the point. “Girls, no matter whether they’re a girly-girl or a tomboy, they just want to feel gorgeous on their wedding day,” Breza said. One trend that’s going out of style is buying your dress online. Breza said getting your dress from the Internet is a daring maneuver. The dress may be the wrong size, bad quality or just not what you wanted. “We’ve had a few girls come in who have bought online and who have gotten a dress that’s just not wearable,” Breza said. More and more, the Internet is becoming just

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 13

photo B2

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a tool to look at options rather than make a purchase. Young looked online to see what was available and almost bought a gown. “There was one dress that I wanted to buy online and I loved it and I wanted it, but all the reviews were terrible,” she said. Young said she preferred to shop for dresses at the stores “for the sake of trying them on.” And if you’re going to spend over $1,000 on a dress for one event, why not get pampered in the process? Breza said bridal stores do their best to help their customers, service you won’t get online. “It’s a really different experience,” Breza said. “We like to treat them really like a princess.”

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Wedding and Event Planner

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photographers

photo B2

LINDSEY GALIPEAU Ravalli Republic

Kelsey and Jacob Rose’s Stevensville wedding was a day to remember. Horseshoe stands held the cake and bowls. Cowboy boot photo holders stood as centerpieces, and each picture was sealed on the back with a kiss from the bride. But memory doesn’t always serve the memorable moments in our lives. In fact, it’s those wonderful

photo Sepp Jannotta

whirlwind events that seem to escape us the most. “If there weren’t pictures, I wouldn’t have remembered a lot of it,” Kelsey said. The power of a photographer at any big event is immeasurable. Photographers capture treasured moments and the little things that often go unnoticed. “These memories are supposed to last generations,” said master photographer Stephen Kenley,

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• January 11, 2012 • Page 15

of Images by Stephen in Hamilton. Having the right photographer is just as important as having one at all. You need someone that you trust to get the images you want in the style you want them, Kenley said. Start with considering your budget. When money is particularly tight, one option is to have family or friends shoot the event. The Roses used a friend, Kayla Kanta, who has a photography business in Three Forks. The couple also had other friends and family members take pictures throughout the wedding. Kelsey admitted she was worried she may not get all the photos she hoped for. Luckily, she was happily surprised. “It worked out well just because there were so many people,” Kelsey said. “I have the picture of him seeing me (coming down the aisle) from four different angles.” A friend or family member photographing your special event is often fairly cheap or even free, but it can present some problems. Maybe they don’t have much experience. Maybe they’re preoccupied with participating in the event. Or maybe they miss that one special moment. To avoid this there’s option two: hiring a photographer. Some are pricier than others and that should be taken into account, but what people should focus on is the kind of quality they want, Kenley said. Find someone who suits your needs and represents your personality best. “The photographer brings something a little different,” said Sepp Jannotta, a photographer and journalist who works in the Missoula and

photo Youa Photography

photo Youa Photography

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

www.themcbarn.com

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 17

Bitterroot area. Finding your photographer should be an involved process, Kenley said. Find some prospects, look at their work online or in the studio and, most importantly, go talk to them. “Get a sense of who they are,” Jannotta said. “You want to make sure you’re in good hands.” Before they decided on Kanta, the Roses sifted through many photographers. Kelsey agrees with Kenley and Jannotta’s advice. For those in need of a wedding photographer, she has some extra tips. “Definitely take a look at pictures that they’ve done at other weddings,”

photo Sepp Jannotta

www.montanaislandlodge.com

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

photo B2

she said. “If you don’t like it, you won’t like yours.” She also said to make sure they’ve done weddings before. Some photographers may do great landscapes, but their weddings may not be what you like. Finally, beware the Photoshop gurus. These are picture-takers with great proficiency in digital editing. Some of their work may look nice, but editing can never replace good lighting, posing and experience, Kenley said. So be careful when choosing your photographer. Their pictures will serve as the memory of your special day, whether it’s a wedding, graduation or anniversary. Have several candidates and know what you want the end result to look like. “Ultimately, you’re spending thousands of dollars on cake and other things that are going to be gone forever,” Jannotta said. “Photos last a lifetime.”

www.cateredtable.com Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 19

decorations

photos Youa Photography

LINDSEY GALIPEAU Ravalli Republic

Other than presents, what was the best part about birthdays as a kid? Picking the theme, of course. You could have Barbie or race cars or even a pirate theme complete with a treasure hunt. But as we grew older, the decorations got blander or even nonexistent. So when we do attend an event decorated to the nines, it’s something special. Page 20 •

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

If you want to host such an event, there are some quick tips to make it easier. First, decide when and where your party will be. This will give you an idea of the area you need to fill. Next, choose your theme. Kathy Snook, an event designer for Party Décor in Stevensville, said she’s seen a vast array of themes for all kinds of parties. From an outer space theme for a boy’s graduation to red and purple feathers for a wedding reception,

Snook’s seen it all. “It seems like anything goes anymore,” she said. “You know, I think there’s a wide variety of tastes.” So choose what you like and roll with it. From there, you can take two routes. One is to hire an event designer like Snook. Naturally, hiring a decorator would save on the headaches and stress. And it’s more affordable than some might think. “In the long run, you save money by using me, because I have already purchased the decorations,” Snook said. If you do choose to hire a decorator, have a set budget for that person to work with. One money-saving option Snook offers is allowing her clients to make their own food. She adds a little pizzazz with some decorative serving dishes. “So even if they’re doing it themselves, they can have a really beautiful presentation,” Snook said. You can also save money on food by serving hors d’ouevres instead of a full meal and offering one signature drink. If you’re not looking to hire a decorator, there are some basic tips to help you make the event spectacular. Snook said consider the size of the area. The bigger it is, the more decorations you’ll need.

photo Sepp Jannotta

photo Youa Photography

Wedding and Event Planner

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

“When you’re decorating a large room, it just swallows up your decorations,” Snook said. When possible, get more than you think you’ll need. But when your budget is tight, there are other ways to keep the presentation keen. Snook said to start with the tables. With tablecloths, runners, vases and candles alone, you can create many different looks. Next, pick a few key places to add drama. Buffet tables are a good place to start. “Do a few areas up really nice and, that way, you’ll get more bang for your buck,” Snook said. “It can still be nice but you can do it on a budget.” photo B2

www.missoulafcu.org

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 23

party planning

Stacie Duce For

the

Ravalli Republic

For some, a party is ultimate fun but for creative minds like Jill Revelli of Hamilton, it’s the planning that she loves most. “I plan my kids’ birthday parties for months in advance,” she said. “We have a blast and then afterwards I have an after-party let down and it’s really depressing until I come up with the next big thing to plan.” She makes lists in her sleep. She loves carniPage 24 •

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

val supply catalogs. And she admits that party planning is somewhat of a fixation and source of energy. “It’s my reward for getting through the mundane parts of the day,” she said. As a result, Jill doesn’t limit her parties to birthdays or traditional holidays. “On National Ice Cream Day, we had a party with all kinds of ice cream and invited people over. I find the stupidest days to celebrate – even Columbus Day was a good day for a party. And the day that ‘Hulk’ movie came out in theaters, I had no desire to see it but we had a party to celebrate and every-

photo Jill Revelli

thing we ate had to be green. “I think it’s a weird personality thing,” she admit. “I might need therapy but I really enjoy it.” Jill has always been a party girl – the kind that serves soda, popcorn and cotton candy. In high school, her house was the fun place to be after games, on the weekends and for special events. Even after she graduated, high school kids would still come to her house hoping to find clean fun and her mom still obliged kids with popcorn and a smile. “Now that I have kids, I still want my house to be the fun place to be and if that takes bribing them with fun food, then so be it,” Jill said. As a result, she’s collected a commercial cotton candy machine, pretzel warmer, hot dog roller, shake machine, nacho machine and snow cone maker.

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 25

They’re all stored in what she calls her “Cotton Candy Room.� The Revelli family moved to Hamilton two years ago for her husband’s job at Rocky Mountain Lab. They came from Denver where friends who weren’t as party-minded would hire Jill to host their events. From family reunions to birthday parties, she planned the extravagant theme parties from start to finish. Her deluxe kid package includes making and delivering custom invitations and everything that’s needed for a two-hour party including games, goodie bags and of course, cotton candy. She prefers the party to be at her home where she can set up, take down and clean up. And how does her own family like living in a party house? “They love it,� she said. Her three boys and one daughter are her age-appropriate consultants who rate her ideas before she orders the supplies. “If my 6-year-old isn’t crazy about something then I know it’s not going to go over big at the party so I change photo Jill Revelli

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

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directions.” Her husband actually joined in the fun back in Denver. “Dave did the cakes,” she said. “He learned to use fondant and used his scientific mind to engineer it. He’s built a ‘Death Star’ spinning on the base. He once built a three-foot-high NASA Space Shuttle. He did a frog cake once that could be dissected. It was anatomically correct with all the fondant formed into the different organs. I almost gagged and told him, ‘This is worst cake you’ve ever made.’ Half of the kids wouldn’t eat it but the birthday kid absolutely loved it.” Jill is convinced that theme parties are the best way to celebrate and she’s sharing her skills with more Bitterroot families with her new business, “Confetti.” Recently she hosted a sports extravaganza for a rowdy group of 10-year-boys. She’s hosted more “Harry Potter” parties than she can count and she’s also had fun with “Tangled,” Legos and diva party themes. As a music major in college, she put her entertaining skills to use to build a stage for the little girl diva party. “I choregraphed a music video for the girls. We recorded it and made DVDs for the girls

S

The Bitterroot Valley’s

location for your

to take home,” she said. “They loved it.” For her own son’s recent birthday party with a dragon theme, she hired high school boys to come to her house dressed as dragons and the kids rode them all over the house until everyone collapsed. “I know some people really go crazy with the chaos at a birthday party, but I love it and am very comfortable in all the noise and commotion,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s a gift or a curse, but I’m trying to put it to good use. It’s a really fun outlet for me.” With two or three weeks notice, Jill can plan a party with just enough time to order supplies. Her next event is an Iron Chef themed birthday so she’s ordered chef hats and fun cooking tools. She prefers parties with an even dozen number of guests since most supplies come in batches of 12. “I’ve always thought it would be fun to have somewhere where you could pick a theme and turn a whole party over to someone to plan and carry out,” she said. “And so I guess that’s my house now. I really love doing it.” For more information, call Jill Revelli about her “Confetti” party planning at 363-4531

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family reunion

photo provided

photo B2

Stacie Duce Ravalli Republic

Denny and Karren McLean hosted almost 50 family members at their Hamilton home last summer for the Fourth of July weekend. The reunion was also a 90th birthday celebration for Karren’s Page 28 •

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

mom. With built-in entertainment like Hamilton’s fireworks shows at the fairgrounds and scenic walks at the nearby Kiwanis Park, guests who came from far and near weren’t disappointed. But there was potential for disaster lurking like at any other family reunion. Here are a few tips from

the McLeans for hosting a hometown family reunion: • Menu “We made meals that were big and fast,” said Denny. Most food was prepared on outdoor barbecues rather than in the kitchen and their three-day menu included buffet-style favorites like Hawaiian haystacks and fajitas. • Activities While Denny provided another highlyanticipated annual treasure hunt through the yard and nearby park, it quickly became apparent that all the activities they planned weren’t going to pan out. “We learned not everybody wanted to participate in everything,” Karren said. “The adults just wanted to sit and talk, so we focused on kid activities to keep them busy.” She said fill-

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ing a garbage can with bubble making solution for oversized wands was a big hit that also took a hit on their lawn but provided hours of fun for the kids. • Sleeping accommodations While some of their guests reserved a motel room, most stayed at the McLean’s modest home. To accommodate the masses, they put up tents and a teepee in the yard and provided as many beds as would fit in their basement. • Eating accommodations Karren and Denny cleaned out their entire twocar garage prior to the reunion and set up tables for eating in the shade of the garage. “There was no way we could fit everyone in the house to eat, so having the garage open and available really worked out well for us.” • Bathroom accommodations Karren said the best decision they made during the planning process was to rent a port-apotty for the week. “Even though some people never wanted to use it and came into the house, I don’t think we could have gotten along without it. Denny said the highlight of their weekend with family was during the evening entertainment when everyone took turns talking about family remembrances and honoring their 90-year-old grandmother. One of the sisters brought a projector and showed pictures from the past on the side of the house. “It just encapsulated her life and meant a lot to the family. It turned out very well,” Denny said. While wildfires closed Skalkaho Road and preventing sapphire hunting and the Bitterroot River was too high to float, they still made memories despite Mother Nature’s efforts to spoil the fun. “A lot of the big activities that we had planned just weren’t feasible,” said Karren. “So it was local, homegrown fun instead.”

photo Sepp Jannotta

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012

themed parties Celebrating with style Themed parties promote personalized celebrations

photo provided

Stacey Lishok Ravalli Republic

STEVENSVILLE - “Mommy’s Main Squeeze.” So read the shirt two-year-old Claire King wore at her second birthday party. The birthday girl, and main squeeze, was the center of attention at the lemonade stand-themed celebration complete with pitchers of lemons, lemon bars and vases filled with Lemonheads. The themed event, inspired by a few party planning blogs, featured homemade decorations such

as yellow pinwheels, painted “lemonade” stand signs and banners as Claire’s mom, Kristin King, celebrated her daughter’s second birthday with style. “Everyone loved it,” King said. “Claire will probably not remember it but it afforded some good bonding time with my sister and friend as we tried our hands at party planning and homemade decorations.” After browsing online resources for themed parties, King came up with the lemonade stand idea. Complete with cupcakes adorned with sliced lem-

Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 31

ons, candy-dipped marshmallows and more, the memorable event took about two days to get together. “We basically picked a theme and stuck with it for everything,� King said. “You don’t have to be a graphic artist to make cute things and you don’t have to be an executive chef to come up with good ideas.� King, a mother of two and professional photographer, documented the event which was later featured on the blog bumpsmitten.com. “Being a photographer and being able to document events like that is great,� King said. “It all kind of ties in to celebrating children.� Following the success of Claire’s birthday, King planned and threw a baby shower for a friend with the theme “buttons, bows and little pink toes.� With giant white balloons, pink and white flowers and homemade decorations including customized onesies hanging from a clothes line, the scene was set for the celebration of the upcoming birth of a baby girl.

“We had a little station where people could put bows and such on crocheted hats and could create their own presents for her,� King said. “It was all baby boutique type stuff. Everything revolved around the buttons, bows and little pink toes theme.� King later used those hats during a photography session when the baby arrived. King utilizes online resources and blogs such as pinterest.com, etsy.com, blog.amyatlas.com and thetomkatstudio.com for ideas, but likes to sketch her thoughts out beforehand, such as how a table would look with her decorations and cooked creations on it. “It’s definitely a creative outlet,� King said. “It’s just fun. It’s challenging to see what you can pull off.� Though she’s pulled off a successful birthday party and baby shower, she is open to attempting other events such as wedding showers and other specialty parties for events like the Super Bowl or New Year’s Eve party.

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Wedding and Event Planner

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Wedding and Event Planner

• January 11, 2012 • Page 33

“Baby showers and kids’ birthday parties are just so fun,” King said. “You could put in the same amount of effort and have a Dora the Explorer party but with a few with a few easy things you could make an event super special and personalized.” The trick, King said, is to pick a theme and stick with it. “Trying to involve too many things can sometimes be a disaster,” she said. “Be very specific about the theme and stay with it.” For more information on Indian Prairie Photography or themed party planning, contact King at 406 360-2459, http://indianprairiephotography.com or find Indian Prairie Photography on Facebook.

photo provided

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