5 Quick and Easy Tips for Stress Free Holiday Entertaining

Yesterday morning, I woke up to some pretty fabulous news: my article, "5 Quick and Easy Tips For Stress Free Holiday Entertaining", had been published on Los Angeles Black Parent Magazine Online (insert happy dance and excited squeal!!!).  

I decided to post it here on my blog as well because their are some great tips in there that will not only help you save money and time, but also help you get through the planning with ease!

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1. Make a List and Check it Twice: I am the queen of lists! They keep me organized (and I even get a thrill out of checking things off as I complete them!)  Make a “to buy” list and a “to do list” and keep them with you when it’s time to shop for the party.  Writing things down ensures that you will not forget anything and is the #1 way to save time by eliminating multiple shopping trips.

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2. Use What Ya Got:  Chances are you have a box of ornaments and old decorations packed away.  Break them out and figure out how to repurpose what you already have!  You can use last year’s ornaments to fill up an apothecary jar, vase, or serving dish.  Add a decorative ribbon and voila…you have a quick and easy table centerpiece.  The key here is to get creative and use items that you already have to spruce up your home décor.

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3. Who Says Smaller Isn’t Better:  Instead of spending countless hours in the kitchen preparing an elaborate, multi-course meal, why not serve an array of mini foods?!  “Light bites” are a popular trend right now and will save you a load of time.  Consider foods that can be prepared in individual serving sizes so that guests can grab them and keep it moving.  This will help to avoid a pile-up or long line in your kitchen/serving area.

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4. Put Your Signature on It:  Signature drinks are a great way to spice up any party! Create a festive holiday cocktail, give it a fun name inspired by the theme of your party, and prepare a drink station for your guests to fill up.  This is a great time saver, as the drink can be made in batches and stored away until it is time to replenish.  It also cuts down on the cost to fully stock a bar.

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5. Keep the Kids Busy: Designate an area to keep the kiddos entertained in a separate area from the adults.  Consider setting up multiple stations for the children to get creative while having fun.  Cupcake/cookie decorating, Gingerbread House building, or a card-making station are just a few ideas that will keep the kids busy and amused for the evening. Be sure to have a chaperone on hand to supervise and assist.

 PTE Wants to Know: What stresses you most about entertaining during the holidays?  What other tips can be added to the list to make planning a holiday party a breeze?

XOXO,

Nikola 

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected.

{Holiday Entertaining} Non-traditional Xmas Colors

The holiday season is my absolute favorite time of the year!  I look forward to spending time with my family and spreading my decorating wings (oh, and shopping!!!).

I'll be heading out to purchase a Christmas tree this evening, so I've been thinking a lot about the color combo I'd like to use this go-around.  I mean, who says you have to stick with red and green?  I'm an out of the box type of gal, so this year, I think I'll go with bold, non-traditional Christmas colors and decor.

This was my inspiration...

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PTE Wants to Know: Have you finished your holiday decorating? Did you/are you going with traditional or non-traditional colors?

Drop by our Facebook page and post pics of your best holiday decorating photos on our wall.  I'd love to see your creative decor!

XOXO,
Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected.

{Holiday Entertaining} Hot Cocoa Bar

Can you believe it's already December?!

I won't be cliche and say how fast the year has gone by (but geesh, where has the time gone haha!!!)

It's raining here in Los Angeles, and the cold, wet weather is definitely putting me in the holiday spirit.  Don't be surprised if you see a lot more holiday entertaining posts around here...mixed in with plenty of wedding goodness too, of course!

Speaking of rainy weather, a great way to stay warm and toasty during your holiday gatherings is a Hot Cocoa Bar.  The great thing about it is that it's pretty simple to set up.  All you'll need is hot cocoa mix, milk, and a variety of topping options.  A few suggestions include:

*Marshmallows

*Peppermint

*Whipped Cream

*Cinnamon Sticks

*Caramel Squares

For the adults, a hint of liquor can be added to give a touch of EXTRA warmth!

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PTE Wants to Know: Will you be hosting a Hot Cocoa Bar at your next holiday gathering? What other toppings would you suggest to make your hot chocolate even more delicious?

XOXO,
Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected

Trend Alert: Cascading Bouquets

Cascading bouquets are making a comeback!

That's right: the bouquet style popularized in the 80s, is resurfacing with a vengeance.  Many brides today are requesting long, flowy flower bouquets over the more traditional bouquet...and for good reason: they're beautiful!!!

Before you cringe at the thought of walking down the aisle with the same style bouquet as your ancestors (ok, i'm exaggerating a little), take a look at this roundup of stunningly gorgeous cascading bouquets, perfect for the modern day bride:

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PTE Wants to Know: Are you a fan of cascading bouquets?  What type of flowers do you thing would work best for this style? Would you consider a cascading bouquet over the more traditional bouquet?

XOXO,
Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected

Savvy Seating: Dressed Up Wedding Chairs

Chiavari chairs are probably the most commonly used chairs at wedding receptions today. True, they may already look nice, but there are ways to dress up your wedding reception chairs that can add a little extra pizzazz to the overall look and feel of your event.  They can be draped with soft, flowy fabric, covered with unique, textured chair covers that match your color scheme...there are so many options available that the possibilities are endless!

Check out a few stylish ideas to dress up your wedding reception chairs:

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Say bye-bye to boring wedding reception chairs, and consider dressing them up to look as fabulous as the rest of your event!

PTE Wants to Know: Will you be dressing up your wedding reception chairs?  What other creative ways  are you thinking of, or have seen, to dress them up?

XOXO,
Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected

6 Ways to Use Ribbon in Your Wedding Decor

Using ribbon in your wedding decor is a really inexpensive, yet creative way to spruce up your wedding decor.  Ribbon is so versatile, as it comes in so many sizes, shades, and styles, making it easy to make it work with the color scheme or overall look and feel of your wedding.

Here are 6 different ways you can use ribbon in your wedding decor:

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Ceremony Backdrop

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Wedding Chairs

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Dessert Table

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Decor

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Wall/Ceiling Draping

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PTE Wants to Know: What other ways can/have you seen ribbon used in wedding decor? Would you use ribbon in your wedding decor, or is it just not your style?

XOXO,
Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected

Vintage Wedding Transportation

Have you given any thought to how you'll make your GRAND wedding exit?  How cool would it be to end the night in a vintage car!   I love to see an old Chevy or other old school car all fixed up and shining...looking just as good as it did back in the day.  These old beauties make for the perfect get-away car, as you head off into marital bliss.  They can also be a great photo prop, so that you'll have photos that are timeless!

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PTE Wants to Know: Would you consider renting a vintage car as your wedding transportation, or would you stick to a traditional ride?

XOXO,

Nikola

Nikola Ahaiwe is a Los Angeles wedding /event planner and owner of Platinum Touch Events, a boutique event planning firm servicing southern CA. To  learn more about Platinum Touch Events, please visit our website and become a fan on Facebook to stay connected