Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Invitation Frenzy

I've been researching on creative invitation design and I tumbled across a webpage of an Invitation Printing Company called InspirAsians, based in the Philippines. So I looked them up and I found really that they do really unique and awesome designs for a themed party.

PerfectInspirAsians Sites:

Official Website
Multiply Web Blog
Youtube Account


Some of the unique designs I'm interested in is their invite-in-a-box.



Reponse to Event Venue Inquiries

Dear Debut Preparations,

Thank you for your email and interest in the Wedgewood Hotel. Unfortunately our largest capacity is 50 people in our largest function room. Please keep us in mind for smaller event inquiries.

Best regards,

Mary Timbol
Catering Manager
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa



Hi there!

I'm sorry we have only tables and chairs for 150 people. We could not accommodate 300 people. If you decide to have a smaller party let me know what date are you looking for? This is the place to start the discussion. All our prices are on the web page at www.heritagehall.bc.ca Thanks.

Marian Gilmour
604 879-4816



Good Afternoon,

Thank-you for considering the Fairmont Waterfront for your event. We would be delighted to host your special event. In regards to our banquet rooms, The Waterfront Ballroom is The Fairmont Waterfront's largest function room. Offering a spacious foyer featuring 21 foot floor to ceiling windows, guests can enjoy views of the North Shore Mountains. The foyer area is an ideal setting for a reception area prior to dinner. Four grand doors lead to the expansive ballroom where four beautiful crystal chandeliers light this impressive room. This room can accommodate 300 people for a dinner and dance. Please note that a $20,000 minimum food revenue is required for our Waterfront Ballroom and their is no room rental for the evening as you would be having dinner provided for your guests.

Please find attached our 2007 catering menus for your viewing. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to come and view our facilities. If you have a particular date in mind to hold the event on, I would be more that happy to check the availability of our Waterfront Ballroom for you.

Warmest Regards,
Kathryn Baxter I Sales Services Coordinator I The Fairmont Waterfront I Tel. 604-691-1910 (direct) I Fax. 604-691-1999 I E-mail kathryn.baxter@fairmont.com I Website www.fairmont.com/waterfront

Ideas for Event Venues

Alright so I've researched on a couple of possible venues for this event and I'm so pleased that they are not too far (being within the Lower Mainland Area). Most of them are hotel facilities and I've just inquired about the rentals, package deals, and etc...Here are some picture of Four Seasons Hotel: Click here
Here are some pictures of the Westin Bayshore Hotel & Resort:

(Exterior of the Westin Bayshore Hotel & Resort)


(Main Lobby Entrance)


(Bayshore Grand Ballroom)


Here are some pictures of Sheraton Hotel in Vancouver:

(Exterior of the Sheraton Hotel)


(Guildford Ballroom)
Here are some picture of Waterfront Fairmont Hotel:

(Waterfront Fairmont Hotel at Nighttime)

(Main Lobby Entrance)


(Waterfront Ballroom)


(Waterfront Ballroom Fo
yer)


Sutton Place Hotel Event Guide: (PDF File) - Click here

Here are some pictures of Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver:

(Sutton Place Hotel: Exterior View, Main Entrance Lobby)


(Versailles Ballroom)


Versailles Ballroom

The largest facility is the elegantly decorated Le Versailles Ballroom with its magnificent crystal chandeliers and damask fabric walls. Located on the second floor, Le Versailles can host up to 400 people for receptions and 280 people for banquets and can be divided into two smaller break-out rooms. Five other well-appointed rooms on this level, named after famous wine chateaux, provide the flexibility required for a variety of functions (Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Lafite, Chateau Belair, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Olivier).

All of this venues are gorgeous and I think, it will very well suit the occasion and the intended ambiance of the event.

Debut Preparation Outline

A Traditional Debut Planner
10/13/07 | by Debutitude | Categories: Party Guide
Source: Seventeen Philippines, July 2001
By Charley Antonio and Hazel Villonco of the Bridal Cortege

Six Months Before:
1. Plan a budget with your parents.
2. Decide on the number of guests you want to have and make a prelim guest list.
3. Decide on your color motif and theme.
4. Look for designers, choreographer, a mobile, florists, photographers and videographers. Look at their portfolios and sample work.
5. List the members of your cotillion and warn them that rehearsals may fall on weekends. Ask them about their schedules so you both know what kind of commitment to expect.
6. Once you have confirmed your venue and cotillion members, have your invitation printed as early as possible. Order additional envelopes just in case errors are made while addressing them.

Four Months Before:
1. Finalize your guest list.
2. Select the menu based on your budget decide on what type of cake you like. There are some bakers who can do very intricate designs, and there are others who can make simpler cakes on a budget.
3. Book your vendors and make down payments: the florist, photographer, videographer, baker and band/mobile. Make sure that you have a written contract with all of them.
4. Discuss the type of cotillion you want with your choreographer, and make a schedule of rehearsals.
5. Finalize with your gown designs.

Three Months Before:
1. Schedule measurements and fittings of your gowns (with the cotillion members).
2. Start taping interviews with your family and friends for the video presentation.
3. Finalize your menu and make the necessary down payments.
4. Start having trial make-up sessions with different artists. Have your picture taken after each trial so that you can remember how each one made you up. There are times when how you look in person differs from your face in the photograph.
5. Begin rehearsals for the cotillion and other special programs.
6. Decide on the souvenirs.

Two Months Before:
1. Book the make-up artist of your choice.
2. Send your invitation envelopes to your calligrapher of printer.
3. Conceptualize the décor and set-up with the florist or the hotel



One Month Before:
1. Send out your invitations.
2. Buy your accessories: shoes, bag, hosiery, jewelry, undergarments.
3. Go for final fittings and rehearsals with the cotillion members.
4. Finalize the layout and logistics of the reception venue.
5. If you hired a coordinator, tie-up all the loose ends and discuss the flow of the events and program. Otherwise, assign someone who can take care of wrapping up and settling the bill for you after the function.

Two Weeks Before:
1. Discuss the program with the hose.
2. Give the final head count to the Banquet Officer of the hotel or your caterer. Don’t forget to add the coordinators, photographers, videographer, etc. to the headcount.
3. Reconfirm all your reservations with the florist, photographer, videographer, baker, band/mobile, make-up artist, etc.
4. Buy a token gift for your parents to thank them for giving you a wonderful debut

One Week Before:
1. Arrange your souvenirs and guest book.
2. Do one last cotillion rehearsal.
3. Relax for the rest of the week.

The Day Before:
Relax. Sleep Early.

The Day Itself:
Kick Off Heels and have fun!

After the Debut Day
1. Clean Up and make returns.
2. Have your gown professionally dry cleaned.
3. Make thank you cards for all the gifts you received.

What Is A Debutante Ball? A Cotillion?

(Credits to: http://www.pacificsoundsdj.com/tradition/)

The Tradition

A Debutante (the French word for a “female beginner”) is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who as reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal presentation known as her “debut” or “coming out.” Originally, it meant the young woman was eligible for marriage, and part of the purpose was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select upper class circle. This event is traditionally referred to as The Debutante’s Ball.

In the Philippines, a debutante’s ball is very popular and widely celebrated when young Filipina adolescent turns 18. The highlight of a debutante’s ball is known as The Grand Cotillion Dance where the Debutante, with an escort, share a waltz dance with the elegantly-dressed cotillion court composed of her friends of 9 boys and 9 girls. A special cotillion choreographer is normally hired by the debutante’s parent to teach the un-experienced boys and girls to perform a highly-choreographed waltz dance. Practices for the dance can last for 6 months and normally held in the debutante’s residence every weekend.

The other popular dance is The 18 Roses Dance where the Debutante shares a memorable dance with 18 men with each one offering a freshly-cut red beautiful rose. The father of the debutante is typically the first one to dance, often called The Father and Daughter Dance. The Debutante picks the 18 songs to play and the participants normally include relatives, friends, godfathers, neighbors and acquaintances.

Next of the tradition is The 18 Candles Presentation, wherein 18 ladies will light 18 candles to resemble the 18 lights that will serve as guidance to the debutante as she makes her transition to the status of a full grown woman. Sometimes, the 18-lighted candles are the candles that the debutante blows before she cuts the cake. Most often, the mother of the debutante is the last of the 18 candles participants. Each participant also says a word, a congratulatory note or wishes to the debutante.

A new activity that we have seen lately is what others call The 18 Symbolic Treasures, where 18 participants, mostly family friends and relatives, as well as godmothers and godfathers, offer a gift to the debutante. A perfect gift is something that the Debutante can treasure as she moves on to college and started to live as a young woman.

The last of the tradition is A Word from the Debutante, where the Debutante shares her thoughts of probably one of the most memorable times of here life.

Likewise, a debutante’s ball is a way for the parent to showcase to the society their daughter’s talents or specials sills like dancing, singing or playing instruments and other talents she possesses.

The debutante’s ball normally concludes with hours of dancing enjoyed by both the adults and teenagers.


The following is the typical Debutante’s Ball Agenda:

INTRODUCTION OF THE COTILLION COURT, THE FAMILY, ESCORT, AND THE DEBUTANTE

TOAST IN HONOR OF THE DEBUTANTE

WELCOME REMARKS BY THE PARENTS

INVOCATION OR PRAYER

DINING TIME

VIDEO PRESENTATION

THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER DANCE

GRAND COTILLION WALTZ DANCE

COTILLION COURT SPECIAL DANCES

18 ROSES DANCE

18 CANDLES PRESENTATION

SINGING OF THE TRADITIONAL BIRTHDAY SONG

BLOWING OF THE CAKE CANDLES

CUTTING OF THE CAKE

18 TREASURES PRESENTATION

A WORD FROM THE DEBUTANTE

DANCING TIME