Attention South Florida Residents! On September 1, 2010, The Fairchild Palms is hosting a great networking event from 6:30pm – 9:00pm at the Green Seal Certified Epic Hotel’s, Area 31 Terrace located at 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way. The Fairchild Palms is the young professionals’ networking group of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and they will be fundraising for The Fairchild Challenge,

a South Florida-based environmental education and conservation program credited for leading a green revolution in schools nationwide. 100% of donation proceeds are used to support the program dedicated to fostering lifelong environmental awareness, scholarship and stewardship in teenagers, pre-teens and their families.

I think this local organizations environmental mission deserves kudos. A tip for you… The Fairchild  Palms encourages a $10 voluntary donation at the door. Money  well spent in my opinion, because the event offers  two for one drinks, free appetizers, awesome views and access to great people while supporting a good cause.
To learn more about the event or the organization, check them out on Facebook.

When MJE Downtown wanted to start a new summer event, they made just one call, to Iris Fields. MJE Downtown knew that they wanted to host an amazing cocktail party that would wow the guests and help raise money for their organization.

From day...

...to night! Highbar's rooftop oasis was the perfect Manhattan backdrop

Perched on top of one of Manhattan’s most exclusive rooftop lounges, 200 young Jewish professionals got together for the Manhattan Jewish Experience’s Summer Soiree. Highbar’s fashionable roof deck and cabanas with stunning views of New York City’s West Side provided the perfect location for the hipster downtown crowd.

The open bar brought in an early crowd, eager to celebrate the end of the work day. Guests stayed for the sunset and great company, not to mention the fabulous donuts from Holey Kreme, and kept the event going for several hours. The raffle, with hot-ticket items such as a night in Atlantic City and tickets to a Black Eyed Peas concert, kept things interesting while guests mixed and mingled on a little oasis in the heart of Manhattan.

Photo’s courtesy of Pako Dominguez of Phototeka

Enjoyed our post? Take a look at what else Iris Fields is up to on our website, facebook and twitter!

Many people try to find ways to make their events unique and stand out from others. One simple way to do that is by using custom or designed stamps on your invitations, save the dates, baby showers etc. If you are looking for custom postage look no further: Zazzle.com has all you may be looking for and if they don’t, you can create your own!

Save the Date stamp via Zazzle.com

Zazzle.com has stamps for all occasions. From weddings and save the dates, birthdays and baby showers and even Star Wars to Harry Potter, you can find postage with practically any image you are looking for.  And the cool thing about Zazzle is that if you can’t find the exact image you want, or you want to use a personal photograph, you can use you’re your own image to create a stamp.

Customizable Birthday Stamp via Zazzle.com

Some of our favorites are the save the date stamps, the bachelorette party stamps and the charity stamps. Whether you need stamps for a particular event, or you are just looking to spruce up your day to day snail mail, Zazzle.com is the perfect place for your postage needs.

Charity Stamp from Zazzle.com

So, I was listening to the radio the other day and heard this story about a 35 year old woman who has decided to set a wedding date for February 2011 without a groom. Yes folks, she has put a deposit down on a venue, contracted a florist and is researching bands, all without a groom. Now, I am all about putting an idea out into the universe with the hopes that it will come to life, but putting down money? This is against my better judgement as a professional and a human However after reading this article and seeing that she has gotten a ton of press for it and even a ton of dates, it gets me thinking that maybe she is on to something?

Lisa Linehan's "Project Husband" (Photo Courtesy of: mamapop.com)

I mean, people are always saying to be upfront about what you want, right. Well why not just go ahead and pay for it??

Click below to read one of the articles written about this story and as always I would love to hear what you have to say about this!

Sodahead.com: Project Husband: Should a Woman Plan Wedding Without a Groom?

Lastly, remember to Ask Ariana any of your event planning questions!

- Ariana Stecker of Iris Fields
www.irisfields.com

Iris Fields is always learning in order to broaden our horizons. We were asked and accepted the chairman position leading the charity efforts for the PGA World Golf Championship being held in Miami, Florida at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa on March 7-13, 2011. Let’s talk about our company and its involvement with golf…we have had none!  Why? Because we are a “Green” company and we take that title very seriously.  It is no secret that there are environmental concerns over the use of land for golf courses. Wikipedia lists the major issues to include the amount of water, chemical pesticides and fertilizers used for maintenance, as well as the destruction of wetlands and other environmentally important areas during construction.  So why did we accept?  We did our homework and were happy to learn that the PGA of America partnered with Audubon International to form a Golf and Environment Initiative which strives to foster environmental awareness, action, and positive results throughout the game. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses awards certification to recognize golf courses that protect the environment, conserve natural resources, and provide wildlife habitats and Doral Golf Resort and Spa is on the Audubon International Certified Golf Course List. Doral met the requirements to achieve certification by demonstrating leadership, commitment, and high standards on environmental management.

We will keep you posted, as the information becomes available, on the websites where the PGA World Golf Championship tickets can be purchased will support South Florida charities.

So you have picked out your dress, your venue, your décor and your flowers. There is still so much to do for you big wedding day, but one of the top priorities of course is your hair style. Autumn brides, pay attention! According to becomegorgeous.com, styling pros created an infinite selection of Fall 2010 bridal hair styles for any hair length that are perfect for any weather condition that mother nature decides to throw at you on your special day.

A perfect updo from wickedrice via Flickr

If you’re looking for a classy up-do we recommends wedding buns or twists. Pairing chic buns with hair accessories or braids boost dimension and by playing around with volume and your hair part can help bring out your finest features.

Classy Updo via becomegorgeous.com

Another type of updo to consider is the sculpted uptown updo. If you’re not into the traditional look and are a little more creative these updos are perfect for you. They are described by becomegorgeous.com as high and perked up hair styles that include stylish hair accessories such as fresh flowers, barrettes, tiaras and hair combs. “These all would further increase the ‘va-va-voom’ effect of your look.”

Scultped Uptown Updo via becomegorgeous.com

The half-updos are perfect for a bride who wants a feminine and charming hairdo that’s different from your everyday style. This hair style could include pinning loose locks in a Bohemian style, or intensify your look by going all out with curls. Adding details could turn these natural styles into formal updos perfect for your big day.

Half-Updo via becomegorgeous.com

No matter what you are looking for, whether it is a classy updo, a sculpted updo or a half-updo, make sure you schedule at least one trial run before your big day. You can even combine these styles to make the perfect look to match your gown and atmosphere.

Opening Argument: We (as in Iris Fields) pay for ourselves…

Step 1. You bring us on to plan your wedding

Step 2. You pay us out of pocket

Step 3. We negotiate lower rates across the board

Step 4. You get things cheaper

Step 5. You get paid back

Wedding planners save you money… Definitely fact!

Hiring Iris Fields saves money! Let us, help you, help yourself! (Photo Courtesy of: My Wedding Favor Blog)

Seasoned event planners (achem achem 12 years ) have already put in the time and effort to build relationships. Our opening phone calls are (to a direct number) “Hey Joe, how are the kids? Little Danny have fun at camp this summer?” And we follow with the event we are planning this week and begin negotiations immediately because we think it could be a great fit for you. Your opening phone calls are (to a receptionist) “Hi, may I please speak to the person who handles events.” And you follow with who you are and the one event you are planning (which they automatically categorize as a 5 percent chance of actually happening there).

You see where I am going with this? Iris Fields is a return client (even if it is a venue that we have never worked with before – we make friends very quickly ). They know if they do right by us we will bring them tons of business because we are in the business of making multiple clients happy ) Yes, you may send them a friend or two but you have another job, we don’t. Not to mention, we make the entire event planning process easier on the venue because we know the questions they are going to ask, their restrictions, etc and pass this along to you before getting them involved.

In Closing: We (at Iris Fields) pay for ourselves. Hey, we may even pay for ourselves and get an extra hour of open bar thrown in too!

Choosing what items go on the menu for your wedding can be difficult. There are usually so many options and so many delicious dishes to choose from. If you feel lost and confused when putting together your fall wedding menu, keep these tips in mind and it will be easy as pie!

According to Your Wedding 101, cocktail hour should be full of flavorful appetizers. They suggested pot stickers, marinated olives and warm stuffed mushrooms; “Trays with nutty or smoky cheeses and tart grapes will please any palate.” Fall flavors are full of nuts, honey, mustard and smoky cheeses, and come out best in soups like butternut squash, curried pumpkin or hearty minestrone. Your Wedding 101 says, “Autumn salads are complex in flavor and texture when accented with toasted nuts, goat cheese, dried cranberries or sliced beets.”

Stuffed mushrooms via Anna Fischer on Flickr

The next course, the main course, should be satisfying and filling or as Your Wedding 101 puts it, “Fall meals should satisfy and stick to your guests’ ribs.” Classics like tasty pulled pork, tender roast beef, succulent rotisserie chicken and spicy pot roasts are admired. Your Wedding 101 adds this tip:  “Often, roast turkey dinners are the least expensive option caterers offer – what better season for this cost-effective selection?” As far as side dishes go, the classics are always good choices. Roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes in gravy or a wild mushroom risotto all perfectly compliment the main course as well as the flavors of fall.

Last but not least is everyone’s favorite course, dessert! On top of having your traditional wedding cake which should be whatever flavor you and yours admire, classic pies like pumpkin, apple and pecan help accent fall flavors. Offering espresso, coffee and after dinner drinks will help wash down any satisfying, hearty meal.

Pumpkin Pie via Danube66 on Flickr

While these are some traditional fall wedding menu items, it is up to you to decide what will go on your menu. Whether you like your food traditional, or choose to take a walk on the wild side,  keep in mind the fall menu staple flavors: nuts, honey, mustard and smoky cheeses; you can’t  go wrong!

It’s not a secret that one of the most important parts of a wedding is the cake. Some people have been choosing cupcakes, which are a great alternative, but nothing can replace the act of cutting of the cake.  Just as there are trends in dresses, colors and flowers, there are also trends when it comes to wedding cakes. We didn’t want you to miss the boat on the cake trend, so here are some of 2010’s most popular cake styles.

Don't be afraid to add a dash of color to your cake

According to The Knot, one of 2010’s cake trends is the “Mod Cakes with ‘Tude.” The Knot describes this cake as being perfect for the fun and funky wedding type. Using bright colors and funky shapes, you can’t go wrong with this mod and exciting cake style.

Thanks to Your Wedding Day and Norma Lopez Molina for this photo

Another cake style thats sure to impress are the cakes with 3-d accents. Perfect for people who want their cake to look different, but not outrageously crazy. The brilliant pop out and elegant designs of these cakes will wow guests with the unique but chic flair that comes along with this style.

Thanks to The Knot and Yunhee Kim for this photo

Last but certainly not least, is the blush and gold wedding cakes. This cake is perfect for the couple that likes the vintage look but wants their wedding to be elegant as well.  This well-dressed cake is not only beautiful, it adds a certain flair to the traditional wedding cake.

Thanks to The Knot and Alison Gootee for this photo

Whether you are funky, chic or vintage, there is nothing wrong with adding your style into the wedding cake design. To see more wedding cake styles and trends check out The Knot’s list of Wedding Cake Trends for 2010.

- Ariana G. Stecker of Iris Fields
www.irisfields.com