Some Notes &
Thoughts for the Fall Season…
Brought to you by Rick of The Private Professionals
Brought to you by Rick of The Private Professionals
Well it's that time of the year when summer has past & fall is now upon us. As chill nights & more temperate afternoons soon turn the landscape into a wonder of explosive color & natural beauty, we thus enter into a season of festival harvest & traditional celebration. In short, it's party time!!!
As there is so much usually going on for October & the coming December holidays, it's a really good idea to pay particular attention to how you handle your invitations. Evite is great for an informal gathering, but putting together a formal mailing to place a higher degree of emphasis on your affair is much better. Also sending a more informal notification to 'save the date' can be equally as important.
Probably
the coolest version of this I've ever seen was recently sent to me by Kristin
& Michael. It was a simple email with basic information & provided a
link. Check it out:
†
SAVE THE DATE † For more details -->
http://www.letterk.com/Halloween.html
Some Notes Regarding a Proper Invitation (from the party planner):
Understand
that the general tone of the event will first be set by the invitation itself.
A fun crazy party for Mardi Gras should carry a particular character of
excitement & a bit of jubilation. A formal dinner party should be presented
in a tone & manner that is conducive to such an affair. This is a key
element to derive an expectation for what the party will be, so you should think
of it as a bit of a marketing piece to really ‘sell the sizzle.’
For certain times of the year when a large
number of individuals may be having similar events (such as the Fourth of July,
Halloween, or the December Holidays), it's a really good idea to send out an
informal notice about 60-90 days before hand. This is not a formal
invitation, just a simple note or email sent as a precursor: “Hey, just wanted you to know that we’re
going to be having a party on July 4th this year. Tons of food &
fun for all. Our Capital Hill location even allows roof top viewing of the
fireworks & has easy access to the Mall. I just wanted to let you know so
you can save the date. We expect a really good group this year & wanted to
be sure you were included in the fun.”
The Invitations themselves should be mailed or sent via. email about a month
before the party (I do recommend mailing however). If mailing, be sure you have
a good list of current address (a simple call or email for any of those in
question is all you really need to do). And by labeling each envelope “Address
Correction Requested” you’ll get an update as to any change of address for
those invites that were undeliverable. Then follow up via email or phone with anyone
who hasn't sent an RSVP. This will assure that they did in fact get the
invitation.
Tip: yearly
holiday cards are great to keep an updated address file.
All invitations should convey
the basic information that will be needed for the event:
- What is the Occasion (birthday, anniversary, retirement etc.) &/or is there a specific theme?
- When is it? What is the exact date & on what day of the week will it be held?
- When is it scheduled to Begin? Also, about when is it expected to end?
- What is the Location & Address? You may also want to include a separate slip for directions it’s helpful here to include a copied printout of a map on one side with the directions on the other).
- What is the Attire: black tie / formal, semi-formal, casual, or oriented toward a specific theme? Here it is also a good idea to somewhat describe what you mean by your attire - ‘casual’ might have a different meaning from one person to another. Saying ‘slacks & tie’ vs. ‘semi-casual’ offers more understanding.
- General Details: are there specific considerations when parking? If it's a Birthday, would you rather them not feel obligated to bring a gift? If a pool party, should they bring their own towel? If you are providing only beer & wine, then should they bring whatever else they might desire as a drink? Also, if you have arranged for a baby sitter to take care of kids then this would be good to know. Anything of general interest that would be helpful is good to attach at the end of the formal invite.
- RSVP: provide a return envelope, an email address, or a phone number. As to you, it’s a good idea to keep a copy of your guest list handy wherever you may get the call. That way you can check them off & no one will get lost in the shuffle.
A
special note on email & word of mouth: if you’ve got a good group of friends then a formal
invitation not be necessary. But most need a good idea as to how many will be
attending. That said, understand that the degree of formality & importance
for the event itself will be carried first by the invitation that announces it.
An email or a call is much less formal than an invitation which is mailed
(& it will be perceived as such). In that, you shouldn’t email for a formal
event - this generally requires a certain degree of decorum & such conventions
shouldn’t be broken. Also, by placing emphasis on the invite you place more
emphasis on the party.
And
now for a bit of "Really Cool Stuff…"
Some top picks for haunted happenings & corn mazes in the area:
- George Washington's Gristmill at Mount Vernon - Fall Harvest Family Days will host wagon rides, a straw bale maze, apple roasting, & 18th-century games during October (check their site for available dates), Also, appearances by "George" himself are expected. Craft & Colonial demonstrations will be in progress all day. See: www.mountvernon.org
- The Maze in the Plains offers one of the area's best corn mazes. Also on site are hay rides, fun for the kids, & of course a farmers market with a pick your own pumpkin. Visit online for more details: www.circleofseeds.com
- The Fear Grounds - home of haunt-fest & pumpkin-fest 2008. Go explore the creepy legend of Dr. Pheare & the horrifying legend that haunts his twisted past. Perhaps you'd like something a little less frightening? No problem, take the kids to Pumpkin fest for a more tame & fun alternative. Located at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. Online: www.thefeargrounds.com
- Markoff's Haunted Forest - If you really want on of the most extravagant displays of Halloween Horror & pure adult fun, nothing beats the Markoff Haunted Forest. Have fun with any one of the many attractions while you wait for your group to be called. Enjoy some cider (perhaps the last you'll ever have), then go get the poop scared out of you by one of the areas most insane productions. Updated website coming soon. Please see: www.calleva.org
- And don't forget to catch Renne Faire before it's
over!
Visit: www.rennfest.com
So that's it… Short & sweet! I trust your summer
was good & that you'll have a great fall season. If my team or I can be of
assistance in any regard then please don't hesitate to call…
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