Preferred Vendor Status!

We have been awarded Preferred Vendor status for 2011 with the Perfect Wedding Guide! I'm so proud of the work we've done in 2011 and am looking forward to 2012. Thank you to all of our clients who made 2011 such a success.

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Wolstenholme!

On April 16, we assisted with the day-of coordination for Mr. and Mrs. Alex Wolstenholme. While the weather gave us some trouble during set-up, with tornado warnings and watches all over the Triangle area, the reception turned out beautifully. The parents of the bride, our clients, truly enjoyed their daughter's wedding and wanted to tell us so!

Words from our client:

"It truly is hard to describe how much we appreciated Natasha’s work, effort and know-how for our daughter’s wedding. She was professional from day one. She never questioned our opinion and truly was there to help. We can honestly say that without her assistance we wouldn’t have been able to make the final essential steps to pull-off our daughter’s DYI

wedding. Our daughter, who was originally opposed to having a Wedding Planner, acknowledged it was not only “helpful”, but essential. While weddings are expensive, Natasha “saved” our daughter’s reception. Not only was she pleasant and professional, she allowed us to truly enjoy and serve as hosts at the reception. She competently executed elaborate details of a DYI wedding with care, grace and professionalism. Although Natasha was a “Day-Of” coordinator, she contacted each vendor, met with them ahead of time and thoroughly reviewed and reassured us of the contractual agreements that we had in place.

Natasha truly walked into what we felt was a disaster zone and guided us though the process to fruition under adverse conditions. The Reception venue was an outdoor special events tent and surrounding open spaces. And the date was Saturday, April 16, 2011 – the most tornado outbursts in North Carolina’s history.

Natasha said from the very beginning, “you will not hear from me during the reception unless there is something that I truly can’t handle”. And, we didn’t hear any requests from Natasha or her staff – and later learned that three inches of water stood on the floor of the Events Tent along with drenched rental tables, linens along with décor only an hour prior to the reception.

How it all began – prior to Natasha:

We were apprehensive from the beginning of the wedding planning. As parents of the bride we
wanted that special day to be exactly as our daughter wished – of course within a budget. As we mentioned “budget” and compared notes, we realized that this was going to have to be a DYI wedding as well. We felt comfortable with the concept of coming up and carrying out unique ideas, as all four of us have some bit of a creative side. Our situation, however, was complicated a bit further; our daughter and husband-to-be live in England. With our two full-time jobs, a long distance and an ocean between us and our daughter, and an already busy schedule, we set out on the adventure of “co-planning” the wedding with our daughter and her fiancée.

Our DYI approach consisted of purchasing our own linens, making the table decorations, as well as purchasing serving items and beverages. We also had secured professionals from friends that were in the business. My husband and I visited venues and posted photos on-line and on You-Tube for our daughter to make decisions from a distance. I frequented Habitat for Humanity ReStore to purchase flatware – mismatched as a “green” approach to also give back to the community. We did a similar approach for the coffee/tea cups with purchases from Durham Rescue Mission. Ribbon of the “pantone” was purchased and many projects were in progress for several months.

While the venue was secured, we had frequent interactions with the venue events coordinator. She reassured us that the venue and her staff would coordinate all of the reception activities of the day as well as the coordinate additional rentals. We also had approval with this coordinator for all of our vendors (DJ, cater, cake, etc.) as She met with us and the vendors ahead of time. We felt extremely comfortable with the venue and their staffs’ capability to handle our daughter’s wishes, and our verbal and e-mail agreements went well beyond that of the contract. We had envisioned a worry-free and smooth event without the need of a Wedding Coordinator.

We are in over our heads – why we needed assistance and fast:

Within weeks prior to the count-down of our daughter’s wedding we learned that the events coordinator that we had been working so closely with at the venue was leaving for another position. At this point, our home and our time were taken over by bits and pieces of the projects in various stages of completion, and we knew we had a lot of stuff to handle…. And we knew that, as much as the venue tried to fill in and make the wedding reception go well, it became extremely clear that the venue Wedding File that was left didn’t contain the details of the verbal and face-to-face information and agreements that were discussed. Additionally, there were other events that the new folks had to coordinate that were being confused with our daughter’s wedding.

Saving our sanity – working with Natasha:

It was at that point that Natasha walked into our DYI wedding planning. We were overwhelmed and needed assistance. Natasha was hired as a “Day of Event” coordinator. Immediately, Natasha met with us to determine the magnitude of assistance needed. She reviewed the items scattered about our house and immediately had a plan. She walked away with copies of contracts and contact information, and an appointment to return within the week to assist us with boxing and sorting and counting the items needed for the reception. Spending at least two visits and many hours each visit, we had a comprehensive list of our items that were to be returned, those to be delivered to the catering company, and well defined boxes of what she would take from our home to allow us space to prepare for the guests that we would entertain. She continued to be positive, pleasant and helpful. I appreciated that she was not overwhelmed by the magnitude of stuff that we had floating about or the number of trips that she had to make to our house. Additionally, she demonstrated creativity along with practicality – later as the weather demanded alterations in the entire set up these attributes we now see as essential.

The day of:

What Natasha and her staff, along with the vendors, had to endure to set up the reception as the storms passed is still beyond my comprehension. Natasha had to work with the “new” events coordinator at the venue site, knowing that only she had the correct information. She was able to firmly address the items that were needed and yet not offend the venue staff. She calmed the vendors that had to pull their equipment from vans during downpours. She made last minute changes that were in our best interest. The reception was beautiful and the bride and groom loved every minute of their day. We visited with family and longtime family friends. Natasha created a beautiful and wonderful atmosphere when we were in need of a true wizard during an emotional and chaotic day. She was literally the calm within the storm.

Thereafter:

Natasha didn’t stop at the set up or as the DJ played the last song. She continued to organize the food that we could take. And, gracefully told us to go home, get sleep and relax. She coordinated the clean-up, returns and again, made multiple trips to our home to deliver the DYI items to our house safe and well cared for."

- Jeff and Dee Sailstad


For more pictures of this wedding, and video of the rain set up, please visit our Facebook page.

Chicago Is Still An Event Kind of Town!

I saw too many amazing event spaces to fit them all into one post. Welcome to Part 2 of "Chicago Is An Event Kind of Town!", including amazing views, amazing art, and a library.

The Harold Washington Library Center

As part of the tour I took through the Chicago Greeter program, I was taken to a branch of the current Chicago public library, the Harold Washington Library Center. The library itself is a beautiful building, with fountains and marble work inside. While gorgeous throughout, the Winter Garden on the library's ninth floor may be the most amazing part of the library.

The Winter Garden is two stories with a glass paneled dome that covers the room's ceiling. I visited this space during the early afternoon hours, and the domed ceiling let in an amazing amount of light. I don't think a single artificial light was on during my visit. The natural light made the space even more appealing for an afternoon wedding reception or brunch function.

In addition to the spectacular architecture and visual appeal of this space, the Winter Garden can only be accessed by elevator. This added benefit allows an event to be truly private while still taking place in a public space. When I stepped off the elevator on the library's ninth floor, I felt like I was stepping into a completely different world. The room is so peaceful and welcoming that it was hard to believe that just below my feet people where reading, studying, and surfing the internet.

For more information on the Winter Garden at the Harold Washington Library Center, click here.

Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower)

I had always heard about the Sears Tower and wanted to tour the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. (Never mind that I'm kind of a chicken when it comes to heights.) Now called "the Willis Tower", the Skydeck is on the 103rd floor of the building, and offers views of the city you can't seen anywhere else. I took this picture from the Skydeck of the city and Lake Michigan.

Though I was too much of a wimp to do it, you should go on the Ledge when visiting Willis Tower. The Ledge is a glass extension built out from the walls of the tower that allows you to literally stand above Chicago. Word to the wise, don't look down before you step out. That's what made me chicken out!

If you can handle the height, the 99th floor of the Willis Tower is an event venue that seats up to 300 guests. While not quite as high as the observation deck, the views from the 99th floor are just as stunning. In addition to holding your event on the 99th floor, you can treat your guests to VIP access to the Skydeck and Ledge. When planning an event at the Willis Tower's Skydeck you may want to consider handing out gum to your guests as they get on the elevator. My ears wouldn't pop on the elevator to the 103rd floor, making me wish I'd remembered to drop a pack of gum into my purse before going.

For more information on using the 99th floor of the Willis Tower for an event, click here.

Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago, located on South Michigan Avenue, may be the largest museum I have every been in. With four floors of art exhibits to browse, you could spend days here. The Art Institute is home to peices like American Gothic, Nighthawks, and A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. One of my favorite exhibits was "Arms and Armor", which featured an array of armor from around the world. I also enjoyed seeing Picasso's The Old Guitarist up close; that was amazing!

While I was visiting the Art Institute, an event was being set up in the Stock Exchange Trading Room. I wasn't allowed to go in to tour the space, but I did look in all the windows as staff were setting up. This room is gorgeous! The room was created with sections of the original Adler and Sullivan's Stock Exchange Trading Room was torn down in the 1970s. The details in the space are astounding. Look at the images available on the Art Institute website, and you'll see what I mean.

If you get the chance to throw an event in Chicago, take it. And consider one of these venues for it. Even if you're not throwing an event, go visit these places. They're all amazing and interesting in their own way, and are completely worth seeing.

Chicago Is...An Event Kind of Town!

Sorry, Frank, for butchering your song, but it's true. Chicago really is an event kind of town!

During the last week of April, I visited Chicago on vacation. While I had intended for the entire five day trip to be a leisurly vacation, it seemed I couldn't avoid the event business anywhere in Chicago. Not that I minded; in fact, I loved it! I was able to tour some incredible event spaces in venues ranging from hotels to zoos.

The Gold Room in the Congress Plaza Hotel

I stayed at the Congress Plaza Hotel during my stay in Chicago. While my photos don't do this room the justice it deserves, this ballroom is gorgeous! When the gentleman let me in to see the room, all the lights were still out. I walked into the center of the room just as the light were coming on, and I caught my breath. The room is that beautiful. I felt like I was in a fairytale. The entire room is gold and cream, with intricate details all along on the walls that ceiling. If you ever get a chance to see this space, take it! You won't regret it.

The Gold Room is available for weddings and can hold up to 300 people. For more information on the Gold Room, click here.

The Chicago Cultural Arts Center

The Chicago Cultural Arts Center on Michigan Avenue was originally build as Chicago's first public library. Now the building holds hundreds of public events every year. While I was visiting, a free concert was taking place on the ground floor of the building with an art exhibit in the next room over.

I was given a tour of the building by a member of the Chicago Greeter program, a free program offered by the Chicago Office of Tourism. The architecture in this building is amazing. The G.A. Rotunda features a domed ceiling made of Tiffany glass. It's absolutely gorgeous! The venue also has a stunning marble staircase that demands a grand entrance. I was wearing jeans and sneakers but couldn't resist the urge to walk slowly and majestically down this staircase...even if I looked crazy doing it. I know that in a formal dress, that walk would have looked stunning.

Information about the G.A. Rotunda can be found here. This link includes the history of the room and information 0n the gorgeous glass art featured in it. To find out about renting areas in the Chicago Cultural Center for a private event, click here.

The Lincoln Park Zoo

First of all, I love zoos. I visited the Lincoln Park Zoo initially to see the polar bear, big cats, and red panda...to name a few. Come to find out, you have actually hold an event in various parts of the zoo, surrounded by the animals.

The Kovler Lion House, home of lions, a tiger, and a cheetah, is one of locations in the zoo that offers event space. How cool would it be to hold your reception while a pair of lions watches from the background? In addition to the animals, the building the large cats are housed in is gorgeous. The architecture is almost as interesting as the animals.

If you prefer an exhibit of plant eaters, the Lincoln Park Zoo has options for you too. The Regenstein Center for African Apes allows you and your guests to be immersed in the habitat of endangered gorillas and chimpanzees. Additionally, the Regenstein African Journey contains animals from the African jungles and savannahs. The giraffes are in this exhibit, along with a pygmy hippo and a rhinoceros.

All of these exhibits are incredibly interesting to explore. I had a blast going through them! Spend a Saturday afternoon at the zoo (admission is free!), or find out about having an event in one of the zoo's many venue options here.

Navy Pier

This place is just cool, event space or not. Navy Pier is a "must see" place in Chicago housing the Chicago Children's Museum, Shakespeare Theater, and Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. The Pier also houses a beautiful ferris wheel that offers amazing views of the city, which is what immediately made me fall in love with this space. I adore ferris wheels and have always wanted to have my own wedding photos taken on one. I visited the pier at night, and the view of Chicago from the top of the ferris wheel was absolutely breathtaking. In addition to the ferris wheel, the Pier has a mini golf course, swings, and a carousel.

While I was visiting, an event as going on in the Grand Ballroom. You can see Lake Michigan and the ferris wheel from inside this domed, glass room. I didn't get to tour this space, but from what I could see from the ferris wheel and swings outside the Ballroom, it looks like an amazing space. The Pier offers venue space for weddings, meetings, and rooftop receptions with a full listing here.


I saw several other awesome venues while in Chicago - too many to fit in one post. Part 2 of "Chicago Is...An Event Kind of Town!" is coming later this week with even more Chicago event spaces.

Some We Love

We all know the Wedding World changes everyday. It can be hard to keep up with current trends and awesome ideas by just reading quarterly publication. So, this post is all about the blogs we follow for new ideas, inspiration, and well, fun. But be warned - once you start reading these blogs, you'll be as hooked as we are!

The Off Beat Bride

The Off Beat Bride is one of my favorites! (Yes, it's totally worth italics and an exclamation point. It's that awesome.) Off Beat features weddings that are just that - off beat. The "Wedding Porn" tab features real weddings from around the country and what new and innovative ideas the couple's incorporate. Every article has great pictures of wedding and insights from the bride about her funniest moment and what surprisingly turned out to be a hit.

My absolute favorite part of this blog is the "DIY" section. It's got the best ideas! They're out of the box, fun, and crafts you an actually do. One of my pet peeves about some DIY projects is that they're impossible to do or to find all the things you need. These aren't like that. And the instructions are realistic; one of them actually lists "patience" as one of the things you'll need for the project. I appreciate knowing that upfront before getting in over my head.

Green Wedding Shoes

The best thing about Green Wedding Shoes is the "Real Weddings" section. They include a great range of weddings, from backyard to vintage. I love how real the coverage of these weddings is. Every one of these weddings includes a truly personal touch from the bride and groom. You almost feel like you've met the couple by browsing through their wedding page and seeing how they added their personality to their big day.

I also love the "Inspiration Board" section under the "Galleries" tab. This is an awesome resource for both the bride looking for her colors and the bride who's decided on her palette. Need theme inspiration? Look here for that too. These inspiration boards offer beautiful images and ideas to kick start your wedding decorations. (My favorite is Inspiration Board #26 because I adore travelling!)

While we love these two blogs, they aren't the only ones. Check back for more "Some We Love" posts!

Words For Our Work with the 2010 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, we were part of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade. The parade drew thousands of oberservers to downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro to see over eighty festive parade floats made by local community groups, non-profit organizations, and area businesses.

Words from our Client:

I am writing to give my recommendation to Natasha Wayne for her excellent services as event planner. In the summer of 2010, I volunteered as a member of the Chapel Hill Jaycees to lead preparations for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday parade, taking place in December of that year. Our local chapter hired Ms. Wayne to assist with parade planning and organization details.

Throughout the time Ms. Wayne and I worked together, Ms. Wayne was diligent, energetic and detail-oriented. From the onset she offered innovative strategies to economically market the event. She kept on task, made sure we met important deadlines, and offered creative approaches in all facets of planning. I was also impressed with her leadership skills and the care she took to maintain the Jaycees’ stylistic preferences for the occasion.

The 2010 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade was a great success, in large part because of Ms. Wayne’s conscientious efforts. Without hesitation, I would reselect her to plan any future event on our calendar.

Sincerely,

Katherine Bandy

2010 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade
Saturday, December 11, 2010

Happy Birthday to Us!

Today is a very exciting day for Natasha F. Wayne Events. It's our first birthday! A year ago today, we signed our first wedding clients. Since then, we have been involved in three weddings, a dance marathon fundraiser, and a parade.

We've come a long way in a year. Thank you every one who has helped us this year and all our clients who took a chance on a small, start up event planning company

It's been a great year and we're looking forward to turning 2!

WE tv Wedding Mall Tour

Today the WE tv Wedding Mall Tour came to Streets of Southpoint Mall in Durham. Mark Ingram of WE tv was in attendance, shaking hands and offering tips to brides-to-be.

I met several awesome local vendors at the event as well. The first was David Cox of Arthur Murray Dance Studio. David recommends that couples begin taking dance lessons six months before their wedding days. The studio offers classes of all kinds of dance from the Argentine Tango to the Waltz. And dance classes aren't just for the bride and groom. The professionals at the studio are happy to help parents prepare for Mother/Son and Father/Daughter dances also.

I also met Theresa Syros of Celebration Photobooth. I had seen photo booths in bridal magazines before, but never been able to try one out. It was really a blast! The company offers photo booths for all kinds of events, including weddings. Someone from the company stays with the booth all times to troubleshoot any problems, so no one misses out on the fun. Guests can take photos in the booth all night long and post them to a memory book with their well wishes to the bride and groom. Celebration Photobooth is also available for birthdays, anniversaries, fundraisers...and just about any other event.

Quick Tip: Fabric Color Swatches

I got this little tip from a friend of mine who works in a bridal dress shop. When you get the color swatch of the fabric for your bridesmaids dresses, take the swatch to a paint store. Compare it to the paint sample cards until you find the closest match, then grab a bunch of them. Use these for the florist, to match shoes, or anytime you need to pick out items in the wedding colors. Pass out the cards and you'll never lose your original swatch.

You can also use paint samples when trying to decide what your wedding colors will be. Grab a bunch of samples that catch your eye and try matching them to each other. Mix and match your favorite cards before making your final orders. This will help keep you from being surprised by poorly matching colors on your big day.

Image courtesy of http://tangledeye.com/pages/plenty/paint_samples.html.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Patrick!

On September 19th, Angie and Jeremy got married! I loved working with them throughout the planning of thier wedding, and wish them all the happiness in the world.

Words from the Bride and Groom

"We knew from the start that we weren't interested in a long engagement, so we started looking into planning our wedding almost immediately after getting engaged. We had a vague idea of what we wanted our wedding to be like, but after diving into the world of planning, we were feeling quite overwhelmed. Fortunately, a friend referred us to Natasha. Natasha helped get us on track with a timeline of what needed to happen when, suggestions on where to get supplies, gathering venue information, taking care of the wedding decorations, and even helping us put together our DIY favors! Having Natasha as our wedding planner was SUCH a relief and a huge help. With only five months to plan, Natasha helped us have a BEAUTIFUL wedding that we've gotten tons of compliments on. Natasha got our wedding on track, has an abundance of knowledge in event planning, and was so easy to get along with! We highly recommend her!"

- Jeremy and Angie Patrick

Make It Your Own!

We all know that a wedding is the most important day in a couple's life. It should also be one of the most personal events of their lives also.

There are millions of ways to incorporate personal touches into a wedding. Personal touches aren't just making sure that your color theme is carried through everything from the bridesmaid dresses to the favors. It's adding those little things that scream "YOU!"

Using your own skills is a great way to put a personal touch on your wedding day. The centerpiece and favor to the right are from a wedding I attended last spring. The bride designed the artwork on the favor bag: two birds kissing under a heart. These love birds were tied into every part of the ceremony and reception from the save-the-date cards to the favor bags. In addition to the bird graphic, an ornamental bird cage was used to collect cards from guests on the gift table. By carrying the bird imagery throughout the wedding, the bride and groom put their own stamp on their big day.

Including a personal story is another great way to make your wedding say "you". The roses to the left are actually an example of how one couple was able to tie their history into their wedding. When the couple met, the groom wanted to bring the bride a gift on their first date. The groom taught himself how to make the origami roses seen here and took them to the bride as a gift. On their wedding day, the couple chose to share this part of their history with friends and family by making origami roses as favors. The roses are red and yellow to match the day's color scheme. In this way, the couple was able to both honor their own love story and share it with those they care for.

Remember that your wedding day is ultimately yours. It should reflect who you and your fiance's tastes and the little things that make you the couple you are.

Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique

I went to the Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, yesterday. This was the first time I'd ever been inside the Franklin Hotel. The hotel itself is beautiful! The lobby is inviting

The expo featured some of the area's best vendors. I sampled foods from Saffron of Chapel Hill, an Indian restaurant in Chapel Hill. It was AMAZING! The flavors were astounding and really popped. I was shocked at variety flavors, spices, and just plain deliciousness of their dishes. I didn't expect so much flavor to be packed into such a small bite. Saffron offers catering for weddings and is willing to travel. If you don't use them for an event, definitely try out their restaurant. I'm sure you'll like it!

For desert I sampled cupcakes from The Chocolate Door on Franklin Street. I tried the Mayan truffle cupcake. SO delicious! The Chocolate Door can take any of their chocolate truffle flavors and turn them into cupcakes. They can also do truffles in a variety of colors to create favors for events.

The best thing about Saffron and The Chocolate Door, as well as almost all the other vendors at the Franklin Hotel Bridal Boutique? They're all local. What better way to add a personal touch to your wedding than by buying local and supporting your town?

Our First Event!

This was our first event as Natasha F. Wayne Events! It was a dance marathon fundraiser for UNC and Duke Children's Hospitals. We were hired by the Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School SOS Club to assist with publicity, contracting, and logistics. The dance marathon took place on Friday, June 4, 2010 at The Factory in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

This was the line to get into the dance. People were waiting outside the building! Everyone was so excited!

The evening featured a laser light show during dancing.

Check out that crowd! The event drew over 500 students from the Wake County School District.

Here all the students are waiting to hear the grand total raised in 2010 ... $18,033!

To see more event pictures, visit our Facebook album.

Awesome Raleigh Venues: North Carolina Museum of History

We're still exploring Raleigh's coolest and most unique venues. This time, it's the North Carolina Museum of History.

The building itself is amazing. Built out of marble and glass, the museum looks sleek, clean, and elegant. Even the steps entering the building are impressive. Imagine yourself walking down these all decked out in a wedding gown, or your guests milling on the landing while they sip cocktails. Pretty great image, isn't it?

The museum allows the use of the lower level of the building for large seated receptions. Your guests walk up marble stairs and through giant glass doors to enter the lobby. This venue is the ultimate is elegance, making your guests feel like stars before they even get inside. The lobby opens up to reveal the staircase and seating area.

While the museum exhibits are usually closed after hours, you can arrange for your guests to have special access during your event. Right now the museum is featuring an exhibit of a 1920s Drugstore. The picture to the right is of an old fashioned drugstore counter. The photo opportunities are endless!

The North Carolina Museum of History is an awesome Raleigh venue, and a great place to spend an afternoon. The staff are very helpful and willing to share information and photos of past events. During my visit, they allowed me to view pictures of previous events as well as watch the set up for a wedding taking place that evening. The building is exquisite, modern and can accommodate large parties. The lobby can hold up to 200 people at a seated dinner or 500 at a standing reception.

Keep this venue in mind the next time you're in the market for an event space, or drop by when you're looking for something interesting to do on a Saturday afternoon.

For more information on renting the North Carolina Museum of History, visit their website.

Irish Vow of Unity

I'm researching traditional cultural vows for one of my clients, and came across this one:

We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow.

This is the Irish Vow of Unity (found at Irish Celtic Jewels).

I like this vow because it's beautiful but simple, saying everything that needs to be said without going overboard or being too gushy.

I wanted to share this with you all in case you're looking for something to add to your ceremony.

Awesome Raleigh Venues: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Every city is filled with amazing museums, landmarks, parks, and garden, and Raleigh is no exception. While these places are fun to visit, they are also amazing event venues. Looking for a cool place to host a company cocktail party, wedding reception, or book release party? Before resorting to a hotel conference room, check out some of the more unique area venues, starting with this museum.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

First of all, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is really cool to visit. Just go hang out there for an afternoon; you won't be disappointed. You'll be equally impressed with this museum as an event venue.

The Museum of Natural Sciences has four levels available for rental space. The first floor is home to the museum's oceans exhibit, complete will full whale skeletons! This long, thin room offers a spectacular space for a cocktail party or buffet line. Surrounded by ocean-scapes and aquariums, guests get to interact with the exhibit while enjoying your event. The second floor features a balcony overlooking this space, creating pretty awesome photos taken through the skeletons. We took a few here during our adventure.

A short ride up the escalator opens up an entirely different world. This floor features event space in the Mountains to the Sea exhibit. Reception tables can be set up right along the border of this exhibit, overlooking an indoor waterfall. How is cool is that? Overlooking a mountain scene while eating dinner in downtown Raleigh! The second floor continues to include the Underground North Carolina exhibit. While this area isn't really designed for events, part of the exhibit forms a natural dance floor. These two areas combined create an awesome seated reception or cocktail party space.

The third floor can be summed up in one word: DINOSAURS! The exhibits are called Terror of the South and Prehistoric North Carolina. Part of this exhibit includes a tunnel through which visitors walk to see prehistoric aquatic life. While this space isn't ideal for a seated reception, this would be a great place for a standing or cocktail reception. And, if you're looking for a unique place to take photos, this would definitely be high on that list. Between the Tyrannosaurs Rex skull, Acrocanthosaurus skeleton, and aquatic tunnel, you and your guests will have a blast exploring and snapping shots on this floor of the museum.

The fourth floor of the museum features the Living Conservatory and Anthropod Zoo exhibits. The Living Conservatory features live butterflies fluttering throughout the space. Personally, I think this really awesome, and provides a beautiful natural background for photos and events. The Anthropod Zoo exhibit is filled with interactive bug themed activities, including some live bugs in cases. For the right people and personalities, this could be a truly amazing event space.

Take some time to explore the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences when planning your next event. The museum's rental spaces allow you to throw an event requiring very little decoration, as you can use the amazing exhibits already around you. An added bonus to using these spaces is that your guests will not only get to experience your event, but also the museum exhibits at the same time. For your guests, it's like two events in one!

This article is the first of many more to come. Keep checking back for more cool venues, starting in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Visit the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' website for more information, or call the museum for rental pricing information.

We're Now on Facebook!

Natasha F. Wayne Events is now on Facebook! Check us out for DIY wedding ideas, venue pictures, and events in the news. Got a wedding or event question? Post it and we'll answer. Share what's worked in your wedding too!

Click here for our Facebook page!

"Something New" in Etiquette: Book Review

In the past few months, I've been reading a lot of books on wedding etiquette. While they're all filled with fantastic information on how to write invitations, protocol of pre-wedding events, and appropriate attire, most are written like a textbook. This textbook feel is very discouraging to the reader. Even as a wedding planner, I'm turned off by an etiquette book that makes me feel like I'm back in college studying for an exam.

There is hope, though! I have recently finished reading Something New: Wedding Etiquette for Rule Breakers, Traditionalists, and Everyone in Between by Elise Mac Adam. Brides-to-be this is the etiquette book for you. It's short, to the point, and rooted in issues that face the modern bride. Mac Adam divides each etiquette topic into three main parts: traditional etiquette rules, the modern evolution of that rule, and letters from real brides.

The letters from real brides take this book beyond a normal etiquette text. These letters put etiquette into context, giving the reader advice based on actual situations. What's the best way to tell your guests you don't want presents when the host of your wedding thinks otherwise? As it's proper to invite all out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner, how do you ask your fiance's family to pay for extra people? How do you handle financial differences between families? The answers to these questions and more are answered in this book.

Brides, pick up this book for your etiquette questions and forget the textbooks.



To learn more about author Elise Mac Adam, visit her website. Image courtesy of http://elisemacadam.com/.

Even More Hollywood Glamour on a Shoestring Budget

Now that you have awesome wall and table decorations, you only need a few more things to complete your Hollywood event: a way to make your guests feel welcome and something to make them remember the night.

What better way to welcome your guests than to make them feel like movie stars? Lay out a red carpet and line it with adoring fans and camera toting paparazzi. Because no one wants real paparazzi crashing their party, here's a quick and easy way to bring the "fans" home.

Paparazzi Decoration

You'll Need:

• Black butcher/roll paper
• White chalk/pencil/crayon
• Scissors
• Red ribbon
• Aluminum foil
• Cereal boxes
• Glue
• A friend to help

How To Create:

1. Cut pieces of butcher paper long enough for a person to lay down on.
2. Work a friend to complete this step. You will lie down on the paper, and be traced by your friend with white chalk, crayon, or a pencil. You can be traced with your arms up in the air, like an applauding or cheering crowd, like the silhouette on right in the above image. You can also be traced with your hands behind your heads to create photographer paparazzi, like the silhouette on left.
3. After being traced, cut out your silhouettes.
4. For the silhouettes traced with hands behind their heads, the next step is to add flash bulbs. Create a stencil of a flash bulb out of an old cereal box. Draw a multi-pointed shape onto the box. The shape doesn't have to be perfect, and the flash bulbs don't all have to look alike. Cut out the shape, and cover with glue. Paste to a sheet of aluminum foil. Trim off any extra foil, or wrap extra around the back of shape. Then paste the bulb shapes onto the silhouette faces, as if the person were holding a camera and taking a picture.
5. Affix to the walls and tack a red ribbon in front of the silhouettes to create the illusion of a crowd watching your guests pass by.

You brought your guests in style, so you should send them out the same way. Here are some ideas for movie themed favors to send home with your stars.

• When I think of movies, I immediately think of popcorn. Gourmet popcorn can be expensive, sometimes starting at as much as $20.00 per container. A quick search of AllRecipes.com gave me list of gourmet popcorn options ranging from chocolate to caramel to nacho flavored popcorn. Make up a batch of your own special popcorn and package in a white paper bag for guests to munch on later.
• Personalized awards are a great favor, and can add extra entertainment to the party. Oriental Trading carries a wide selection of mini trophies that can be purchased in bulk. After purchasing the trophies, use a gold or silver paint pen to personalize the awards to your guests. During the party, present the awards in Oscar Night fashion.
• No time to make a favor? No problem. Most large retail stores like Target and Wal-mart now regularly stock movie theater candy. Purchase an assortment of candy like Junior Mints, Sour Patch Kids, Mike & Ikes and Twizzlers. Pair with a bag of microwave popcorn and $5 movie rental gift card and you have a great gift. This option will be a little more expensive than the others, but will be a big time saver.

You're all set for a great Hollywood event! From start to finish, your guests will receive the star treatment. Even better, you'll have thrown a terrific party without breaking the bank because Hollywood style doesn't have to cost a Hollywood fortune.

Tried and Tested Recipe: Sorbet Bombe

I found this recipe in the new Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine, Summer Edition. The recipe is for Sorbet Bombe, a do-it-yourself "cake" made of sorbet. It looked delicious in the magazine, so I gave it a try. This is a great recipe not only for a wedding reception but for your next summer barbecue or afternoon tea, too.

I've included the recipe here with a few notes from my own experience:

Ingredients:
Serves 8 to 12 (from one 10-cup mold)

• 3 pints peach sorbet
• 2 pints coconut sorbet
  I chose to use mango and raspberry Ciao Bella Sorbet that I found at Harris Teeter. I also used a three cup mold for my first try at this recipe. Using a three cup mold, I only needed a pint of each sorbet flavor.

Directions:

1. Soften peach sorbet by beating in a mixer bowl until smooth. Immediately spread into bottom and up sides of a 10-cup mold or bowl. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
   I don't have a hand mixer, so I used my stand mixer instead. Word to the wise, use the cover when beating the sorbet. Also beat the sorbet in small batches before transferring to the mold. The stand mixer heats the sorbet very fast and causes it to become overly melted quickly. To counter act this, I put the mold in the freezer while I beat the second batch of mango sorbet (about 10 minutes). In total, I need two batches of mango sorbet for cover the outer layer of the mold.
   
   
2. Soften coconut sorbet in mixer; pack into center of mold; smooth top of bombe. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight, or up to 1 week. (To create a layered bombe, measure the amount of water your mold will hold to determine how much sorbet you will need. Spread the first layer into bottom of mold and smooth; freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then add the next layer, freeze again, and repeat.)
   For the second layer of my bombe I used raspberry sorbet. I followed the same process as in Step 1. I found that, because I had froze the sorbet between batches when putting in the mango, I didn't need to freeze the mango layer for a full hour before adding the raspberry. About 20 minutes was all it took to harden the mango enough to add the raspberry sorbet. I also added an extra layer of mango sorbet to the very top of the mold. I wrapped mine in foil, then in a gallon size plastic zip bag to prevent freezer burn.
   
   
3. To unmold, dip mold in hot water to slightly melt outer layer. Invert onto a cake stand, and remove mold. Serve, or return to the freezer for up to 8 hours.
   
   
4. To serve, cut into slices with a knife (if necessary, dip knife in warm water for easier cutting).
   I had a hard time unmolding my bombe. The outer layer melted too much, causing the outside to look runny and not show the mold design. I needed to serve part of my sorbet to guests immediately, so I cut and plated each piece and popped each plate back in the freezer for five minutes. The plates had a little extra sorbet on them, so I wiped that off with a napkin and served. My guests loved it and never knew it was supposed to have design.
   

Image and recipe courtesy of http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/recipe/sorbet-bombe.