From “I Do’s” to Dancing, event days are filled with excitement! It is essential to find a pair of shoes to wear during the celebration that are both chic and comfortable. (With our first wedding of the summer this weekend, our team has been on the hunt for our “event day” shoes!). Unless you are a pro at walking in 5 inch stilettos for the duration of the evening, we usually recommend shorter heel styles or a stacked heel/wedge. Comfort is key! If you don’t like heels at all, we always love a pair of Tieks! These are 9 of our favorite pairs of heels that will have you dressed for the occasion but also able to navigate the party until guests have finished dancing the night away!
Here at ADIM, we always have some form of adhesive within arm’s reach. From assembling stationery, to labeling boxes of decor, to mounting signage, these 9 types of tape are lifesavers on event days- “stick” with us, and we’ll show you the way!
Duck Tape
There isn’t much you can’t fix with Duct Tape! Like McGuyver, we carry these waterproof, sticky rolls around with us everywhere and always multiple colors because you never know what type of quick fix you need to do! Recently we used a ROYGBIV assortment to decorate race cars for a 4 year old birthday party and they were a hit with all ages!
Packaging Tape We often joke that we are professional movers, always unpacking and packing boxes, especially with the amount of deliveries we get each day at the office, so you can only imagine the amount of packaging tape we go through a year. Where there is packaging tape there are tape guns and we may have been known to OK-corral it up a few times seeing whose the fastest tape gun slinger around!
Masking/Painters Tape Painters tape- the best, and cheapest way to label boxes, bags, fabric and pretty much anything you don’t want to leave a mark on but still identify it’s contents or placement. With all the boxes (see above!) it’s hard to diffentiate between color of kraft paper, if you get what we mean! With such easily removable tape, we can use the same boxes again and again while changing the name/location tag. And masking tape, well it’s a life saver we’ve used it for taping carpet seams under a bar, wrapping cords against a painted wall and taping boxes when the packaging tape runs out!
Glue Dots
Looking to hide a seat assignment at a wedding ceremony? Quick hem a linen? Glue dots are a must have in your arsenal of stickiness and we love the semi-permenant options for more reasons than we can count on our stuck together fingers.
Gaffers Tape
This is a producers dream! Made of fabric fibers vs. vinyl, when you use this tape around things that get hot (like lighting- which we used an awful lot of, or sound equipment- which we can’t get enough of!) it’s important not to make a mess of your equipment while keeping things tidy and functional!
Carpet Tape In a bind, this stuff is better than liquid nails and if you have to tape together wood, furniture, or who knows what, in a jiffy this stuff will not let you down! Be careful you keep the tape away from any stray or long hairs- once you pull back both sides of the tape all bets are off and you better stick it to em!
Gorilla Glue In the carpentry shop on a job site, sometimes screws and nails won’t do the trick and we use clamps and Gorilla glue! In a pickle, we’ve even used it as a faux finish on a side table! Problem solving at it’s finest!
Mounting Squares Our love of candle light runs deep, and stunning taper candles even deeper. But, when you have glass or clear candle holders and finicky candles, sometimes you need reinforcement and these clear mounting squares from 3M are a life saver! (Not to mention, they do not leave a residue when you peel them off- even better!)
Krazy Glue In the words of Prince (may he rest in peace), Let’s get Krazy! Krazy Glue that is! An oldie but a goodie and as we like to say- if it’s not broke, don’t fix it! It’s a go to for fine detail work and it adheres together almost any surface- which in today’s world of sticky options, is hard to find!
Event days are fast paced and a whirlwind of excitement leading up to the big celebration and evening festivities and over the years we have honed in our essentials for success! Being prepared for any situation that may arise during the set up and execution of the event is key but when it’s go time- it’s GO TIME! Here are the top 9 essentials we always have on hand for event days!
1. Mophie Portable Cell Phone Chargers – with vendors coming and going, sometimes plans changing on the fly, staying connected is muy importante! Lish has been called “Thumbs of Fury” on event days so when the iPhone battery dwindles we always have backup chargers handy!
2. Breath Mints (who doesn’t love some good ol’ orange Tic Tacs?!) because, well, it’s important!
3. Sharpies…never leave home without one! These babies are perfect for making notes, labeling supplies and editing timelines on the go. We love the retractable ones so you never loose a cap or end up with black hands from grabbing the wrong end!
4. Timelines..aka our holy grail document that ensure the day runs smoothly and yes, we recycle as these puppies can get pretty lengthy!
5. Cute yet comfortable shoes like these from Clark’s are invaluable! Your feet are what carry you from situation to situation and sometimes running in heels is the only option!
6 & 7 – Handheld radios and headsets so the entire team can be in communication- we haven’t figured out teleportation but are working on it! And these adorable aprons to stash our knick knacks like our Mophie’s, Sharpies, timelines and such- thanks Jen Buehler-Shabbir for making them for us!!
8. Omaha, our 25′, 1971 Airstream Caravanner International, also known as “The Party Wagon” and Mobile HQ. (We purchased her in Nebraska hence the name…). More to come about Ohmee- that’s her nickname, but we can’t imagine life without her!
9. And last, but certainly not least- Our Know How! We are professional problem solvers and the ability to get our Sherlock Holmes on is something we’re thankful we don’t have to remember to pack 😉 Resourcefulness, ingenuity and common sense are worth their weight in gold on event days.
Looking for some fun goodies to gift your guests upon their arrival to your wedding weekend? We have you covered! Here are our top 9 favorite items to include in your welcome gifts!
A Handwritten Note – Extend your heartfelt thanks by welcoming guests to your wedding weekend with a handwritten note – your friends and family will love this thoughtful touch as they arrive. Don’t forget to choose beautiful stationery!
The Bubbly – Allow your guests to toast to the weekend with a small bottle of champagne of your favorite sparkling. If you are in Northern Michigan, we suggest local sparkling producer L. Mawby. The half bottles are perfect for gifting! Might we suggest the Blanc de Blanc or Sandpiper 😉
Something Sweet – a Michigan favorite, Dave’s Sweet Tooth Toffee, is sure to be a crowdpleaser! Source local products that will allow your guests to experience treats that are unique to the location of your wedding.
Water – We love Boxed Water… their product, their mission and their eco-friendly packaging! You might also consider ordering custom bottles of water complete with your day-of branding or monogram.
Tour Guide/Itinerary – Offer your guests a custom itinerary filled with your favorite restaurants and activities in the area. Include your favorites as a couple, and individually as the bride and groom. Bonus points for providing a map and stories or memories you shared at the places integral to your love story.
Products that Pamper – Create a guest room spa experience for your guests by gifting them with a hand poured soy candle (we love these from Maison Louie Marie!) or a luxurious bubble bath.
Monogrammed Goods- Who doesn’t love a product customized just for them? We love monogramming bathrobes (these pair perfectly with the pampering products above!) or a chambray shirt to allow guests (or bridesmaids!) to relax while getting ready for the evenings festivities!
Beach Towels & Sundries – In Northern Michigan we often host beach days or boat days as part of our clients wedding weekends. Gift your clients with goodies they can bring on their adventures. We love these turkish towels – their are an assortment of colors available so you can customize them to fit the look of your event. P.S. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Hangover Kit – This is critical for your guests who might have had TOO much fun at your wedding 😉 Fill these bags with blowfish, advil, tylenol and guests will be ready for your farewell brunch!
In case you missed it, our very own Tana was featured on Martha Stewart Weddings this week and shared some great advice on how to wow your guests with welcome bags!
Happy Thursday, Beauties! This week we have put together our Top 9 Favorite Beauty Products for travel or when you are on the go. These products will help you save time and ensure your skin and makeup are looking their best!
Pictured Left to Right:
Caudalie Beauty Elixir – this product is perfect to bring on long work days or long flights…it instantly refreshes the skin and helps tone and boost radiance. It’s also great for setting your makeup!
Josie Maran Argan Color Stick – we love Josie Maran’s products filled with natural ingredients to provide a natural glow. The color stick provides a sheer pop of color for both the lips and cheeks. You have to love a product that multi-tasks!
Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer – this primer creates a flawless canvas to put your foundation on top of…and keeps your makeup on ALL day! A serious win in our book! You can also find travel sized minis at Ulta & Sephora!
Kiehls Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50 – As they say, never leave the house without your sunscreen! We love this light weight, oil free version from Kiehls. You can wear it alone or wear make up over top – it is an essential base.
Chloé Rollerball Perfume – These mini rollerball perfumes are perfect to toss in your tote bag when you are on the go and need a mid-day spritz! The Chloe fragrance is absolutely lovely with notes of peony, rose, lychee, cedarwood, amber and honey.
Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation – This water-based foundation is light weight and an absolute dream to blend. It provides a fresh, natural look to the skin. Bonus – the packaging is perfect for traveling! (unlike other foundations that come in glass bottles).
L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil – First of all, the scent of this shower oil is heavenly! It cleanses and moisturizes all at once. This product will be your go-to on busy mornings!
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment – This cult-favorite lip treatment moisturizes, protects and smoothes while providing a lovely hint of color. Petal is our favorite natural (Your lips but better) shade, but if you are looking for a brighter color we recommend the shade Passion. If you are like us, you will end up purchasing back ups to keep in your car, office and handbag at all times!
Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream – One must always have a hand cream handy while traveling for smooth, soft skin! We love this one from Tatcha (all of their skincare products are divine!)
