Ask BizBash Question Archive in Chicago for Event Planners regarding Food, Rental and Gift Ideas, Design Inspiration, Business Entertaining strategies and Decor trends

Chicago Ask Questions Archive for Event Planning professionals looking to get inspired to host a trendy and memorable event complete with elegant invitations and within Budget

Chicago event planning resource directory

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GIFT IDEAS What to Give Budding Wine Snobs 7 Noteworthy Pad-and-Pen Sets for Meetings A Gift to Motivate Staffers Planners' Picks From the New York International Gift Fair   FOOD AND DRINK IDEAS Rosenthal Group Launches Eco-Friendly In-Office Catering Option Boka Partners' New Catering Division Catering Company Focuses on Local, Sustainable Ingredients Afternoon Delights: 5 Springtime Lunch Entrees Health-Conscious Cookies   DECOR AND RENTAL IDEAS A New Source for Natural, Unfussy Flowers A New Take on Fancy Draping An Iconic Modern Chair, Now for Rent 10 Fancy Forks 10 Innovative Lighting Ideas   BUSINESS ENTERTAINING What Are Some Crafty Takes on Teambuilding? 5 Cutting-Edge Performers     Ask BizBash Archive 11.16.09 8:00 AM How Do You Make Staffers Feel Appreciated—at Little or No Cost? Leo Burnett's employee art gallery Photo: Courtesy of Leo Burnett In a year of cutbacks and salary freezes, perhaps now more than ever, hard-working employees need to feel valued, even in small ways. Jennifer Savica, TD Bank’s vice president of event management, rewards her staff with little perks throughout the year, like taking everyone out for ice cream in the summer, treating people to their favorite drinks at Starbucks on a cold day, and occasionally allowing casual Fridays. “I try to show appreciation for my team every day by creating a true democracy—asking their opinions, including them in many of the department decisions, and empowering them to do their job,” she says. Boston Beer Company has a gift policy that prevents employees from keeping items valued over $10 given to them by clients and event sponsors. “If someone gets something over that amount, we raffle it off to the office as a thank you,” says Kristen Smith, the company’s travel and event planner. Past items have included tickets to charity events the company has sponsored, movie screenings, and Red Sox tickets. “It’s nice to raffle these things off and make them available to anyone—and at no cost to the company,” says Smith. MORE >> RELATED TOPICS Leo Burnett, Publix, TD Bank, Boston Beer Company, Warner Brothers 09.01.09 10:52 AM What's a Memorable Way to End an Event? A fire dancer entertained the valet line at the Shedd Aquarium gala in Chicago. Photo: Brenna Hernandez When an event winds down, most guests just grab a gift bag and head for the exits. But if you’re not giving people anything (or if you are and want to end an experience on an extra-high note), here are some ways to keep attendees talking the next day. Standing in a long cab or valet line can be a buzzkill. Chicago’s John G. Shedd Aquarium’s 2008 gala had eight kinds of entertainment throughout the night, including drummers from Rhythm Revolution and fire dancers from Pyrotechniq, who performed for guests waiting for their cars after the event. “This is something we do at Shedd Aquarium on a daily basis—engage guests while they are waiting for something, to make the time go faster and the wait not seem so long,” says Jennifer Baryl, senior director of the institution. MORE >> 06.29.09 8:00 AM How Can You Make a Trade Show Booth Eco-Friendly? A Sherwin-Williams booth Photo: Courtesy of Sherwin Williams Thanks to a burgeoning green products industry, there are plenty of eco-friendly options for trade show booths, from nontoxic paint to sustainable building materials. The challenge is sorting through them all to find what really works, while remembering to consider important factors like transportation and reusability. Sherwin-Williams created its first eco-friendly trade show booth with Gallo Displays in Cleveland, Ohio, for the American Institute of Architects’ National Convention and Design Exposition in May 2008. Gallo used recycled aluminum framing and Plyboo, a wood alternative derived from bamboo. Although pleased with the results, the company made different choices when designing an exhibit for the January 2009 International Builders Show in Las Vegas. This booth was made primarily of BioBoard, a wood alternative made from recycled materials, with Plyboo and PaperStone (panels made of recycled paper) for counters. MORE >> 05.11.09 8:00 AM How Do You Thank Speakers or Presenters? NASA astronaut Dave Williams at ideaCity Photo: Gene Driskell Showing appreciation can be tricky these days. Lavish items might not feel appropriate in today’s cost-conscious climate—or get approved by the budget-watchers—but a handwritten note may not be a large enough show of thanks for a keynote speaker or M.C. Here are some memorable ways to show gratitude that strike the right chord. To thank presenters for participating in Toronto’s ideaCity, a conference that bills itself as “Canada’s premier meeting of the minds,” conference manager Allison Munro sends them a set of DVDs documenting the gathering. “It’s a great reminder of the event and allows them to revisit their favorite parts,” she says. “Many presenters would ask for a copy of their presentation anyway, so it makes us as organizers seem really on the ball.” MORE >> RELATED TOPICS Health Industry Distributors Association, ideaCity, All Day Buffet 03.09.09 7:00 AM Where Can You Find Up-and-Coming DJs? DJ Rashida Photo: WireImage FROM NEW YORK Big-name DJs bring a certain cachet to events—and a hefty price tag. But how do you find the next Samantha Ronson or DJ AM? Brent Bolthouse, longtime DJ and founder of Los Angeles-based Bolthouse Vox Events, says the best way to find new talent is in person at small venues. “We are constantly going to little clubs looking for good DJs,” he says. “Sometimes they don’t even know they can get $1,000 to DJ a party. They’re happy making a couple hundred.” Money aside, Bolthouse says the most important thing to watch isn’t the turntable but the dance floor: “It’s not about mixing; it’s looking at the crowd and seeing who rocks the crowd. You could be the best mixer, but you’re the worst DJ if the crowd isn’t having fun.” MORE >> RELATED TOPICS Condé Nast Traveler 01.07.09 9:00 AM Which Bands Are a Bargain? Malik's Ultimate Band Photo: Courtesy of Malik's Ultimate Band Hiring a great band in the Chicago area isn’t hard—there are hundreds to choose from. But finding performers who will work within a small budget can be a bit more challenging. Here’s who planners recommend. For March for Babies, the March of Dimes’s annual walk-a-thon benefit, senior community director Karrie White has hired the Downtown Charlie Brown Blues Band for the past few years. The energetic ensemble’s repertoire isn’t limited to blues; they mix things up for this family-friendly event, including jazz, funk, R&B, and ‘50s rock. “They've continually proven to be reliable, easy to work with, and are always a crowd-pleaser, playing the classics that everyone loves to hear,” White says. Pricing for the quintet, which includes male and female singers in its lineup, starts at about $2,000, and the band will work with planners’ budgets. MORE >> 12.29.08 8:00 AM What's a High-Tech Way to Gather Feedback? Former Mansueto Ventures consumer marketing director Stephanie Rubin has conducted pre- and post-event surveys. Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Rubin After the guests have gone home and the vendors have been paid, work often continues for planners gathering feedback on the logistics and programming of their events or meetings. Here are some software programs that survey attendees and compile responses. For Lora Di Padova-Tannehill, director of scientific meetings for the American Society of Neuroradiology in Chicago, feedback is vital. An accrediting organization that determines future funding closely monitors the five executive-committee meetings and the 2,000-person convention she plans annually. “The evaluations of our programming need to validate that our education is providing improved quality of care to patients,” she says. Tannehill uses Web-based Survey Monkey to poll attendees on event logistics like housing, registration, food service, and venue selection. “The site is easy to develop and maintain responses and statistics for future use,” she says. “I like the features and versatility. I see it being used a lot more in the industry.” The site allows users to create surveys for free, with limits on the number of questions and responses allotted. A paid subscription with more options costs $19.95 per month. MORE >> RELATED TOPICS American Society of Neuroradiology, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, Mansueto Ventures, JPMorgan Treasury Services 09.08.08 8:00 AM Who Can Produce a Cool Tribute Video? Stills from a variety of tribute videos. Photo: Courtesy of Lifefilm (top), Courtesy of Madprops (middle), Courtesy of Raw Films (bottom) Honoring a retiring exec or an award winner with a video about their life’s work is a great idea, but only if the piece doesn’t move guests to check their BlackBerries or sneak off to the restroom. Here are three companies that specialize in these types of films and, if asked, will travel to make it happen. With more than 20 years of combined film and television industry experience, Lifefilm Productions co-founders Peilin Chou and John Brancaccio use the same production professionals they worked with at companies such as Walt Disney Studios, MTV Networks, ESPN, and Bravo to craft their celebratory docs. The firm prides itself on delivering broadcast-quality, story-driven films that are truly entertaining. Past clients include C-level execs from Hasbro and real estate developer S.R. Weiner. Rates start at $5,000, with longer and more intensive projects ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. MORE >> RELATED TOPICS Walt Disney Company, MTV, ESPN, Bravo, Academy Awards, Saturday Night Live, VH1, A&E, E! Entertainment, NBC, Clinton Global Initiative, Miramax, Hasbro 08.20.08 9:00 AM Who Does Fantastic Flowers on the Cheap? A centerpiece by Cornelia McNamara Flowers Photo: Courtesy of Cornelia McNamara Flowers As prices climb and event budgets continue to shrink, flowers are often one of the first things to be scaled back, or cut completely. Here are the designers planners say give them more bloom for their buck. Cornelia McNamara Flowers, a boutique floral and event design firm that recently relocated from New York to Chicago, created butterfly-themed designs for the annual Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis gala, held last October at the Renaissance Hotel. Co-chair Kristy Mau describes McNamara as “one of the most theatrical florists I have ever worked with.” McNamara used seasonal branches, locally sourced flowers, and hundreds of handmade butterflies to create 40- by 50-foot chandeliers and tabletop centerpieces that fit within the charity’s $8,000 budget. “She was incredibly resourceful,” Mau says. “She rented instead of bought and didn’t have to fly things in. And, throughout, she never compromised the ‘wow’ factor.” MORE >> 07.09.08 9:00 AM How Do You Welcome Out-of-Towners? The Flip video camera Photo: Courtesy of CommStrat Whether it’s a C.E.O. or hundreds of attendees coming to Chicago, a little local hospitality is always appreciated. Here are ways to thank people for coming, entertain them, or simply help them get oriented. When Meghan Andalman was a marketing coordinator at local law firm Schwartz Cooper, she put together an international conference for more than 100 law professionals in Chicago. To welcome the attendees to town, Andalman (now an independent planner with Lovebird Special Event Consulting) and her team put a Chicago-specific spin on standard gift bags by filling them with Windy City treats such as Frango Mints and Garrett Popcorn, as well as copies of Chicago magazine, a map of the city, and a list of must-see attractions. “The bags were a huge hit with our guests,” Andalman says. 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