A "professional" meeting planner would know client allocation 4 all facits of event

Attending major socio political event this evening

GOOD CHEAP FAST SERVICE

We offer three kinds of service
GOOD-CHEAP-FAST

Truer words could not be spoken, or printed!
In today’s economy (WOW is that phrase getting old) everybody is looking for a deal. This could not be truer than in the event industry. Corporations, as well as individuals are holding onto the dollar until the last possible minute. Then faced with a deadline fly into action making panic calls and expecting event professionals to hop to and create miracles at a moment’s notice.

“I want fresh, I want new, I want excitement and I need a full proposal by tomorrow at noon!”

Of course we want your business and we are in the service industry to provide service. BUT, READ THE SIGN! As a designer it is my goal to provide you with your complete wish list but it cannot be done overnight without having time to fully research all of my resources.

GOOD service CHEAP won’t be FAST
Give your designer time seek out the best product at the best price, this takes time, but, it will save you money.

GOOD service FAST won’t be CHEAP Without adequate time in normal hours, overtime comes into play as well as second guessing certain costs such as labor and materials. Without the time to figure these I will always estimate high. Another danger is that important items may be overlooked; say a generator or heaters for an outdoor event. This is not a good thing for you.

FAST service CHEAP won’t be GOOD
It takes TIME and MONEY to create an exciting and creative event to rush this and cut corners will ALWAYS show.

I do want to add one more thing: Please be honest with your time-line. I was asked to put together a four day event with very specific needs, with only forty-eight hours notice. The client had, had, had to have it by that time. That was July, the event is in January. I spoke to the client rep in mid October and they still had not made a decision. Honestly, I could have done a better job with the design, with the pricing and with how I felt about the event had I been given a better time line in which to work.

I want to thank my Friend Doc Waldrop of Full Circle Lighting for sharing this photo taken by Chris Bernini.

J Patrick is an event designer based in Atlanta, GA. For more information please visit www.jpatrickdesigns.com

innovations in the dinning market

I WANT THAT!!!
Hotels and restaurants are introducing so much modern dinner and glassware into the market.
There was a time when hotels and restaurants wanted to make you feel at home, all of that is changing. The market has realized that, in order to get the public into the car and go somewhere they have to offer excitement. Now when that burger arrives at the table it may be on a rectangular plate with more room for fries like these at http://www.restaurant-dinnerware.com/. Color is also playing a big role in this new market as well.
Another big innovation is the disappearance of the stem from our wine glasses. Long the custom in Europe, America has finally come on board with interesting shapes for wine glasses. I think this may be a financial savings as well, since these glasses are less likely to break and also much easier to clean.
A trend that has also really caught on is the step away from the huge plates so popular during the late 90’s and early part of the millennium. Now on buffets you will find wonderful small squares, ovals and rounds just perfect for the food at that station. I would like to think that the industry is looking out for the American waistline but, once more I believe it is a win/win for the budget.
My favorite innovation is the coffee cup and saucer (pictured). The Ritz Carlton http://www.ritzcarlton.com/ in Atlanta has brought this clever update into play. The indent in the saucer has been offset so that the cup sits to one side leaving room for a snack and your spoon.
Yep, I am ready to embrace all of these chic changes and bring them home….What will the industry do next to get us excited about food?

The Art of a Wedding and Reception in a Gallery
Atlanta is filled with fantastic wedding venues, limited only by the imagination. From train depots to roof top gardens to, one of my favorites, art galleries. These spaces tend to be very contemporary without a lot of frills, what better way for a bride to stand out on that special day? Another advantage of the spaces listed, you may bring in your own caterer (with approval) and beverages.
I would like to spotlight four Atlanta galleries for this particular post. I am listing them in alphabetical order:

ALAN AVERY ART COMPANY
315 East Pace Ferry Road N.E.. This gallery has been a mainstay for the Buckhead/Atlanta art community for years and offers a warm intimate feel. Although contemporary in design there is a feeling of permanence to this space I really like.
If you are looking for a space for your wedding and reception, this one might be a bit tricky, especially if your guest list exceeds 100. I say this because, you need to have someplace for guests to go while the space is transformed from wedding to reception. If you are using the space for reception only I would say 200 would work very well with residential/lounge seating, dance floor and a few tables. The Gallery does have a second floor which is great for bridal party preparations or could be used for an intimate wedding of 75 with reception held in the gallery below. It also works if guests want to get away from the full party for a moment.
You may bring in your own caterer and beverages however, the gallery does have a list of preferred caterers with a favorite being endive www.endiveatlanta.com
The free standing building has a nice parking lot in front, ideal for valet parking. There is plenty of offsite parking available as well.
For more information and to view the rental agreement visit www.alanaveryartcompany.com

KAI LIN ART
you cannot beat a Peachtree Street address and this one has it. 800 Peachtree Street, Suite A Atlanta, Georgia 30308. The gallery is located just south of Midtown on the West side of Peachtree between 5th and 6th streets. This is also a smaller space, 3,700 square feet. The space could be divided easily for a small wedding and open up into the reception area to the back. There is a track in the ceiling for draping and it would behoove the venue to go ahead and provide this drape effect for clients. The layout of the gallery is square and open, great space for dancing.
I strongly suggest valet parking for this venue. There is a parking lot in the back of the building and additional parking around the side streets, This could be a problem if any events are going on in town.
For rental information contact the gallery at www.kailinart.com


MASON MURER GALLERIES
325 East Paces Ferry Road, ATL, Ga 3035
199 Armour Drive, ATL, GA 30324
I said at the beginning that I would be covering four galleries and two of them are Mason Murer. Since I have been talking small galleries let’s get the Buckhead space out of the way first. Located on East Paces Ferry, it is a neighbor of Alan Avery Art Company. This space opens full out onto East Paces with plate glass windows running the length of the space. While very bright it could have a bit of a fish tank effect for an intimate wedding. The space drops down by three levels which is kind of neat because you do have the ability to overlook the party from the upper level.
This is a fine space for a wedding of 100 to 150 guests
Parking is available at the site and around the neighborhood. I still prefer Valet for this venue.
Now to the Big Daddy
Mason Murer at Armour Drive is the space for a great big wedding and fantastic BIG reception! With an abundance of square footage it offers many different ways to set up a wedding and a reception for with seamless flow from one to the other. The staff is experienced with large events and is very accommodating. High ceilings provide for excellent lighting and rigging points for décor and there is ample space for catering setup with easy access to loading docks.
If you are planning a big contemporary wedding and reception, this is the place.
For more information on both Mason Murer locations: www.masonmurer.com

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for more information on J Patrick Designs visit www.jpatickdesigns.com

Reinventing the Reception

Photography : Michael Ray White Design: J Patrick Designs

For years the bride and groom have invited guests to sit at tables of 10 and gorge themselves for an hour and then get up, have a bit of dancing and say goodbye. In the past few years the after party has gained substantial popularity within the wedding industry. After the main reception the stalwarts adjourn to a smaller space to dance, drink and party on to an early morning breakfast.
What I am seeing now is a blending of the reception and the after party into one.


For this reception I draped a standard ballroom, replaced the standard hotel seating with contemporary sectional seating. I did away with the large tables and replaced them with more intimate seating for six and Hi-boy seating for four.
Instead of full plates of food offer heavy hors d’ouevres stations. People snack their way through the evening and mingle from one end of the space to the other. For additional fun bring in some interactive games, photo booths, caricature artist…Be creative!
If you are the first in your area to try this, you may need to educate the attendees by making it clear, in your invitation, that there will be an “Hors d’ouevres Reception” with dancing. This alerts your guest to the fact that this is a party, Not a Dinner!
I truly believe that this is a trend (not something trendy) that is going to grow substantially in the wedding marketplace. You may be blazing new territory but the rewards are great in seeing your guests have a fantastic time at, what will surely be remembered as, a marvelous party!

This table was designed by J Patrick Designs for the DIFFA (Design Industries Foundations Fighting Aids)This event, held in Atlanta is also called Dining by Design. The event is held in major metropolitan cities around the United Sates and provide local designers the opportunity to showcase their talents along side exhibits that travel nationally.My sponsors for the event this year were: Event Rentals Unlimited and Tents Unlimited. These two companies provided the tent structure for the space as well as the beautiful (and comfortable) chairs, and the exquisite china, crystal and flatware. Linen was provided by Connie Duglin and lighting was courtesy of the Magnum company. All other elements; the faux zebra/marble floor the mirror shadow boxes and mirrored table top, French inspired chandelier, the floral and guests gifts were provided by J Patrick Designs. Other companies of note were Stan Topol classy restaurant style design, Shane Meder for his wonderful new furniture line and McIntosh Interiors for thier humorous Chuck wagon.