No matter what your religious preference is, holding true to your beliefs makes us who we are.
I feel…”it’s when we show up for the happy, celebratory occasions that make lasting memories.”

The Clayton on the Park’s outside patio is transformed with white drape and portofino lighting.

The Slate family along with their friends mark the rite of Amanda’s passage into adulthood at her Bat Mitzvah ceremony and celebration! As you can see from the video the event was overflowing with love and laughter! Photo montage by Harley Bonham Photography

The Clayton on the Park’s upstairs is spacious with wood flooring and beautiful views.

CONCEPT
Club Amanda
“A Bat Mitzvah Celebration”

INVITATION
Modern and PINK. Invitation custom designed by Kim McDowell, The Event Essentials.

VENUE
The Clayton on the Park, a modern, three-story venue with an exterior patio, is located in the heart of Scottsdale.

ENTERTAINMENT
DJ Timbo is one of my favorite DJ’s!  He’s not only a DJ, he’s the entertainment energy bunny.

STYLE
Hot pink glitter dots add the necessary sparkle to top all the guest tables. Adult tables showcased an elegant touch with a platinum lamour bottom linen. Teen tables had a pop of purple color to match the scattered pink and purple candies. Linens by Southwick Linens.

DÉCOR
To create a more private and intimate feel, white drape was added along with beautiful pink satin tie-backs. The walls were washed with a warm pink-purple glow which helps create great ambiance and stellar pictures. The tables glowed with many floating candles in clear glass cylinders which sat on top of pink gel beads. The attention to detail is what brings me back to hiring Corinne Carr, owner of Creative Occasions, event after event.

CUISINE
Catering by Ciao Baby Catering.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Harley Bonham Photography

Sensational Events is a distinct full-service event planning and production company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for discerning individuals and companies. Based in sunny Arizona, our event planning team serves Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Tucson and surrounding areas. Since 2001, Sensational Events has been a leader in the industry by focusing on experience and innovation, not formula and routine.
Our event planning team provides turn-key personalized coordination in all its divisions;
parties, mitzvahs, corporate, weddings and destination events.

We invite you to contact us today to see how we can turn your event into a SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
Call 602-696-4646 or email us at events@sensationalevents.com.

Working on a family event the stakes are even higher!

A little family background: I’m considered a part of “old Phoenix.” My family has been here for more than 40 years originally from Skokie, Illinois. I have three sisters, one older and two younger (Liz is the youngest). I feel very fortunate to have my parents alive and well, and to be close with my sisters, their husbands, my nieces and nephews.

I run my business with my clients in mind as if I am helping family. Their events, whether a mitzvah, charity event or corporate meeting, are important to me. I want to make sure that they feel protected- that their expectations have not only been met but exceeded. I am proud to present my clients with choices from a carefully selected group of vendors to make their events have a unique WOW factor (and anyone who knows how carefully I select my wine knows how selective I am with my vendors!).

CONCEPT
Bat Mitzvah – Celebrating a Milestone

Bar/Bat Mitzvah means “son/daughter of the commandment. A Jewish boy automatically becomes a Bar Mitzvah on the day after he reaches the age of 13 years and a girl the day after she turns 12 years.

INVITATION
Pink and sparkles define the look and feel of my niece and bat mitzvah, Isabel Safrin.
Sensational Events carries the finest invitation books including letterpress.

STYLE/VENUE
With a venue like Myst you have style built right in.  The club theme attracts young adults with its great intelligent lighting and special effects, and a cool atmosphere. For the adults just add elegant décor pieces like the light up tables and feather lamps, and a fully stock bar with great spirits.
Venue by Evening Entertainment Group.  Décor by Creative Occasions.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Cheswick Photography – Tom and Francine Cheswick

Sensational Events is a distinct full-service event planning and production company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for discerning individuals and companies. Based in sunny Arizona, our event planning team serves Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Tucson and surrounding areas. Since 2001, Sensational Events has been a leader in the industry by focusing on experience and innovation, not formula and routine.
Our event planning team provides turn-key personalized coordination in all its divisions;
parties, mitzvahs, corporate, weddings and destination events.

We invite you to contact us today to see how we can turn your event into a SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
Call 602-696-4646 or email us at events@sensationalevents.com.

Here’s the scoop on CardMunch…

CardMunch is a FREE IPhone app via LinkedIn that turns business cards into contacts.

Here’s how easy and smart this program is.
Step: 1 Take a picture with the app and a business card is converted to a contact automatically.
Step 2:  Add contacts to your iPhone address book:
* Click the ‘Edit’ button in the contact list
* For each contact press the Arrow button to Add to iPhone
Step 3: Add your contact to your LinkedIn connections
*It will also show you the contacts LinkedIn profile information and the connections you have in common.

ABOUT CARDMUNCH

REAL HUMANS, NOT COMPUTERS
Every business card you submit is transcribed, edited and reviewed by multiple workers to guarantee accuracy. Their workers even crop the company logos from business cards! Because it’s typed by humans you will want to verify the information. I actually caught a couple errors so double check for accuracy before tossing the card.

SYNCED CONTACTS
Never lose a contact again! CardMunch backs up and syncs all your contacts to your web account and phone. You can log in to any phone and recover all your contacts.

LIMITS
There are no limits to the number of business cards you can add to CardMunch.

PRICING
FREE! I know I couldn’t believe it either but I’ve uploading more than 100 cards (yes, I know I was a bit behind in updating my new business friends) and have had no request for money. From the research online LinkedIn but the company which was charging a fee and did away with that and now plans on keeping this as a free service connected through their company.

I enjoy sharing great “finds” like this so if you find it useful too – pass it on!

Sensational Events is a distinct full-service event planning and production company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for discerning individuals and companies. Based in sunny Arizona, our event planning team serves Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Tucson and surrounding areas. Since 2001, Sensational Events has been a leader in the industry by focusing on experience and innovation, not formula and routine.
Our event planning team provides turn-key personalized coordination in all its divisions;
parties, mitzvahs, corporate, weddings and destination events.

We invite you to contact us today to see how we can turn your event into a SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
Call 602-696-4646 or email us at events@sensationalevents.com.

SENSATIONAL EVENTS, A LEADER IN PLANNING AND DESIGNING CHARITY EVENTS

In November, The Arizona Jewish Historical Society, honored Jerry Colangelo at the second annual Heritage Award Dinner at the Cutler ✡ Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center. Jerry Colangelo’s commitment to the Valley transcends sports.  He is well-known as one of the city’s most active community leaders.  The Heritage Award is given to individuals who have made an exceptional impact on our community through outstanding leadership, service and dedication. The mission of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, founded in 1981, is to preserve the rich heritage of Arizona’s Jewish community, to educate the public about Jewish contributions to Arizona life, and to promote awareness of the great multi-cultural diversity of our state.

TENT
A gorgeous structure tent by Todd Barrett, Global Clearspans, takes up the entire parking lot at
the Arizona Jewish Historical Society.

IDEAS
If you’re looking to create an event venue building a tent is the best blank canvas but not the least expensive way to go. Tents can be placed in many locations depending on how many people you need it to hold. Great locations for tents are tennis courts, parking lots, flat grass areas -if the grass or any area is not level you most likely will need a floor and this is almost as expensive as a tent!

CONCEPT
Italian theme

INVITATION
Custom marbled tri-fold invitation with a pocket including a special spice packet from Chef Eddie Matney.
Design and printing by Capital Litho.

STYLE
Tables displayed rich burgundy pintuck linen and gold lamour napkins with fruitwood chiavari chairs; buffet stations were draped with espresso lamour. Linens by Southwick Linens.

DÉCOR
Wine, grapes and artisan breads with pesto dipping sauce enhanced the look of the tables. Wood lattices with green vines and lights were the backdrops to the entrance and bars. Pergolas added just the right touch to make the buffet stations stand out. Décor by Creative Occasions.

FOOD
Butternut squash espresso shot and a forest mushroom & toasted spinach flatbread where among the many passed hors d’oeuvers that started the evening. VIP guests including Tom Chambers, Mark West and Joe Gargiola, Jr., dined on chicken cacciatore, eggplant parmesan, grilled organic vegetables and a steamship beef carving station. What Italian dinner wouldn’t be complete without a decadent dessert of individual cups of Gelato and berries, ricotta catiloni with chocolate chips and an almond biscotti?
Catering by Chef Eddie Matney, Eddie’s House.

BREEZEWAY TENTS
With the gloom of rain over us Mark White, W Production Group, creatively tented the walkways.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Phil Gudenswager Photography

Sensational Events is a distinct full-service event planning and production company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for discerning individuals and companies. Based in sunny Arizona, our event planning team serves Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Tucson and surrounding areas. Since 2001, Sensational Events has been a leader in the industry by focusing on experience and innovation, not formula and routine.
Our event planning team provides turn-key personalized coordination in all its divisions;
parties, mitzvahs, corporate, weddings and destination events.

We invite you to contact us today to see how we can turn your event into a SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
Call 602-696-4646 or email us at events@sensationalevents.com.

I thought I would have a little fun with my blog this week since I turn the BIG 5-0. It’s not that I’m having trouble with the fact that I’m going to be a “half century” old! It’s the mere fact that life is going by way too fast.

Random thoughts….

Does 50 feel any different? I can’t tell because I refuse to look! But now I’m looking through reading glasses.

I guess now we move to the older adult table at parties, but with my group of family and friends it will still be more rowdy than the singles table!

My oldest daughter, Mara, turns 24 this month. I was married at 24 years old.

I’ve been married 25 years – that’s half my life! Thank goodness I married a great guy who let’s me be me!

I don’t think WORK is a 4 letter word. In fact, I think LAZY is!

You get what you give in life – it’s karma baby.

50 THINGS I LOVE!

Thanks for being a part of my world and making each day fun, interesting and exciting. It’s not often you get to share special moments in your life with people you really enjoy being with so THANK YOU.

Sensational Events is a distinct full-service event planning and production company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for discerning individuals and companies. Based in sunny Arizona, our event planning team serves Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Tucson and surrounding areas. Since 2001, Sensational Events has been a leader in the industry by focusing on experience and innovation, not formula and routine.
Our event planning team provides turn-key personalized coordination in all its divisions;
parties, mitzvahs, corporate, weddings and destination events.

We invite you to contact us today to see how we can turn your event into a SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE!
Call 602-696-4646 or email us at events@sensationalevents.com.