The past year has been a growing experience for us here at Eventurous. In 2011 we began the process of successfully redesigning our brand, we added a couple of new team members to the crew, and we produced such an eclectic array of events all over the Midwest. For us 2011 was both a growing and learning experience that closed some doors, while opening an array of others.
All of this would not have been possible without the amazing clientele that we had the pleasure of working with throughout the year. Everyone knows the classic line “a picture is worth a thousand words” but what happens when a picture takes your breath away? As we take a moment to remember everything from the laughter during the planning process to seeing all of our clients visions come to life, we feel that we are truly blessed to have the experiences that we’ve had.
Below are photographs from 2011 that truly take our breath away and we hope that these photographs spark creativity in your souls just like they did ours!
Thank you to everyone who made 2011 such a memorable year!
Photograph from Natural Elegance – June 2011
Daniel Michael Photography
Photograph from A Night to Remember – August 2011
Kortnee Kate Photography
Photograph from the 20th anniversary party for Eventurous – July 2011
Lacey Elam Photography
Photograph from Maria & Tom’s Dance Party – August 2011
Lacey Elam Photography
Photograph from the Glendale Beer, Food & Wine Festival – July 2011
Lacey Elam Photography
A candid photo from the Eventurous team photoshoot
Kortnee Kate Photography
Photograph from Rustic Elegance – August 2011
Lacey Elam Photography
Photograph from A Red, White & Blue Romance – August 2011
Kortnee Kate Photography
Kelly brought back the 80′s for a surprise birthday party after Mayhem Festival – July 2011
One of the team’s cell phone 
Photograph from A Romance at Music Hall – August 2011
Steve Lyons Photography
Pinecroft Estate Shoot – September 2011
Lacey Elam Photography
Photograph from Vintage Chic – August 2011
When Shelly and Mark contacted Eventurous they loved the idea of an outdoor wedding with family and friends during Labor Day weekend. The Centennial Barn, with it’s rustic feel and recent renovation, was the perfect place for the couple to get married.
When planning on an outdoor wedding it’s important to be fully prepared because you never know what Mother Nature has in store. The couple decided to tent the ceremony site after looking at the stormy forecast for the day of the wedding. It was an excellent decision because 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony it started to rain! Fortunately, all 150 guests were protected from rain as Shelly and Mark said ‘I Do’ under a beautifully decorated ceremony site.
The dinner reception was held inside Centennial Barn. In honor of Labor Day weekend the couple wanted red, white and blue décor elements for their wedding but noted that they did not want the overall look to resemble an American flag. Kelly made sure that the under-riding patriotic theme was carefully integrated into the décor in a subtle and classic way. The couple surprised guests with a Live Click Photo Booth at the reception. It was a major hit! Guests had so much fun using the wild accessories to take funny photos while dancing the night away.
Shelly and Mark were such a pleasure to work with and we’re so grateful that we were able to help their vision come to life!
Photographs compliments of Kortnee Kate Photography
I received this beautiful picture of the tree at Rockefeller Center from a friend living in New York City and it reminded me of all the fun I used to have Christmas tree shopping with my parents and the fresh aroma of pine in the air.
Now that I’m older, each Christmas season I always remember to stock up on the seasonal Frosted Cranberry scent from Yankee Candle. The scent reminds me of my Aunt’s house for Christmas dinner. It never seizes to amaze me that the power a scent can evoke delightful memories.
Here at Eventurous the fragrant scents of evergreen, peppermint and cinnamon all evoke the Christmas season in our hearts. With this in mind, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to share with you 3 ideas for incorporating your favorite scent into the décor at your holiday party.
1. The proper planning will allow you to combine your favorite scent into refreshing centerpieces for guests in your home!
2. Nothing sets the mood for an intimate family gathering like soft, flickering light. Whether on the mantle, in the center of the table or situated sporadically throughout the house, it’s important to use the same scents. As guests laugh and have a jolly time the scent will resonate with them and evoke future memories throughout the following year
3. Leave no napkin untrimmed! By adding finishing touches such as fig leaves, holly leaves, and dried orange pieces, guests will be delightfully surprised when sitting down at dinner!
Yesterday, I received the annual invite to my Aunt’s house for a dinner and gift exchange on Christmas. The invite got me thinking about the comfort that family traditions bring. As we gather with friends and family during the holiday season, a sense of relaxation and ease is brought back into our lives. Unfortunately, these two things are often overlooked during the year thanks to the fast-paced environment that we all live in. No matter how high-tech the American family gets – I’ll never forget when my grandmother joined Facebook or as she called it, “that neat book thing you kids are all on” – the one thing that will remain untarnished are the family traditions around the holidays.
I brought up the invitation and topic of family traditions during our daily lunch break at Eventurous. As everyone in the office swapped stories of previous years, laughter followed each one. Here are some of the stories that really made us laugh:
“Years ago, my Mom started a family tradition that has become known as the “Mani/Pedi Party”. Come one, come all, my entire family (including the men!) single files it into the salon for this seasonal treat. After a few hours of hand and foot pampering, our next stop remains a mystery (Mom loves a good surprise!). This year, we went to Cheers of Art where we enjoyed spirits and embraced our artistic (or lack thereof) sides! Nevertheless, the family outing concludes with a delicious dinner at one of our favorite steakhouses.” – Kelly Masters
“My family is German so clearly alcohol is at the root of all our family traditions. It just wouldn’t be a holiday without some bad decision being made, some inappropriate comment said or someone ‘falling a sleep’ on the couch by 9:30. Each year, at Christmas Eve, my dad makes his famous Schleuder Bombs that are part, if not all, of the problem. They are entirely too delicious to pass up and two will do ya’ in! The recipe is TOP SECRET but they are basically frozen whiskey sours with a few minor edits. For so many years I wondered how we all got along so well at family functions compared to other families…now I know why.” – Eric Goldschmidt
After all was said and done, whether it was picking up a Graeter’s order to feed a small army on Christmas morning or going off to see the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in NYC, it seemed we all had some traditions that would forever evoke cheerful memories in our minds during the holiday season.
As for the Eventurous family, well it got me thinking, maybe it’s the special memories and moments we share with each other over our lunch breaks that have become tradition here.
photo compliments of Fresh Home
The holiday season is a busy time for everyone but especially when you’re in the business of event planning. Although our days are jam-packed, it’s something that we wouldn’t trade for the world! During this exciting season it’s not unusual to hear team members singing a little Christmas jingle while doing work but when it’s time to go home after a demanding day at the office we all agree that nothing beats curling up with a giant cup of hot cocoa and one of our favorite Christmas flicks. Whether it’s the comedic style of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation or the emotional classic It’s A Wonderful Life, everyone has that one movie that they reach for during this time of year.
Here are some of our most-loved holiday movies to add to your list to watch this weekend!
What do you get when you mix the charm of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, theatrical musical numbers that keep up singing along, and traditional costumes? You have a movie that will forever be a classic in our eyes!
It’s a Wonderful Life
One of the most popular films during the holiday season, Frank Capra’s emotional classic ALWAYS brings tears to our eyes no matter how many times we’ve seen it. It doesn’t matter that the movie is filmed in black and white and came out over 60 years ago, something about Clarence finally achieving his goal and getting his wings always makes us choke up.
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
It doesn’t get much funnier than this 80’s cult classic featuring the hilarious adventures of the Griswold family. No matter how many times we see this movie and all the standard clichés worked into it we always laugh our butts off.
Elf
Maybe it’s Will Farrell navigating the streets of New York City dressed up as an elf in search of his paternal father or the fact that Zooey Deschanel has a shockingly good singing voice, but this movie always gets us in the Christmas spirit.