Winter is almost here!! Are you ready for it? I will admit that I am less than enthusiastic about the impending onslaught of snow that is sure to come, but over the years I have realized that winter does bring some advantages. First of all, winter means the beginning of the biggest shopping season of the year! I know that many of you probably DREAD the beginning of the holiday shopping season, but for me, there is nothing better. Let’s face it….how often do you have a reason that you actually HAVE to go shopping??? I can’t think of anything better than that!

Secondly, winter means decorations and parties! Again, for those of us that end up putting up about 20 tress and hanging miles and miles of garland, this has lessened in appeal, but there still aren’t very many things more beautiful than a brightly lit tree. And, the parties!!! I love the fact that the holidays are filled with family and friends, good food and lots and lots of beautiful music.

Third, I look forward to the December ISES meeting….the perfect opportunity to relax and get out of my office for a couple of hours and get a heavenly chair massage. We can all agree it is difficult to find time to relax during the busy months, but I guarantee that you’ll feel better if you take two hours to slow down and indulge yourself. And, if you’re anything like me, your co-workers will thank you for going!:) It is easy to get pretty tense and frantic during the busy weeks.

Finally, I always look forward to the trip to The Special Event Show (TSE) right after the first of the year. This year’s TSE is being held in Dallas, Texas from January 11-13, 2006, and is sure to be a great time. You know what they say…. “everything’s bigger in Texas.” I’m sure that that will definitely be the case when Texas rolls out the red carpet for event professionals from around the world. I encourage you all to consider attending the show this year! I am sure that you will find the tradeshow, the educational sessions and the nightly events to be well worth your time and money.

To all of you, I wish the happiest of holidays and I hope that we all make it through another busy season of events. But, amid the craziness, I encourage everyone to take a few moments to remember what YOUR favorite things about the season are and to indulge in a few of your favorite things when you have the opportunity.

Happy Holidays!
Jodi Collen, CSEP

The October ISES meeting was hosted by Lakeland Florist Supply in Edina. Apres Party & Tent Rental provided exquisite linens and bamboo chiavari chairs which transformed a rather stark classroom into a colorful, warm environment, complete with acolyte flickering tea light candles and beaded shades. The hors d'oeuvres, provided by Simple to Grand, were plentiful, fresh and appealing, and we even had a hosted bar with non-alcoholic sparkling cider as well as wine. Soft music wafted about the room as 32 event professionals prepared to give rapt attention to our Guest Speaker.

Mr. Richard Milteer was a charming, delightful and most knowledgeable representative of the floral industry. He is celebrating 50 years in the trade this year (yes, he started as an infant). His professional accreditations are numerous, including AAF (American Academy of Floriculture), PFCI (Professional Floral Commentators International) and the most revered, AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers). After owning his own businesses for many years, and relocating to the Midwest (he is proud to tell you his home state is Virginia!) we are fortunate he landed in our back yard at Lakeland. Richard is the Sales Manager and Creative Director for this family owned business, which has been around almost as long as he has! With ease and deft, he demonstrated how, with a few simple materials like ribbon and a glue pan, unique and cost effective decorations can be made for centerpieces, church pews, or cake tables. The applications are limitless. I am sure many of us left inspired to research alternatives to the traditional and sometimes staid decor options we can offer our clients; with a bit of imagination any event can become as unique as the customer.

We on the Board thank Richard Milteer and our hosts at Lakeland Florist Supply for supporting us, and their generous donation of space and time. They also kept their doors open for any of us who were inspired to shop for materials! Thanks also to our other featured sponsors, without whom it would be more challenging to offer exceptional meetings like this to our fellow professionals in the Special Event industry. Remember: we are 'Member Owned and Operated', so you really do get out of it what you put in!
By Alice-Lynne Olson

Richard Milteer puts the finishing touches on one of his inventive designs

ISES hopes to fill your December with joys of the season!

For those of you who have wanted to become an ISES member, December is the month to join! You will receive an ISES membership, including all of the available benefits for only $199 ($149 for non-profit organizations) now through June 2006. Plus, the $50 application fee is waived! Apply online anytime during the month of December to receive these great discounts. For questions, please feel free to contact Andrea Marfell, VP of Membership, at andrea@ises-msp.org or Amy Alt, Director of Membership, at amy@ises-msp.org. We'll also have all of this information and more (including info on the 2006 Minnesota Star Awards) at the December meeting! More details on our December event will be arriving in your mailbox soon, so be on the lookout! We look forward to having you join us in the celebration spirit of the holidays!
By Andrea Marfell

December is always stress relief month for ISES. We hope you will join us on December 8th to take a break from the hectic holiday preparations. In the meantime here are 10 tips to help you achieve a better balance in your life. Take a moment to read and reflect on these tips -- and then get your life in balance!

1. Negotiate a Change with Your Current Employer. Progressive employers recognize the value of good employees, and many are willing to find ways to help current employees deal with short-term or permanent changes caused by family situations. The changes can include flextime, job-sharing, telecommuting, or part-time employment. Your first step is to research your employer’s policies and methods of handling previous requests. Then go to your boss armed with information and a plan that shows how you will be an even more valuable and productive employee if you can modify your current work situation.
2. Find a New Career. Some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming than others. If you need more time for yourself or your family, now may be the time to explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible.
3. 3. Find a New Job. Rather than a career change, perhaps you simply need to take a less stressful job within your chosen career. This change may involve working with your current employer to identify a new position, it may involve a full job-search, or it may involve temping or becoming a consultant or starting a freelancing or other home-based business
4. Slow Down. Life is simply too short, so don’t let things pass you in a blur. Take steps to stop and enjoy the things and people around you. Schedule more time between meetings; don’t make plans for every evening or weekend, and find some ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the most stress.
5. 5. Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid Procrastination. For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from simply being disorganized -- and procrastinating. Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines -- and then stick to them. You’ll find that not only are you less stressed, but your work will be better.
6. Share the Load. Even though we may sometimes feel we’re the only ones capable of doing something, it’s usually not the case. Get your partner or other family members to help you with all your personal/family responsibilities. Taking care of the household, children, or parents should not be the responsibility of just one person.
7. Let Things Go. (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.) It’s simpler said than done, but learn to let things go once in a while. So what if the dishes don’t washed everyday or that the house doesn’t get vacuumed every week. Learn to recognize the things that don’t really have much impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go -- and then not beat yourself up for doing so.
8. Explore Your Options. Get Help. If you are feeling overwhelmed with your family responsibilities, please get help if you can afford it. Find a sitter for your children, explore options for aging parents, and seek counseling for yourself. In many cases, you have options, but you need to take the time to find them.
9. Take Charge. Set Priorities. Sometimes it’s easier for us to allow ourselves to feel overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a prioritized list of things that need to get done. You need to buck the trend. Develop a list. Set priorities. And then enjoy the satisfaction of crossing things off your list.
10. Simplify. It seems human nature for just about everyone to take on too many tasks and responsibilities, to try to do too much, and to own too much. Find a way to simplify your life. Change your lifestyle. Learn to say no to requests for help. Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house -- and your life.

Dr. Randall Hansen is currently Webmaster of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, associate professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He is a published career expert -- and has been for the last ten years. He is co-author, with Katharine Hansen, of Dynamic Cover Letters. And he has been an employer and consultant dealing with hiring and firing decisions for the past fifteen years. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com.

Après Party and Tent Rental was pleased to again be awarded a blue ribbon for Best Couture Display at the recent Twin City Bridal Association’s Wedding Fair, held on October 16 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Attended by an estimated 4400 people including brides, friends, and family, this Wedding Fair was the largest ever!

Après designer Shereé Bochenek chose a palette of chartreuse and chocolate for the 300 square foot space. Late Bloomer Floral added an assortment of Zen Tropicals arranged in Après containers. Lined in ivory sheer drape and accented with hanging metallic pods and crystal prisms, the space revealed to brides how the use of non-traditional colors and decor could transform their day.

What was not seen is the amount of preparation that is needed to plan an award winning booth. CAD drawings, fabric swatches, and décor shopping occur weeks before the event. Days before finds the design staff sewing custom linens, stringing crystals, and making last minute changes. The actual setup is the day prior, and involves a set-up crew of five workings 10 hours to complete not only the Après display, but also four other spaces contracted by clients.

Shereé has already begun planning the display for the next Wedding Fair, to be held January 15 at the Convention Center. The Fair’s décor theme is “The Secret Garden” and promises to be a delight for the senses.
By Sheree Bochenek

Award winning display at Twin Cities Bridal Fair

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