Spring/Summer Themes in Full Bloom

The sun is shining; the temperatures are rising and spring is in the air. Also just around the corner is a calendar of events — everything from birthdays, retirements, and graduations to bridal showers and weddings; corporate picnics and parties to fundraisers and special functions. In addition to being very now and very current, what's else is great about these looks? They're all completely scaleable — great looks for your next intimate gathering for 30, or just the right feel for the 250+ bridal reception dinner of the century. Here's plenty of inspiration for your celebration...the perfect theme for YOUR next special occasion...time to start planning NOW!

Black, White and WOW...

Classic, formal, and sophisticated are what black and white has always been about. For a very current feel, pair them with any pop of color you can imagine, add in a chateau pattern runner and some rhinestone accents placed on a square table to complete the look - and WOW - it's an instant updated feel for this classic combo. Think it's a great party look, but afraid it's too much black for a wedding? Not so! Black is the new wedding color after all, AND the perfect backdrop to make any accent color POP! Click here to view photos...

Vintage Harvest...
Call it rustic; call it vintage; call it shabby chic — ALL are correct! This look is all the rage, and can easily be accomplished no matter the color palette you choose. Eclectic is the objective —just use elements that you love — mixing aged and worn pieces with crystal jewels, rugged textures, lace runners, real wood harvest tables, vintage glass vases, and anything else on hand. It’s the perfect theme for the Pinerest addict or the project bride - with all of your pinned ideas coming together for one fabulous, current look. Click here to view photos...

Simple...Sparkling...Stunning...
If bold or black isn’t your particular style, but you still want to achieve a dramatic look, think bling by combining glittery glass with candles, candles, and MORE candles. Linen options are important accents as well. This combination of textures in muted tones brings life to this vision and answers “can I really mix white and ivory?” with a resounding YES! Top it off with hints of gold and once the lights dim and the candles are lit, this simply stunning setting turns into high voltage drama at its best! Click here to view photos...

A Walk on the Wild Side...
Okay, you want something different, you want something unique, you want something that will make people sit up and take notice. Open yourself up to ideas a little bit out there...like this "Out of Africa" A Party Apart-style. Nearly life-size sculpted giraffes and authentic African masks sit side by side with Manzanita trees, slithering snakes, celebratory drums and monkey balls (that’s right, we said it!). Animal-print linens, and burlap and grass textures pair with tribe-inspired accents to give your guests the feel of a safari adventure. Click here to view photos...

Contemporary Geometry
Bold, strong, simple, and striking appeal to you? If so, you'll love the look of these clean lines and dramatic settings. Bold reds pair with bright lime green — this "odd couple" with a modern twist seems perfectly matched. Black and white appear again but this time with geometrical shapes — triangles, horizontal planes and that bold dash of lighting makes one straighten up and take notice. Hip, hot and oh-so right now.
Cotton Candy Carnival in Pink
Whether it's for a birthday party, baby shower, or even a wedding, your guests will get a sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder from this carnival of details and sense of fun. The carousel horse, cotton candy colored linens, oversized paper flowers, jars of gumballs, the smell of fresh popcorn (that’s right, the popcorn machine isn’t just for looks), and the bright color game tickets are all a throwback to a much sweeter, more simple time. This brings a smile to the face and the kid out in every guest. Click here to view photos...

Find out more about how to create this colorful themes and more — visit our online catalog, view our online gallery or come see our showroom, or call one of our event specialists today!

A Party Apart Carries Off People's Choice Award at "Dining Inspirations" and is Carried Away by Cari Cucksey

Estate sale expert Cari Cucksey of HGTV's "Cash & Cari" show was the keynote speaker at "Dining Inspirations" - a fundraiser to benefit the Carriage House. Proceeds from the preview party and luncheon will support the facility and programs assisting people recovering from mental illness. "Dining Inspirations" is a project of Pi Chapter, Psi Iota Xi Inc.

A Party Apart was the winner of the People’s Choice Award – chosen by ballot by all guests at this 2-day event.

Heather Zehr, a former employee who loves still to help A Party Apart with her creativity while being a full-time mom, created our fabulous space to reflect the theme of how and where we dine.

Says Heather, "When Cheryl asked me to work on the design inspirations space, I was so thrilled, thankful and super excited! I love designing and I am obsessed with window displays. Window designer, Bergdorf Goodman, inspired me to fill this space to the max. Cheryl gave me the design theme - "rustic elegance with a modern twist." Working for Jim and Cheryl is an honor and they have so many amazing props, china, linens and lighting. It truly is a designer's playground. The hard part was where to stop!"

"I knew I wanted it to feel and look like a family room...stylish, cozy and appear to be hosting a party. I wanted a dramatic setting with lots of items so people could see what A Party Apart has available - fireplaces, vintage windows and different styles of chandeliers, giving lots of details. I slowly put it together layer by layer."

"Cheryl Brockmann and Teresa Police have taught me so much, and are both so inspiring to me, so I was thankful for their opinions on the space. All of the A Party Apart staff helped with my vision - with linens, china, artwork, gift wrapping, and more...and the dock guys helped pull and load all of the wonderful pieces."

"Catharine Kile, from Halls Takes the Cakes, donated the beautiful cakes and she customized the cupcakes to match the linens. Kari Geary, the owner of Lillian Rose Flowers, designed onsite to put the final touches on the display. And the Carriage House staff was so helpful and such a hard working group. They helped us get a good head start with unloading our full truck and then helped with the teardown."

"It was a pleasure to meet Cari (Cucksey). She is a charming and talented lady. I am a fan of her show and hope to visit her store. She was down-to-earth, easy to talk to, and shared a little of her story with us. Tym (De Santo), local designer and Designers Choice Award judge, was super funny and has a magnetic personality. It was very evident that he has a passion for design. It was exciting to talk to him about his upcoming move to Los Angeles and his design pursuits there. It meant so much that with their busy schedules both Cari and Tym came to support this event. I was blessed to have met these designers and was inspired by them."

Owner Cheryl Brockmann said that A Party Apart has been involved with Carriage House and their "Le Art of Table" since the beginning - and A Party Apart was excited about this year's "Dining Inspirations" and the idea of creating space. "We're proud to support such a great organization."

To see more photos from the event, click here to view the album on A Party Apart's Facebook page.

Corporate Events and Sales Conferences Don't Have to Be Boring (Looking)

The end of summer and early fall for some means start thinking about trade shows, sales meetings and conferences and events for customers, so the time to plan is now.

Take a look at these fun photos of a sales conference setting for Matilda Jane earlier this summer. Such fun to help create the ambiance and add to environments for their Trunk Keepers (sales reps), Art Fair (customers) and a smaller pre-conference event the night before at the Grand Wayne Center.

Linens and extra decor items from A Party Apart blended nicely with so many of the elements of their fabrics. We loved working with Denise and Lynette and their wonderful group of women.

What could we help you with for creating the mood, theme or environment for YOUR next sales meeting, trade show or fall conference?

Mad Hatter Setting Wows Young and Old Alike

by guest blogger Donna Emley, Principal and Creative Director, Emley Design Group, and co-hostess of the 2011 Mad Hatter Tea to benefit Early Childhood Alliance


Sometimes we have an idea that takes a long time to come to fruition. The Mad Hatter Tea theme has been alive in my mind's eye since the creation of the tea committee for Early Childhood Alliance over five years ago. The appropriateness of this theme presents itself fairly obviously, but all the subtle nuances (and not so subtle - it is, after all, the Mad Hatter!) and how exactly it could be executed is what has been percolating for so long - waiting for the right time and the right place to reveal itself. This past Saturday was that time and place.

Typically held in a private home, the annual tea has become a signature fundraising event for Early Childhood Alliance and an opportunity for 60-65 women to gather for a three-course traditional afternoon tea in a unique, intimate setting. For our 5th anniversary celebration, we wanted to do something over-the-top. The idea of holding it at A Party Apart, the largest party dealer in Northeast Indiana, on its 3rd floor and transforming a warehouse and storage area into a "wonderland" of sorts, took seed and began to blossom the minute Cheryl and I started our conversation.

Cheryl sees things in her mind's eye too. She immediately understood the idea of including children for this anniversary year, and the need for the environment to be magical and appeal to young and old alike. The space began to take shape - separate intimate areas for tables, linens and color schemes, centerpieces and hanging lanterns; tableware to please the eye and entice the palette. The vision became a shared one and she and A Party Apart were committed.

Here's the thing you need to understand about Cheryl and Jim, her husband, and A Party Apart. They are two of the hardest working business owners in town. They are the unsung heroes of community involvement and their support of nonprofits is widespread. They are professional and experienced and humble and they inspire their staff to be the same. So expectations were high, but as usual, they promised, and then over-delivered.

Most of you may not realize the depth and breadth of props A Party Apart stores on its 2nd and 3rd floors. After years of special events, fundraisers, themed parties, proms and wedding/receptions, you accumulate a lot of "stuff." As we toured the storage area, giant cut-outs of everything from playing cards to Vegas show girls peered out from behind the pillars. A Christmas scene with life-size carolers stood singing beside a giant pirate ship with skeletons and a treasure chest. Oversized air-brushed beach bums stood along side Mardi Gras masks the size of a kitchen table. Columns, courtyards and lattice window cut-outs created mini garden settings and suggested where the Queen of Hearts and her knave would have been shouting "off with their heads!" We had found the perfect environment.

Each time the committee would make a visit to A Party Apart, the enthusiasm would bubble up. Our "Iron Chef" and her crew would get excited about the options for tableware, serving plates, and "super" coolers. Our tea master brewer was delighted with the behind-the-scenes set-up for brewing, serving and washing our vast collection of over 250 heirloom tea cups onsite. Early Childhood's executive director and marketing/development director continued to be impressed by ideas for check-in stations, areas and decor for silent auction, and the individually themed areas for 20 tables and over 100 guests, including 26 children. I was happily distracted by the idea of bugs in the centerpieces (literally - and our two little boy guests were over the moon about these - where else do you see bees and butterflies and a praying mantis as part of the table decor unless it's a Mad Hatter party at A Party Apart?)!

On the Friday before set-up, with each hour that passed, the evidence of attention to detail and the vast amount of experience Cheryl and her staff have continued to amaze and delight us. What was once a blank space at the top of the stairs now was transformed into a giant pink garden setting, with oversized flowers, Mad Hatter sayings, and an "Alice-like" bench perfect for a photo opt. The elevator transformed into a "down-the-rabbit-hole" environment with fake grass, a park bench, potted topiary, and color accents. Garden vignettes defined space, and table decor included crazy candlesticks, a multi-color chandelier, feathers, boas and bird cages. The black and white polka-dot linens provided the perfect base for the pop of vibrant color from the napkins and the tea cups.

More serving tables? Not a problem. LED-flashing tumblers for the children? Here you go. More greenery or another table setting? Done. Additional triangle plates and champagne glasses? On the way. Each request was met with immediate attention and a smile. Customer service is a core value at A Party Apart. And with over 150,000 items available in its online catalog, it's hard to stump A Party Apart with a request.

At the end of the day, the true test of a successful event is the memories guests take away with them. Our guests couldn't wipe the smiles off of their faces. They were submerged in the experience because of the environment Cheryl and A Party Apart helped to create. They were delighted almost every moment by the discovery of something new. "Best event ever!" "Truly over-the-top!" Click here to view more photos.

A Party Apart approaches every event and rental opportunity in this same manner. As the largest and most diversified rental and event planning company in Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana, Cheryl and Jim and their staff continue to be innovative and creative with every client. Intimate party or lavish fundraiser; company picnic or outdoor wedding/reception for 500 complete with tent rentals, lighting, staging, and more — your next event will benefit from their experience, professionalism and commitment to quality. I know ours did. Now that I've imagined and experienced our Mad Hatter Tea, I couldn't have imagined it any other way than with Cheryl and A Party Apart as such an integral part of our team and success.

Wedding Day Show a Success

At the Wedding Day Bridal Tour Fort Wayne version you truly could see, taste, hear and experience....everything! We received lots of good comments from vendors and attendees alike. It was a really nice upscale show — something unusual. A Party Apart booths featured something for everyone — "Rebel bride" with animal prints, graphic black and white, and hot punches of color — to a rich, warm, traditional setting, yet with a modern twist. The lounge areas were a big hit!

Check out more photos here at Facebook.

Special Offer for Brides at the 10/10/10 Wedding Day Event

A reminder to all brides - this week is the last stop on the Wedding Day Bridal Show Tour - Wed. at Club Soda from 5-7, and then the big event on Sunday from noon to 4:00 at the Grand Wayne Center.

Click here to view our online newsletter

Any bride who books their wedding at the show with a $100.00 deposit receives a great gift from A Party Apart! Hope to see you there!

A Party Apart the first stop on Wedding Day Bridal Tour

A Party Apart will host and co-sponsor the kick-off event for the Wedding Day "Bridal Tour.” Co-sponsors for the event include Club Soda and K&S Travel.

The Wedding Day exclusive bridal event will be held on 10/10/10 at the Grand Wayne Center. Those who attend the kick-off event on June 9th receive a free ticket to the bridal show, may register to win a gorgeous piece of jewelry to be given away on 10/10/10, and receive a goodie bags filled with all types of wedding information. Taste some fabulous food from Club Soda and get great ideas on honeymoon destinations. Plus, brides-to-be will be able to see firsthand lots of great ideas for color, table settings, and more.

To find out more about the Wedding Day Bridal Tour and show in October, visit http://www.weddingdaybridaltour.com.

Hot Colors at 2010 Fort Wayne Bridal Show

Hot colors at the bridal show last Sunday - purple, purples and more purple, added with all other types of colors. Centerpiece shot received newspaper coverage in the Monday Journal Gazette as well as on many other Facebook pages. Check out additional pictures from the show on Lillian Rose and happinest photography (thanks to them for the great photos!).

Springtime in Paris at Canterbury High School

This past Saturday we worked with the great staff of LML Estate Management, the Fort Wayne Country Club and the awesome people from Canterbury School on their annual event. It was a beautiful evening that benefited the students and school. We have worked on this event for the past 20 years and have enjoyed every year.

Let the blogging begin...

Welcome to the new A Party Apart blog!

We are the largest and most diversified rental and event planning company in the area, and have had wonderful opportunities to work with many different individuals and organizations over the years.

Our continuously growing inventory and innovative ideas keep our clients coming back again and again.

We would love to give you a tour of our showroom, complete with up to 16 themed event settings. Or visit and browse our online galleries and rental catalog at APartyApart.com.