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.

Ultimate Spa Destination? Your Own Backyard...

Want to celebrate that special birthday with your BFFs, but can't seem to get everyone's schedules to gel and find the perfect spa destination? Bring the spa to you.

That's what one special lady here in Fort Wayne recently received from her husband for her birthday - the entire backyard area was transformed into a luxury spa oasis, giving the lady of honor and her 12 guests the over-the-top experience usually found in a four-diamond luxury resort.

Pipe and draping framed individual outdoor intimate areas - creating privacy and an upscale, resort-like feel. Guests could recline poolside while deciding which items from the spa menu they would choose to experience. Others sought to relax and refresh behind flowing curtains by beginning in the row of chairs complete with soaking tubs and foot massages. Individual massage tables around the perimeter beckoned the tense and tight of muscle, while body, mind and spirit began to repair for those curled up among plush pillows on outdoor couches.

A Party Apart enjoyed collaborating with LML Estate Management to transform an already spectacular existing outdoor area into an oasis of a different type. View additional photos here of this ultimate spa experience. Relax, renew, recover...open your mind and say "omm" and "ummm" — pass the cake. Happy Birthday, Wendy!

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?

Outdoor receptions - always have a plan B (or C) for weather...

Recently, A Party Apart did a reception in Culver, Indiana. This reception site, next to the beautiful historic Culver Chapel where the ceremony took place, required a BIG tent — 60’x100’ to be exact, with a second, unattached catering tent next to it.

With torrential rains 24/7 the weeks and days before the big event, the large tent was delivered early in the wedding week with the hopes of keeping the space dry. Side-walls were also put in place, enclosing the entire space.

Friday morning we were ready and prepared for our usual reception set-up process, including the rehearsal dinner to set at the family’s lake house that evening - and one more task no one anticipated. The ground by the 60'x100' tent had become so saturated that a large portion of the tent was actually flooded! After evaluating the actual site and considering alternative locations, we asked a local water restoration company to remove the standing water. We continued to stand watch with one eye on the sky and one eye on the ground, lifting side-walls to allow wind and sun to continue to dry out the space, and then dropping them as scattered storms blew through the area Friday. And campus security helped keep an eye on it Friday evening and overnight.

By Saturday morning — THE WEDDING DAY — the sun was shining, the rain had moved through the northern part of Indiana, and the tent was DRY! WHEW!! The A Party Apart team moved in to quickly transform the space and set up chandeliers, tables, chairs, linens, napkins, dishes, staging for the groom’s large out-of-town band, cocktail tables, and bar areas for 220 guests. There was even an attempt to move sailboats (at the groom's request); "attempted" — because sail boats are enormously heavy when filled with rainwater!

This "destination by the water" included a bit more water than everyone bargained for — but the end result was a beautiful wedding day and reception for Alex and Stephanie.

Special thanks to Mandy and Greg Kopp of Kopp Photography for allowing us to feature some of their stunning photography; see more of their work by visiting www.kopp-photo.com or find them at www.facebook.com/KoppPhotography. Copyright Kopp Photography; all rights reserved.

You can view more photos of the Culver reception at A Party Apart's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/aPartyApart.

Flip This Event...From Ceremony to Reception in 60!

When creating the perfect wedding ceremony site and/or reception site in a unique location, you plan and expect to be ready for anything. Shorten that experience to within an hour and everything really hinges on experience, coordination, attention to detail, timing, and how everyone works together.

This past weekend, we did a wedding and ceremony set-up in Baker Street Station in Fort Wayne. Because the old train station lobby is so beautiful, it's a perfect setting for a ceremony or a reception. We were able to do both, and flip the scene in 60 minutes!

Over 200 chairs for the wedding were set, along with floral and glass centerpieces with floating candles lining the aisles for the ceremony. After the "I do," guests exited the lobby and mingled under a tent with high top tables, regular tables and our cocktail lounge area. While the pre-reception took place, the lobby needed to be transformed into full reception site - tables of 8 to accommodate a sit-down meal for 200 guests, bridal party table, cake table, and take-away candy goodie bag station. Yes, that includes table linens, full place settings including chargers, three variations of centerpiece displays, bridal favors, votives and candles to light, and table numbers - all in place so the florists could work their magic too. Oh, and pipe and draping to help hide the activity and create ambiance. These means a team of 15 stayed in motion every minute of those 60 minutes, and 200 glass chargers, 250 glass vases, and 370 glass votives (all lit and aglow) later, the mother of the bride was allowed to preview and approve.

The good news - client was happy; everyone worked together beautifully, and not one glass casualty! Special thanks goes to the wonderful team at Lillian Rose, who provided the beautiful flower arrangements, and collaborated with us so seamlessly to create both environments.

We love it when a plan comes together - especially if it did so in 60 minutes! To see more photos of the ceremony, outdoor tented pre-reception, and reception, view our Facebook album.

Stuck on You...

A recent note from a happy customer....."Hi Jim, Here are several pictures of us having a blast with the velcro wall. It was definitely the hit of the party! — Thanks, Julie"

The photos sum up how much fun this can be. What is a velcro wall? The velcro, or "sticky" wall is a colorful and exciting game where adults and children put velcro suits over their clothing and then propel themselves off an inflatable bounce up towards the wall. Testing technique and strength, see how high you can stick! You can land sideways, upside down or any which way.

Not sure what to do for the kids for YOUR next birthday or party? Add a little bounce to your next event - run, jump and stick like a fly on the wall with a velcro wall! It's great fun and loads of laughs for those doing it and those watching it.

View more entertainment, inflatables, and games online in our catalog at APartyApart.com. Thanks for the great photos, Julie — "stick" with us - we'll find you something fun to add to your next event.

Hot Town; Summer in the City...

...and as the song goes, the back of everyone's necks is "getting dirty and gritty" from putting up what seems like thousands of tents for events already. Festival season is in full swing in Fort Wayne and northeastern Indiana — and if it's hot, you need a tent (for shade); if it's raining, you need a tent (for cover); if you have vendors, you need tents (for what they're doing), and if you have beer, you need a tent (to define your beer garden). So we have had A LOT who have needed tents for a variety of reasons.

If you attended RiverFest last weekend at IPFW in Fort Wayne, you saw much of what we do for festivals. Besides the large tenting, tables, and chairs, we also did the stage area for the bands, and the decorative large paddle balloons and sky lanterns. The large balloons, sky lanterns, and large balloon arches are all the rage for weddings this summer too - a dramatic finishing touch and attention-getter for weddings and reception sites. Tie the color into your overall wedding theme, and these really create a "wow" for guests and wedding parties alike.

BBQ RibFest, Germanfest and Greek Festival in downtown Fort Wayne at Headwaters Park used A Party Apart tents of varying sizes, tables, chairs and ceiling decor. And don't forget about making food prep easier - we can supply propane cooking stoves, ovens and warming cabinets for your next event, regardless of the size of your crowd. Thirsty too? Our margarita machines are flying out of here when the weather heats up.

For Three Rivers Festival (Fort Wayne's Biggest Summer Party since 1969) next week in downtown Fort Wayne, we're ready with set-ups for staging, tents, the parade, park set-ups and children's fest activities - when you see our trucks all over town, you know it's festival time in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the A Party Apart truck fleet is on the move!

Company picnic? Reunion? Backyard bash? Special birthday? Pool party? Fireworks this weekend? Big or small; week-long event or an hour or two - we can help you make your next event easier and special. Be sure to browse our online catalog of over 150,000 items - great for ideas and to check things like tent sizes and layouts before you come in to see us.