Manolo Gustav’s Guy Diamond Glitter Party!

March 6, 2018 By: Michelle Laocomment

THE HAPPIEST CREATURES ON THE PLANET

“Why don’t you do weddings?”

This is possibly the question I get asked of most often by my clients. If I only had a penny for every time…

To me, the answer has always been simple:

I LOVE doing kiddie parties. If I did weddings, that would mean I would have less time to do children’s events.

Less time = less happy

If you love your work, then it won’t feel like work. To me, I just enjoy a theme coming to life, and most definitely, seeing all the happy faces of the little ones as they live the moment.

Moments like this:

Memory captured by Cocoon Studio.

THANK YOU Dar for these amazing images, and Pat Infante for keeping everyone happy at the Fifi & Co playdate!

This was one of the many special moments during a one-of-a-kind event that Party Magic organized. More on this in a separate blog post!

Speaking of happy faces, I’m here to talk about one of my all-time favorite themes to work with: Trolls!

Welcome to Manolo’s Troll-themed Party. Let’s partehh!

A big THANK YOU to Harry Lim for ALL of the pictures!

If you think about it, Trolls has all the right elements for the perfect birthday theme: zany characters, a colorful setting (Troll Town), and most importantly, a record-smashing soundtrack!

But I think the real reason Trolls was such a hit (especially with the kids) was because it captured the essence of children: pure joy and wonder at the world, unbridled love and affection, free from any sort of guile that tends to creep in as people become older. Children saw themselves mirrored as they watched Poppy belt her heart out in song, or Biggie care lovingly for his toy Mr. Dinkles.

In other words,

Trolls = Children

Okayyy that’s enough math for one day ;p

Now, let’s step into Manolo’s fantastic Trolls party:

(Literally) inseparable twins Satin and Chenille greets all the guests as they come in

Stylized Manolo lettering at the entrance. Try to find Guy Diamond in this picture!

THE BIGGEST, LOUDEST, CRAZIEST PARTY EVER

I like the idea of using Guy Diamond as the focal point for Manolo’s event. For starters, if you have a boy, you obviously can’t use Poppy as the protagonist.

So that leaves Branch, who is, to be honest, quite dull (which is okay because that’s how the writers designed his character in the first place).

Out of the secondary characters, I always thought that Guy Diamond was the most fun. And besides, he poops glitter! (this point should actually end all arguments!)

So that’s why I designed Manolo’s photo-op this way: [Read more…]

Surya’s Palm Springs Party!

February 12, 2018 By: Michelle Laocomment

MY VERY LATE NEW YEAR’S GREETING

The guilt has been piling up on me these past few days as I’ve been neglecting my blog. Although this diary of mine does not earn money (in fact, I lose money on this as I have to pay hosting fees to keep the lights on!), I am compensated thru non-financial means: because of michellelao.com, I get to do my 2nd favorite thing: writing.

One of the reasons why I haven’t been able to sit down in front of my laptop lately is because it was, until about a week ago, the month of January. And for those of you who are unaware, January is that special month where everyone suddenly becomes proactive, health-conscious, and most importantly organized. In other words, all the mommies are in intense planning mode!

Here’s a sample planning session we just had with my number 1 favorite pre-school, ICBB:

You have to be an ICBB parent in order to understand the extreme lengths that ICBB teachers go thru to put up the massive production that is called the Moving Up Day (pre-school’s equivalent of a “graduation”). I can say with 100% confidence that there is literally NO OTHER pre-school that pulls off a show like this one! Just check out A Hairspray Musical by ICBB Kids!

But with all these planning and meetings, I also get to see a glimpse of the upcoming themes we will be executing this new year, and I’m telling you, I’m getting excited just thinking about the line-up that we have.

So let’s start 2018 with a blast with another unique theme that Party Magic executed:

SURYA’S PALM SPRINGS PARTY

Thank you to Bella Morcen and the Little COEO Team for taking these amazing photos!

This particular one on top, especially, blew me away. It really takes a great eye to capture amazing images.

When I met Sanaiyah, my client, she came to me with no theme and just a venue: The Palace Pool Club in BGC. A good theme should work and blend well with the venue, so it should be something that is outdoor-sy and bright.

This is when I got the idea to make a Palm Springs theme.

If you think about it, Palm Springs is the perfect theme for Palace Pool Club: it’s naturally “outdoors”, gender-neutral so can easily be tweaked for the specific celebrant, and is well suited to a pool party (which Sanaiyah wanted)!

I deliberately designed the font of “Palm Springs” onstage to hearken back to that “retro” era of mid-century modern design.

When I think about Palm Springs, I think about California, the desert, resorts, beaches, Hollywood, and mid-century modern design. Having all of these subliminal associations with a theme really mesh out the event’s “personality”.

Surya Turns 2 in this awesome Palm Springs-themed party.

THANK YOU to Bella Morcen and the Little COEO Team for these images!

If you think these images are great, wait until you see the SDE, made by the very talented Bella Morcen:

Three thumbs up Bella, you truly captured the feel of the event!

For ceiling work, I wanted the venue to feel festive (this is a kid’s party, after all) and yet still be in theme, so I chose to use orange and teal lanterns and buntings, accented with tropical leaves:

Everything turned out fantastic in the party. For example, I love this graffiti artwork on the walls of the Palace Pool Club, which really worked well with the Palm Springs theme. When I say a theme should work and blend well with the venue, I really meant it!

The main challenge with this venue is the layout. This is because there is a huge, open-air distance between the stage, where the program will be executed, and the roofed area, where the food will be displayed and served. In this open air distance in the middle sits the swimming pool:
[Read more…]

Fifi & Co: Clothing That Your Kids Actually Love To Wear

December 20, 2017 By: Michelle Laocomment

THE BIRTH OF FIFI & CO

When my husband first suggested that I append my name onto our then fledgling business called Party Magic, thus making it “Party Magic by Michelle Lao”, I balked. To me, in typical “Filipino-Chinese” way, it seemed quite uncomfortable to put my name right out there. What if my friends notice? Wouldn’t it be better to be under this pseudonymous corporate umbrella, called simply “Party Magic”? And most of all, the biggie:

What if I failed?

It turned out to be the best decision I ever made.

You see, by putting my name onto Party Magic, I was effectively staking my whole name and reputation onto this venture. It was double down or nothing, so I realized, I couldn’t fail. Failure wasn’t even in the realm of possibility.

3 years later, when I was in the process of putting up a children’s clothing brand, I decided to stake both my daughters’ names on it.

Fifi & Co wearing one of their first collections!

THE REALIZATION OF A DREAM

To an outsider, Fifi & Co might seem to be just another kids clothing brand. And yes, in one respect, it is. So what makes it different?

I can tell you how Fifi & Co offers Korean-inspired, one-of-a-kind outfits; the kinds of clothes that cannot be helped but complimented on. Fashion, including childrenswear, should be emotional and aspirational, something that I sensed that in the Philippines, there is a lack of (why do we always have to buy Gingersnaps and Periwinkle?)

Leighanne Mykaela Sayoc, in Fifi & Co | @thelovelyleigh17

It all hinged upon this central concept: that kids can have fun and dress up like adults, too!

These are all true, but it is much, much more than that.

Athalia Jaiannah See in Fifi & Co | @athalia_the_doll

To me, Fifi & Co is that inexplicable sense of unconditional love a mother has for her children, expressed through that sense of delight seeing them garbed in beautiful clothes.

It’s that magical joy when a mother hears praises heaped on her child on how lovely she looks.

And it all comes down to my belief: that children are God’s best gift in the world, and that they deserve the best that we can give to them.

MEET FIFI AND CO’S FRIENDS

If there’s one thing that I’ve discovered during my 5 years as a mother, it’s the strong sense of support and esprit de corps that all mothers share with each other. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, or who you are; if you’re a mom, there’s that instant connection you have with fellow moms who have gone through the same hardships as you have.

I am so blessed that my fellow moms have welcomed Fifi & Co with open arms.

Meet Fifi & Co’s friends!

Danielle Krystina | @deardanielleph

Julia and Talia Concio (Julia to the left in Fifi & Co) | @conciosisters

Daphne Rae | @daphneraego

Alaia Lee Jasmine Jose | @alaiajose [Read more…]

Solen & Carli’s Pitch-Black Glow In The Dark Party

November 27, 2017 By: Michelle Laocomment

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU’VE DONE IT ALL…

After hundreds of parties, you would have thought that Party Magic has seen and done all the types of parties that could ever be made.

But then Solen and Carli came along…

and asked for a glow in the dark party.

Brights lights, big city…

Solen and Carli’s totally psychedelic party!

UNIQUE PARTY #3

After blogging about our recent Brie’s Totoro party (Unique Party #1), and JC’s Greek themed party (Unique Party #2), I thought it would be fun to talk about something TOTALLY different. And what’s more different than a pitch-black party? This concept was specially requested by the sister-celebrants themselves!

Step 1 was for us to curtain off all the windows in the venue, so that no sunlight would seep in. Step 2 would be to use all manners of fluorescent / semi-fluorescent medium that would emit phosphorescent light (or that “glow” effect). Step 3 was to illuminate the venue with black light (or UV lights). And then voila! The magic happens.

As with any party, the ceiling treatment is crucial. So I threw in some brightly colored lanterns, slinkies, neon chains, ribbons, and neon drapes!

Oh and one more thing…

Something weird happens every time I try to do a new theme. I start thinking about how else to make the party extra special. And in this case, I wanted to do something REALLY COOL.

THE GLOWFFITI BOOTH

Cool, as in tell-all-your-friends about it cool. So I got to thinking, what if we do a closed off room, decorate the interior with glow in the dark surface, hand a couple of kids some laser pointers, and have them go wild with it!

It’s easier to explain if I show to you:

That’s me, showing off our brand spanking new Glowffiti Booth to birthday girls Solen and Carli. Look at the rapture on their faces!

The kids were so delighted with the whole thing, in fact, that they hardly left the booth during the whole party!

Carli and friend playing in the Glowffiti Booth

And here’s Solen having a go at it!

Oh I gotta show you this cool video I took of our Party Magic artist scribbling our very own company name:

via GIPHY

Pretty neat huh!

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS [Read more…]

JC The Philosopher: A Truly Unique Greek Party

November 16, 2017 By: Michelle Lao2 Comments

THE TRULY UNIQUE PARTY

Continuing on with my blog post series on themes and their importance in a party, here’s one that I’m sure you won’t expect:

One of a kind? JC’s Greek-inspired party.

Photos by the amazing Delightful Little Darlings team!

This time around, I am so grateful to both my friends Bev (mommy of JC), and Den Llanos-Dee (yes, you know her, the photographer), who conceptualized this amazing theme! Somehow, they knew that this one would turn out to be an extraordinary event.

Here’s one of my favorite photos. JC and mommy Bev, dressed in impeccable tunics, greet guests as they enter a scene straight from Santorini. Clean, crisp, and filled with natural wood, greenery, and that unmistakable Greek Blue (or Indigo, to be accurate). Welcome!

In the photo below, big brother JJ looks on inside the party. A future Roman Emperor!

Oftentimes, it’s the little details that matter. Mommy Bev really went “all out” with these bronze Tiffany chairs! I love how they blended in with the rest of the Santorini decor.

JC’S PARTY COULD HAVE LOOKED SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT

Picking a unique theme isn’t a simple matter. Actually, the picking part is the easiest. Next, you would actually have to sort out the details. For example, a “Greek” theme is too broad and may mean many things. JC’s party could have just as likely ended up focusing on Greek iconic structures such as the Parthenon:

Can you imagine a party showcasing Greek buildings? That’s not a party, it’s a museum tour (cue yawn).

Or perhaps on a more PG-13 version, the party could have focused on Spartans and their warrior culture. Have you watched the movie 300? Yep. Picture JC, instead of wearing a very statesmanly white tunic with gold sash, he’s wearing a red cape, leather briefs, and…that’s about it.

JC the Spartan?

This is where vision and execution matter. During our meeting, Bev and Den steered the concept in the right direction, and opted for a Greek party that has a more Santorini aesthetic, with blues, whites, and greens all over.

Then they threw in that special element that gave the party more character: Philosophy!

If you think about it, besides giving us great architecture and Spartan warriors, the Greeks also gifted us with philosophy, or the discipline of thinking. Just do a simple google search for “famous Greeks” and you’ll know what I mean, as practically all the Greeks we know are philosophers!

So we decided to put up these famous quotes from all these great thinkers:

And here’s my personal favorite from Marcus Aurelius, the famous stoic:

The papyrus design on this quotation melded well with the rest of the ceiling work, which was meant to portray a brightly clouded Greek summer day:

My own touch can be seen in the stage, where I thought it would be a great way to showcase something more culturally relevant. I’m talking about Mamma Mia of course and the iconic Villa Donna!

I drew inspiration from this scene and recreated a similar-looking archway for JC’s party: [Read more…]

Meet My Neighbor Totoro: Brie’s 1st Birthday

October 24, 2017 By: Michelle Laocomment

THE THEME IS KING

One thing that people often underestimate is the power of a well-chosen theme. You see, themes drive the whole aesthetic of the party, shaping the way it will turn out right from the start. Needless to say though, the stylist is also crucial to the execution of a theme!

Sometimes a theme idea comes from me, sometimes from the client, but I just love it when a client introduces me to a theme that I didn’t know, but grew to love.

This 2017, I am truly blessed to have my friends (clients) Gavin and Sherrill introduce me to the theme My Neighbor Totoro:

Welcome to Brie’s enchanted forest, where Totoros roam carefree

My design for the photo-op scene: the iconic bus stop sign (this was where Satsuki, Mei, and Totoro wait in the rain), mixed with forest elements and a wooden walkway bridge

Want to visit Brie’s party? Enter the mouth of Totoro!

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH

As any respectable stylist is wont to do, I put my nose in books and went into deep research.

What I found was truly surprising. Apparently, I already knew Totoro, I just didn’t know his name! Does this creature look familiar to you?

Totoro is that huge, part-owl, part-cat, part-raccoon creature that resides in a camphor tree. A mystical animal, Totoro decided to show himself to Mei, a little girl who just moved in with her family to be closer to the hospital her mom is recovering in. Together with Mei’s older sister, Satsuki, the two girls explore the forest and proceed to carry on with an amazing adventure.

Oh, to be young! Mei dozing blissfully on the belly of Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro is Gavin and Sherrill’s favorite animated movie, and in a sense it was the perfect theme for them as they saw their child Brie in the rambunctious and irrepressible Mei. This was the central concept that they tried to convey, especially thru the invitation design:

After doing some research, I came to a realization that I didn’t expect: I love Totoro. And it isn’t just because of some shallow reason such as, “Totoro is so cute”.

It was mostly because I saw in the movie how correctly it understood children: their energy for life, their innocence, and most of all, their depth of imagination. I loved two scenes, specifically. One is where Totoro flies on a magical top and brings the kids on a journey through the skies:

The second – Totoro and the kids engage in a ceremonial dance and make multiple seeds grow into a huge tree:

Totoro also reminded me a bit of Winnie the Pooh, which also tells the story of a child (Christopher Robin), who travels to a forest (Hundred Acre Wood) to meet and play with his imaginary friends.

I love how both Totoro and Winnie the Pooh imbues the love of nature into its stories. I think in this digital age of iPads, it’s such a rare gift to give your children that sense of wonder that comes from exploring the natural world.

MEET MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

Wouldn’t it be swell if you found out that you were living next door to this cuddly mythical creature?

For the centerpieces, I obtained a small Totoro to greet each guest as they sit on their tables!

One of the most important elements in a party is the ceiling works. For Brie’s party, I wanted to make sure that I evoked that feeling of being in an enchanted forest (not too “bushy” or “wild” though), with a little feminine touch:

[Read more…]

The 11 Best New Food Cart Concepts For 2017 (With Exclusive Promos and Discounts Inside)

September 18, 2017 By: Michelle Lao2 Comments

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FOOD CARTS: THE ULTIMATE COME-ON FOR EVERY BIRTHDAY PARTY

While event styling nowadays provides crucial eye candy for guests, let’s face it. What really excites guests is actual candy, or more accurately, actual food.
This is why food cart concepts will always play a crucial part for every birthday party.

Although I have already blogged about new and exciting food cart concepts before, the landscape is changing so fast that I think it’s about time to talk about the best and latest food cart concepts for 2017!

(read carefully below, as some of the food carts will offer EXCLUSIVE discounts/freebies!)

THE BEST NEW FOOD CART CONCEPTS FOR 2017

(1) BLISS BOWL

Have you ever felt that it’s so hard to find healthy, NO SUGAR ADDED drinks or desserts in the city anymore? I constantly feel this everyday. It seems we live in a world of iced teas and milk teas overloaded with sugar. Even supposed “fresh” fruit juice stands offer drinks that taste more like sugar with ice, than fruit!

_MG_6858

Enter Bliss Bowl. They offer acai and smoothie bowls that are made with 100% pure fruit, vegetables, and super foods, with absolutely NO ICE, WATER, DAIRY, OR SUGAR ADDED. Did you guys hear that? Bliss Bowls are not only sugar-free, it’s even water-free! Talk about value for your money.

_MG_6949

What I like: The Berry Bliss (strawberries, beets, banana, fresh coco water, fruit, granola, and coconut flakes) is a MUST TRY. I’ve tried this myself and it tastes wonderful.

Tip: If you are not sure about booking Bliss Bowls, you can always head on over to their store in SM Megamall (see address below) and order a bowl or two.

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Person: Pam Basa-Siao

Email: kitchenkoncepts.ph@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blissbowlsph/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blissbowls/

Address: 4/F, Bldg A, SM Megamall

DOWNLOAD RATES: Bliss Bowls Party Packages (989 downloads)

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Mention the code “PARTYMAGIC2017” to receive exclusive freebies/upgrades (depending on which package is availed), only for bookings made until December 31, 2017

(2) KARABELLA ICE CREAM

Karabella is a social enterprise with the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm, whose mission is to uplift the lives of Filipino carabao farmers through processing their milk into value-added products like ice cream. Karabella’s ice cream is ALL LOCAL, ALL NATURAL. So when you hire Karabella for your own party, you are not only providing guests with delicious ice cream, you also help Filipino carabao farmers too!

tito ed

What I like: Karabella offers a unique twist to the old ice cream cart concept, by offering unique flavors such as Turon with Langka, Leche Flan with Calamansi, Ube Halaya, and Tablea Chocolate!

Karabella-58

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Person: Erika Wong

Contact Number: +63 917 861 3405

Email: karabelladairy@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarabellaDairy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karabelladairy/

Address: GK Enchanted Farm, Bulacan

DOWNLOAD RATES: Karabella Party Packages 2017 (898 downloads)

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: For bookings made until September 30, 2017, get 10% MORE SERVING on your party package!

10% more Karabella Gift Voucher

(3) BAR NOMADS

This is an entirely fresh take on the children’s party, and it totally hits a pain point: amidst all the magicians, clowns, and bring-me games, where’s the fun for the adults?

Bar Nomads offer just that with their creatively designed cocktail bar, perfect for any occasion.

bar nomad (2)

These occasions include birthday parties as well, as birthdays are not only milestones for the celebrant, but for the parents as well, who most definitely would want to share this celebration with their friends.

Whoever said that children’s party are only for children? Adults can have fun too!

bar nomad (1)

What I like: Bar Nomads also offer “mocktails” (cocktails without the alcohol), for those who want to celebrate in style but without the hangover! (see promo below)

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Person: Kyle Concepcion

Contact Number: (0977) 807 6012

Email: barnomadspartygroup@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarNomadsPH/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnomadsph/

DOWNLOAD RATES: Bar Nomads Party Packages (989 downloads)

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: For bookings (made until December 31, 2017) for 150 guests, get FREE mocktail add-on!

(4) PUFFLES

If you frequent the great city of Hong Kong, you would be familiar with that wonderful smell of egg waffles being cooked in the streets. And when you taste a perfectly made egg waffle…it is absolute heaven.

Good thing we now have Puffles in the Philippines, which offer a delightful twist to the egg waffle classic, by pouring toppings and ice cream on the waffle!

Puffles

What I like: Definitely try out the Lollipuffles! Perfect for the kids as it’s easy to carry (and consume). See exclusive promo below.

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Person: Cathy Ilano

Contact Number: (0917) 587 8045

Email: PufflesPH@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pufflesph/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pufflesph/

DOWNLOAD RATES: Puffles Party Packages (1127 downloads)

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get FREE 20 pcs of Lollipuffles when you show a screenshot of this blog post and book Puffles for your event! (Applicable for bookings made until September 30, 2017 only)

(5) Stephen’s Brick Oven Pizza

Aren’t you tired of the usual fare of pizza? If you’re looking for handcrafted, thin crusted pizza with fresh ingredients, try out Stephen’s Brick Oven Pizza. The choice of pizza as a food cart may seem non-obvious, but if you’re striving for a laid-back, casual atmosphere (such as a picnic party) and a semi-filling food to serve your guests, Stephen’s would be a great choice! [Read more…]

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Saddle Up: Welcome to Nathan’s Wild West!

September 11, 2017 By: Michelle Laocomment

PARTY MAGIC: THE FASTEST GUN IN THE WEST?

Continuing on with our discussion about the breadth of our clients’ imaginations, here’s one theme that will probably catch you off guard:

Cowboy / Wild West Theme

At first sight, a Cowboy theme might not really appeal to any of you, and I absolutely understand. I mean, who would want cactus, guns, and desert to be featured in their parties?

However,

What I am trying to achieve with our parties (especially the character-based ones), is the art of a new aesthetic, or what I would call the “Web 2.0” design approach. Whereas the typical character-based parties would employ “flat” characters and poorly chosen color schemes, I wanted something that is also character and cartoon-driven, but at the same time showing off 3-dimensional attributes, characters that are “rounded” and designed as if they were “CGI”, and a well thought-out color palette.

This is why I believe that Farah, my client, was an absolute genius when she proposed throwing a cowboy party for dear Nathan!

EXPLORING THE FRONTIERS OF DESIGN

The main point of Nathan’s party was this: how do I design a cowboy party and NOT make it look too drab, serious, and just straight up depressing?

The answer was to look to Disney, more specifically, my daughter’s personal hero: Sheriff Callie!

Of course, some adjustments had to be made (taking out the color pink since this is a boy’s party, for example), but the specific “3D” and modern kiddie look was there.

Now one of the reasons why it’s called the “Wild Wild West” is because there are so many robbers, bandits, and racketeers out there:

Which is why I’m really excited to show you what we did for the photo-op:

It looks clean, modern-kiddie, but still adheres to the Wild West / Cowboy theme! See those holes on the wall there? Guests can insert their heads and hands into the holes to pretend they’re wanted outlaws caught by Sheriff Nathan!

I love the circular lighted signage in the photo below. It really feels like you’re entering Nathan’s Town! [Read more…]

Welcome To Liam’s Hundred Acre Wood

September 4, 2017 By: Michelle Lao6 Comments

THE MOST VALUABLE THING IN THE WORLD

On some occasion, I overhear parents (dads mostly) grumbling about, asking:

“Why do we have to spend so much for our child’s birthday? He won’t even remember it anyway.”

This point, upon further introspection, has some truth into it. And because it literally goes against everything I stand / work for in Party Magic (if everyone believed the dad, I would have no job!), I thought about it some more. And the answer goes something like this:

Because of the Internet and the great technological advances we’ve experienced lately, we now live in a world of digital abundance. And whatever is abundant, approaches free (or close to it). We can download songs for free, download free e-books, and even watch great quality shows for a fraction of its price 5 years ago (Netflix).

So in a world of abundance, what is valuable?

The answer is: human attention and time.

This is an incontrovertible fact, because no matter what we do or invent, there will always be 24 hours in a day.

One can also argue that an enlightened form of human attention is experience. And you can expect (in fact, I would bet my name on this), that as we move on to the future, the price of experience will continue to increase (weddings, anyone?).

Now here’s a question I’d like to throw back to you:

How would you value this experience?

Welcome to Liam’s Hundred Acre Wood.

THAT ENGLISH GARDEN LOOK

What makes a great party?

I say that a great party makes people forget that they are in a function room, a hall, or a tent, and makes them feel as if they are transported to a different place.

One of the guests remarked during the party that it felt like she was having brunch in England.

This is exactly when the magic happens!

Another reason why I find this event magical is because it has that perfect combination of being elegant, classy, or “adult-y”, and fun, whimsical, or “kiddie”. In my opinion, this is where most stylists can get things wrong: either their parties are too loud, colorful and kiddie, or it’s too serious, minimalist, or too elegant (in other words, it looks more like a wedding than a children’s party).

The best parties are the ones that are stylish to the eyes but doesn’t make you forget that you are still in a child’s party.

THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD CONCEPT

Some of you might find the characters in these photos familiar. That is because we are celebrating the birthday of Liam, the little brother of dear Rafa, who I blogged about it in Rafa’s Day In The Park.

Not all of the credit for this party belongs to me, as the concept of “Hundred Acre Wood” was the idea of my client, mommy Lorce. Being an architect and designer, Lorce has always had her own ideas of how her party would look like. And intuitively she knew that a classic Winnie the Pooh theme would meld perfectly well with an outdoor garden venue. Knowing this, we’ve already won half the battle.

To be young and carefree: Winnie and friends greet Christopher Robin as he arrives in Hundred Acre Wood

As a party concept, a classic Pooh is a wonderful theme to work with. If you study the artwork, the drawings and color are soft and romantic, almost impressionistic. In a world of high-production computer graphics and 3D images, I think that 2D sketches and artwork like these will remain freshly appealing to everyone. [Read more…]

Philipp Linus The Intergalactic Peacekeeper: A Star Trek Voyage

August 31, 2017 By: Michelle Laocomment

PARTY MAGIC’S FIRST STAR TREK THEMED PARTY

After about 4 years of event styling and literally hundreds of parties (we are about several parties shy of 400), one would think that the Party Magic team and I are finding our jobs easier.

The truth:

It’s actually getting harder.

Why so?

I think it all has to do with humanity’s endless fascination with the new and the different. Even after years and piles of various themes under my belt, my clients never fail to surprise me with the originality of their ideas.

In other words,

My clients’ imaginations run faster than my ability to get used to their ideas.

In a sense, William Shatner perfectly captured Party Magic’s ultimate mission when he said,

“To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before”

How better to describe our aim when we seek to transform venues and events?

Which leads me perfectly to today’s discussion of a recent party I styled, the very uniquely entitled, Philipp Linus: The Intergalactic Peacekeeper!

Party Magic’s first ever Star Trek party

SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER

At Party Magic, our aim is simple, but definitely not easy.

We want the guests to feel as if they were magically transported to a different realm when they enter our parties.

For a Star Trek party, I knew I had to step things up a notch. And what better way to make that first impression by creating your own solar system on the ceiling?

Welcome to the Linus A Star Cluster, found under the roof of Decagon at Silver City ;p

View from up top at Linus’ birthday: a truly astronomical sight

Welcome to the bridge of the USS Enterprise

Sab, my client, came to me with the very strong idea that she wanted Star Trek for her theme. The reasons for the choice are not at all aesthetic (ie, a space party would look awesome, etc) but rather runs more deeply. Before her current job, Sab worked as a humanitarian doing peacekeeping efforts around the world. So you would imagine her fascination with Star Trek and the show’s undercurrents of:

the pull of the unknown and exploration
cultural and racial inclusion of all types of people / species
technology and how man has progressed with the Scientific Method

These are the things that matter to me personally: what does a theme stand for? What emotions should a styled party evoke?

Take, for example, this winning shot captured perfectly by Den Llanos Dee of Delightful Little Darlings

Some might see this shot differently, but for me it captures Earth as our beautiful home, and how solitary we (currently) are in the space of the vast universe. But who knows what the future will bring?

It might bring us aliens, for example!