Budgeting a wedding could come close to paying off a mortgage on a house. RentTheRunway is one of the most fabulous and innovative ideas for special occasions I’ve ever heard of. RentTheRunway is the ideal company for sophomores in highschool who attend weekly sweet sixteens, the girl looking for a fabulous designer prom dress but can’t afford it, and now… BRIDES! RentTheRunway is essentially summed up in the title. What it is, is a company that allows you to rent designer dresses for a fraction of the cost. What’s even better is that the company will send you 2 sizes, just in case the one you ordered does not fit. It’s the ideal solution to the ‘party-girl-on-a-budget’ lifestyle. As shown in the movie, 27 Dresses (you can watch the preview here), the typical bridesmaid dress is usually worn once and then shoved to the back of the closet. Instead of wasting all of that money on a dress you’ll never wear again, why not rent the dress of your dreams! RentTheRunway combines style and luxury with value driven customers. Now with the explosion of bridal parties and lavish weekend-getaway baccalaureate celebrations, RentTheRunway has launched a bridal line, customizing the dreams of every bride. Not only can your bridal party look stunning in designer dresses, the flexibility of this company allows women to choose the make & fit of a dress that will suit their individual bodies while still looking classy.

Filene’s Basement also has jumped on the bride-frenzy bandwagon. Running of the Brides is a one day sale, beginning at 8am. Coincidently, Running of the Brides is having a sale tomorrow at the Union Square location in New York City. Depending on the store, gowns can range from $1,400 to $3,000, being sold anywhere from $249 to $699. Original costs can skyrocket to a considerable $9,000 and racks are filled with designer dresses from designers all over the world. Brides and their teams have been known to camp-out outside the doors and make a mad dash for the racks the moment the door opens. Some brides are very intense and make it a whole day outing, trying on multiple gowns and making “trades” with other brides until they find their dream dress. For more budget friendly wedding ideas or information on how to plan a beautiful, yet cost effective wedding, please contact me at lglover@pentaevents.com.

Lisa Glover, Summer 2011 Intern

On Monday, June 6, all you city-goers get ready to go Restaurant Row on West 46^th Street between 8^th and 9^th Avenues. If you’re there, you’ll be enjoying food from all around the world. This delectable food festival titled A Taste of Time Square, let’s attendees taste food from restaurants along Restaurant Row. Admission to the event is free, but in order to get your taste you’ll need taste tickets, which cost $1. Most tastes range from $1-$5. Imagine a taste of some of the city’s most interesting and delicious foods for only $5! The festival begins at 5:00pm, but get there early to get the best foods. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event on Restaurant Row.  For more information visit http://www.timessquarenyc.org/about_us/events_taste.html.

As an avid food lover, I know this is what I’ll be doing Monday night. I can’t think of a better way to start my week then to go into New York City and eat great food. Bring your biggest appetite because this is an event you won’t want to miss. And while you’re in the city, catch a Broadway show afterwards; you might as well make a night of it!

Sari Cohen, Summer 2011 Intern

Hey it’s Alyssa! Today I’m going help list out what you will need to keep in mind when planning a simple, yet fun, event.
o The first thing to do is to establish your budget for the party and then make a guest list based on this budget. You will need to know how many people you feel you can accommodate relative to the amount of money you can spend.
o You can also establish a theme for your event but this is completely optional. A cocktail hour rarely needs a theme because they are fun in themselves.
o The next step is to select a date and time. Make sure the time fits the type of event you’re planning. Since you are planning a cocktail hour, then your event will begin around 5:00pm or 6:00pm in order to not conflict with dinner time.
o Next, you must locate a venue and caterer you would like to use. A great way to save money is to create your own dishes but be sure to make dishes you have made before and take a look at the recipe. If you are going to serve anything that is frozen, you should start to defrost it at least one day in advance.
o Think about all of the party supplies and decorations you are going to need and decipher how much of each. Also, think about where you will display everything so that you do not run out of space.
o Don’t forget the music. Without it, your event will seem dull. Make sure the volume is at an appropriate level and genre so guests can speak to each other.
o Any beverages that have to be kept cold, make sure you have enough ice or places to store these beverages. Coolers are a great way to keep items cold and available for your guests. You should also determine how much alcohol by the amount you know that your guests drink. Typically, you can assume 2 drinks per person for a 2 hour cocktail event.
o Event Day: There is still much to do even with just a couple hours left until your guests arrive. First, you should set up your bar area and tables that will be holding the food. Set this up where they are easily available but out of the way. About 30 minutes before the event, put on the music and prepare to have fun. There will always be one or two people who arrive earlier than the rest.
o Don’t be afraid to ask your guests for help. They will most likely offer to perform simple tasks, take this opportunity. You have worked hard to get where you are now, so you should enjoy the event too!