Are you ready for some Football?

The fall season brings to mind things like the changing of the leaves, school starting, and one popular sport - Football. Football is one of the biggest sports for friends and family getting together to enjoy each others company and the game. There are numerous ways that people can plan events to get in on this pastime: You could be going to the game, inviting people over to watch the game at your house, or getting everyone to meet at a specific bar or restaurant. No matter which path you take it will take some planning to make sure that your Sunday is, in fact, a "Funday."

The major things to think about include:

• Food-Always think about what time of the day the event will be and what types of food would be appropriate. Consider how long the event will be and make sure their is snacks to cover the day. Consider possible food roadblocks (no grill, guest is a vegetarian or has food allergies, food is cold but will be sitting outside). Call the restaurant or bar and find out if they are having their regular menu or something special for football season.
• Drinks-With this you need to consider if there will be alcoholic beverages available with the non-alcoholic options. If there is going to be alcohol at the event remember to consider how people will safely get home. Call the restaurant or bar and find out if there are any specials.
  
• Parking-This is something to consider with any event.
  
• Seating-Make sure that every person can find some kind of a seat somewhere. This one doesn't quite apply when we are talking a pregame tailgate where standing is obviously allowed.
  
• Televisions or Tickets-The game is technically the reason for the get together isn't it?

Hopefully some of these things will help you know what to consider before your next game day. We all know there is nothing worse than needing more ice or chairs or food or drinks during the game and having to miss the game to fill the void.

Happy Planning
Social Betty

Working with a Wedding Invitation Designer

Please enjoy the second in our guest blogger series from Denise Scatena of Blue Ribbon Invitations- Working with a Wedding Invitation Designer

It's the day you've dreamed about for years and have planned for several months - your wedding. Now it's time to invite your family and friends to attend one of the most important events of your life. Working with an invitation designer can help you in many ways, from reviewing and recommending designs, assisting with wording, and ensuring that your order is on time and within budget. But how do you begin? Here are four simple things to help you prepare for your initial meeting with an invitation designer:

What's your vision? Inspiration comes from just about anywhere. Pictures, poems, song lyrics, flowers, and themes may guide your selection process. Colors can be a dominant feature or an accent, incorporated into the paper, ink and design selections. It will be important to have some ideas to discuss at your meeting, that will help guide your review and ultimately the selection of your ensemble.

What do you want to say? While you may not have the exact words and content ready to go for the invitation, you will want to have an idea of what information you would like to communicate to guests. For example, on the RSVP card, will you need to collect meal choices or guest count? Do you need separate cards for hotel options and/or directions? The amount of content that you would like to include will directly affect the designs available to you. Your invitation designer can research and answer your etiquette questions, and help you write the content for the pieces of your invitation ensemble.

What's your budget? Often brides don't know how much they want to spend on invitations until after they meet with an invitations specialist. However, you can determine a range for your budget prior to your meeting. How much are you willing to spend on the entire ensemble, which will include the printing all of the pieces? A common range is between $3 to $7 each. Prices are calculated by several factors, such as quantity, enclosures, and design. Understanding this range will also help you determine what designs and customizations may be considered to create the invitation you anticipate.

How many do you need? At your first meeting, you may not know the exact quantity, however, it's encouraged to have your guest list just about finalized. Typically, an invitation is sent to one household or family unit, rather than one for each guest. Invitations are usually sold in quantities of 25. The more invitations ordered, the lower the price per ensemble. You may also want to think about ordering extra invitations, for late additions to the list or if there are any addressing mishaps.

Answers to these questions will help prepare you for a successful start in the invitation selection process, and alleviate any stress or surprises as your order is created and prepared.

About the Author: Denise Scatena is the founder of Blue Ribbon Invitations in San Diego, California. Learn more at http://www.blueribbonsandiego.com/.