Event Planner Central

Working in the events industry means staying current on trends and client expectations while building your inventory, vendor resource and contact lists - all while staying within your budget. If you're a home stager, event planner, corporate planner, venue owner or host extraordinaire you should be checking these 5 resources for deals daily. Craigslist Believe it or not, Craigslist is an enormously helpful tool for event planners. Yes, some of its users are less than desirable but the online platform is like a thrift store in a great neighbourhood; worth the trouble of sorting through the mess to find the gold. Kijiji Similar to Craig's list you can search and sell items online relatively hassle free and find great and unexpected deals. Facebook Marketplace This a terrific tool especially for networking within a specific neighbourhood or industry with a plethora of dedicated Facebook groups. Etsy It's rare to find second hand or gently used ite...

Making a great first impression is crucial and experts say you have exactly seven seconds to do so. That's a lot of pressure on a normal day but when we're talking about first impressions in the context of event planning - well that's a whole other level. Whether you're a seasoned Toronto event planner or a party enthusiast, executing an amazing event is a multi level task that depends heavily on a great first impression. Where does that first impression begin? It most likely starts with your invitations but we're skipping that today and jumping to where the real magic starts… The Entrance! Introducing, the Aura Tunnel by Aura Effect !  This magnificient piece of event decor was custom made for a showstopping entranceway and decorated with eye catching balloon garland, glow orbs, and a freshly laid walkway by Reznick Carpets  .  Illuminate your tunnel with Aura's LED glow orbs   This tunnel installation made its debut at Tradeshow Noir , a...

With summer wrapping up that means Toronto & GTA brides-to-be in 2019 will be ramping up planning for their special day. After all, this isn't a shindig you can throw together overnight. The amount of planning a wedding entails is usually pretty large, give or take a month or two depending on how extravagant the affair will be. No matter; your day, cherished photographs, smiling family and friends, it's all worth the stress that brides sometimes feel in the end. Today we've compiled a list of upcoming wedding shows in Toronto for Fall including Today happens to be the first day of Canada's Bridal Show taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, one of the largest and revered bridal shows in the country. CANADA'S BRIDAL SHOW | Sept 7,8,9 Metro Toronto Convention Centre $20 per person per day | online & door price http://www.canadasbridalshow.com/ SUHAAG SHOW | Sept 16  Toronto International Centre $15 tickets | $12 early bird ht...

It's never been easier to throw a celebration whenever, wherever you want. This week we're talking about how to create your celebrations from the bottom up anywhere you like.  Creating memories from fun filled occasions is amazing, especially when they're illuminated! This past week Aura Events helped Burger Stomper create the ultimate beer garden for Taste of The Danforth  and it was a roaring success.  Nick & John, co owners of the highly praised Burger Stomper restaurant describe the evening as a fun filled event " We were busy, lots of passersby coming in for a drink. People loved the glow furniture, even a wedding couple stopped in. We had a Live DJ, it was a great time".  Aura had Burger Stompers logo printed on the side of a glow pillar and plenty of seating room with illuminated LED bar stools , Cardiff chairs , curved bench seating and Dayton Tables  to complete the glowing beer garden. BURGER STOMPER BEER GARDEN  BU...

Schools almost out for summer! The sun's shining before 6 am, college acceptance letters have been mailed out and mature teens are on the cusp of adulthood, ready to receive their diploma's and corsage's for prom. But before all that, we party plan.  Prom, grad, it doesn't matter because what your child really wants is a celebration to praise their accomplishments. That, and to have the best party of the year, obviously. Here are some crucial, last minute and more than Instagram worthy party decor ideas in a pinch. THE ILLUMINATED WALL  One of my new favourites, the customizable LED wall. This stunning item is a combination of LED decor pieces from Aura's collection. With the help of vinyls your wall can be customized with images or text for your kids big day. Perfect for a selfie station and definitely a conversation starter at an event.  This glowing cube tower was actually for a setup that Aura did for Kiss 93.5 the radio station but it t...

Large parties. We've all been to at least 1 or 2 and I'm not talking about that house party you attended in freshman year. I'm talking about large scale, heavily organized and high profile events. Fundraisers, corporate celebrations, product launches, TIFF and Jays Care Foundation are all examples of large scale events that we've had the honour of providing customized  LED glow furniture and decor for. Today we're letting it be known, AURA is the #1 company to go to for all of your furniture and decor needs and we're breaking down why, below. WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE A STATEMENT  We are well equipped to make your wildest dreams come true when it comes to your event vision. Our various size options for LED glow decor items make it easy to create larger than life centerpieces, displays and focal points of your venue. Our events master Robyn has helped countless clients push their creativity to the limit and will work closely with you to help bring your perf...

There’s a reason why movie directors call for LIGHTS!, first before anything else, it’s all about the mood baby. Lighting really can make or break your event. Today  Aura  is dishing 3 ways to properly use lighting in your event. MOOD/ENERGY You only get one chance to make a lasting impression on your guests and that starts when they walk into the venue. The very first thing they’ll notice, whether they realize it or not, is the lighting. Is it harsh or soft? Romantic or bright? Incandescent or fluorescent? The mood and atmosphere is entirely dependent on the  lighting  of the venue as it sets the tone of the rest of the night. Knowing how to properly set the lights throughout the different stages of your event is also crucial, e.g. performances, video tributes, speeches. Consult with the venue manager to ensure all of your lighting and technical needs can be met without issue. DETAILS You’ve worked pretty hard planning this soiree and we’re guessing yo...

It's the last day before Easter long weekend and the relaxation is so close we can hardly wait! Whether you're opting for a glow in the dark egg hunt this weekend or staying more traditional during the day, we're hoping the Easter bunny hops into your house with lots of delectable treats for you and yours. Unfortunately Aura doesn't have the little chocolate eggs for you but we've got a piece of delicious information instead. Today we're raving about the number one, must have bar and cocktail item at your next event.  Founded in 2016 by Master Mixologist Stephanie Rajkumar, is Boozy Goodies , a service that blurs the lines between alcohol and dessert. Stephanie and her creative team have perfected the adult party favour in various forms of alcohol infused jello treats.  Varieties include alcohol infused champagne shots, syringe tubes, gummies, chewables, platters and custom orders. Personalization is an option of course and honestly, we co...

This week signified the official start of Spring and we couldn’t be happier! It’s definitely more than a little chilly out there this week but rest assured our shorts and flip flops are on constant stand by. Now that Spring has sprung it’s time to start dishing on Spring themed parties and events that will most definitely be happening. It’s always best to plan ahead and get organized so that your Spring party is exactly what you desire it to be. Often times events have a way of sneaking up on you and there’s never enough time as you thought or would have liked. We’re kicking it into high gear and our warehouse is stocked full of LED glow furniture and décor for every event. Have a read below and call us today to reserve your glow goodies. Event master, Robyn 647.780.2917  MARCH MADNESS PARTIES  The college tournament of the year is already underway with some major upsets so far. Over the next 3 weeks teams across the U.S will be battling it out for bragging rights as ...

Those of you who celebrate St. Patrick’s day should consider yourself a lucky leprechaun because the green themed holiday falls on a Saturday this year, giving you all ample time to recover before another work week starts. There will be lots of celebrating happening this weekend by many Irish people and many people who are only Irish for one day a year. In case you needed some last minute St. Patrick’s day party ideas, Aura's got you covered. GREEN BEER This is an obvious décor choice for those serving adult beverages this weekend. Steps are simple; mix 2 drops of green food colouring in a light coloured beer. To step it up a notch we suggest storing your beer keg in our jumbo LED glow planter filled with ice and turning the dial to glowing green display. DIY a crate paper rainbow and hang it on the wall above the glowing display to prove there are indeed treasures at the end of every rainbow. GLOW GREEN If you’re looking to make your entranceway worthy of any Irishman...

Good morning Toronto! I’m not sure about you guys but I’m feeling mighty energized this week. After a short hiatus we’re back and ready to keep elevating your events to the highest possible degree of glow . Today we’re talking corporate events , again. We speak about these types of events often because they are so crucial to businesses as a whole. Corporate events offer companies a chance to really put themselves out there whether it’s through a staff appreciation party, fundraiser, PR and branding event or to wine, dine and impress existing and potential clients. A successful corporate event has the ability to propel your business to new heights while an unsuccessful and poorly planned event could tarnish your companies image and reputation. Don’t fret because today Aura Effect’s walking you through some steps and precautions to make sure your event goes off without a hitch. Picture by: Alex Fitzgibbon, McCarthy Tetrault Law Firm TD Bank Tower, 66 Wellington   ...