Month: June 2015
3 Fun Apps for Game Night
Game night is a fun way to spend quality time with friends and family. Host yours the techy way! ABCey Events has found these 3 great apps to make game night fun, simple, and mess-free!
1. Charades
Charades allows you to play the guessing game with a new spin! Simply choose from categories like TV shows, music, or “Friends” and let the app do the work for you! Flip your phone up or down to let it know if you got an answer right or wrong. It even keeps score for you! No paper or pen is required. Find it in the App Store and Google Play.
2. Karaoke Anywhere
You don’t have to go out to a bar or rent a full karaoke machine to get the party started! With this free app, available for iPhone and Android, you can have karaoke anytime – anywhere. Make it solo or jam out with your friends! From Reggae to Rap there’s something for everyone. Find it in the App Store and Google Play.
3. Party Doodles
Party Doodle is the new era Pictionary. Draw a picture and have your friends guess your drawing! You can hook up your iPad to your computer and let everyone watch as you doodle your way to the finish line. This app is free but only available on iPad. Find it in the App Store.
If you like these apps or have used them before, let us know in the comments below or on Twitter or Facebook!
5 Must-Haves for Your Next Summer Party
You don’t need a holiday to have an excuse to throw a party, it’s summer and that’s enough to celebrate! The sun is out and the weather is warm! Gather up your friends and family and throw a summer bash that everyone will not be able to stop talking about.
1. A Theme
Pick a theme to center your party around. It will make food choice, refreshments and decorations much easier when you have a focus. Themes like patriotic, day at the beach and bohemian backyard are sure to be a hit. Two of our faves are fiesta and glamping! Fiesta is all about bright popping colors and there are lots of things you can incorporate like pinatas and sombreros when it comes to decor. With glamping (glam camping), you can pitch a makeshift tent as an additional seating area, start a campfire and roast smores when the sun goes down and lay down a blanket and star gaze to close out the night.
2. Cool Drink Station
Loose the boring old cooler filled with soft drinks and beer, and create a drinks station with punch, sangria or even have a create -your-own drink option. Set up an old fashioned lemonade stand, have a watermelon punch bowl or include fruit infused ice cubes to spice up any drink. You can prep everything before and make everything self serve so you can also enjoy the party.
3. Keep it cool
If your hosting an outdoor party, be sure your guests do not sizzle in the sun by providing shade. If you don’t have a covered area or umbrellas for protection, create your own shade. Hang parasols upside down among the trees, create a canvas awning or build outdoor curtains. One really easy and chic way is to enclose your space with colorful silk fabric as pictured below. Hang long sheets of fabric that go with your theme over a clothesline strung between the house and a pole in the backyard.
4. Outdoor evening lighting
If your hosting an outdoor evening party light up the night with some fun outdoor lighting. Hang christmas lights among the trees, string global lights over your table, set luminary bags along the walk way or line the pool with lanterns. Outdoor lighting can really elevate your outdoor summer party to the next level.
5. Entertainment for the kids
While your sippin on spiked lemonade, create a diversion for the kids and make sure they are having as much fun as you are. Have a water balloon war, lay out a slip n slide, set up a build your own dessert station or put on an outdoor movie during an evening party. Keep the kids busy while you’re socializing with friends.
Will you be including any of these ideas at your next summer party? Let ABCey know with a comment below or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 6.26.15- 6.28.15
It’s almost the end of June, the summer solstice just hit and it’s pride weekend, so why not close out the month with some fun events? There is a ton going on this weekend and the girls here at ABCey want to share our top picks!
1. 37ft. Intricate Wooden Burning Man Temple Unveiling
Friday, June 26, 2015 | 11am | 499 Octavia| Free
Today, there will be a free dedication event for artist David Best’s The Temple at Patricia’s Green. The San Francisco Arts Commission partners with Burning Man to reprise David Best’s popular Hayes Valley Temple from 2005. This 37 feet high sculpture made from wood will be in place for one year. It is meant to be a place of remembrance where people can write personal notes to loved ones on the artwork itself. Go and check out this amazing piece of artwork!
2. LGBT Night at AT&T
Friday, June 26, 2015 | 7:15PM – 10PM | AT&T Park| starting at $30
The Giants will be celebrating LGBT culture this Friday at 7:15 in their division game against the Colorado Rockies. Go and support your World Champions. Don’t forget, there will be post- game fireworks so you don’t want to miss out!
3. Beatnik Shindig
The 2015 Beatnik Shindig has cars, poetry, spoken word and jazz. Held at the Fort Mason Center and in North Beach this is the largest Beat Generation Conference held in 20 years. There will be free events as well as ticketed events, but tickets don’t cost anymore than $15. For a list of the weekends events click here.
4. Pink Saturday
Saturday, June 27, 2015 | 3pm-8pm | Castro District| $10
Pink Party is where all the pre- parade festivities will occur! It will all take place in the Castro District from 3pm-8pm. With 5 blocks of DJ’s, drag and other live performances across four stages there is sure to be a ton of energy, dancing and fun! There will be food trucks and a VIP Area as well. Don’t forget to bring $10 to donate at the gate, proceeds will be going to LGBT nonprofit organizations. Check out the Facebook event for stage and performance details.
5. Grateful Dead Concert
The Grateful Dead will be preforming a couple farewell shows at Levi’s Stadium this weekend as part of the “Fare Thee Well” Tour. These Bay Area Shows will take place just before three farewell concerts at Solider Field in Chicago. With 65,000 tickets sold pre night the are sure to be great crowds and excited fans for these finals shows.
6. Pride Parade
Sunday, June 28th, 2015 | 10:30am | Civic Center | Free
Fleets of colorful floats, vehicles, motorcycles and marchers will go along market street this Sunday in the San Francisco Pride Parade. The Parade will begin at Beagle street and end at Civic Center plaza. This year’s parade theme is “Equality Without Exception” so come out ready with lots of energy and excitement!
7. Alice’s Summer Thing
Sunday, June 28th, 2015 | 12pm- 4pm | 320 Bowling Green Dr. San Francisco, CA | Free
Alice 97.3 will be hosting their annual free concert in Golden Gate Park at Sharon Meadow this Sunday. This year they are featuring Kelly Clarkson, Matt Kearney, Rachel Platten and Elle King. There will also be food trucks, fun activities and plenty of good vibes, so be sure to stop by if your looking for some free music, food and fun!
Which events will you be attending in San Francisco this weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
4 Tips: How to Send an Online Invitation!
Sending an Evite or Facebook invite can be a little tricky! Not everyone replies in a timely matter and sometimes it’s hard to get a hold of people with tight schedules. Plan for your gathering in an organized fashion! ABCey has put together some tips on how to successfully send an online invitation for your event!
1. Make a Guest List
First things first, know who you want to reach out to! It’s important to know who you want to include in your guest list. Family? Friends? Friends of friends? It’s important to take into consideration all those who should or will be present at your event! Rough estimating with numbers is a good start before jumping into an invitation.
2. Create the Invite
Short, simple, and to the point! The key to creating a perfect invite (especially online) is to keep it to the point! Nobody likes a lengthy description. Staying true to the “Who? What? Where? When? and Why?” should make it easier for guests to understand. Create your invite in a timely fashion. Your invitation is sure to be ignored or forgotten about if you send it 2 months in advance… 1 month in advance is your best bet!
3. Check-In with Your Invitation
Don’t create your online event invitation and expect people to reply! Always make sure to update your invitation with “Don’t forget!” or “Save the date!” ‘s from time to time. Reminders can help people remember your event! Also reaching out to guests individually may help you to get a better understanding of who will be present.
4. Get Creative!
Sending an invite isn’t solely about spreading news to people about your event. It’s also about getting them excited for the party/meeting that’s to come! Add pictures and use fun phrases when trying to publicize it! People are drawn to things that are pleasing to the eye. Have fun with it… Besides, this is an event to look forward to!
Were these tips helpful? Let ABCey know with a comment below or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
3 Music Apps to Turn Up the Beat at Your Event
Playing DJ can be hard. Let ABCey help you out with three recommendations for music apps to keep the tunes going at your next party! If your corporate event has a low budget and you have to cut costs on hiring a DJ, these could also come in handy! Our favorite is Spotify because of usability and number of options!
1. Spotify
Spotify is the new spin on Pandora. With live streaming of almost any artist you can think of, you can have it all. If you don’t want to make up your own playlist, you can browse the thousands that are pre-created for you! This is perfect for a last minute get together or if you want to find music based on your mood!
2. 8 Tracks
8 Tracks is also an online streaming platform. Users can create a free account and either listen to top tracks or make their own. Each playlist must consist of at least 8 tracks giving this fun app its name.
3. Soundcloud
Unlike the other two apps listed above, Soundcloud caters to lesser known artists. Artists and producers can promote their music on Soundcloud and share it with other users! And, it’s free!
With so many great options out there, you’re sure to have tons of music to choose from! All of these are available on the Apple App Store and Android Google Play. Let us know if you have used these apps and what you think on Twitter or Facebook!
Get Organized! 2 Helpful Event Planning Apps
Event management is no walk in the park. From vendors, to clients, to caterers, to conferences, to meetings… there’s so many components to planning! Sometimes it’s tough for event managers to stay organized. But with the development of event planning apps such as Wunderlist and Basecamp, there is no doubt an event can flow efficiently! ABCey encourages you to manage your events at the palm of your hands without worry of lost post-it notes or hand written to-do lists!
1. Wunderlist is an online tool and app that allows you to input tasks and to-do lists for yourself and other colleagues. We recently discovered Wunderlist and in our experience, it has shown to simplify the process of planning! It allows you to check mark what is done, know what needs to be done, and also make separate folders to keep everything organized! It’s a great way to jot tasks down while on the go or even help to overview components of an event.
2. BaseCamp is another essential tool for an event planner. Not only does it allow features like Wunderlist, but it also enables you to appoint tasks to fellow colleagues. Communication is made simple with messaging features so you can easily contact your people when important jobs or problems may arise while planning. Communicating with people across country? No problem! BaseCamp even allows the correct time zone to be correlated to fellow business partners. Deadlines will be met accordingly and less stress will dealt with.
The Wunderlist and BaseCamp apps can definitely simplify an event management job. These are just two of many great tools for event planning. Know any other helpful apps? Let us know with a comment or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter!
Three Easy Tips to Make Planning Your Next Party a Breeze
Planning a party can be difficult. But don’t worry, ABCey Events is here with three easy tips! Whether you are planning a small dinner party or a family reunion for 50, here our some great ideas to keep the party planning simple!
1. Planning Early
Always allow more time than you think for an event. With everything that needs to get done, its always better to have extra time on your hands than to be rushing to get everything finalized. How far in advance you should plan really depends on the size and complexity of the event. Also keep in mind that venues and entertainment get booked far in advance, so if you want to snag a great venue or band for your party, you may have to think ahead.
2. Stay on Budget
Budget is a key component to a party. Make sure you are very honest with yourself, or your event planner on how much you are willing to spend. Make a list of everything you will need and keep track of receipts and purchases. By being organized and staying on top of things, you can keep tabs on spending and make sure to not go over budget. Drinks, food and venue are usually the bigger ticket items. You can often save on things like decor and invitations using DIY tips and finding unique items at vintage and second hand stores.
3. Leverage the Experts
Your event planning experts can take a lot of the stress off of your plate to make your party more enjoyable for you. Event coordinators are trained to stay within a budget, and work with you to create your perfect event. Don’t assume it will cost you more to bring in help. Professionals are more knowledgeable about hidden treasures and can save you valuable time in your planning process. Not to mention their creative ideas and will be sure to bring your vision to life.
Was this post helpful for planning your next party? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
Life Made Simple: 3 Food Delivery Apps!
Planning a party? Celebrating the Warriors NBA championship this weekend? ABCey encourages you to stress less and celebrate more! Get your favorite foods delivered with apps like Postmates, Caviar, and Crunchbutton for your next hosted event!
But wait… What is a food delivery app?
A delivery app allows you to choose your favorite eating spot (from participating restaurants), place an order via smart device, and get it delivered right to your door! It’s as easy as one, two, three… Less worry about hiring a caterer and more time to enjoy your party!
1. Postmates: This app is versatile and easy to use. Looking to order lunch or even make a grocery run? Postmates has got you covered! In under an hour you’ll have what you need to make for a great meal for one or ten!
2. Caviar: This service delivers from a wide range of restaurants, commonly used from all corners of the city! Lunch and dinner breaks are made simple. Use it for quick take-out or catering your next event/ business meeting!
3. Crunchbutton: They let you know what restaurants deliver around to your area and simplify your hunt for food. Nobody likes meal-time rush hour. Let someone else do the hard work for you and get your favorite foods delivered to your doorstep with the push of a “Crunchbutton”.
In this day and age, we aren’t limited to just pizza deliveries. Take advantage of these apps for your lunch, dinner, or hosted party events! Which app do you like the best? Let us know in the comments below or message us on Facebook and Twitter! Or, call ABCey Events and let us do the work for you!
5 Father’s Day Gifts for the Tech Dad
Don’t have any Father’s Day gifts yet? Is your husband or dad obsessed with technology? ABCey Event’s has got you covered with these gifts for the techy guy in your life.
1. GARMIN HEAD- UP DISPLAY
With this GPS that displays right onto the dash, Dad can focus on the road. It works wirelessly and can even keep you updated on the latest traffic and safety alerts. Find it here.
2. GAME OF THRONES DESK LAMP
Is the man in your life obsessed with Game of Thrones? Get him this themed desk lamp so he can stay protected from all of the wights! He’ll also love the new office decor. Find it here.
3. IMPOSSIBLE INSTANT LAB
Is your dad the photographer in the family? But do those pictures just sit in the hard drive of his phone, never being physically printed? Let this mini printer develop those photos for you and have a memory to hang on the fridge. Find it here. 
4. COMPUTER CIRCUIT BOARD CUFF LINKS
This new spin on a classic gift is sure to have your dad smiling. These cuff links are made out of old computer board circuits and for under $50 it’s a win-win! Find it here. 
5. NETATMO WEATHER STATION
Dad can always be dressed for the weather with this microclimate weather station. Information like temperature, pressure, wind speed and even CO2 levels are wirelessly transferred to your smart phone. Made for iOS and Android. Find it here. 
With these gift ideas Father’s Day is sure to be a success. If you loved one of these ideas for dad, let us know in the comments below or message us via Twitter or Facebook!
Tech it Up a Notch! 5 DIY Decor Ideas for Your Technology
Tired of your same old smart device accessories? Don’t have the time or money to buy new ones? Have no fear… ABCey has gathered a few ways to tech it up a notch! Spend less time worrying about your devices and more on your events. Here are 5 life hacks to spunk up your technology and save you some cash!
1 . CRAFTY PHONE CASE:
Phones are essential in the events world and keeping them protected is a must! On the go, or in the office, this DIY phone case is sure to make life a little easier. Buy one clear back phone case and let your imagination fly! Simply cut or tape in a design and WAH-LA!
2. WASHI TAPE LAPTOP DECAL:
Planning an event? Staring at your laptop all day? Say goodbye to your dull old keyboard! Pick a few of your favorite washi tape designs at your local supply store and create a cute laptop display. Cut up the different patterns and simply stick them on!
3. TOILET PAPER CORD CASE:
Staying organized for an event is important. Grab a used toilet paper roll, some pretty patterned tape or ribbon, and you have yourself a cord case! No one likes dealing with a bunch of tangles. Decorate a roll and label it as you please. Store away your chargers and cords with style!
4. CHARGING BOX STATION:
This charging station box is perfect for the audio visual techy! With this DIY your cords will never be an unorganized mess. Grab a box fit for your multi-outlet, cut a few holes, label them according to your charger, and store them easy for your next event.
5. FELT SMART DEVICE CASE:
Who would’ve thought that felt would make for a great phone, tablet, or laptop case? Pick your favorite color and create an envelope effect with buttons and string. Make it your own with additional decor. With all the hussle and bussle in a day, you won’t have to worry about the safety of your device!
Bring out your inner craftsman with these 5 easy DIY’s for your smart devices! Which one of these ideas to do like the best? Let us know in the comments below or message us on Twitter or Facebook!