Month: July 2015
Top 10 Bay Area Team Building Activities
Having trouble getting your employees on the same page? Need to build a stronger, more connected corporate team? ABCey Events has compiled a list of team building activities around the Bay Area sure to get your team interacting in fun, new ways!
1. Mr. Treasure Hunt
Get your team out of the office and on an urban adventure! Mr. Treasure Hunt is a scavenger hunt that emphasizes problem-solving and team work. Bring out the competitive spirit of your employees with clues, puzzles, and races throughout the city! Locations include Peninsula and South Bay, SF Neighborhoods and Museums, Marin, North Bay, Wine Country, and East Bay.
2. Urban Putt
If you’re looking for a unique experience to share with your employees, then Urban Putt is the place for you to host your next team building event. SF has brought a new concept to miniature golf– playing indoors! Choose from 14 obscure mini-golf courses and let the games begin. Pick teams or play one on one. Either way it is sure to be a great time with fun and food!
3. Paint Night
Take part in a relaxing night over drinks and paint! Paint Night is a great opportunity to bond with fellow co-workers and friends. No painting experience needed! A performing artist will guide a lesson where your group is free to let out their inner Picasso, all while sipping a cocktail or two. Locations are spread throughout the Bay Area at your favorite local bistros. Click here to find your closest Paint Night!
4. Food Truck Challenge
The Food Truck Challenge is a hands on activity sure to get your team’s creative juices flowing! Hosted by TeamBonding.com, The Food Truck Challenge is a culinary competition where individuals are divided into groups and encouraged to create their very own fast-food truck. Market, promote, and allow your ideas to come to life! At the end of the day, share and enjoy the gourmet foods you’ve created!
5. Nerd Improv
Get your corporate team to break out of their shell! Nerd Improv is a great way to foster interaction and good communication skills with your employees! Through building exercises and improv, your team can learn better work ethic and build open relationships. Inquires can be made here for your next event.
6. Fort Miley Adventure Challenge Course
Hosted by San Francisco State University’s Pacific Leadership Institute flagship program, the Fort Miley Adventure Challenge is a challenge obstacle course consisting of cables, ladders, and ropes within the woods of Golden Gate Recreational Area at Lands End. Fight through physical, emotional, and mental challenges together to build a stronger team! The event takes place every first Sunday afternoon of the month.
7. The Go-Game
Too busy to plan an extravagant team building event? The Go-Game simplifies the fun! Choose from indoor, outdoor, or training games that enable competition and growth for you and your team! The accessible app makes team building easy and convenient. With the help of The Go-Game team, you’re sure to come out a more improved team– in and out of the office.
8. House of Air
Take flight at your next corporate event! House of Air is a trampoline house offering team building facilities for all ages and skill levels. Activities include games, planned activities for your party, food, and dodge ball. Experience the art of bouncing with your team! Located in the Presidio of San Francisco.
9. Mystery by Design
Do you know the people you work with? Mystery by Design is a great way to break the ice all while solving a mystery! With more than 20 plot lines and twists catered to your event, you’re sure to be a stronger group by the end of the game. Get into character and let your imagination take over. To have the “crime of your life!” click here.
10. Laser Quest
Laser Quest laser tag is another fun way to bring out competition and fun with your employees. Run through lighted multi-leveled mazes, dodge laser bullets, and strategize the best ways to conquer the quest! Located in Mountain View. Book your next quest here.
Team building is the foundation of a more connected and successful business. What are your favorite team building activities? Let us know with a comment or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 7.10.15 – 7.13.15
It’s that time of the week again! Start planning your precious days off with the help of ABCey Events! From flea markets, to performances and block parties, discover what this weekend has in store! The girls here at ABCey are extra excited about the inaugural Hops of Fire: Spicy Food and IPA festival.
1. The Luminous Edge
Thursday, July 9, 2015-Sunday, July 12, 2015| 8pm, 3pm(Sunday) | Yerba Buena Center for the Arts| starting at $25
Award-winning choreographers, Janice Garrett and Charles Moulton, return to San Francisco for an encore performance season of The Luminous Edge. Honored by the SF Chronicle as one of the “Top 10 Performances of 2014,” this will be a deeply expressive and theatrical evening of live music and dance. Click here for tickets.
2. Circus Bella: Free Summer Circus in the Park
Friday, July 10, 2015- Sunday, July 12, 2015| time depending on location| varying locations| Free
Circus Bella is a full-force, non-stop 60 minute kaleidoscope of thrilling balancing and strength acts, elegant demonstrations and slapstick antics. The circus showcases static trapeze, rope walking, a 9 person juggling act and so much more! Join in the fun by watching their festive and inspiring homegrown circus at either one of their San Francisco or Oakland locations. 
3. Hops on Fire: A Spicy Food and IPA Festival
Saturday, July 11, 2015| 11am- 6pm | SOMA StrEat Food Park(428 11th St. San Francisco) | $5
SOMA StrEat Food Park and Funcheap have teamed up to present San Francisco’s inaugural Hops on Fire event. Local spicy cuisine will be paired with some of the nation’s best IPA’s. There will be a live salsa band, a spicy food contest, an ice cream truck and much more! For more event details on the festival click here. 
4. Phono del Sol Festival
Saturday, July 11, 2015|12Pm- 7pm |Portero del Sol Park, Potrero Avenue and 25th Street | $15-$60
If your looking for a fun festival atmosphere Phono del Sol is for you! Held at Potrero del Sol Park, in a corner of the Mission District, this event features indie music acts hand-picked by the folks at The Bay Bridged, a variety of food trucks and activities for all ages. Don’t miss out on some good music and fun for the whole family. For tickets click here.
5. Jack of All Trades
Saturday, July 11, 2015| 11am-5pm| Jack London Square, Oakland | Free
Brought to you by the Treasure Island Flea, the Jack of All Trades features a curated mix of local makers, indie designers, artist, antiques and more! With over 95 vendors, DIY workshops, local eats and live entertainment there is sure to be something for everyone!
What will you be doing this weekend? Let us know in the comments below or message us on Facebook and Twitter!
Behind the Scenes: Adam & Amanda’s Tulum Destination Wedding!
Amanda Cey, CEO of ABCey Events, led the charge in planning her beautiful destination wedding this past May in Tulum, Mexico. Her special day took place at Casa Malca, with her closest family and friends. ABCey has the inside scoop on all the details that made Adam & Amanda’s wedding possible! To see our full portfolio, click here!
For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of getting married (along with almost every other little girl that has ever existed)! And, I always knew I wanted a destination wedding so that I could extend this dream into a long vacation for all! With 15 properties rented including 6 hotels and 9 private homes, we set to take over this yoga-esque bohemian beach town. Our arrival dinner began at Hartwood and Gitano, continued to El Tabano for our all white welcome party, and finished at the Papaya Playa Project for Sunday evening’s farewell dinner.
Event Planner/ Bride: Amanda Cey, ABCey Events
Adam and I met while living a few blocks from each other in Russian Hill, San Francisco. I was immediately drawn to his sense of humor, which I now know to be heavy sarcasm from his Bostonian upbringing! He made me laugh and as time went on I never wanted to leave his side. We had a rather long engagement (due to the birth of our daughter this past October), and were finally able to tie the knot on May 9th at an intimate beach-side estate called Casa Malca in Tulum, Mexico.
Venue: Casa Malca, Tulum, Mexico
It was silly to think that I could plan this event on my own (even being an event planner), with a newborn in tow, and in another country! I brought an assistant, the lovely Caitlyn McSorley and also hired Gwen Grosset, Destination Weddings Tulum to make sure everything ran smoothly on the ground!
Day of Coordinator: Caitlyn McSorley and Gwen Grosset
I fell in love with my “Octavia” Vera Wang dress from the Spring 2015 collection, but was unable to even try it on until just a few months before the wedding (I was 6 months pregnant by the time I saw it for the first time). I instantly fell in love with the disorder and edginess of the dress, but it was also so unique and organic which worked beautifully with the natural setting.
Dress: Vera Wang
Suit: Hugo Boss
Florals: Neil Hunt, Hunt Littlefield
Rentals: Planner 1 Events
The bridesmaids shined in a variety of blue hues that created an ombre effect when standing up at the altar, and looked gorgeous with the stunning ocean backdrop. There wasn’t really any overarching main theme, although blue tones dominated, along with ombre tones throughout (dresses, cake, tags, menu’s, etc), and lots of natural beachy elements to compliment the vibe.
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen:
Ombre Cake: Carolina Galarza, Chef Patissier
Rings: Pade Vavra
Jewelry: Ippolita
Barefoot Sandals: LoveMely
We brought close to 10 duffle bags of event decor that included everything from teal colored sand (so much for not bringing sand to the beach), driftwood, and sea shells (who has time to collect these the week of a wedding)? There were also ceramic starfish for the ultra long dinner table, custom made “LOVE” multi-colored sunglasses, a variety of blue parasols and lanterns, beautifully calligraphed chalkboard signage, ikat patterned pillows from Bali, Mexican pompoms, hangover kits, custom vow books, laser cut wood keys, ombre tags, and program fans! We found use for almost everything, except the vintage marquee “Hitched” sign didn’t quite make it in one piece!
Decor: ABCey Events
Program Fans, Menu’s, Pocket Schedules: Suite Paper
Calligraphy: Rona Siegel Fine Arts
Flower Girls: Ella Corthell, Aydin Levy & Riley Jacobson
Officiants: Nicole Doherty & Linzi Oliver
Music: DJ JoIll, Shawn Barry, and Arpason
A.V. // LED Dance Floor: Plug In Audio Visual
Pillows: Ikat and Batik
Hangover Kit: Jennifer’s Cookies
Pom Pom Decor: Artisan Revival
See how we pulled off this elegant outdoor affair as captured by the amazingly talented, Larissa Cleveland here! We’d also like to extend a huge thank you to all of the vendors and people who made this day a huge success!
Photographer: Larissa Cleveland Photography
What did you think of Adam & Amanda’s Tulum Wedding? Need help planning your destination wedding?! Let us know with a comment or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
3 Summer Bridal Bouquets for the Unique Bride
There are tons of ways to make your wedding bouquet reflect your personality for your special day. ABCey has a few ideas for a summer bridal bouquets that aren’t so traditional. Our personal favorite is the bright succulents!
1. Succulent Bouquets
Succulents are becoming more and more popular as home decor, with California’s drought! But succulents can also make for gorgeous wedding bouquets!
2. Shell Bouquets
The beach is a popular venue for summer weddings and for good reason! Shell bouquets are the perfect pairing — they incorporate the ocean and go right along with the theme. Shell bouquets are also easy to preserve, so you can have them forever!
3. Non-Floral Bouquets
For an easy and beautiful bouquet, you can use nontraditional items like wheat and driftwood. They can be just as stunning and are simple to make if you want a fun DIY project! Check out these nontraditional bouquets below for some inspiration.
What do you think of these bouquet alternatives? If you loved these as much as we did, let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
Startup Monday: Splacer
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
Splacer is an online marketplace for renting out and listing creative event spaces for any occasion. This innovative group of architects’ goal is to bring together owners of unique spaces with people looking to create memorable event experiences. This Tel Aviv based company launched in fall of 2014, but announced last week that they raised $1.4 million in seed funding and are growing rapidly.
How it works: Splacer is the AirBnB for event spaces. Event organizers can browse and discover listings using various filters and view venue photos. Owners can sign up with basic info about their space, get approved and instantly start renting. Splacer believes in creating a system of living that is collaborative, socially just and ecologically responsible. Be a part of their movement and sign up to list your space or find your next meeting, party, photoshoot or pop-up shop venue!
Will you be listing or looking for your next event space on Splacer? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.
ABCey’s Weekend Line-Up: Fourth of July!
Fourth of July is just around the corner! Save yourself the struggle of planning a party and join in on all the Bay Area fun. From fireworks to parades, ABCey Events has put together a list of events sure to get your weekend line-up going! What do you have planned?
1. 4th of July Spectacular! (Mountain View, CA)
Saturday, July 4, 2015| 8pm | Shoreline Amphitheater| starting at $38
The San Francisco Symphony is hosting its 29th annual 4th of July Spectacular event at the Shoreline Amphitheater. The orchestra will perform The Sound of Music as a tribute to the anniversary. Tickets are now available. Event starts at 8:00pm with fireworks scheduled to take the sky by 9:30pm!
2. Coca-Cola July 4th Fest 2015 (Vallejo, CA)
Friday, July 3, 2015- Sunday, July 6, 2015 |10:30 am- 10pm | Vallejo, CA| $64.99
Looking to spend your 4th of July weekend doing more than watching fireworks? Six Flags is hosting its annual Coca-Cola July 4th Fest! In celebration of Independence Day, fan favorite rides are set to open an hour early, so everyone has more time for weekend fun! At the end of each night, enjoy a fireworks show! Tickets and season passes are now available.
3. Fremont 4th of July Parade (Fremont, CA)
Saturday, July 4, 2015 | 10am PM | Fremont, CA | Free
The city of Fremont is hosting a 4th of July Parade in the Warm Springs District! Expect to see lots of beautiful floats, musical units, and guest celebrities. Parade is set to start at 10:00am with festivities to follow!
4. Alameda County Fair (Pleasanton, CA)
Saturday, July 4, 2015 | 11am |Pleasanton, CA | $17
Rock the red, white and blue at the final weekend of the Alameda County Fair. Spend the day participating in fun carnival activities and stay until the sun goes down for the 4th of July Fireworks Speculator. They are promising to deliver non-stop, dazzling fireworks set to music preformed by the Oakland East Bay Symphony. Fireworks will begin approximately around 9:30. Don’t miss out on fun for the whole family. Purchases tickets here.
5. The Fillmore Jazz Festival (San Francisco, CA)
Saturday, July 4, 2015- Sunday, July 5, 2015| 10am-6PM | San Francisco, CA | Free
The annual Fillmore Jazz Festival will be held this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm on Fillmore Street between Jackson and Eddy Street. Jazz music, culture, and cuisine will be provided. Bring your family or grab some friends. It’s an event you don’t want to miss!
Which event will you be attending this Fourth of July weekend? Let us know in the comments or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
4 Ways to Enhance Your Event Using Social Media
Social media is one of the main tools event planners use to market events, distribute information, engage with guests and solicit feedback. Here are a few tips that will help keep your event buzzing from beginning to end!
1. Create pre-event buzz
Excitement is key to attracting attendees and establishing a good atmosphere at your event. You can create pre-event buzz by meaningfully posting on social media and creating a hashtag. Put the hashtag on presentations, handouts, goody bags and signage so people don’t forget to use it! You can also tease people with content to get people excited through contests, giveaways or a guest’s blog post.
2. Free Wifi
Wifi is key, so make sure it’s available and that the venue has the bandwidth to support your needs. Your digital marketing centers around your guests ability to post on social media. Guests not only share your event content, but their own generated content which helps promote your business.
3. Socialize your event
Live stream, live post, and enable the folks that are there! Post photos or short videos of what’s going on, or try Ustream to stream live video. You can also give away prizes for the most liked photo of the day or most favorited tweet to give people incentive.
It is also important to have a point person at the event responding to posts. They don’t have to respond to every single one, but there is a reason people post publicly and it is because they liked to be engaged with.
4. Post-event engagement
Keep the dialogue going post event, and keep using that hashtag! Ask for feedback from attendees, and post a slideshow or a fun time lapse video. Be sure to post a recap blog letting people about speakers key points, highlights of the event and more.
Were these tips helpful? Let us know by commenting below or on Twitter or Facebook!