Wedding Welcome Bags : Part 2 Your Bridal Party

While giving your bridesmaids thank-you gifts isn't required, it never goes unappreciated. Odds are, your wedding party has already helped out a ton (think: pitching in for the bridal shower, organizing a bachelorette getaway and volunteering their time for bridesmaid dress fittings). Bridesmaid gifts are a thoughtful token of your gratitude to show them just how much their support means to you.

The best bridesmaid gifts are the ones that show you've put thought into choosing them. That could mean personalizing each item, picking something that fits their interests, simply choosing cute bridesmaid gifts in their style, or assembling bridesmaid gift baskets full of useful or pampering accessories. Even if you're looking for bridesmaid gift ideas on the cheap, there are plenty of options to show your appreciation. Below are a few ideas for what to include!

Custom Friendship Bracelets

Shopping for a childhood BFF-turned-bridesmaid? This cute and casual piece of jewelry gives a nod to traditional friendship bracelets thanks to its adorable beading. It just goes to show that small bridesmaid gifts can be big tokens of gratitude. The bracelets can be customized for each bridesmaid by including their initials and the date of your wedding!

A Pampering Gift Set

Set your girls up with a luxurious pampering set! A kit of fancy lip, face and eye care essentials totally fits the bill. They'll be glowing long after the big day! And throw in a cute, inexpensive, silk eye mask. This will ensure that everyone is well rested and ready to go!

LIQUOR

Liquor is essential. It just is. So, for your bridesmaids, go all out and get them a great bottle of wine or booze in a sweet customized bottle with their monogrammed initials and the date of the big day. They can keep that bottle forever as a reminder of the fabulous time they had.

Robes

Custom robes are also a really great gift! What bridesmaid wouldn't love a soft satin robe to wear for lounging? Giving this cute bridesmaid gift tells your friends they deserve a little R&R. Plus, it's a practical present for the morning of the wedding day.

Monogrammed Bag

If they love to travel—and not just to your shower and bachelorette party—they'll get lots of use out of a weekend bag. Have it embroidered with their initials for a sweet personal touch! Its also the perfect vessel for all of the gifts listed above!

Unique Guest Book Ideas!

Every major life event, especially weddings, require a guest book of some kind. Something to record peoples’ presence and to share memories that you’ll have for the rest of your lives. But just having a plain book is starting to get a little stale; so we’ve decided to do some research and give our readers a few more options to use!  

Wine Corks

Whether you're getting married at a winery or just love indulging in a nice glass of vino at the end of the day, a heart-shaped guest book made of wine corks is creative and chic. After the wedding, you can hang it in your kitchen or above a bar cart.

Instant Photos

Looking for fun wedding guest sign-in ideas? As they arrive at your reception, have them snap selfies using an instant camera/ polaroid. Then, each guest can add their photo and a handwritten note to this personalized album. At the end of the night, you'll have a collection of snapshots to take home and treasure for years to come.

Wooden Blocks

If game nights are your thing, then we think you'll love this unique wedding guest book idea. Create a custom set of wooden blocks by asking each guest to sign their name on a piece. Think Jenga.

Anniversary Wine

Here's another alternative wedding guest book idea if you're having a vineyard wedding: wine bottles. Before the big day, purchase a few bottles to share with your spouse on future anniversaries, add these cute custom labels, and then ask your guests to sign them. When the time comes to open each one, you'll love reading all the names and reminiscing!

Wooden Hearts

Miniature wooden hearts are one of the most creative wedding guest book ideas, and they work especially well for rustic themes. Plus, the shadow box frame is perfect for showcasing the mini hearts as a unique decorative piece in your home. Place the shadow box and a bowl of blank wooden hearts and ask your guests to sign a heart and drop it into the box!

Easter Basket Ideas!

As we continue to make our way through the last few months of this pandemic (hopefully), we continue to think about all of the ways that we can provide our friends and family with quality, fun and in some cases local products as gifts or even treats for ourselves! So, with Easter just around the corner we at Only In My Dreams Events have come up with a way to tie in our packs as Easter gifts!

Available solely at The Shop, we now have some of your favorite Berkshire Packs packed up and ready for Easter. While we only have a limited number of baskets made up, we can make any of our Paraphernalia Packs, Berkshire Packs or Packs with a Purpose into a beautiful Easter package!

Other Easter Basket Plans:

Basket of Bulbs

For the friends/ family members that love flowers/ love to garden a Basket of Bulbs might be the way to go. Not every Easter basket needs to be filled with candy: This one is just as sweet, thanks to clusters of mini daffodils planted in a bed of clump moss. Since the basket is lined with a plastic pot, the flowers can be watered so they'll blossom long past Easter. Add to the holiday tableau by resting a few eggs on the moss! You can thank the one and only Martha Stewart for that idea!

Self Care Easter Basket

This basket is a fabulous idea, and is great for that stressed friend we all have or simply for ourselves; this has been a very stressful year after-all. Fill the basket with items that will make you feel great and relaxed. Face masks, candles, soft face cloths, tea, bath salts and aromatherapy lotion is a great start!

Grown Ups Only Basket

This one is so easy to go wild with. Just think of anything that the average adult likes. In my opinion a great basket would include a bottle of wine or your favorite spirit, a nice pair of glasses, your favorite snack like a nut blend or cheese selection, a fresh baguette and a bottle of sparkling water. Just think of all of the possibilities!

Coffee or Tea Lovers Basket

For your friends that LOVE caffeine this is the best option. Find a great, craft and local coffee roaster or tea maker like Barrington Coffee Roasters or Harney and Sons, a beautiful hand crafted mug, snacks like biscotti, chocolate or coffee cake and wrap it up in a beautiful basket!

Wedding Games! How to Make Breaking the Ice Fun!

We’ve all been there. That awkward moment during a wedding cocktail hour where you’re forced to make conversation with some random person that you have nothing in common with. There’s nothing worse than being sat with the JOP or priest and have nothing to say, and having to act as demure and appropriate as possible. So, we here at Only In My Dreams Events have partnered with Siege Media to bring your wedding guests a touch of extra fun and flair on your special day. Check out these great printable games below!

One of our favorite offerings is the Never Have I Ever game! The rules are simple; each person at the table has a paddle, one side saying I Have Done That and the other saying I Have NOT Done That. Each person asks a question, and you respond with either side of the paddle! Simple, fun, helps you engage with your fellow table guests!

Another favorite is the Message In A Bottle! Leave a message with a few words of advice or encouragement for the newly weds; and when their one year anniversary arrives, they can open each bottle and reminisce over their special day and all of the notes that they received from their loved ones!

Check the following link for more great wedding games and ideas: https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/newlywed-game-questions#printables

Greeting Cards! They're More Relevant Than Ever

Think about picking up your mail, there’s a bright card envelope among the bills, and instantly your day is brighter. It brings the knowledge that someone cares enough about you to take the time to pick out and mail a special message to you. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary or the annual holiday card, it is sure to bring a smile to your face. E-mail would be difficult to create the same emotional response.

The birthday card with its tradition of sentiment and goodwill can lift your friend’s morale just knowing you cared enough to remember. The sincerity and comfort of a sympathy card can express feelings you may have difficulty expressing verbally. An annual holiday greeting card sent to family and friends allows you to keep in touch and reminds everyone that you are thinking of them.

A greeting card can and will express all of the emotions: joy, thanks, sympathy, humor, love and admiration. It allows us to connect on an emotional level with the people who have touched our lives. Sending personalized greeting cards allows us a vast variety of sentiments that allow us to express our caring to family, friends, customers, clients and employees.

Select a card that has nothing on the inside, and take a few moments to express your thoughts …”Just thought we’d send a quick note to say we love you and wish you the best on your birthday:)….love Mom and Dad”. The person receiving the card will appreciate it that much more!

So, the next time you are debating shooting off a quick e-mail or sending an actual greeting card, you may want to ask yourself which one conveys the kind of message you wish to send. For a wide selection of simple, to extravagant, serious to funny greeting cards stop by the Shop in South Egremont. Brands like the fabulous Party Mountain Paper Co. and the famous Lovepop, to hand made cards are available to shop today! Sending a card will never go out of style, so stop by and check them out today!

Hosting Game Nights on Zoom! How to do it, and what to play!

If you’re like most people who have hunkered down as a way to practice social distancing, you’re probably feeling pretty bored right about now. After all, there are only so many times you can walk your dog, home school your kids. So, it’s time to let off a little steam with a game night. But if game night usually includes other friends and relatives, it might feel like something (or someone) is missing. That’s when you need to log back onto your computer and figure out how to have a Zoom family game night.

Hopping on video chat can be a great way to feel less isolated. Folks everywhere are propping up their phones while they cook together, watch movies, or simply have conversations. But the fun of a game night, in particular, can make these quiet evenings seem a little less strange and a lot more nostalgic. Battling it out with friends might even ease coronavirus-related anxiety as you focus your mind elsewhere.

Here, a few ideas for ways to have a Zoom game night, so you can stay connected from afar.

1)      Trivia

You may not be crammed into your favorite bar booth with five of your closest friends, but you can still recreate trivia night by playing together on Zoom. Start by making sure that every body has the same set of Trivia cards.

From there, figure out how you'll communicate. Each team will need a private space to whisper answers, like a breakout room, but you can all meet back in the main "bar" area on Zoom. Give everyone 30 seconds to deliberate, and then have them submit answers via DM.

Of course, as with any trivia night, you'll want and need rules. Remind players to stay off Google, to put their phones down, and to only get answers from teammates — not their roommate, who is a fount of 90s music knowledge. And just like that, you'll have recreated trivia night from the safety of your homes.

2)      Charades

This is probably one of the easiest games to play over video chat because it involves little to no setup. Mostly everyone knows and loves the concept of charades. It is a great party game to choose when you cannot decide on anything else to play.

Over your Zoom video chat, form two teams and make sure everyone has the ability to connect via a webcam or a built in camera. Choose someone from your team to privately chat one other person on the opposing team to tell them which word or phrase they must act out.

The person must act out the word or phrase while everyone on their team tries to guess. You can pin the person’s video who is doing the acting out on camera so that you can see their video full screen. Have someone from the other team set a timer for 30 seconds or a minute (based on preference).

If the team can guess what the person is acting out within the timeframe, then they recieve a point. If they fail to guess the word or phrase, then they receive no points and its the other team’s turn.

3)      Pictionary

Pictionary is a classic game-night game, in part because the rules are so simple. To play, divide your group into teams. Use the actual board game or look up a Pictionary word generator on line, and choose a team to play first, as well as a designated drawer on that team. The drawer generates a word and has one minute to draw that word for their team to guess. If the team guesses the card correctly, they get a point.

These games listed above are just a few of the easiest to play with friends over Zoom! There are so many more, most of which can be purchased at The Shop in South Egremont! We get new games almost weekly, so stop by to check them out, and start planning your Zoom Game Night today!

Event Hacks Part 1: Candles

Everyone knows that candles bring a touch of elegance and ambiance! But what people always seem to forget is that they burn quickly, cause wax to spill out onto surfaces, and can be finished with in just a few hours… Well, we have the perfect event hack for you: Lucid Candles.

Lucid Candles look like real candles, feature a real flame and don’t cause a giant mess! They are actually oil lamps that only burn using their patented wick and oil.

The Candles come in many different sizes, colors, patterns and last far longer than a conventional wax candle. With a small bottle of Lucid Oil a candle can burn for 100 hours, and with a larger bottle of Lucid Oil the candle can burn for 200 hours! So ditch the old and pick up a few Lucid Candles for your next event. Available at the Shop by Only In My Dreams Events in South Egremont!

Check Out the Videos Below!

Staying Home in 2021

Many of us have wisely decided to stay at home and avoid crowds and the risk of either catching the virus or unintentionally infecting other people. You may find yourself feeling isolated, depressed, bored, worried, ruminating, and hopeless. You are not alone. We are going through a national traumatic experience where many people believe their lives are imminently threatened, that the economy will collapse and never recover, and that life will never be the same.

The key thing to keep in mind is that we actually don’t know what will happen, but we do know that an enormous national and world effort is underway to try to contain the spread and lessen the effects. We are finally at the stage of having a vaccine and we are patiently waiting for our turn at getting the “jab”. Meanwhile, we are all in an international emergency together. And we have been asked to reduce our interactions, distance ourselves, and–in some cases—stay at home.

We know that isolation and passivity are the perfect storm for getting depressed and losing hope. It is possible that you wake up in the morning, worried, anxious and depressed and think that there is nothing to do and that you are completely isolated. How can you cope with what feels like a never-ending lockdown? Here are a few tips to help you keep your chin up and keep busy.

Reach out to friends and family. Just because you are “shut in” doesn’t mean you are “shut off." Make a list of friends—even people you haven’t had contact with in the past several years. Think about family members—list them as well. Then begin to email or text some of them that you would like to touch base with and check in. Maybe even call someone! We tend to forget that our smartphones are also telephones that we can speak on! So, think about taking that step and call some people. Video platforms are also very useful. Use Skype, Zoom or FaceTime, all of which are free services to actually see each other. Keep track of your experience and how it feels after. Try to reach out to someone every day.

Schedule daily activities. Just because you are at home doesn’t mean there is nothing to do. The night before the next day, make a list of things that you can do during the next day. The great thing about a list for the next day is that you wake up and you know that there are things that you will do. This will give you an hourly purpose, a sense of being effective, and will help distract you from your worries. Each activity should have a purpose. At the end of the day look at your TO DO list and check off what you did and what it feels like to have done it. If there are items you missed, put them on the list for tomorrow. Make a list for the next week, month, and two months. The more you do, the more you keep busy, the better you will feel.

Get some exercise. You can stream YOUTUBE videos that can serve as your personal trainer to nag you to get some exercise in your home. You don’t need a fancy gym to exercise. You can do Yoga, sit-ups, run in place, and other exercises right at home. Getting your pulse rate up, pushing yourself a little more will get those endorphins going. DO IT. Trust me, you’ll feel better.

Make a list of readings and videos. I read a lot—but I am always feeling that I don’t have time for all the reading I want to do. So now is the time for that. It’s wonderful that you can access a lot of free books through your public library--- you can download e-books and audiobooks for free. Go to your public library website and see how you can access these items. Now is a time to get absorbed in a good read—something that is not related to pandemics.

Make an exciting purchase. Something that will keep you excited and look forward to receiving. Some companies are making boxes and packs that are aimed at keeping people busy and healthy while the pandemic runs rampant. At the Shop by Only In My Dreams Events we have plenty of packs to chose from if cooking, drinking, games, hygiene, and puzzles are your thing we have just the pack for you! And we also have surprise options available as well! Take a look here  https://www.onlyinmydreamsevents.com/the-shop-online

New Years Eve: Traditions From Around the World

New Years Eve is a special time for everyone. On a normal NYE we gather with friends, family and sometimes even strangers to celebrate the passing of the old year and the dawning of a new one! In the US it is a tradition to watch the ball drop on Times Square in NYC, have a few cocktails and watch fireworks. And while some other English-speaking countries like England and Australia may do the same, many other countries have different, special traditions. The following nine countries had some of the most interesting practices:

Spain

In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes – one at each stroke of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Each grape represents good luck for one month of the coming year. In bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, people gather in main squares to eat their grapes together and pass around bottles of cava.

Colombia

In hopes of a travel-filled new year, residents of Colombia carry empty suitcases around the block. That’s one New Year’s tradition we can get behind!

Denmark

Residents of Denmark greet the New Year by throwing old plates and glasses against the doors of family and friends to banish bad spirits. They also stand on chairs and jump off of them together at midnight to “leap” into January in hopes of good luck.

Finland

In Finland, people predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a container of water, then interpreting the shape the metal takes after hardening. A heart or ring means a wedding, while a ship predicts travel and a pig declares there will be plenty of food.

Panama

To drive off evil spirits for a fresh New Year’s start, it is tradition to burn effigies (muñecos) of well-known people such as television characters and political figures. The effigies are meant to represent the old year.

Scotland

During Scotland’s New Year’s Eve celebration of Hogmanay, “first-footing” is practiced across the country. The first person who crosses a threshold of a home in the New Year should carry a gift for luck. Scots also hold bonfire ceremonies where people parade while swinging giant fireballs on poles, supposedly symbols of the sun, to purify the coming year.

Philippines

You’ll find round shapes all over the Philippines on New Year’s Eve as representatives of coins to symbolize prosperity in the coming year. Many families display piles of fruit on their dining tables and some eat exactly 12 round fruits (grapes being the most common) at midnight. Many also wear polka dots for luck.

Brazil

In Brazil, as well as other Central and South America countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela, it is thought to be lucky to wear special underwear on New Year’s Eve. The most popular colors are red, thought to bring love in the New Year, and yellow, thought to bring money.

Greece

An onion is traditionally hung on the front door of homes on New Year’s Even in Greece as a symbol of rebirth in the New Year. On New Year’s Day, parents wake their children by tapping them on the head with the onion.

Have any of your own New Years’ Eve festivities or Traditions that you’d like to share? Comment below in the comments section or on our posts on social media, we’d love to hear from you!

Stay Happy. Stay Healthy. Stay Safe.

Happy New Year

Oskar, Mike and Matt

Board Games Are Making A Comeback!

2020 has not been very kind to us. We have spent three-quarters of this year battling the Coronavirus, locked up inside our houses. Months have passed, and we don’t know how long it will take for the world to come back to normalcy. These times are tough, indeed, but we have got to stay positive and make good use of this time that we have been asked to spend at our homes. We can work on ourselves and do more of what we love doing. As if that wasn’t good enough, people are also embracing their inner child by spending their time playing board games. Let’s have a look at a few board games that people are playing during this Coronavirus pandemic according to today.com!

Pandemic

Pandemic is a board game in which the players are expected to eradicate the diseases that are spreading all across the globe. Surprisingly, this is the game that received the most significant spike in its searches online during this crisis. It could be because people are finding respite in eliminating diseases and saving the world even if it is only a game. While children might not completely understand what this game is all about, Pandemic makes for a great board game for adults.

Ludo

Ludo is a board game that has been around for as long as we can remember. It was derived from the sixth-century Indian game, Pachisi, and it has managed to maintain its craze to date. Ludo is an all-time favorite pastime activity for almost all Indian households. That could be the reason why it is the third most popular mobile game worldwide, not to mention most of its players are Asian.

Monopoly

Monopoly is a board game that is loved all across Europe and Asia for all the right reasons. During the pandemic, people all across the world have proved their dedication towards Monopoly by making it the second most popular game online. The reason behind the widespread popularity of this game could be its versatility. Monopoly is available in 37 different languages after being reproduced in 103 countries.

The Game of Life

The Game of Life is a board game that was also much searched for amongst other more popular games during the Coronavirus pandemic. It interests people because it takes people through the journey of childhood to adulthood, making them experience everything between school to retirement during the game, not to forget that it is just a board game. It is often called Life instead of the full name – Game of Life.

Do you love playing these games but are looking for something different? Then stop by the Shop in South Egremont and pick up one or more of our fabulous board games and puzzles! They’re sure to keep everyone busy and entertained for hours! We’ll also be expanding our game selection after the holidays, so stop by soon!

We wish you the best this Holiday Season, and can’t wait to see you all in the new year!

Best,

Oskar, Mike and Matt

Cooking! Bolognese Recipe

                I, like most of you, I’m sure, have been doing a lot of cooking these past few weeks. Thanksgiving was a blast only having to cook for three people, and planning Christmas dinner will be just as much of a blast. But, now that its cold, I’ve been doing sooo much low and slow cooking and I thought I’d share my and my boyfriend’s favorite: Bolognese Sauce. It takes forever to make, but it is more than worth it!

Ingredients:

1 pound of Ground Beef, 1 Pound Ground Pork

1 pound of thick cut bacon (diced)

2 med. Carrots (grated)

1 lrg. sweet onion (grated)

2-3 stalks of celery (grated)

4 cloves of garlic (crushed and peeled)

Sm. Can of tomato paste

A Parmesan rind

1 12 oz. can of chicken stock

2 cups of dry white wine

2 cups of whole milk

4 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg or cinnamon

1 tbsp of red pepper flakes

In a large dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot, brown both the beef and pork. Drain and then set aside. Next add the one pound of diced bacon until crispy and all of the fat is rendered. KEEP THE BACON FAT IN THE PAN, but set aside the bacon with the beef and pork. Next, add all of your grated carrots, onion, and celery to the fat and sweat the veggies until no liquid remains, lightly browning them. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the can of tomato paste and cook out for one minute. Add wine, cook out, add chicken stock and then bring it to a boil. Add milk, parmesan rind and herbs. Bring to boil. Add meat to pot and cook on stovetop on low for 3 hours. If you want to get the most flavor for all of the work you’ve just done, set your oven to 250 degrees and braise up to 8 hours, covered. To finish, add butter and salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too thick for your liking add a bit of the pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. Enjoy!

New Blog: What We're Doing to Pass Time

                We know that for the past few months we’ve mostly been writing about events and how to plan them around the current worldwide pandemic; but we thought that for the next few weeks we would lighten up the mood and switch things up a bit. For the foreseeable future we’ll try to tie in what we’ve been doing to pass the time and entertain ourselves. Reviews of new television shows, the best telecasts and radio programs, and todays topic, the best operas available to the public on a day to day basis.

                I’m sure that to most of you, opera just sounds like a bore. Overweight men and women on a stage screaming into each-others’ faces while wearing horned helmets. BUT, I’m here to tell you differently. Recently Opera Houses from around the world have begun to change the way that opera is presented. The sets stun audiences, the singers are getting better and better looking and sounding by the year, and the story lines are so dramatic that it puts your favorite Soaps to shame! All of this AND it’s wrapped up in the most glorious music ever written!

                Since the emergence of the pandemic in March, many opera houses have started to release televised productions of some of their best performances. The best and most easily accessible is from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Every night the company shows a past production on their website for free! Most of the screenings are from the past decade, however they do find some performances from the past starring some of the greatest stars in classical music ie. Luciano Pavarotti, Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballé just to name a few. The Met employs some of the greatest technical artists as well. Directors from Broadway, film and television have come to try their hand at producing an opera, some great, some…. questionable. But that can be the best part! Throughout the last 8 months multiple productions have been shown of the same opera, so you’re able to judge which director you liked best, which singer you liked best, and which staging was your favorite.

                It’s also incredibly satisfying to watch because, to be a singer, musician, costume designer, set designer, prop guy, or even a coat checker at the Met, you have to be the best in the world. In the world. The opera is the very pinnacle of human ability and creation. It’s not every day that you find yourself in the presence of total mastery, all tightly packaged just for you. It’s a very moving experience, and I’ve cried more times at the opera than I care to admit. So, give it a chance! If my ramblings haven’t convinced you, I’m sure that actually seeing for yourself, will!

Engagement Season: What to know if you are ready to "pop the question!"

Well, its that time of year again! Engagement Season! According to www.instoremag.com, approximately 1/3 or 40% of all engagements happen in late November through the month of December and through Valentine’s Day. This time period is associated with engagements because of the romantic nature of the season and convenience. Suitors likely choose December to pop the question because they love the spirit of the holiday season. And, obviously, there’s no better time to propose than when all the family is in town to celebrate with the newly engaged couple. So, if you’re planning on popping the question this season, consider the following:

Take Some Time For Yourselves!

This is such a pure, happy moment in your life, and the beginning of a new, exciting chapter, and once you share it with the world you will have no peace. You will receive a barrage of emails and texts and phone calls that will be happy, loving and meaningful, but are also overwhelming and at times stressful. When people constantly ask you questions you may not know the answers to or are giving you unsolicited advice about what they think you should do or how you should do it, it will make you miss the brief time this moment was simply yours. So, we highly recommend pressing pause, and keeping this between the two of you, your immediate family and maybe a couple of your very closest friends for a few days, even a week or two! If you're up for it, use the extended time to collect your thoughts and think about what you want for your wedding, like maybe what month you'd like it to be, or where you may want to get married if you have no idea. Relax into it. Don’t just jump head first into planning. This is a big, important time for both of you, so take it slow and enjoy!

Look Into Hiring A Planner.

If you decide to do a proper celebration for your wedding, hire a planner. Plain and simple. There is no exaggeration when they say that there are so many details that go into planning a wedding. Large or small, it can be A LOT for someone whose never planned a large event before. Hiring a planner, like Only In My Dreams Events, gives you the peace of mind that you need, so you know you’ll enjoy your big day, not worry about a single thing, and be present. Planners do not come cheap, whether you simply need a coordinator for the wedding day or a full-time planner, but if you're going to pay for a proper wedding, paying for your peace of mind is money well spent.

Packs with a Purpose: Raising Money and Awareness, One Pack at a Time

     As some of you may have seen, we have partnered with several Berkshire County Non-Profits to create their own packs to help raise money. We call them “Packs with a Purpose.” We collaborate with each Non-Profit, source relevant mission/ constituent driven products from small, local businesses and then list the packs on our website and display them at The Shop. With each sale made, we donate a portion of the proceeds to the Non-Profit.

     To date we have launched four incredible “Packs with a Purpose”. The first collaboration was with BRIDGE and produced the “RESTORATIVE JUSTICE” Pack. This Pack inspired us to continue working with other Non-Profits in the same way - special thanks and shout out to Gwendolyn Hampton-VanSant and the BRIDGE crew for helping create such a fun and worthwhile program. We have also worked with the Berkshire Immigrant Center to create the “INSPRIRED BY IMMIGRANTS” Pack, with BerkShares. Inc. to create the “KEEPING IT LOCAL” Pack, and with Berkshire Theatre Group to create the “KEEPING THEATRE ALIVE” Pack.

We have many other Packs in the works that we hope to launch soon! If you are involved with an organization who would like to discuss a Pack of your own to help raise funds for your favorite local Non-Profit, please reach out to us and we can discuss our options. What we love most about this program is that we a local business, purchase local products from Berkshire producers, and also raise funds for local Non-Profits. Talk about a win, win, win! Giving back to our local businesses and Non-Profits is at the core of our business as one can see through our many sponsorships and programs.

We are so excited to have our first four Packs available on our website under Packs with a Purpose (Restorative Justice Berkshire Pack - To Support BRIDGE — Only in My Dreams Events) and at The Shop in South Egremont. Please consider purchasing one of these packs so that we can help local businesses and Non-Profits in the Berkshires!

Thanksgiving 2020: What to Expect

                Let’s face it: this Thanksgiving and general holiday season is going to look very different for most of us. Groups will certainly be smaller; travel will be kept to a minimum and some of our most beloved older family members will not be able to join us. But there are some safe and fun ways of celebrating Thanksgiving that can still be inclusive (as inclusive as you want to be) and exciting!

1)            If you do plan on traveling to local family’s homes for the holiday, do your research first. Are they in a safe town with a small population? If yes, then it may be safe to head to Aunt Sandy’s. But if you aren’t so sure, using an online tool like Covid Act Now to evaluate your destination may be your best bet. This tool takes a comprehensive look at the risk level in different states by weighing factors like daily new cases, infection rate, and hospital capacity. You can also zoom in on the county level to check out the infection spread in a certain area. The more research you do, the more likely you are to be healthy, happy and safe this holiday season.

 2)           Make a plan with the attendees of your festivities to be as safe as possible 2 weeks before hand, and get tested 3 days before arrival. If you’re negative, you’re safe to attend! However, continue to practice social distancing and wear a mask whenever you aren’t eating or taking a drink.

3)            If you decide to move forward with an in-person Thanksgiving, be mindful of how many guests will be present. This isn’t the year to host an extended family reunion or invite 20 of your closest friends with plus-ones. Keeping your gathering small [under 10 people] and maintaining physical distance from each other is important. Also, consider throwing a Thanksgiving picnic or outdoor buffet. This lessens the chance of getting the virus even more!

4)            If all of the above sounds like a lot of work, you’re right—it takes a ton of effort, and following all these tips won’t completely eliminate your chances of getting or spreading the virus. Even with these precautions, there will still be risks. Based on what we’ve seen from summer holiday gatherings, we’re sadly expecting to see an increase in cases over the winter holidays.

Stay flexible as you plan for Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season, and keep an eye on those local statistics. The safest option is still going to be avoiding in-person gatherings outside of your immediate family, Virtual holiday parties and events are by far the safest approach—and the best approach if you’re high-risk. Plus, you’ll still be able to see almost everyone that you normally would, and your family can have some sort of normalcy this way.

Customizing Packs for the Greater Berkshire Market

As some of you may already know, Only In My Dreams Events can create customized Paraphernalia Packs, tailored to your exact desires! If you have the time and the money, OIMDE has the creativity to make your pack dreams into a reality! Recently, we’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing cultural institutions in the Berkshires to make special packs for guests at their galas; these packs are a great way to say thank you and will remind them about just how enjoyable their experience was.

So recently we’ve started thinking about other ways to get our packs out into the larger local market, and we’d love to hear what people, especially business folk think about these ideas:

1)      Organizations can create custom packs as a fundraiser. We will design, curate and sell the boxes on our site at the cost of the organization and then donate a percentage of the proceeds to the cause of their choice. This way, both teams are recognized and both have income.

2)      We can work with businesses to create thank you gifts for clients and companies that they work with for special occasions or holidays!

3)      Real Estate agents could work with us to build Berkshire themed gift packs to send to their buyers to welcome them to the area and congratulate them on their new big purchase! Agents can also do the same for high level rental clients!

4)      We’d love to work with our brides and grooms to customize gift packs and gift bags for each person in your wedding party! We know that each member was chosen for a reason, so each member should receive something special.

5)      Hotels could create room package deals where, for a certain amount per night each room could be fitted out with a custom gift pack; each with a different theme depending on what the hotel requests.

Can you think of any other creative ways to market our packs? If so, feel free to email us at info@onlyinmydreamsevents.com with your name, contact info and idea! We’d love to chat. Have a great week everyone! See you next Monday in the blogosphere!

How to Celebrate Halloween with Covid-19

With Covid-19 our new normal, this years Trick-Or-Treating is going to look quite a bit different. The prospects were looking grim: no close interactions with friends and neighbors and no going from house to house, but some people have come up with safe ways around these restrictions!

In order to keep some normalcy this year, people are rigging up chutes made of PVC from their front doors to the street so children can safely obtain candy from neighbors; firefighters and police officers are taking candy donations and are going from neighborhood to neighborhood, to deliver bundles of candy to socially distanced groups of kids, and cities and towns are considering extending trick-or-treating hours to avoid large groups of kids and their families.  And what better reason is there to wear a mask than Halloween?!

But what if you aren’t feeling very good about going out of the house this year to celebrate? Turn trick-or-treat into a scavenger hunt around the house, or even out in the backyard! This makes receiving candy more fun for the kids, while also getting them outside and breathing in fresh air. Or too make it even easier for yourselves, order candy online to have shipped to your home! In fact, we here at Only In My Dreams Events are offering 10% off of the Berkshire Halloween Pack to everyone that reads this blog! The pack includes, a Halloween face mask, chocolates from Chocolate Springs and H.R. Zepplein, and a Pumpkin Spice candle by Shire Fire Candles and a pack of matches! All of this could be yours for $36 plus shipping. Support local businesses this year and give the Halloween Pack a shot!

Check out the link below!

https://www.onlyinmydreamsevents.com/boxes/az6eld3efn66djxu9u6gjf9qdls5hx

LGBTQ Rights are at stake... Here's why and here's what we do for our community

Five years have passed since Obergefell v. Hodges, making same-sex marriage the law of the land. However, there is some resistance to the idea of changing the traditional family standard, and we still see negativity towards equal marriage. The road to equal marriage has been a challenging one but today everyone can get married and has the same rights. However, we’ve recently taken notice to the idea that LGBTQ rights may be at risk yet again thanks to a possible SCOTUS nomination by our favorite president (JOKING). So, as an LGBTQ owned and operated business that regularly contributes to our chosen families in the Berkshire region, we thought that part of this week’s blog should include a slice of history when it comes to our rights.

History:

One positive thing is that the country has changed since the first attempt to get recognition from the law in 1972, with Loving vs. Virginia. When the Supreme Court dismissed the claim because of the idea that people of the same sex might have a constitutional right to get married, was absurd, to say the least. Maryland followed and decided to ban gay marriage in 1973 after the court ruling, multiple attempts from gay couples to get marriage licenses happened. In the late 1980s, activists debated whether marriage rights should be at the forefront of the broader campaign for LGBT equality. In 1993, the Supreme Court in Hawaii ruled that denying same-sex marriage violated the Constitution, and then in 1996, a judge in Hawaii defended the right of same-sex marriage. Why? Because not doing so contradicts the 14th Amendment. Then, President Bill Clinton signed the federal Defense of Marriage Act in 1998, this law defined marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman, for the purpose of excluding same-sex couples from the institution of marriage.

Then in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the Nation to legalize same sex marriage. The city of San Francisco began marrying same-sex couples in an open challenge to California’s law, and New Mexico begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as their law did not mention gender. Portland, Oregon also begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. And, in 2015, the Supreme Court issued the landmark decision that stands today, where everyone can get married without discrimination. As former Supreme Court Justice, Anthony Kennedy declared:

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed. It is so ordered."

At Only In My Dreams Events we recognize how important LGBTQ rights are, and we realize how much joy and happiness our community has brought to the Berkshires and the US at large. Every year we donate to local causes that support LGBTQ youth. We put on a huge dance party and drag pageant at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. And we even opened a shop that features a wide variety of gay pride paraphernalia! We know how important these rights are. We see them and feel them every day. We hope that, if this nomination holds and we see a new justice appointed, that our rights won’t be at risk… We will do everything that we can to keep marriage equality and Gay Rights apart of the US constitution, and we hope that you all will do the same. Thank you.

Shopping Local

     As we’ve seen time and time again in 2020, small businesses are struggling. So, this year, we as a company have decided to make a pledge to shop locally for the holiday season! There are plenty of Ma and Pa shops, restaurants, museums and more that would love to help you out with gifts for family and friends! Here are a few rewarding reasons to shop local this year:

1)      You’ll find your shopping experience to be more personal and hand tailored! Because the employees of smaller, local businesses are likely to be personally invested in the products or services they are selling, they are more likely to go the extra mile for their customers. This makes the customer service (usually) stellar, you’ll get a better understanding of what you’re buying, and because of the size of the business you’ll have the opportunity to customize your purchases. People are going out of their way this year to make their customers happy.

2)      Shopping locally creates more jobs. Small local businesses are the largest employers nationally. In fact, since the 1970s, more than 65% of new jobs have come from the rise in small business. Not only do small businesses employ more people directly per dollar of revenue, they’re also the customers of local businesses themselves.

3)      Shopping locally reduces the environmental impact. Transportation is a big reason to shop local. Because local businesses make more local purchases, less transportation is required. In turn, you’re contributing less to pollution, traffic congestion, and resource depletion. So, you and the shop can stay around longer!

4)      Gifts from local shops are usually unique and exclusive to those small businesses. Often times the production of small-batch products involves the use of techniques, processes, and ingredients that might not be seen as “cost-efficient” in mass production. When you shop at local businesses, you’re likely be getting something that’s unique and exclusive.

So, with those reasons in mind, one gifting idea is to think of buying gift cards for friends and family to local restaurants, farms, museums, liquor stores, craft stores etcetera! It’ll help the local economy boom and keep your hometowns alive and well.

Another gift giving idea that would also help you shop, and support local businesses would be to create gift baskets or gift boxes! Make a list of some of your favorite shops and go from place to place shopping for items that fit the person your buying for! It’s simple, it’s personal, it shows that you put thought and care into their gift, and it’s giving back to your community.

And while we understand that you want to make your gifts as special and perfect as possible, you may not have the time, money, or way to get from shop to shop. So, another option could be to look at businesses like Only In My Dreams Events, who create gift packs stocked with locally made products, ready to be shipped anywhere in the world! This way you’re supporting a small business that also loves to support other local businesses. We also can customize packs! Just tell us what you’d like, and we can make it happen!

Your local shops are depending on your patronage to stay open and continue to contribute to your local economy. Please consider shopping local this holiday season!

What to Include on a Wedding Invitation

When putting together a wedding invitation, we automatically include time, date, location, and maybe about some of the wedding party; But when it comes to weddings there are a few more pieces of information that you really need to communicate to your guests:

1)      Be sure to include the names of the hosts of the wedding Your main invitation card should open with what’s called an “invitational line” which lists the names of the hosts. This is followed by a “request line,” such as “Request the Pleasure of Your Company,” “Invite You to Celebrate the Marriage of,” or, if the ceremony is taking place in a place of worship, “Request the Honor of Your Presence.” If the couple is hosting themselves, simply move the request line to directly below the couple’s names.

2)      Attire Details Details on attire are important. If your event is formal, black-tie might be something that you would include on your invite. Other dress codes might include Casual Attire, Semiformal Attire, Black Tie Optional, or White Tie. It’s important for people to know what to wear to avoid embarrassment. You wouldn’t want to show up in a suit and tie, when everyone else is in jeans and a t-shirt.

3)      An RSVP Deadline Your guests truly need to know when to RSVP by, and giving a final date is the best way to do that. The final number of guests is very important in terms of your weddings budget!

4)      *Optional* Including a Wedding Website It’s becoming more and more common for brides and grooms to have a website that guests can access with a e-copy of all of the information that they need to know for the big day. This site can also link to your registry, information on the venues, what there is to do in the area, and a link to the best hotels to use!

5)      Reception Location Your wedding guests should not have to automatically assume that there is a reception following the ceremony. Therefore, make this clear on the invitation and provide, at minimum, the name of the venue. Or, if the ceremony and reception are taking place at the same location, simply include a line like “Reception to Follow,” “Celebration to Follow,” or “Dinner and Dancing to Follow.”

6)      Return Address and Stamped RSVP Cards It seems obvious, but it’s largely overlooked to include your return address on your RSVP cards. How will people be able to respond if they don’t have an address to return to? It’s also, a thoughtful and classy touch to include a pre-stamped RSVP card to all guests. This just makes everything easier!