Find or Become a Green Wedding Planner

     Green weddings are as gorgeous as "conventional weddings," but without the waste. Sustainable celebrating saves money as well as the environment! According to Green Bride Guide, "70% of engaged couples are seeking green alternatives" when planning their weddings. I fell in love with this site; everything you need to know is in one place. If you and your honey want to register sustainably, purchase eco-chic invitations or favors, or just get ideas for your own fabulous wedding, this place is for you! 
     One thing about this company that makes me want to MEOW is the sheer creativity involved. It's easy to do what everyone else does, but it takes forethought and a bit of innovation to find green options whilst planning parties sustainably. This website isn't just hawking stuff; it offers real solutions. For example, transportation. Each wedding requires getting at least the bride and groom to and from the venue. Add in attendants and family, and logistics get expensive and carbon-heavy. Green Bride Guide's blog suggests unique alternatives to make the day memorable as well as eco-friendly. Bye-bye expensive, limo. You're so overpriced and downright played out!

     Perfect for florists, aspiring planners, or current professionals seeking continuing education, Greenbrideguide.com also offers a Green Wedding Professional Certification course online. The course is led by environmental attorney and Green Bride Guide CEO Kate L. Harrison. 

In this course, you will:

• Learn the definition of a green wedding and its place in the history of the environmental movement
• Gain an understanding of the huge environmental impacts of wedding planning
• Study the importance of environmental certifications and the dangers of greenwashing (your Kitty is loving this salient point!)
• Explore eco-friendly solutions to wasteful planning practices
• Connect with companies in your area to build a reliable network of local green vendors
• Discover ten easy steps you can take to green your event planning business
• Learn techniques for incorporating the green message into your marketing

Ideas for an Alice in Wonderland Party

     I've mentioned the Pinterest, but kittens, I tell you this new social medium keeps me up all night! Blissfully insomniant over Spring Break, and staying up until the break of dawn, I can't stop! From beneath my covers with my trusty iPhone last night, I found all of these wonderful ideas. Enjoy!
     Shindigs & Soirees' Pinterest address is: http://pinterest.com/dakinikelly/kitty-s-shindigs-soirees/. You may also access my other boards from this link, but I must forewarn: they are full of horror, gore and snarkiness!

Update: It seems the photos for this post have disappeared. Please access my Pinterest (linked above) to get your Alice on! Much Love, kitty.

Inexpensive Party Decorations

     Kittens, I have discovered the Pinterest. Meow! This blog has always centered around eco-chic options that won't leave the landfills overflowing with plasticky party trash. Here are a few things I ran across today, just in time for the earliest hints of the wedding season!

Source: stylemepretty.com via Carolyn on Pinterest

Colorful streamers are an alternative to balloons, which are hard on the ecosystem after disposal (and may present allergy problems or sensory issues for some guests).

Source: karaamariee.tumblr.com via Carolyn on Pinterest

So simple, fresh and inexpensive. 

Best Alice in Wonderland Cake Ever

Source: flickr.com via John on Pinterest

     So I nabbed this off pinterest.com about three seconds after I loaded the gadabout page for the very first time. Eerily, everything that materialized on that first page was vaguely dialed-in to my channel of the Collective Conscience.
     It got curiouser and curiouser when I tried to sign up - only to be WAITLISTED! I have to wait to use this novel social networking site? Off with their heads! Now someone be a kitten and invite me so I can dispense with the waiting and get to planning and producing my next fete!

Nautical Love: More Beach Bashes and Seaside Parties

     When this blog was born three years ago, one of its inaugural posts was about nautical party themes. Despite the original page's photos being desperately out of date, the piece has remained one of our most popular. For the new year, for all you brides and pregnant mothers and graduates and cougars who need piscean-inspired parties, I give you these ideas.
Love,
kitty.

I have a thing for place card holders. These silvery sailboats would be great for showers.


Silver Sailboat Place Card Holders - $1.23
from: Beau-coup.com

A similar option, these cruise ship luggage tags can double as place cards - great for destination weddings.

Nautical Luggage Tag Favors - $6.25
from: Beau-coup.com

All of the fab nautical invitations I'm about to drop on you are from Minted.com. Click the pictures to shop. There are a couple that make me want to plan a Hawaiian destination wedding ... send your groom prospects to me, please. Meow!

3 FREE wedding invitation samples from Minted.com with code 3FREE

In case your Christmas cards and holiday newsletters didn't quite make it to the mail...

Dearest Kittens,
     It's the eve of the Eve, and perhaps you find yourself in these last stretches of the holiday season feeling remiss for not sending your correspondence. Never fear, Kitty is here with some options for late winter and early spring.
     I am one to send valentines rather than holiday cards. It gives me a chance to write a personal note to everyone and it's a nice surprise for relatives and friends to get a gorgeously retouched photo of me * and the most angelic child ever born. What a way to chase away the winter drearies!

* In this coming year, let's all make a pact not to take or post any ugly pictures. If you can't use Photoshop or do some creative cropping, then don't post that picture of yourself looking glamkitty meow meow if your BFF has some weird double chin thing going on. Take one for the team, kittens, and practice kindness when playing with photos on the Facebooks.
Love,
Kitty.


If your girls had a Ni Hao, Kai-lan holiday, why not adapt this birthday card to say thank you for all the fun gifts?

Nickelodeon Invitations & Cards from Tiny Prints

I also love this one, ambiguously titled, "Winter Wishes." Use all of your holiday pictures in a collage. These go over well with grandparents and others who can't get enough of your little darlings (please, please let your little darlings be Pugs...).

A little something for those kittens who unwrapped an engagement ring this year and will be in need of Hip, Modern, Exclusive Wedding Invitations!

Movie-Centric Holiday Ideas

     Whether you have movie fanatics on your list, or you just want to bring a touch of theatrical drama to your party this winter, I have inspirational ideas to carry you through the New Year.

     I wouldn't dare photograph the inner chaos ahem, sanctum that is my office, but I myself enjoy a life-size cutout of Luke Skywalker as I blog to you. Movie cut-outs are a must for film buffs. Why not have Santa bring one or two?

     Are you a Rotster in envy of our script supervisor's set chair while you spread out on the ground or in your car?

Movie & Film Accessories

Meow & Purr, Kittens! Kitty's Back!

Dearest Kittens,
     It has been far too long and I've been missing you. For months I have not been able to access my Google accounts because they were tangled up with the Innerspace OMnimedia Mothership, and I'm in the process of streamlining my many channels.
     I've also been making an independent feature film, Chicago Rot. With the holidays in full swing, I come to your newsfeed with all sorts of fresh new ideas for making the season green, bright and downright fantastic. Please check back soon!

Princess Kate's Dress Inspires Wedding Dress Favors

     I loved Princess Kate's dress. So beautiful, so English, so Alexander McQueen (rest his soul). With June weddings right around the corner, it's time to think of bridesmaids and shower favors and little presents tied up with ribbons. Inspired by Kate's gown this morning, here are some wedding dress favors I adore.



Tiny wedding gown candles.

'

Coordinating wedding car candles.




Perfect for a rehearsal dinner or shower!  Uniquely, these smartly designed napkins can stand up to serve as table décor! Eco-friendly napkins are made of 100% recycled tissue and are printed with FDA-approved food grade inks.





Cupcakes with a dressy trim.

Giant Props

     I'm starting to think about premiere parties and movie shindigs (did you hear your Kitty recently became a film producer?!?). The other day I stumbled upon this website selling giant things. About 20 years ago, Muffy and I were shopping in Soho and found a store called, "Think Big." They sold items like these, but their presentation was more like a gallery. I think this is great; greatbigstuff.com has everything from huge pieces of sushi to enormous guitar pics. Perfect party favors and/or decorations.

Chicago Rot Feature Film

Hello Hip Cats and Kittens,
     In the event you've been wondering why your Kitty hasn't been posting about parties so much lately, it's because I am planning the biggest event of my life. About a year ago, I got the opportunity to realize one of my fondest dreams: to make a movie. Today, the crew of Chicago Rot dropped the teaser trailer. Imagine me cutting a big, red bow and taking a bow. Please watch the trailer below, but be warned it is very gory. This is a dark film with a lot of heart, sure to become a hit with the goth set, science fiction fans, rockers, and those who love the city of Chicago.
     The link will lead you to Kickstarter, a forum for independent artists. If you want to get on board with this project, please peruse the offerings and incentives. And watch this space for further details on how to throw a wrap party, or a premiere. It's going to be one hellacious shindig after another this summer. Thank you for your support, and for reading Kitty. 

Real Soda in Glass Bottles Great for Parties

     Your Kitty recently discovered Real Soda, a brand which distributes vintage and microbrewed sodas like Frosty, Cheerwine, and my personal favorite, Rat Bastard Root Beer. With over 1400 flavors, there is surely something that will bring the extra pop to your party! These are currently sourced by Real Soda Midwest,  and may be found this spring at your local Ace Hardware or Do It Best center.
     Real Soda is only available in glass bottles, which is why Kitty loves it so much. As you kittens know, we are very dark on plastic. If a beverage stored in a plastic bottle becomes heated over 78 degrees (certainly probable in a warm car or outside on a hot day), plastic begins to leach into the drink. This not only adulterates the taste, but floods your body with icky chems you don't want to ingest!

Several funny flavors and energy drinks are available.