Why the table still matters. Even when life feels overwhelming.
There is something deeply human about gathering — not the event, not the logistics, but the intention behind it.
A table is never just a table. It is a declaration that people matter. That their presence is welcome. That what they bring — stories, exhaustion, hope — deserves room.
In the nonprofit world, where many women serve endlessly and often invisibly, gathering becomes more than hospitality. It becomes leadership.
Because when you gather people intentionally, you’re saying: • I see you. • You don’t have to shrink here. • Your presence has value. • We can breathe together, even for a moment.
When I prepare for a conversation — whether I am setting my dining table for guests or settling into my home office to support nonprofit leaders — I begin the same way: by shaping the atmosphere. I light MBW No. Five, with its grounding magnolia warmth, or MBW No. 20, with its bouquet of roses, lilies, and hyacinth. Each carries its own kind of welcome. To ensure the scent lingers, a spritz of MBS Adrienne provides the perfect finishing touch.
These gestures are small, but they speak loudly: This moment matters. You matter.
Candles are never the only actors in the room. I place roses at the center of the table, a magnolia branch nearby, and allow the space to hold a softness that encourages people to exhale. None of it is decoration. It is intention — made visible and felt. Please click hereto learn how you can experience MBW No. Five and MBW No. 20.
Leadership begins long before we speak. Often, it begins the moment we make room for others — and for ourselves.
May we continue to gather with purpose — and lead with presence.
The holiday season invites us to gather, celebrate, and create memories that linger long after the festivities end. Whether it’s a cozy dinner party or a dazzling gala, the magic lies in the details that bring your vision to life. From thoughtful planning to inspired design, every element works together to craft an unforgettable experience.
In this post, we’ll explore how to bring your holiday celebrations to life, from finding inspiration in floral design to setting a stunning table, curating menus that delight, and elevating your event with decadent desserts and festive drinks. No matter the size of your gathering, these ideas will help you celebrate with style and creativity.
To dive deeper into the topics covered in today’s post, please visit our Pinterest board, where curated sections have been organized for your convenience.
Every unforgettable celebration starts with a solid foundation. To help you set the stage for a truly memorable gathering, here are my top five tips for event success, designed to ensure your holiday festivities are as seamless as they are spectacular.
Monique’s Five Tips for Event Success
Start with a Vision Every unforgettable event begins with a clear vision. Define the atmosphere you want to create—festive, elegant, or cozy—and ensure every decision reflects this theme. Think about how lighting, music, and décor can work together to set the tone and bring your vision to life.
Curate Guest Experiences Delight your guests with thoughtful, interactive touches that make your event memorable. Consider holiday-inspired photo frames, personalized keepsakes, or a signature cocktail station that adds a festive and fun element to the celebration. These details create lasting impressions.
Feature Vendors You Admire Hosting doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. Collaborate with trusted vendors—talented florists, musicians, and caterers—who can help you bring your event to life. Not only will this guarantee professional results, but it will also give you the freedom to enjoy your own celebration as a guest.
Streamline Communication Clear communication is key to a smooth event. Send detailed invitations well in advance, including essential information like dress code, agenda, and venue directions. For an environmentally-friendly and elegant choice, try Greenvelope, a digital invitation platform that combines convenience with style.
End with Gratitude Leave a lasting impression by showing your appreciation. Whether it’s a handwritten thank-you note, a holiday card, or a small gift, a thoughtful gesture of gratitude ensures your guests feel valued and helps make the celebration unforgettable.
Finding Inspiration in Floral Design
Creating an unforgettable experience often starts with flowers. Floral designers have a unique ability to transform spaces and evoke emotion.
This year, I had the privilege of witnessing Rachel Cho Floral Designs‘ artistry firsthand during the AFUWI Annual Gala. Her refined and elegant arrangements brought the event to life, making every detail simply unforgettable.
Another creative whose work inspires me is Raul Avila, renowned for his bold, transformative floral designs, like those seen at the iconic Met Gala. His artistry continually raises the bar for creativity and luxury.
Flowers can help set the stage for a memorable event, but the magic of a holiday gathering truly comes alive when your dining table is thoughtfully curated. From rich textures to ambient lighting, every element creates a welcoming atmosphere.
For the record, I’m a traditionalist at heart. That said, there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to showcase your personal style. Building on timeless traditions, here are four tips to inspire your holiday table settings:
Layered Elegance: This year, embrace rich jewel tones. Start with a dramatic hunter-green or burgundy velvet tablecloth as your base and layer with luxurious gold accents, utensils or charger plates. Textures like velvet and shimmer add depth and visual interest.
Seasonal Blooms: Bring the season’s natural beauty indoors with crimson amaryllis, ruby red berries, and lush evergreen sprigs.
Mixed Metals: Pair gold and silver accents to add modern sophistication. From gilded chargers to shimmering candlesticks, the interplay of metals adds sparkle and elegance.
Lighting Enhancements: Layer candlelight with reflective elements to create an ethereal ambiance. Mirrored trays or glass prisms double the brilliance of flickering flames.
To help bring these ideas to life, I’ve curated a special Holiday Tabletop Inspiration Board on Pinterest, filled with elegant table settings, stunning floral designs, and festive décor ideas.
A Feast for the Senses: Sample Holiday Menus
With your table beautifully set, it’s time to craft a meal that transforms your gathering into an unforgettable celebration. I have provided sample menu ideas below.
For an expanded view of these and other suggestions, visit our Holiday Menu: Entrees and Sides Board on Pinterest. It’s filled with ideas to delight every palate.
The Festive Feast:
Entrée: Standing Rib Roast of Beef Sides: Classic Potato au Gratin, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
A Harvest Holiday:
Entrée: Roasted Cornish Hens with Herb Butter Sides: Wild Rice Pilaf with Pecans and Dried Cherries, Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling
Every celebration deserves a touch of sweetness to leave a lasting impression. A beautifully arranged dessert table not only satisfies cravings but also adds a touch of charm and creativity to your gathering. From bite-sized delicacies to rich, indulgent cakes, these treats ensure a memorable conclusion to your holiday festivities.
Looking for dessert inspiration? My Holiday Dessert Idea Board on Pinterest offers a variety of sweet treats perfect for any gathering.
Bite-Sized: Mini fruit tarts, chocolate truffles, macarons. Fruit: A festive bowl of pomegranates, grapes, and sliced pears. Cheese: A variety of cheeses with accompaniments (crackers, honey, fruit). Cake: Spiced pear cake or gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting. Chocolate: Rich chocolate lava cake or flourless chocolate torte. Sorbet: Cranberry sorbet or blood orange sorbet. Coffee & Tea Station: A thoughtful conclusion for guests to linger and enjoy.
Champagne Wishes: A Festive Bar
No holiday celebration is finished without a touch of sparkle. A well-curated Champagne bar adds an air of sophistication and joy to any gathering, inviting guests to raise their glasses in style.
Whether you’re toasting the season with classic Champagne or adding a modern twist with Prosecco, here are a few delightful selections to elevate your holiday festivities.
For festive drink ideas, check out my Holiday Champagne & Wine Board on Pinterest. It’s filled with bubbly and wine pairings to elevate your celebrations.
Creating a holiday event involves blending style, simplicity, and a personal touch. Whether it’s an intimate dinner or a grand gathering, I hope these ideas inspire your creativity and help you craft a truly unforgettable celebration.
Welcome to the Positioning Your Organization to Host 7-Figure Events™. I created this series to serve as a resource for non-profit leaders looking to host their first special event fundraiser, or reinvigorate a dormant event, but are overwhelmed by the steps involved.
In my earlier article, I discussed Ways to Involve Donors When Making the Case For Support, which can be accessed via this link.As you and your team work to implement sustainable fundraising strategies, one of the most rewarding moments is when a corporate chairman or CEO agrees to be honored.
Collaborating with an industry leader who recognizes the importance of strategically positioning your organization in the philanthropic marketplace can greatly impact your fundraising success. As your team prepares to take action, remember that corporate honorees must carefully align your organization’s needs with their broader social responsibility objectives.
Today, I am pleased to share some insights to consider when Collaborating with Honorees on your signature fundraising event.
1. Corporate honorees have influence but do not have an open checkbook. The good news is you are working with proven leaders. Once they have a clear understanding of your needs and commit to the fundraising campaign, you will receive great support.
2. Corporate support may take many forms.“Do you make it easy for others to support your work? When seeking corporate support, consider offering options like a one-time lead gift to fund a specific program area, a multi-year commitment to launch a new initiative, or a one-time lead gift to support your event paired with a pledge to secure extra funding through their network. Presenting clear and flexible opportunities can help potential corporate partners align their contributions with your organization’s goals.
3. Corporate honorees are careful with their investments. CEOs take pride in knowing their resources (time, money, key personnel) add value to your organization’s bottom line. At the same time, they take comfort in knowing your team will take an active role in fundraising efforts.
4. Corporate communication generally takes place via a member of their executive team. Traditionally, this person will be a senior-level manager designated to help you and update the honoree. Please honor and work within this structure.
5. Business etiquette goes a long way.Your organization contact should have great interpersonal skills and be capable of communicate with business leaders with professionalism and tact.This will help build a lasting relationship long after the event is over.
Additionally to generating essential funds for your organization, high-level events offer an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships for future collaboration. While the process involves many steps, implementing the right strategies will allow you to plan with precision and execute with excellence.
If I can support your efforts please contact me at Monique@Eventstrategies4success.com.
Blooming champagne cocktail via mollyann-m-blogspot.com
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
As you know, my recent posts have focused on tips for seasoned planners and novices. However, as we prepare to welcome 2015, I would like to offer a toast to you, for a fabulous (and prosperous) New Year.
While making plans to receive family and friends tonight’s New Year’s Eve gathering, I found myself referring to this visual “storyboard” for elegant, yet simple, entertaining ideas. Today, I would like to share my ideas with you, in the same spirit of generosity that you have extended to me. So here’s a toast to you my friends.
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship,
but never in want.
When speaking with my fellow special event planners, we frequently comment on how this profession has grown.
One decade ago, events were fairly predictable. At certain points during the calendar year, plans for an organization’s traditional event season would begin. Conversations would focus on upcoming board meetings, annual convention(s) or trade show(s), employee appreciation events and business meetings. In-house event planning teams, and the consultants engaged to provide assistance, would move at a fast pace to keep up with the various projects.
Today the landscape has expanded to include events that are more complex and require greater planning, such as: corporate galas and non-profit fundraising dinners, naming opportunities, client and donor cultivation events, product launches and travel incentive programs. For some professionals, the additional activity can be most exciting. However, for professionals who do not have the resources to lighten the workload, the additional tasks can be most stressful.
Yet, in the midst of this excitement, every event planner must obtain the answers to 3 very important questions.
1. What are your organization’s event objectives?
In other words, why are you hosting this event?
Are you looking to raise awareness for your organization and brand?
Are you looking to raise much-needed funds for your organization’s mission and programs?
Are you looking to engage new donors and reconnect with former donors?
Are you comfortable with your immediate and short-term goals?
Are you clear on what success and failure looks like for your organization at this point in our history?
2. Can your organization afford to host this event?
Do you have the money required to achieve the results that you want?
Will your budget allow you to reflect the image you are trying to project?
Would you consider enlisting sponsors for your event?
If so, have you formed any strategic alliances that we can approach?
3. What is your vision for this event?
Have you given thought to the different elements of the event?
What items are on your “must-have” list?
Do you have a specific location in mind?
What mood are you trying to create?
What feelings are you trying to capture?
We will explore these questions more fully in future posts. As you begin to contemplate your next event, I wanted to start the discussion with these 3 key questions. If taken seriously, the answers will inform your business discussions for weeks to come.
Sending you good wishes.
Monique
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Credits: Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide to Successful Meetings, Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences and Conventions, Incentives and Other Special Events by Judy Allen.
I invite you to join me on a journey into the world of special events. When I am not planning events, I am writing — or contemplating what to write — so I thought why not create a vehicle that anyone can have access to?
I am so excited to share my experiences with you in this medium. If you have ever been curious to learn what special events planners really do for a living, you have come to the right place. I often hear “oh, you plan parties?” “That’s not a real job”.
American Folk Art Museum @Rina Root
If your background happens to be in the event planning world, I know that you will agree that what our guests see is one important part of a very big picture. Planning events, particularly fundraising events, is extremely demanding and quite painstaking.
As with every profession there are days when I feel as if I am sitting on top of the world. However, that feeling comes at the end of the process, not during the planning and execution stages. Throughout my 20+ years in this business, I have come to regard my profession as one of the most comprehensive executive training programs I have ever participated in.
Interesting in learning more about the event strategies required for success? If the answer is yes, I invite you to join me for an overview of what to expect. I will also share candid anecdotes so that novices and seasoned professionals can take comfort in knowing that someone out there really does get it, knows what really goes on behind the scenes and appreciates the sacrifices that are made. It is not all glitz and glam. But, as we all know, a true investment cannot be measured with a paycheck. However once the feeling of exhaustion has waned — and if everything went as planned — the memories you are left with are priceless.
