New Year 2017

Yolandi and Myself wish you a wonderful and prosperous New Year - 2017. Our prayer is that every dream you have in your personal life and your business will come to pass! Enjoy what is laying ahead and learn from what is in the past! 

Marieta Greyling, Jacques Greyling, Yolandi Greyling

ECTA Creative International/Imagine Events/Elect Effect

Draping and decor course: Design principle in draping and decor.

UNITY in Draping and decor

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

Today we are going to look into the design principle of Unity and how we can use it in Decor and Draping. It is important to now that you do not have to be a person with an degree to be able to figure out how to use design principles in event decor.

According to Dawn from Revel and Glitter blog: "By no means am I an expert with years of design under my belt.  But as you work on more events, you start getting ‘the eye’…something doesn’t look right, something’s missing…and you’ll keep playing around until you get what feels right to you." This is so true... Most of the time something just looks right ...and the further you go in decor the more easier you will see something is right or wrong.

Two examples from Revel and Glitter blog: 

"This pretty cheese table from The Pretty Blog shows that just using the same color of serveware can pull a table together quickly…white serveware makes your food look amazing…cough, cough.  Keeping it simple with clear glass that continues to showcase its contents is the perfect look."

"Real Simple’s repetitive party table keeps the stripes theme going throughout all the party items; everything is kept grounded by the tablecloth."

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts…a cohesion between all the elements.   Basically, you are using the other principles of design together and just about every party set up is unified…either through color, shape, pattern, theme (like dragons or a tea party), scale…well you get my point.

Lets look at a few photo's and discuss why it is in Unity or why we would say it is not in Unity.

This photo is a brilliant example of unity. The fact that the wedding designer used the earthy wood and soft apricot color together and  the fact that those two elements where repeated cause the harmony of this candy table. They also used symetry and balance in this table. If you draw a line in the middel from top to bottom each side is exactly the same as the other side. Immediately you will get a feeling that "this table looks rigth" as Dawn would have said.

In this photograph the backdrop of the wedding table and the table decor itself is forming a unity because of the fact that the gold in the chairs picks up the gold in the frame and the gold of the decor on the table. So we can say that they created unity by repetion.

In a setting like this - all natural it will be easy to wonder how on earth can I create unity in a barn. It is easy... Keep to the rustic natural look and feel of the barn. I they decided to use a fabric backdrop in this venue it would have stand out as an element on its own. It would not have formed unity. The fact that they used green leaves for the backdrop have immediately formed a unity for the bride. So we can say again: they have created unity by repetition.

The photo above and below is one of the most easiest ways to create unity. Unity by the repetitive use of the right color. It is also unity by simmetry and balance.

The most difficult style there is to create unity in is the Bohemian style. Most people that will try to create a bohemian atmosfere will create a disordered, muddled, chaotic space. Yes, to create a Bohemian space you will used items that will not look the same and will not be the same texture etc.

The biggest thing to remember when you want to get unity in a bohemian space is to keep the colors the same. So..if you want to bring in musterd yellow..make sure that all yellow you use will be the exact shade of mustard yellow. In such a way you will be able to get a Bohemian unity and harmony.

Please go and read the series of articles from Revel and Glitters - it is very informative. http://revelandglitter.com/2013/04/tuesday-tip-elements-of-design-in-party-decor-unity/#.UxZDYnlN0YU

Photo credits

Pinterest

Draping course - Movement in Draping

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

Movement in Draping

No, we aren’t talking about physical movement of your party table (although if you can wing that, please invite me, because that would be awesome!), but the natural way your eye is pulled to move along certain elements.  Every time a banner is hung, either across a table or hung above, there is the literal line of the banner to follow.

According to the blog Revel and Glitter - "The paper chains in this darling table from The Caketress tell you in no uncertain terms, check out this pinwheel.  This is the easiest way to show movement, but there are a few more subtle ways to demonstrate it."

"Another way of linear movement, using materials that literally show direction. Anything with stripes, be it chevron, zebra, or regular stripes like this fun showroom featured on Felt & Wire guides your eyes all around the room"

Now the question is how can we use Movement in draping and venue decor? 

The draping up the stair is a good example of movement with draping. When you look at not only the stairs but to the draping as well - your eyes move to the top where the bride will make her appearance.

These 4 photo's above show us clearly how either a carpet, flowers or draping can move the eye to the main focus area. In this case the gazebo or arch where the bride and groom will get married.

These swags on the backdrop is also a example of movement in draping. The swags in the draping lead your eyes all over the backdrop and you can then create a centre where the bridal couple is going to sit in front of the draping.

This is an interesting example of movement and how to create it in wedding decor. In this above picture the bride used the benches and the flowers to create movement toward the front where the ceremony is going to take place.

Photo's from:

Pinterest

http://revelandglitter.com/2012/02/elements-of-design-in-party-decor-movement/

How to plan a beach wedding...

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

There are a few important things to keep in mind when you are planning a beach wedding… thing can go wrong very easily when you get married at a beach!

Ensure the comfort of your guests

Do you need umbrellas… or maybe a Bedouin tent for shade or even to give shelter for an unexpected rain storm? There is nothing so bad as having a wedding on the beach and the wind is blowing very strong.

A few things you can think of:

·       -   Sunscreen for your guests

·        -  Parasols for your guests

·       -   Cold water for your guests

·       -   Make sure there is easy accessible parking for the guests

·      -    I it is an evening wedding think of making a fire on the beach BUT please get permission from your local authority before making a fire on the beach.

·       -   Make sure there are toilet facilities for the guests

·      -    Make sure you say on your invite that a part of the wedding will take place on the beach so people can wear the correct clothes and shoes

Have backup!

You hope and pray for good weather but Mother Nature often has her own agenda. You have to have a backup plan if you are planning a beach wedding.

Don’t be blown away

Make sure your hair stylist knows that you will get married on the beach so they can suggest a few styles that will work well for your hair in the wind. Again… Please organise a backup for your wedding venue in case of Gale force winds.

Acoustics

Make sure that you have a professional person to do your sound because the noise of the wind and the crashing waves can cause havoc with sound.

Know your beach

Make sure you know what time is high tide and what time is low tide at the beach. Visit the site before the time during high tide – you don’t want to be caught unexpectedly by the high tide!

Service providers

Make sure the service providers knows the exact location of the beach. It is very important to have a site visit with all your service providers. Service providers must make sure that they know how long it will take to carry chairs down the mountain, they must know what food will last in the hot and windy conditions etc.

Privacy

When you decide on a spot for your wedding - try and get a place that will be semi private. You will avoid a few possible awkward

Pests

If it is an evening wedding make sure that you provide citronella candles as décor to keep the mosquitoes away. Make sure the food are covered well – seagulls are very quick to steal some food.

Permits

Before you start planning your beach wedding make sure that you get a permit from your local authority.

Restrooms

Are there restrooms close by? Make sure they are in a reasonable condition. If there are no restrooms you will have to consider renting some portable toilets.

Other

Keep in mind that you will possible have to bring in water and electricity to the beach where you want to get married. Make sure you find out from the local authorities if you may bring in a generator for your wedding. Make sure you get a waste removal company to clean up the beach after the wedding!

For more information on planning a beach wedding go to the following website:

http://www.beachwedding-guide.com/beach_wedding_planning.html

Happy eventing!

Marieta

www.ectaint.com

info@ectaint.com

+2782 441 6394
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Wedding trends for 2015 - Weightless and Timeless flowers

As discussed in previous blogs: one of the main colour schemes for 2015 will be what is called the Weightless and Timeless colour scheme. Soft blues, Soft purples and Soft greens. Do not confuse it with the rich and royal Peacock colour scheme!

For our students out there we have decided to put together a mood board on possibilities for Flower center pieces in that specific colours. These are all ideas that we've picked up from Pinterest - so if you need more ideas - go for it ... Always an excuse to play on Pinterest!

One of the very popular flowers that you will be able to use for this color scheme will be:

Green and Purple/blueHydrangeas

Delphinium

Roses

Green Daisies

Orchids

Check out our You Tube tutorials on the making of center pieces:  http://www.ectaint.com/index.php?id=13 Do you want to learn more about the art of wedding decor? Do you want to learn how to become a wedding planner and help thousands of wedding dreams come true? Do you want to learn how to do draping for weddings? Contact ECTA CREATIVE SOLUTIONS for our in class, correspondence and online courses in Draping, Weddings and Decor.

www.ectaint.com
info@ectaint.com
0824416394
We are on Whatsup!

Draping course schedule for May, June and July 2013

Join us in our next draping courses in South Africa!

Dates of our next courses in Johannesburg

Draping Foundation              20-21 + 25 May 2013                       2 evenings and 1 day

Draping Advance                  22 – 25 May 2013                             3 evenings and 1 day

Dates of our next courses in Pretoria

Kids Party Planning              11 - 13 July 2013                              3 Day classes

Draping Foundation              9 – 10 July 2013                                2 day classes

Dates of our next courses Durban

Draping Foundation              24 – 25 + 29 June 2013                   2 evenings and 1 day

Draping Advance                  26 – 29 June 2013                            3 evenings and 1 day

Draping course

Decor and Draping courses

Many people ask us why do I need to do a draping and decor course... the answer is very simple. 

* Do you want to be the best in the industry? 

* Do you want to stand out from the rest of the people in the industry?

* Would you like to learn from the experts on how to do an excellent job?

* Staying ahead in the industry - be the first one to get notified of new trends in the industry?

That is only a few reasons why you need to do our courses!

What is a concern for me is the fact that so many new course suppliers is popping up. Just this morning I saw a new FET college in Durban that is advertising a One Day course where they will teach you how to drape from tables rights through to ceilings. 

Now anyone that is in the industry knows that it is ridiculous to even think you can learn all of the skills in one day – not a chance. Yet – people falls for that illusion and go and pay for such courses.

My mother always told me that if something looks to good – it probably IS too good. I really want to encourage prospective students to start looking at the content of what these colleges offer. Is it really all that there is in the industry – to know where to put a cable tie – or is it better to go to a more advance course where they will teach you about the ins and outs of the industry – explaining to you why you need to do something – giving you real life examples – teaching you what to do and what not to do!

I always say to my students: why must you pay the price for your mistakes – if you can learn from mine?