Fine dining, a gracious venue, spectacular décor, and superb entertainment are a few things that make an event special. Most people think giving their guests that kind of experience is well beyond their budget’s allowance but I know better.

Hello, I’m Maudie Simpson, owner of A Special Occasion Event Planners, LLC. Creativity is my passion and helping my clients afford an event that looks more expensive than it is continues to be part of the fun!

I started event planning on tight budgets from the first event I ever coordinated. I was helping my former church with their special occasions while working full time as a loan officer. As it turned out, I was not only resourceful on a tight budget but had a an eye for detail, artistic décor, and cohesive planning. Before I knew it, I was creating floral arrangements for weddings every weekend. As demand for my services grew, I left my high stress day job for the work I loved.

Today we design events of up to 500 people for weddings, parties for retirement, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, reunions and more. As a lupus survivor, I have a special place in my heart for fundraisers and non-profit organizations that make the world a better, healthier place to live. We annualy coordinate “The Pretty Party!” lupus fundraiser, the “Gospel Fest” event and a fundraiser for “the Veteran Center.” We do it all, from selecting the caterer and venue to décor and music, so all you have to do is come and enjoy the moment.

My clients receive a free consultation where I assure them that what they want doesn’t always have to exceed their financial allowance. We work together to find the best solutions that deliver maximum results with their bottom line in mind. At A Special Occasion Event Planners, LLC we have partnerships from A-Z that provide catering, entertainment, photography, and more so we can conveniently offer you a “one stop shop” experience. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the event!

Stop by our website and see for yourself that expensive taste is about creativity and passion, not a larger than life budget!

When most people think of balloon arrangements, they picture a few floating colors attached to a weight. When I imagine them, I see elegant carriages, castles, and Cowboy Pete! I’m Leilani Stendebach , certified balloon artist and owner of Event Planning by Leilani, Inc. where we design and plan weddings, trade shows, parties and supply top quality rentals.

My grandfather always told me, “You’ll have a business of your own someday but learn on someone else’s time. Get all the experience you can working for other people.” He was right. I learned the tricks of the trade working in the hotel business and for a convention decorating company before striking out on my own. I took my experience and contacts in the hotel business and got to work.

What started as a business out of my home and garage fifteen years ago is now my dream job. In 2002 I became a certified balloon artist and soon began winning awards for my ‘out of the box’ creations. As a family business, my daughter Treva also mastered this creative illusion of color, movement, and design and today artistic balloon arrangements are a large part of our business. With certified artists on call, rest assured your event will shine right on schedule.

With over 6,000 square feet of warehouse space, I have everything I need at my finger tips to make my clients the star of the show. We supply rentals and deliver gorgeous décor for events of up to 1,500 people. Whether you need pipe & drape, trade show decor, balloon decor, wedding coordination, wedding rentals or party rentals, we can deliver the kind of event that your guests will remember. Let us bring our expertise and unique creativity to your next special event!

Event Planning by Leilani, Inc.

It’s hard to improve on something as elegant and gracious as Coles Garden Wedding & Event Center. Gorgeous gardens, the beautiful architecture and convenient amenities are the features that have made it a favorite venue for so many different events for years. I’m Jenny Wood and my husband Willie and I are the new owners of Coles Garden.

We’ve updated this breathtaking property that has drawn interest from people all over the world. We were no exception. Our wedding reception was held here in 2004 and made a lasting impression. When I discovered it was on the market and knew I needed larger accommodations for my insurance office, One General Agency, I couldn’t resist the possibilities.

It was almost too good to be true. The rooms were perfect for meetings with clients and the building would offer more space for staff as well as a much more scenic view! But, it was also too beautiful not to share with people who wanted to welcome their guests to a spectacular event. I decided to host events and our agency under the same roof. The journey has been fun and exciting!

It didn’t take much to update a good thing. We added new flooring, crystal, chandeliers, lighting, spacious dressing rooms for bride and groom and little updates that put the icing on the cake. When people step into the enchanted world of Coles Garden and realize how reasonably priced our custom or prepackaged rates are, they can’t walk away!

We partnered with Deep Fork Grill to offer clients high quality and affordable catering services but clients are also permitted to bring in their own. Keeping flexibility, we also have in-house professional wedding coordinators and allow clients to bring in their own. We revived the indoor chapel so that guests can choose between an indoor wedding ceremony that captures the outdoor view or choose to recite their vows on one of our gardens. Either way, cascading waterfalls and vibrant, colorful gardens will catch your eye everywhere you turn!

Coles Garden

Believe it or not, research shows that a first impression (good or bad) is set in the first seven seconds or less! How your guests almost instantly feel about your special event will affect their entire experience and help form lasting memories. Luckily positive first impressions can actually be “staged.”

Hello, my name is Tahnya Schilke, the owner of Suddenly Simply. I am also an Accredited Staging Profession (ASP). I guess you could say I’ve been staging ever since I was a child who thoroughly enjoyed moving around furniture and household accessories.

Even then, I could sense the difference the placement made in how I and others felt.
My educational background is in special education and psychology, but I eventually realized that staging events, residences and commercial properties is what I enjoy. So, I began my staging company – Suddenly Simple.

My job (which I love) is to create space and  atmosphere for your event using my understanding of space, color and proportion with the goal of achieving the desirable affect. In simple terms, what you place and where you place objects creates an ambience that effects emotions. How do you want your guests to feel? Impressed, relaxed, inspired, excited, romantic? All these and more are the result of creative staging.

The first part of the process is my sitting down with brides, grooms and other clients, listening well and truly understanding what effect they want to achieve for their occasion or theme. When I tap into their vision, I creatively use that knowledge to choose and arrange areas such as the entry way, reception table, ceremony stage and/or the overall impact of the area, whether it’s an indoor room or an outdoor patio.

I try to primarily use what is already available, including furniture, decorations and accessories – instead of spending a great deal of the budget on additional items. I can do as little or as much as clients prefer from a single centerpiece or a “wow” table at the entrance to arranging the entire venue. Stretching the budget is a major priority.

In addition to staging events, I also use my training and talents to stage homes to make them more saleable, hotel lobbies, offices and other commercial properties.

If you’re planning a special event, don’t underestimate the power of creative staging.
Let Suddenly Simple help create the vision that will emotional impact your guests from the first seven seconds, throughout the event and forever in their memories.

Tahnya Schilke, ASP, Owner Suddenly Simple Ph: 405-436-3181 stagers@suddenly-simple.com www.Suddenly-Simple.com

A Florist with Deep Roots 

For centuries, flowers have been conveying people’s deepest emotions and setting the mood of holidays and special events. In Oklahoma City, no one’s been doing that better or longer than Howard Brothers Florist. 

Howard Brothers took root in 1908 when my grandfather, Tom Howard, started cutting flowers and creating arrangements.  In 1947, my father Roy and his brother Ray continued the family business in Capitol Hill before moving to our current location in 1987 on South Western just north of I-240 where the business truly bloomed.   

I worked part-time for my family while I was in high school and later while attending business college.  You might say the business “grew” on me and am proud to be the current Howard to own this fine company. 

Howard Brothers has a long reputation for delivering more than our customers expect. (Read More…)

So Good, We’re Scary!

Halloween is almost here!  Time for goblins and goodies, pumpkins and parties for children of all ages.  Luckily, you don’t have to go door to door to find the best costumes, decorations and party supplies.   Just visit the one place that’s been Tulsa’s Halloween, wedding and party headquarters for more than 50 years!

Boo!  My name is Floyd Hannah.  My wife Lynn and I are co-owners of Ehrles Party Supply in Tulsa.  Although we specialize in all types of seasonal, holiday and wedding  supplies, Halloween is without a doubt our busiest time of the year.

Lynn and I had gone to high school together and were both attending the University of Tulsa in 1971 when her parents asked me to help out at their party supply business for New Years.  I really enjoyed it, so after Lynn and I got married and the Ehrles decided to retire, we decided to carry on the family tradition.  It’s a wonderful way to meet fun “party people” who are a looking forward to a good time.  It’s a happy business filled with excitement and the challenge of something new each day.

At Ehrles, you’ll find the very latest, most popular and unique costumes for children and adults.  Whether you’re looking for creepy or cute, Ehrles also has all the decorations to make your Halloween Party the one that leaves them screaming for more.  Imagine surprising your guests with a giant spider that drops 3’ down at the slightest sound!  And, what would a party be without body parts hanging around? Invitations, streamers, coordinated napkins, favors, piñatas for Halloween or a seasonal fall celebration are all here at Ehrles.  More choices than you can chase a broomstick at!

Ehlres isn’t just a Halloween store.  We also have one of the largest selections of wedding supplies and accessories in the state, including beverage fountains, candelabras, silverware, dish and glassware, tables, linens, invitations, garters, photo albums…even a wood or brass archway and gazebo. 
 

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You Want It?  We’ve Got It!

Tired of catering choices that only offer a little of “this” or too much of “that?”   Ever find yourself marveling at really creative catered faire and wondering how to duplicate it for your event?   Well…search no longer because we have the right place for you! (Read More…)

 Plan on the Turnkey Solution!

Whether it’s a large, multi-function corporate meeting out-of-town or a deceptively simply local event, its overall success is the ultimate responsibility of one person who manages a myriad of details, suppliers and decisions.  Choosing the right person for the job is the most critical decision of all. (Read More…)

Make a Production of It!

Thinking about how to liven up your next event?  Tired of the same old speaker, meal, and lack-luster entertainment?  This time do something different!  It’s easier than you think to transform any special occasion into an exciting theatrical production. (Read More…)

Your Day, Your Way!

Nearly every young girl has a fabulous vision of her wedding day – a someday dream that she always treasures. Unfortunately, as the big day approaches, many brides feel they have to settle for what well-meaning family, friends or even a wedding planner advises. I believe that every bride should have the wedding she always wanted.

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