PicFlips – the mobile flipbook studio

Even the best employee-boss relationships can get trying at times.  To put a fun twist on this concept, the Todd Events team created a game for their employee party by creating a wall of balloons with Todd Fiscus’ smiling face and handing the staff darts to pop the balloons and win prizes.  “Does Todd know about this?!” I overheard one team member ask.  “Yes, it was his idea!” came the reply.

There’s a reason Todd Events is top of mind in the design and event industry when it comes to creativity.  In my opinion, anything Todd Fiscus touches turns to gold.  Check out some other pictures from the evening and enjoy the video!

We’ve had the privilege of attending many Bat Mitzvah parties with PicFlips flipbooks and have experienced some wonderful themes to the celebrations.  In my opinion, the best themes are a direct reflection of the bat mitzvah girl herself, but here is a good starting point to get your creative juices flowing:

Breakfast at Tiffany’s theme – Very classy!  Substitute the bat mitzvah girl’s name in place of Tiffany’s (example – Breakfast at Carly’s); use tiffany blue and white color scheme; decorate with diamonds and luxurious textures (Bonus: Work with the photographer to recreate the iconic black-and-white Audrey Hepburn photos with the bat mitzvah girl in Audrey’s place)

Color Schemes – #1 Monochromatic – Shades of the same color family added throughout the party – Simple yet lovely!  One of my favorite examples of this is pink – light pink linens, pops of bright pink flower centerpieces, cotton candy and pink lighting around the room adds drama.  The great thing about this theme is that no matter what shade of pink is chosen for additions to the party, they all blend in.

Color Schemes – #2 Harmonious – No particular method for choosing this color scheme – you don’t have to pull out the color wheel – just go with gorgeous colors that make you happy.  My best area for inspiration?  Wedding websites that talk about fun color combinations.   One of my favorites lately is Michelle Mospen’s My Personal Artist.  I love her inspiration boards and the section at the bottom of the page where she helps you get ideas for your own color combinations.

Beach theme – Definitely a fun, carefree theme!  Use hula girls, seahorses, starfish and sand for decorations; transform the bar into a tiki hut with grass skirting; get guests involved with a casual, beachy dress code – guys can wear hawaiian shirts, ladies can wear sundresses – you provide the leis.  Don’t forget the little umbrellas on all the drinks!

“Sweet” themes – This covers a wide range of ideas – I’ve seen candy themes, sundae themes, M&M themes, Willy Wonka themes, chocolate themes – you name it.  I always enjoy working these events because I have a sweet tooth!  The one issue I have with this theme is that the kids are usually climbing the walls from the sugar rush (don’t say I didn’t warn you!).


Stay tuned for more ideas, and remember that flipbook covers are customized to match any decor!

When I think back to the variety of brides we’ve worked with, I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter the size of the guest list, the budget, or the age of the betrothed, our brides have 4 main characteristics in common:

#4 -  “Looking for something unique” Many of our brides see the photo booths at the bridal shows, but tell me that they chose the flipbooks because most of their guests have never experienced the flipbook studio before.  It’s a fun way to stand out from every other wedding they have been to (which can start to blend together)!

#3 -  “It’s all in the details” Brides nowadays are adding finishing touches to their wedding by continuing a design element throughout the whole wedding.  This could be a monogram, a pattern or a certain blend of colors.  It can range anywhere from monogrammed hand towels in the restroom to dramatic lighting and a gobo of the couple’s names across the dance floor.  The key is personalization and tying the elements together during the evening.  Custom designed and professionally printed flipbook covers are a simple way to personalize the wedding and give guests a keepsake to take home.

#2 -  “Keeps the guests entertained” Not everyone is gonna shake their groove thang on the dance floor all night.  The idea is to get the guests moving around the room – set up a candy bar with little bags for guests to take home treats, a flipbook studio so guests have a custom keepsake to remember the night and, if there are going to be quite a few little ones in attendance, set up an area where they can decorate their own miniature wedding cake.

#1 -  “Brides and grooms just wanna have FUN!” This is the #1 factor that all of our brides and grooms have in common – they want to have a blast at their wedding reception!   They know that the crowd of people they are inviting are going to want to party and celebrate with them.  It won’t take long for Aunt Marge and Uncle Frank to throw on a feather boa, hold up the ‘I Love You’ sign and give each other a big smooch for the camera.  And in under 90 seconds, they know Aunt Marge will be making the rounds showing off her flipbook and recruiting fellow participants.  They also know that the fun and buzz created at the party will continue long after the night ends as Aunt Marge slips the flipbook in her purse to take to work on Monday.  “You should have been to my niece’s wedding this weekend…What a BLAST!…”

Shawn and Mandi worked at Carly’s Bat Mitzvah this weekend at The Apartment – a classy, swanky, hip venue that’s associated with Todd Events.  It is such an amazing venue that it doesn’t even need much decor added.  If you haven’t checked out the venue or todd.event design.creative services, you’re missing something amazing for your next soiree.  Check out their Ideas tab for inspiration.

One of the elements of the party that stood out to Shawn came when it was time for the montage – the video that showed Carly’s life and accomplishments via photos.  As the kids sat down to watch the montage, they were handed milk and a huge cookie.  Simple but brilliant.  Everyone was quiet, fully focused, and it made the mini-movie that much more enjoyable.  Any time you can create an experience and incorporate multiple senses, the event stays with you longer.

This is also one of the reasons flip books are such a hit at parties.  Guests dress up in feather boas or hats, act out a short skit, watch the video replay on the screen…and less than 90 seconds later, thumb through a flipbook with their video inside.  Instead of simply standing in front of a screen and smiling for a photo, the flip books create an experience.  An experience that many people still have not tried yet, which makes the party stand out even more.

So, next time you are throwing a dinner party with friends or planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration for 200, think about how you can create an experience rather than simply an event.  Appealing to the senses in subtle ways is a great way to make your party different from the next.