Colin Cowie, Event Planner, Colin Cowie Lifestyle

Colin Cowie is one of the country's most talented and famous lifestyle design authorities and event planners. He's a favorite of such A-list celebrities as Oprah, Tom Cruise, Jerry Seinfeld, and Demi Moore. The author of six wonderful books on entertaining and weddings, Cowie has been called on to create galas all over the world—From LA and Los Cabos to New York, Monte Carlo, and Sydney, among others.

Like other top-level experts in his industry, Cowie reports that the high-end celebrations business is definitely slower in 2008 than it was last year. Belt-tightening is on the minds of individuals, corporations, and fundraising organizations.

"We are very much in touch with what is happening," says Cowie. "Fortunately, there are many ways to save money."

Image courtesy of Colin Cowie

Saving money—beautifully

Here are some top-of-mind suggestions from Colin Cowie on how to maximize party style for weddings or glamorous business events or fundraisers, while minimizing costs:

• Timing is everything: "One of the most effective ways to cut costs is to avoid throwing a party on a premium night," says Cowie. "Anything other than a Saturday night," he suggests. "A Sunday brunch or a Thursday or Friday evening party is best."
• Don't do formal: "We live in a casual world today in America," says Cowie. "By casual, it doesn't mean it shouldn't be chic and elegant. But everybody doesn't have to be in a tux and ball gown."
• Use smaller tables: "Consider lounge seating and smaller tables with buffets and stations," says Cowie, adding that buffets also cut down on the number of servers.

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