Shake and Serve
For casual outdoor cocktail events, ask your F&B contact to prepare simple concoctions (think sangria, spiked punch or lemonade) in mason jars kept cool in tubs filled with ice. Guests can help themselves to the beverages, cutting down on server costs. Cost: one-dozen 16 oz. Ball jars with lids, about $10, available at many grocery and hardware stores.
Fresh Foliage
Air Plants lend a sense of beauty and calm to any tablescape or meeting room. The best part — they need no soil and virtually no care, making them perfect for events that stretch over several days. Cost: From $2 per plant. (877) 360-1177; airplantsupplyco.com
Mobile Miracle
Despite its twee name, Twoppy is a smart, easy-to-use service that gives planners the power to create mobile sites for their own events. TEDx Amsterdam, for example, created an app for its 2011 meeting that listed everything from basic program details to speaker info, maps, related Tweets, sponsors and more. The basic version is free (fancier versions are available for a fee). twoppy.com
Abracadabra
If you don’t have the budget for a high-profile speaker or celebrity to entertain your group, a magician just might fit the bill. Among the masters of prestidigitation that specialize in corporate events is Tony Chapek, who uses a TV screen to make objects disappear while displaying a company logo and using company products. (770) 633-1357; tonychapek.com
Game, Set, Match
Looking for team-building activities beyond scavenger hunts and ropes courses? Classic games like volleyball or bocce fit the bill. Resorts often have the equipment on-site and will include a complimentary recreational coordinator to officiate. Negotiate prizes, like a massage or a future night’s stay, into your contract to amp up the competitive edge. Thanks to Mary Hutchcraft, director of group sales at the Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach, Fla. (shoresresort.com), for the idea.
All Together Now
The Breakers Palm Beach (thebreakers.com) has created one-plate meals -- complete with appetizer, entrée and dessert -- specifically for time-strapped banquet events. Since portions are smaller and less wait staff are needed, the option can shave up to 20 percent off the F&B bill. The one-plate meals also make great options for banquets with speakers, as they allow guests to enjoy the food and the program uninterrupted.
Eternal Learner
Want to learn how to build a website, start a business or knit a sweater? Search for classes in your area at skillshare.com, an educational marketplace that's sparked a following in major cities such as Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York City. Classes are low-cost (typically under $100) or sometimes free.
Get the Glow
Inspired by the economic downturn, Greg Jenkins, partner at Long Beach, Calif.-based Bravo Productions (bravoevents-online.com), created this simple but elegant centerpiece for a corporate client that can be easily replicated:
• Print and cut out enough copies of the company's logo to match the number of vases you need. Have the logos laminated between two sheets of acetate at your local print and copy shop.
• Affix the logos inside the glass cylinder, and fill with water and food coloring. Place the vase atop a battery-operated, illuminated base.
Costs: LED light base, $9 each with an order of 50, from littlebrightlights.com; 10-inch glass cylinder vase, $3.29 each, from save-on-crafts.com
Austrian Bubbly
The holiday season calls for festive wines, but champagne can put a big dent in your beverage budget. As a more affordable alternative, James Tidwell, master sommelier and beverage manager for the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas (fourseasons.com/dallas), recommends a sparkling rose, such as Nigl Sekt Rose 2008. "It's a dry, sparkling wine made from red grape varieties, with strawberry, melon and tomato-water notes," Tidwell says. Bottles cost approximately $25 (totalbeverage.net), about half the price of a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut.
Frugal Flights
Redeem miles and points for an airline ticket can be almost as painful as sitting behind that colicky baby in row three. MileWise.com helps make the experience less headache-inducing with a genius search engine that factors in your all of your earned airline miles, hotel, and credit card points to find the cheapest flight option. The site pulls search results from Orbitz.com, Everbread.com and airline websites, and even ranks options from best to worst.