Every business is faced with balancing the needs to promote themselves effectively and control costs, while focusing on the time and resources necessary to run things efficiently. Whether your company is large or small, achieving this harmony  can be a challenge.

Getting married is a wonderful thing. And in many traditions, surrounding yourself with family and friends is part of what makes it so special. Inviting guests can make the wedding feel like a true party — and like any good party host, sending guests home with favors is considered proper etiquette.

You’re engaged to be married! Now you can begin planning the wedding of your dreams. Simple, right?

Have you ever found yourself in need of a promotional product that’s unique to your company? Maybe you need special giveaway items for a conference, but don’t know where to start. Or perhaps you are searching for favors that will reflect your personality at your upcoming wedding.

As times change and cultural norms evolve, families no longer live with or near one another as much as in the past. Nuclear families separate when the kids move out (sometimes across the country or even across the world), and when work or other opportunities take them to new places.

The 4th of July is quickly approaching . There are all kinds of things you can do to commemorate Independence Day, but almost all of them can be summed up in one exciting list:

Fun, Food, and Fireworks!

In his landmark 1885 book on advertising strategy, Successful Advertising, Thomas Smith wrote this now famous theoretical explanation of how repeated ads work:

So, you’ve decided to run a 5K race. Congratulations! You’re about to become one of millions who participate and finish the popular 3.1-mile foot race every year. In fact, the 5K is the number one race distance in the country with a reported 8.3 million 5K race finishers in 2014 alone. In case you’re curious, the half-marathon (that’s 13.1 miles) claims second place in terms of popularity.

If you and your partner have become recently engaged, chances are that you’ve already begun preparing for the big day.. For many, this includes a large reception with family and friends, along with dinner and dancing into the night. For others, a destination wedding is the ultimate celebration, barefoot on an exotic  beach with a more intimate group of loved ones. Still others prefer a low key gathering near a holiday weekend to make the most of good weather and a shorter work week.

The 4th of July is one of our most  treasured holidays. Most people are familiar with picnics, cookouts, and fireworks that take place to commemorate the summer celebration, but you might not know the history behind those beloved traditions, or why they still mean so much to us today.

For many employers, the company picnic is an annual tradition. It’s something employees look forward to all year long. It’s a time for relaxing, socializing, and spending time with coworkers outside the office.

A wedding is when we get to express everlasting love and commitment to our partner in front of the world. It’s a time to gather friends and family to witness the sharing of vows, exchange of rings, and the binding of two people in matrimony. Weddings are a time to celebrate life, and for centuries, across multiple cultures worldwide, weddings have involved toasting the happy couple.

Try and recall the last wedding you attended. Was there an open bar? Was wine served with dinner? Did someone hand you a glass of champagne for a group toast? Maybe the best man got up and gave an heartfelt thus embarrassing speech about the groom. Chances are, you raised a glass to the couple at some point in the evening.

From churches and charities to schools and sororities, many different organizations hold pledge drives, campaigns, and charity events in order to raise money for their cause. An appeal for funds can take many forms, but one popular way of bringing in proceeds is with fundraising events.

Fundraising events are an effective way to reach many different people at once. They’re usually aimed at bringing in money through ticket sales or generous donations, and involve promoting community involvement and increased awareness of the issue at hand. Some fun  ideas for your special event may include silent auctions, fancy galas, cocktail receptions, competitive races, and outdoor festivals.

There are many reasons why one might choose to wear a hat. Hats are a fashion statement, or a distinct style choice. Hats are also uniforms for employees or athletes. They convey school pride or sports team allegiance. They announce “I was here!” when branded with special event logos or dates. Hats can shade you from the sun, or keep you warm in cold weather. It seems there’s a hat for every occasion.

When planning your wedding, so much time, energy and care goes into making the day perfect. You’ll start with a few ideas and gradually tackle all the necessary to-dos — from caterer tastings, to dress shopping, to selecting a venue, to mailing invitations — all leading up to a day that fits all your dreams, as well as your budget.