It started with an idea of how I wanted to celebrate my birthday. My thought process was that I should use my birthday to thank my friends, who help me out with my business and at home on a very regular basis. The idea was that I should take the lot of them to SOAK for a pedicure.
It was less than an hour later that I decided that it might be even more amazing if I could use this event to thank my friends AND my very special clients.
After an afternoon of discussion with all the decision makers here, I made the final call, we're doing it! Soak was available for my chosen day, September 13th, and everything began to come together.
Three months of preparation brought me (and my helpers) to yesterday, at an adorable little nail spa on 2nd street near downtown Reno. Four of us women arrived at SOAK at noon, and began to set up all of our stuff. Prints on a table in the entryway, an amazing collection of gift bags in the main room, and lunch in the back room. Lunch was sandwiches and salads catered by The Spicy Pickle in Sparks. (Natalie treats us right! Tell her we sent you!)
How did we decide who to invite? I came up with a little equation that took into account the number of times a client has hired me, and how many times they have referred me to their friends, and narrowed my list down from there. My final list included ten guests, each with a friend, and five of my own dear friends. Everyone arrived starting at 12:30. One by one they made their plates, (holy cow was the food ever delicious), sat down and relaxed for their pedicures. Together we enjoyed conversation and Soak's famous Pink Drinks, as well as a gift bag for each attendee and a wide array of door prizes that were given away one-by-one throughout the event.
First, I should tell all about the gift bags:
Each of our guests received Philosophy 3-in-1 products (If you're not familiar, RUN to Sephora and get some. All of them smell like delicious foods and drinks. The Pumpkin Pie is fabulous and is only available during the fall and winter), Tea Forte, a Sephora Loofah, a new -event exclusive- referral packet, and a post spicy pickle breath freshener. Oh, and how can I forget their big present? Each VIP got UNLIMITED, FREE sessions for the next year. Their guests each got one free session. I love these women, truly, and I cannot wait to see more of each of them over the next year.
We assembled the bags, at my house, on my office futon over the course of three evenings, leading up to the event. Don't they look pretty all together?
Secondly, I can't continue without saying that the staff and SOAK was nothing short of perfect. Everything ran very smoothly, every guest was carefully attended to, and we are more than satisfied clients.
You can probably see all the delicious Spicy Pickle food on the tables behind Amber, here. Is this back room not the most adorable thing you've ever seen?
Laura and Heather relax, after the rest of our guests have left. These two women make so many things possible, not the least of which is MY SANITY, so it was a true pleasure to watch my dear friends as they relaxed.
Of course, they talked me in to partaking as well. My original plan was ONLY to be the hostess, but I was convinced (not that it was too hard to convince me) to have a pedi of my own. Of course, I waited until the end. And of course my toes are Mini Cooper blue, now!
Happily relaxing!
I think the best thing about this day was knowing that each of these women, all of them mothers, got to enjoy an afternoon, feeling loved and pampered. Because they SHOULD feel that way, because I do love each of them.
Someone said to me that it felt like mother's day - and I thought, "Perfect! That's exactly what I wanted them to feel!"
I would also like to say that I was able to share my experience at Childhood Cancer Awareness Day with my guests. I shared the photographs I took and the stories of my experience at the event last Saturday. Most of our guests also decided to give a donation to the Reno Cancer Society.
I really can't think of a better way to support our community than to show our valuable clients our appreciation, pamper the people in our lives who deserve it most, and help a worthy cause all at the same time.
Wow! What a day.
I'd like this to serve as a formal announcement that I plan to do this again next year.
This is just the first of what I hope will become very regular events showing my personal appreciation not just for these clients, but for each and every client. There will be more where this came from!
Finally, I feel like now is an appropriate time to say that Emily Loftus Photography just wouldn't be at all possible without the amazing support of Drew, Valerie, Laura, Amber, Heather, Cassie, Trevor, Austen, Cliff, Patti, Tom, Conny, Kelly, Carl, Melissa, Amanda, Holly, Tara, Pamela and every single person who calls me just to talk, gives out my card, sits with me while I work, or waves when I see them around town. I love you all. Thank you for being you.
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