Planning a party for Alt was not without its stressful moments. Dreaming up the idea of the party to inspire attendees to take all the goodness they learned from Alt home and let themselves shine bright was the easy part. Click over to our pinterest board if you are curious what the beginning phase of our party looked like.
Days after we were invited to host, an amazing company contacted us with an offer to come and entertain our guests free of charge. We should have known that it was too good to be true because a few days before the event that amazing company backed out on us. We were frantic, disappointed, and left feeling unprepared.
Sara (the co-founder of Alt) talked with me on the phone and threw our moto right back at us. She told me that all we needed to do was be ourselves, do what we do best, and stop trying so hard. And she could not have been more right. Our room was about making connections, talking with new friends, and taking in loads of inspiration. Entertainment would have obscured what we were trying to stand for.
Danni designed the stunning signage, which was definitely an Instagram hit, and took charge of the collaboration wall. Danyelle made a ridiculous amount of star garland, filled all 125 balloons, and reminded us to keep things practical. And I organized, painted, and glittered 100 mason jars.
At times it felt like a really crazy thing to take on in the midst of a life-changing conference. But I honestly would not trade the experience for anything. What I got in return was so much more than I had expected.
I loved greeting each guest, explaining the idea behind the room, learning about new and established bloggers, and hearing such positive feedback. Each of the twelve mini-parties were beautifully executed. I loved seeing what everyone came up with, how they worked around the fancy decor of The Grand, and getting sneak peeks of all the party freebies. Speaking of which, Nan Lawson designed a print for us to give away at our party that I absolutely love.
There is nothing better than celebrating a year's worth of accomplishments all wrapped up into one giant party. So thank you Alt for sponsoring the event and giving me a reason laugh like a kid, dance like I was in high school, and inspire others to keep moving forward.
Photo credits: Kelly Smith, Justin Hackworth, and Brooke Dennis
