Looking for the perfect publication to submit your non-wedding event albums? Look no further! Party and Event Guide features creative and themed events and parties to inspire anyone looking to throw a memorable event.  We interviewed editor Jerry Blackwell for the inside scoop about how this creative publication got started and how your fabulous events can be featured on their blog!

Featuring Jerry Blackwell of Party and Event Guide

Tell us a little about your blog! What are your goals as a publication?

Party and Event Guide (“PEG”) is an online resource for anyone wanting to stay current with party and event trends. People planning occasions use our resource to generate ideas and inspiration for their event. Event Vendors use PEG to see what fellow colleagues are doing in their area and around the world. We post real parties and events, provide inside tips, tricks, and ideas from industry leading professionals, and have a vendor directory for people to find the perfect vendor for their parties. Our goal as a publication is to become a place where customers can go to find tested ideas, love reliable vendors, and share their unique experiences. Find, Love, Share!

How would you describe your editorial style?

Our editorial style is very relaxed and freestyle. A lot of our content is generated by the best vendors in the party and event industry. The portion of our content that is generated by Party and Event Guide staff is relaxed and informal. We want to share great information with you as if you were learning from a friend. The goal is to help our readers improve their next event and feel like Party and Event Guide is their new best friend.

What kinds of submissions are you looking for through Two Bright Lights?  What advice do you have for photographers who would like to be featured?

We love getting submissions from Two Bright Lights. We know that because you are a member of Two Bright Lights, you care very much about your product or service and want to see it featured where it belongs, in the spotlight! PEG is always searching for visually beautiful occasions, creative themed events, and inspirational stylized shoots. Photos of people drinking and dancing are great for a couple shots, but they should not be the majority of the album. Information is also very important. To paint a better picture for our readers we need to know a little bit about your event. Things like, why they choose this location, why they choose these colors, who the party was for, etc. Finally, we need a list of all the vendors that helped make the event happen. This will help get everyone credit and help get your party or event more circulation.

What is the most memorable party that you’ve featured on your blog?

We are a very young blog, but we’ve had many memorable parties already featured. We’ve had a vegetable theme party, a beautiful Egypt engagement party, and a zombie dance. Recently, we had an event planner submit a project they had been working on. It’s titled “Weddings that Pop.” We don’t feature a lot of weddings unless they are themed, but this was an article about being inspired for your next event. The planner explains how every event does not have to be the same and to prove it he made wedding and cocktail dresses out of balloons! Very creative.

How about you! How did you get started as an editor?

The Idea for PEG was born on a roof top in Zurich during a summer vacation for three firefighter friends. Aaron Lopez (CEO – Advertising)  and I were attending an amazing event high above the streets of Zurich. It was a very well put-together event. DJs, models, lighting, mingling, and a breathtaking view. We decided there needed to be a resource for people to plan their own unique nights. I have been a full time wedding photographer with Forever Photography since 2007 in Austin, TX. I knew there were lots of resources out there for weddings and planning weddings, but I’d never heard of one for parties and events. I spoke with a lot of my wedding vendor friends about PEG, and they all said they wanted to be included to expand their events customer base.

If you were to throw the ultimate party what would it be like?

To me the ultimate party would make everyone feel young again. I’m thinking the party would start on a beach in Hawaii. 2PM, photographer and videographer Arrive. There would be lots of activities for everyone: surfing, sunning, paddle boats, snorkel, face painting. At 4PM, under a big beach side hut, guests would enjoy signature crafted tropical drinks, feel ocean breezes, and be amazed by the beautiful talents of Jason Mraz. 5PM, Cirque Du Soleil begins their performance of the history of Hawaii, complete with fire dancing. 6PM -8PM Guests change into designer evening wear, hair and makeup artists provided. 8PM: Hawaiian style dinner stations, Tahitian bands playing, amazing flowers, dessert bar, Ice sculpture. 9PM: Lights down Up lighting up, Photo booth ,  DJ’s till dawn ,  30 minute Starlight sailboat trips every hour. Each Guest would receive a full day spa treatment as a party favor. The night ends with romantic fire work display. I’ll send you an invite!

We’ll be waiting! To learn more about Party and Event Guide, visit their website or check them out on Facebook. And of course, be sure to submit your spectacular events through Two Bright Lights!