Ice Sculpture Centerpieces

Recovery With Caution

Attendance at conventions and corporate meetings in Las Vegas has risen 7.2 percent through June compared to last year, the first good news after a four-year slump brought on by the recession and a dash of political moralizing out of the White House. In their earnings reports, the headliners of the local lodging and casino industry have highlighted the return of the groups, with their expense accounts and catered hospitality suites. But for the galaxy of service companies that live off the meetings, the recovery has hardly followed a path as orderly as a buffet line. Although the companies work in widely varying niches -- planning the programs, booking the speakers, feeding the attendees, creating the decorations, building product display booths bigger than some condos -- they tell a largely similar story of an uptick in orders but corporate clients still tightly guarding their budgets. Her meeting management company has maintained an even keel on revenues, she said, only because she works in other cities that were not as badly stung. Even now, with the recession technically over for more than two years, her clients still restrain themselves on decorations or order a banquet with a nice centerpiece and entree but pass on the expensive linen. As recently as four years ago, such trade-offs didn't matter, she said. National trade groups have reported an improving environment, but an extra factor has influenced Las Vegas starting about a year ago, according to Papageorge. After concentrating on the mega shows, the Strip properties began to fawn attention on groups of 500 or less as attendance fell while more meeting facilities opened at places like CityCenter. Even the Las Vegas Monorail, which has operated in Chapter 11 bankruptcy since early 2010, felt the windfall.

Wedding Ice Sculpture Ideas « Boise Idaho Wedding Party Blog

Ice sculptures can add a touch of elegance and beauty to your Idaho wedding. Since most of us don’t happen across an ice sculpture on a regular basis, here are a few commonly asked questions and things to watch for.

How clear is the ice and how do you get it that way?

Typically, ice carvers will use large blocks that are frozen with water circulating during the process. Each block may take anywhere from 2 – 5 days to freeze. Ask your potential sculpture artist what form of freezing they use and ask how the clarity of their ice compares to the competition.

How long does an ice sculpture usually last?

Depending on the design of your ice sculpture, you can typically expect it to look good for approximately 5 to 7 hours, when in a controlled 70 degree environment. If your wedding will be an outdoor event, exposure to the elements will reduce the lasting time of your ice sculpture to less than 5 hours. Work with your designer to come up with a design that will stand up to the environment of your wedding.

How long does it take to carve an ice sculpture?

Depending on the design, some ice sculptures can be carved in 2-3 hours while more intricate and large scale designs can take up to 2-3 days. Different sculptures utilize different carving techniques. Ask your potential ice designer what techniques they use and ask to see examples.

If you’re going to make an investment of an ice sculpture at your wedding, consider where and how long your reception will be and what style of design will support your wedding best. Also consider incorporating the ice sculpture into a major centerpiece for your guests to appreciate – and maybe even include your ice sculpture into your drink service. Something interactive and fun will allow your guests to appreciate your investment and have fun at the same time!

Ice, The Nature, the History, and the Uses of an Astonishing Substance

A former "Newsweek" reporter offers a sparkling illumination of ice, the natural phenomenon whose ebbs and flows over time help shape the world in which we live ...

Ice

Considering the story of her mother's disappearance and a deal made with the Polar Bear King as nothing less than a fantastical cover-up for a sad truth, 18 ...

Ice

When thirteen-year-old Chrissa is sent to her paternal grandmother's farm, she learns more about her absent father and some of the reasons for her distant ...

Sculpture, principles and practice

Offers advice on using tools and constructing armatures as well as shaping human figures, portrait heads, and bas reliefs from clay, plaster, wood, stone, and ...

Ice

Simple text and photographs present ice, how it is formed, and how it affects the Earth and people.