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CeremonialSupplies.com is the best one stop shop on the net for grand opening and groundbreaking supplies, and when it comes to the Pacific Northwest, grand opening ribbons and ceremonial scissors for events in Olympia, Washington are jumping ahead of even the most glitzy places. What is it about Olympia that's attracting new businesses?

Close to Tacoma and Seattle and enjoying thriving tourism and what has been up to now considered a small business scene, Olympia, the state capitol of Washington provides the prerequisite natural magnetism that delights residents and visitors alike, many who return for more and others who stay and make it home for the family, or home for the family business. Can't afford to open up business in Seattle? Do it in Olympia instead! At least this is what appears to be going on. The Lacey South Sound Chamber announced last year that the city is growing and making a name for itself both with residential and commercial development taking place and various types of businesses have decided Olympia and Lacey are ideal locations for small businesses to open up, and others to expand. Beyond the celebration that comes with it, these ribbon-cutting ceremonies have brought back the traditional community involvement that is associated with the opening or expansion of unique businesses. The Olympia Vision Clinic, Linnea's unique Boutique, and other projects such as Green Cove Park, Westman Mill Redevelopment and many other development projects that were begun in 2019, show no sign of stopping and we at CeremonialSupplies.com are very excited at the prospect of offering our crafted quality products, our knowledgeable and attentive customer service, and our prompt and efficient shipping - all at budget friendly prices - for the embellishment of new businesses in the growing and developing Olympia and Lacey areas of beautiful Washington State.

Organizing a Grand Opening in Olympia

Organizing a grand opening in Olympia is the same as organizing a grand opening anywhere else, except that targeting Olympia, you can focus on several elements that will make your grand opening celebration a unique and memorable one. Located on the southernmost point of Puget Sound, Olympia was historically known as a favorite shellfish gathering site for many coastal Salish tribes, including the Nisqually, Duwamish, and Squaxin. The falls of the Deschutes River at Tumwater were occupied as permanent villages by the Nisqually who harvested shellfish and salmon. The natural beauty and early life of the Olympia and Lacey area is a great theme for the opening of new businesses. Another angle for organizing a ribbon-cutting ceremony are the expedition and exploration history of the Budd Inlet, named after midshipman Thomas A Budd, a member of that expedition. The first white settlers were Levi Lathrop Smith and Edmund Sylvester who claimed the town, platted it, and named it Olympia, in honor of the majestic Olympic mountains. Sylvester was a native of Maine and responsible for laying out the town in a New England style, including streets lined with trees, a town square, a Masonic Hall, and land for schools and capitol. These historical landmarks are great for grand opening themes that can be incorporated into dedication speeches. Famous Olympians, such as cartoonist Christopher Baldwin, author Laird Barron, writer, actress, and comedian extraordinaire Carrie Brownstein, Kurt Cobain, Matt Groening, and the most famous Olympian of all, Chief Seattle, hail from this special area and their accomplishments, involvements, etc., are tidbits that can also be incorporated into grand opening ceremonies. Once you have a theme and a good guest list that includes colleagues, friends and family, local government representatives and everyone who helped you get to this point, the next step is deciding what kind of ribbon will best show the world your new business endeavor!

Choosing the Ceremonial Ribbon

Picking out the ceremonial ribbon for your grand opening ceremony is easy. Starting with choosing the color that will best represent the company either through the logo or the company or brand's colors. Whatever the chosen color is, CeremonialSupplies.com is sure to have it within our varied assortment of ceremonial ribbons. The customization can be done in any design graphics or fonts desired, as long as these are already in existence and provided on a digital file. CeremonialSupplies.com also makes available pre-printed grand opening ribbon in orange, red, blue and green in 4" and 6"widths. The ceremonial ribbon is usually at least 4 or 6 inches wide - at least! This width ribbon is preferred for ribbon-cutting ceremonies of a small location. For a grand opening event of a large apartment or housing complex, a public building, or any structure that has a wide entrance, the recommended width of the ceremonial ribbon is 8 or 10 inches wide so that the ribbon is not lost in view, especially if there will be photos and videos of the event. A customized 10" wide ribbon is perfect for those close up, tight shots because everyone will be clearly in frame, and also the grand opening ribbon will show the business name, or logo. CeremonialSupplies.com carries extra-wide ceremonial ribbons up to 12" in width that can be used as traditional ceremonial ribbon across the grand opening entrance, or can be customized for use as vertical banners or flags for in-store decorations! Whatever ribbon color, width and style that suits your business, CeremonialSupplies.com is sure to have it.

Picking out the Perfect Ceremonial Ribbon-Cutting Scissors

You'll have to determine if you want a traditional ceremonial scissors, namely a 10" fancy scissors, or if you want to have the moment pop out with the use of a giant or jumbo grand-opening scissors 25" or 30" tall? All three can be customized on the blade, and with the exception of the traditional 10" golden handle scissors that have silver blades only, you can choose either silver or gold color blades on the jumbo scissors, as well as color handles that can match or complement the color of the grand-opening ribbon!

The giant ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors are quite large, sharp, and do in fact, cut ribbon. They are beautiful attention-grabbers and look fabulous with a well coordinated color scheme ribbon, and theme decoration. When not in use, the ceremonial scissors can be displayed in their own display stand and decorated to make this the official even photo area, maybe located off to the side of the main entrance where the grand opening ribbon has been set up.

Rather than have people hold up the grand opening ribbon at the time of the cutting of the ribbon ceremony, it's best to have the grand-opening ribbon set up during the entire ceremony. This can be done by attaching the ribbon on each of its ends to stanchion poles that will hold it leveled, tautly and in place. CeremonialSupplies.com offers a variety of stanchions ranging from plastic, weatherproof hitching post style available in yellow, white, and black, to classic stanchions in chrome, or brass, or retractable belt stanchions. For the purpose of holding the ribbon at a grand opening ceremony, we recommend the classic stanchions, or if appropriate for the theme and decor, the hitching post style stanchions. Whatever you choose, take it up a notch with a bow clipped at the point of attachment, and a 3 tiered Grand Opening balloons! This creates a beautiful central focal point perfect for photos and videos of the memorable Olympia event.

CeremonialSupplies.com is the leading shop on the net for grand opening supplies such as ceremonial ribbons and ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors and we take pride in offering the best crafted quality products found online, at budget friendly prices. Our assortment includes grand opening kits that already come pre-packaged with ribbon, stanchions, bows, balloons, and even a carpet aisle runner! Whatever your Olympia or Lacey new business grand opening decoration wants to accomplish, you can be sure that CeremonialSupplies.com will make your idea shine! And we ship everywhere in Washington, from Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Lacey to Spokane and Yakima and everywhere in between! As a matter of fact, we ship efficiently and promptly all over the world. Click here for a shipping quote.

Grand openings are social events that generate buzz about a new business in the community and CeremonialSupplies.com has the perfect grand opening ribbons to embellish Scottsdale businesses opening up in Arizona this year! It's well known that Arizona enjoys one of the best economies and the growth and expansion of new business investments in the last 3 years are now starting to bear fruit. Just this month Miller Square of Scottsdale, Fabletics, Ragz N Tagz Boutique, and RedLine Athletics are having their Grand Opening ceremonies in Scottsdale! Given that this spurt is expected to continue throughout the year, CeremonialSupplies.com wants to share some tidbits on the products and supplies essential for a memorable Grand Opening ceremony in Arizona!

Create Your Guest List and Issue a Press Release

As you organize the event, be sure to create and maintain a guest list that includes business colleagues, friends and family, and all who helped with the endeavor - if the business had to deal with banks, invite your bank officer, same with realty company, and all who helped the business reach it's moment of glory with a grand opening ceremony. Include local government representatives and local clergy leadership. This expands the advertising and promotional efforts. Create a media list of contacts and write a brief press release with all the pertinent information for an easy insertion in any of Scottsdale's papers like Valley Lifestyles Magazine, Arcadia News, The Peak Magazine, and the Tatum Sun Times. Invite local celebrities or personalities. Remember the media follows celebrities.

Grand Opening Essential Supplies

In preparation for the big event you will first need signs. Signs you can put on the door of the business, shop, or store and preferably big with bright bold letters that will jump out and grab attention. Self-standing roll up banners, ceiling hanging signs, step and repeat backdrops, all are available at CeremonialSupplies.com where we carry a wide selection of Grand Opening signs, as well as customized with the name of the business. The grand opening signs should be up at the location a month or two before the grand opening ceremony. This means that if you will customize the signs, or anything else (which you should) the ordering process should begin at least 3 months before the event! After all, if the grand opening ceremony is intended to be memorable, you don't want to wait until the last minute, or rush anything. Early ordering avoids stress and mistakes.

The ceremonial ribbon and the ribbon-cutting scissors were items that in the past didn't make much of a statement but today, with the exponential development of technology, the ceremonial ribbon and the ribbon-cutting scissors have become a branding extension. Rather than a simple red ribbon and a pair of sewing scissors, you can have the ceremonial ribbon in any color that represents your company logo or colors. CeremonialSupplies.com selection of grand opening ceremonial ribbons have colorful ribbons of every shade that will surely match your company logo. Our ceremonial ribbons are available in traditional width of 4" and 6" and also extra-wide size of 8", 10", and 12". The 12" ceremonial ribbon is also used widely for banners. We can customize the ceremonial ribbon with any font and design provided. We recommend extra-wide ribbon of either 8" or 10" for the ceremonial ribbon because the customization print will be bigger and easily identified in photos and videos even in tight, up-close photo shots. Aside from customized ribbons, CeremonialSupplies.com also offers a selection of pre-printed ceremonial ribbons 4" and 6" wide, with the words "Grand Opening."

The ceremonial scissors are essentially the stars of the show, and as such, they should be treated accordingly. CeremonialSupplies.com selection of ribbon-cutting scissors include beautiful, giant, 25" or 30" scissors with either silver or gold color blades and handles of different colors designed to match the ceremonial ribbons. The giant scissors can be ordered with a pre-printed message on the blade that reads "Grand Opening" or "Ribbon Cutting Ceremony" or they can be customized with your own logo or message. The jumbo scissors are made of steel, they do cut ribbon and, are quite sharp. Before and after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, when the ceremonial scissors aren't being used, they can be displayed prominently on their own display stand. This is not only convenient, it adds to the decoration of the event and can be used as props for the official event photo or video. CeremonialSupplies.com has two different styles of display stands for the ceremonial scissors. If the jumbo scissors are not what you're looking for, we also have the golden handle scissors in the traditional 10.5" size. CeremonialSupplies.com also has elegant display cases for all three sizes of ceremonial scissors so that the stars of the show can be kept for posterity as a memento of the landmark event. The display cases have room for the ceremonial scissors, a piece of the ceremonial ribbon, and for photos and newspaper clippings of the event.

Taking A Grand Opening to a Sophisticated Level

Scottsdale, Arizona is not the kind of place where people go for much pomp and circumstance, in comparison say with Los Angeles. But the city does have a strong air of understated nobility, and its people have a strong sense of propriety. To take your grand opening to a sophisticated level, consider the addition of stanchions and a red carpet. The stanchions will hold the ceremonial ribbon at one end and the other. This avoids people having to hold the ribbon and risking it becoming lop sided, folded over, or just looking awkward on the photos and videos. Nobody needs to touch the ribbon when you use stanchions. CeremonialSupplies.com has a selection of stanchions that include classic stanchions, plastic stanchions, and retractable stanchions. For a grand opening the most fitting style would be the classic stanchions or the weatherproof plastic hitching post style stanchions that come in white, yellow, or black. We also recommend for a truly rich look, to attach bows the same color as the ceremonial ribbon, to each stanchion at the point where the ribbon is knotted or taped to the stanchion, and include a tiered display of 3 Grand Opening balloons on each stanchion. This will truly be an attention-grabber and will take the ribbon-cutting ceremony a notch above!

In addition to the stanchions, you may want to also consider a red carpet (or blue carpet, green aisle runner, pink carpet, purple carpet, or black carpet aisle runner)! This is a sophisticated touch for the main entrance, and for the official photo area and an item you can certainly re-use throughout the life of the business.

Shop CeremonialSupplies.com for all your grand opening needs and check out the different grand opening kits that are ready to ship anywhere in Scottsdale, or any other location in Arizona or the world! You will love our high quality crafted products, our attentive and knowledgeable customer service, our budget friendly prices and our fast and efficient shipping. Click here for a shipping quote.

CeremonialSupplies.com carries the best and widest (literally!) selection of quality grand opening ribbons on the net. Following the announcement by Alabama governor Kay Ivey that companies relocating to facilities in Alabama have invested $8.7 billion in growth projects, we're pretty confident there will be no shortage of grand opening ribbon cuttings in Alabama any time soon! "Made in Alabama" is quickly becoming a gold standard brand name and, possibly the reason why Alabama has attracted foreign direct investment from 16 different countries. This has generated thousands of new and future jobs and needless to say, expanding locations and their introduction with grand opening ribbon cuttings in Alabama communities. With this in mind CeremonialSupplies.com has some tips on grand opening ribbon cuttings especially for businesses in the Yellowhammer State!

Choosing the Ceremonial Ribbon

The words "Grand Opening" have an instantaneous effect on people. When a new business, or a newly constructed location is inaugurated, or opened for business for the first time, it is usually accompanied with a grand opening ceremony and celebration. A grand opening is a traditional social event meant to introduce a new business to the community with a party, special events and prizes, and of course, special pricing. It's a great way to generate a buzz and receive media attention. Duluth Trading Co., the USA made clothing store brand opened it's 57th store and the first one in Alabama last September 26 in Madison, and stores like Dollar General, Earth Fare, in Mobile, Aldi grocers in Homewood and Decatur, and restaurants like the Bottle Tree and the Grille and Oyster Bar in Birmingham are just a handful of the upswing in new business and grand openings throughout the state of Alabama. Photos of these events show a variety of ribbons and ribbon colors that complement the brand or the company logo colors, but here are some observations when choosing the ceremonial ribbon:

Aside from choosing a color (that's the easy part!) that matches or complements the logo or the company colors, the width of the ribbon is important - especially if there will be photographs or videos. CeremonialSupplies.com offers a selection of satin finish quality, colorful ribbons in widths from the customary 4 - 6 inches to the extra-wide ribbons ranging from 8 - 12 inches! When you have your company name printed on a 10" ceremonial ribbon, it will be as attention-grabbing as the name of the business itself! Dollar General, for instance, we would have recommended an 8 or 10 inch wide yellow ribbon with black print for a perfect color effect. When choosing a grand opening ribbon, remember to go wide and use a contrasting print that will make the business name pop out!

To Print the Ribbon Or Not?

For goodness' sake, if you've gone as far as to get a good size ribbon... print it! Put the name of the company on it, or the logo, but print it! Tight shot photos will likely not be able to include the business' name that appears over the door and these shots are great for showing the people up close. The name on the ribbon will make sure that all the photos of the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon will easily identify the business. CeremonialSupplies.com offers ribbons of top quality material that can be customized in all design fonts and colors, pre-printed "Grand Opening" ribbons, and plain solid color ribbons, and we recommend not to pass up the additional publicity and print the ribbon!

The Importance of Stanchions in a Grand Opening

You've got a beautiful 8" ribbon that matches your business logo, and the name printed repeatedly throughout it, but wait...now that you're looking at the pictures, the ribbon is lopsided and folded over in the center! How did THAT happen? The answer is because there were several people holding the ribbon at separate intervals, some of them are taller than others, and they each are holding it differently. How do you get the grand-opening ribbon to look picture perfect? You use stanchions on each side and tightly attach each end of the grand-opening ribbon to a stanchion. Now you have a perfect level, taut, and easy to read grand opening ribbon! For an additional touch consider a giant bow over the part of the ribbon attached to the stanchion. It not only covers any tape or knot used, it also adds an embellishment. CeremonialSupplies.com offers classic stanchions and weatherproof plastic stanchions from where you will be sure to find the perfect ones to hold your grand opening ribbon on opening day, and other uses after the event! Bows? We've got those too, in every color to match the ceremonial ribbon! To truly dominate the view, consider attaching three multi-level balloons that say "Grand Opening" on each stanchion and you're all set!

Remember the Ribbon-cutting Scissors

If we had a dime for each rush order of ribbon-cutting scissors...oh, wait. We do! Forgetting to order the ceremonial scissors seems to be more common than thought possible and we think we know why this happens. In the hard work that goes into planning a grand opening, looking at all the details of the ribbon, the in-store signage, and the guest list, it is not uncommon to forget about the stars of the show: the ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors! The grand opening scissors should command attention and CeremonialSupplies.com ribbon-cutting scissors will do exactly that. Choose from silver or gold blades, and handle color to match the ribbon. Our crafted quality ceremonial scissors are available in 2 giant sizes: 25" and 30" and yes, they DO cut ribbon and are actually quite sharp! You can customize the scissors on one of the blades with your company name, brand, or logo - and you should, if you mean to present the ceremonial scissors to the Boss after the event, or if the scissors will be kept and displayed. And don't worry if you are a last minute grand opening scissors order - check out our assortment of pre-printed scissors that say "Grand Opening" or "Ribbon Cutting Ceremony." When the ceremonial scissors are not in use before, or after the grand opening ceremony they should be displayed and used as a decorative element for the official event photo, for example. For a more conservative and traditional grand opening style of scissors CeremonialSupplies.com offers the Golden Handle regular size (10") scissors, and we also carry display cases for the traditional regular size scissors as well as the giant, 25" and 30" scissors. After all, you'll want to display these beauties!

Getting the Word Out!

Creating a guest list is a key part of any celebration and when it's a business, the guest list should include a media list with the names of local reporters and journalists who cover social events. A special gift token for all guests is always a great way to establish goodwill in the community, but for the media, be sure to have a special gift bag that includes information about the business, or about the new location. Take an ad on at least 3 of Alabama's newspapers such as the Birmingham News, the Montgomery Advertiser, the Huntsville Times, Tuscaloosa News, Decatur Daily, or Mobile Press-Register.

Grand Opening Day!

The big day is here and everyone is arriving! The business or the store inside is merchandised with grand opening signs, and the outside is decorated with the grand opening ribbon, the stanchions, balloons, and the ceremonial scissors displayed on their stand. The name of the business is everywhere you look, and the guests you invited from your media list are there with their videographer. People who saw your ad, and those who've been driving by the location are trickling in and you - you are ecstatic! Happy to have found CeremonialSupplies.com because all your items were ordered and received with time to spare. Shop CeremonialSupplies.com for quality products, budget friendly prices, and prompt and efficient shipping wherever you are in Alabama or anywhere else in the world! Click here for a shipping quote.

It's no secret that Philadelphia puts on a big green show for St. Patrick's Day and between the parade and all the "crawls" everyone is Irish for the day in the City of Brotherly Love. This year kick off the Madness with a St. Patrick's Day Green Carpet for Philadelphia celebrations and get all your decorations from CeremonialSupplies.com. Aside from being the best one-stop online shop on the web for crafted quality groundbreaking shovels (available in gold, chrome and... green!), grand opening ribbons and ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors (also in green), stanchions and rope, awards and plaques, corporate wear, military medals, flag display cases and many more items, CeremonialSupplies.com has budget friendly prices that are easy on the wallet, and prompt and efficient shipping anywhere in Philadelphia (and the rest of the world) in time to turn your venue... a little jealous on St. Patrick's Day!

For those who want to celebrate the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day in Philadelphia but are tired of having no recollection of any previous Shamrock Crawl adventures and are looking for something a little more intimate, create your own crawl! CeremonialSupplies.com has everything you need for a crawl with a touch of class in your own home, or community venue where event organizers can host hundreds of their most intimate friends and colleagues. Company-employee bonding is usually best during the 4th of July with a wholesome family picnic and evening fireworks, but companies and businesses are also known to gather the troops and their significant others during holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, and yes, St. Patrick's Day too! Whether you've been tasked to decorate the company's conference room, a ballroom venue, or simply the dining room in your home shop CeremonialSupplies.com for everything green you will need:

Decorate the entry way with CeremonialSupplies.com green ceremonial carpet runners. Our 3' wide by 10' long Kelly green aisle runner is on special NOW for $50! This carpet runner is a beautiful Irish accent to any event but particularly perfect for St. Patrick's Day. The 3' X 10' carpet runner is the best size for your average home party, but we also have the deluxe green carpet runner 4' wide carpet runners with lengths of 10, 15, and 20 feet and if you need a customized, bigger size CeremonialSupplies.com has those too. Use classic stanchions either brass or chrome to frame the entryway, or to set up a line queue to the green libations bar! Stanchions and rope can be used for strictly ornamental purposes, or as a crowd management tool to avoid bottle necking at any spot in the venue. Tip: it's usually a good idea to set up the bar at the end of the room - not as you walk in, or in the middle. You want the traffic of people to flow effortlessly. CeremonialSupplies.com also has plastic, weatherproof stanchions and although these hitching post style stanchions don't come in the color green, they are available in white, yellow, and black which can be embellished with green ribbon to match the green carpet and the green cupcakes! To make your official photo area complete, install a step and repeat backdrop where everyone can stand in front of - while they still can - for a photo keepsake of the celebration.

If you're looking to recreate the World Cafe Live style for your St. Patrick's day celebration, you will need a band, all wearing green jackets. We can't help with that, but we can help with silky Irish green ribbons for bow ties! Ribbons are the most versatile decorative items and they can adorn and embellish anything from the ceiling to the furniture and even double as keepsakes when you print them. For ceiling draping you will need a circular disk where you will attach your extra wide ribbons (our favorites!) of your choice of width: 6, 8, 10, or 12 inches wide. The disk is then attached to the ceiling in the center of the room and the wide ribbons draped outward and the ends are either attached and bowed at the corners, or the walls of the room, or allowed to flow freely down from the corners. Either way, silky soft Irish green extra wide ribbons will turn any room into a Celtic dream! To decorate chairs you can either attach the green ribbons to decorate the frame of the chairs, or if the chairs are covered, a green ribbon around the back of the chair, pinned with a green bow will inspire the Leprechaun soul of all the guests!

Whether you are celebrating St. Paddy's Day at home, at a venue, or at the Conshy Corner Tavern or any of the other warm and inviting pubs in Philadelphia during March Madness, shop CeremonialSupplies.com for all your decoration accessories, Go Green! And don't forget to advertise in the Philadelphia Tribune, The Philadelphia Record, The Philadelphia Weekly or any other local paper to spread the word! We ship fast and efficiently anywhere in Philadelphia and the world. Click here for a shipping quote.

Looking for a special gift for a special VIP? What do you get for the construction company's owner, president, or foreman to acknowledge their commitment to an upcoming groundbreaking project? CeremonialSupplies.com has the perfect selection of mini groundbreaking shovels to present to builder's VIPs at a groundbreaking ceremony. CeremonialSupplies.com is the best online shop on the net for groundbreaking shovels, hard hats, shovel display stands and cases, grand opening ribbons, ribbon-cutting scissors, event carpet aisle runners, stanchions and ropes, award plaques and trophies, military ceremony items and many, many more ceremonial supplies. It is here where you will find a wide selection of mini groundbreaking shovels that make a perfect keepsake gift for the construction company or the builders VIPS as part of the acknowledgement presentation at the ceremony.

A groundbreaking ceremony is a big deal! It represents an important landmark in the life of a company or business and just like a grand opening ceremony, it requires detailed planning and a timely checklist for a flawless execution. (For more information about organizing a groundbreaking ceremony click here). This ancient architectural ritual has now become cool again and event planners and organizers are receiving more requests for arranging groundbreaking ceremonies than they did ten, or even five years ago. The rising popularity of groundbreaking ceremonies is directly related to its advertising and promotional value. It is yet another event that when planned and executed correctly, will yield an enormous marketing edge, especially when the media is involved. CeremonialSupplies.com understands this and we take great pride in providing all the essential items to make a groundbreaking ceremony an event at the level of a grand premiere. From groundbreaking shovels, hard hats, groundbreaking kits, and shovel stands and cases to grand opening ribbons, ribbon-cutting ceremonial scissors, event carpet aisle runners, military medals, flags, and flag display cases and more! Including mini shovels to present to builders, owners, or construction companies VIPs as a keepsake memento of the grand event!

After all the prerequisites have been completed, including land purchasing (or even leasing in some cases) and completing the project's financing, the next part is selecting a contractor or builder. Some companies request a bidding process, others know exactly who they want erecting their structure, either way, the responsibility of building is a serious one. Construction management companies such as Turner Construction, AECOM Tishman, New Line Structures and Development, and Gilbane Building Company - all headquartered in New York, NY, are reputable companies that have established a complete network nationally, and in many cases internationally. The groundbreaking ceremony may be something the builder or contractor will take on, but regardless who throws the groundbreaking ceremony, people who were instrumental in taking the project from paper to materialization, should be honored.

Mini groundbreaking shovels are perfect keepsakes for those VIPs! The they stand 26" H x 6" W (at the blade) and can be customized. The mini customized shovel can show a logo or commemorative date on the blade and presented to one or more VIP as an acknowledgement, along with a plaque, or by itself. Full size ceremonial shovels (42" H x 9" W) can also be customized and presented as keepsakes, especially if these are the shovels actually used at the sod-cutting. Choosing the right keepsake, souvenir, or memento of the groundbreaking ceremony is all a matter of taste, and budget. CeremonialSupplies.com offers top of the line quality, at budget friendly prices to make your event shine, and the mini shovels are priced to be accessible to everyone. The mini shovels can be ordered in a variety of colors, as well as the traditional chrome shovel head. The color mini shovels are particularly popular for company's whose logo or brand are easily recognized by their colors, as in Coca Cola red and white, or BMW's blue and white, etc. The color associated with the product, brand, or company is used to further the promotional impact of the event through photographs and videos.

Using mini shovels to present to the key people responsible for carrying out the project is a great way to recognize the value they've brought to the project, and acknowledging this fact. Shop CeremonialSupplies.com for the best quality mini shovels for groundbreaking ceremonies gifts and souvenirs. You will love our product selection, our friendly prices, knowledgeable customer service and our fast and efficient shipping wherever you are in the world! Click here for shipping quote.

They are 26" tall with a 6" wide steel blade shovel head and available in red, blue, yellow, orange, green, pink, black, and teal from CeremonialSupplies.com. The mini groundbreaking shovels are a hit in South Florida events and we think we know why.

South Florida is not just the playground of the Rich and Famous. The hot sun and fun waves attract tourists of every walk of life and from all corners of the world - especially from right here in our own good ol' USA where young families' first vacations take the path South to Orlando and the beaches from Cocoa Beach and famed Daytona, down to West Palm, Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Miami Beach. The general idea is for the family vacation not to just end as far south as Orlando but to feel the attraction of Miami Dade County! For this, there must be worthwhile enjoyment for young children and kids. Leadership in Miami Dade County has identified this need and children's attractions have been popping up everywhere in the Magic City. From the Miami Children's Museum, Parrot Jungle Island and the Seaquarium in Virginia Key, to Wynwood Walls, Venetian Pool, and Zoo Miami, kids attractions in South Florida are quickly gaining on popularity over adult entertainment. We think it's great! In fact, we're hoping for more!

With every new attraction or new development that has kids in mind there will surely be a groundbreaking ceremony - considering that Miami Dade County does love traditional ceremonies, protocol, and the like. So far in the last couple of years we've seen the groundbreaking ceremony for the Miami Dade Public Library system brand in Hialeah Gardens, the transformation of the Miami Beach Convention Center surface parking lot into a 5.8-acre park featuring open lawn spaces, shade areas, walkways and bike paths, a veterans memorial and public art, and the upcoming groundbreaking ceremony on February 26 for the Overtown Youth Center in historic Overtown, Miami. This is where CeremonialSupplies.com comes in with the best, hands down, groundbreaking mini shovels available online! You heard right. Why are our ceremonial groundbreaking mini shovels the best? It has to do with the quality of the materials and their budget friendly prices, and the colorful assortment to choose from! Not just that, but you can have the mini steel shovels customized just like the full size ceremonial shovels. When digging first ground in children's attractions and parks, you can be sure there will be plenty of little hands ready to strike dirt and toss it around. CeremonialSupplies.com mini groundbreaking shovels are the perfect size for the little folks and with our variety of colorful shovel heads in red, blue, yellow, orange, green, pink, black, and teal, you can have a rainbow effect coupled with color matching bows and balloons, or you can pick and match as you wish. The many children's attractions in South Florida are certainly a factor in the popularity of our mini groundbreaking shovels, but here's one more thing we've been noticing too:

Mini Groundbreaking Shovels Are A Great Keepsake For VIPs!

A groundbreaking is a momentous occasion in the life of a company or an important public building structure. The main persons involved, be it the Owner, CEO, top-tier management, Developer or the Construction company, (or all) will most likely receive an award or a plaque - and we have those too! - or a similar memento to keep and display in recognition of the event. Mini groundbreaking shovels are a great keepsake for VIPs because they can be ordered to represent a miniature replica of the full size ceremonial shovel (which measures 42" in height with a 9.5" shovel blade) and can be customized with a commemorative message, and displayed in an office or conference room as a lasting keepsake of the important event.

Mini groundbreaking shovels can be customized on the stem and on the color blade and the look is stunning! Which is exactly what you want for photos and videos. As South Florida continues to grow both for tourists and locals, shop CeremonialSupplies.com for the best mini groundbreaking shovels that will be a hit with kids, and are the ideal size for a keepsake to be presented to important VIPs. You will love our quality, our budget friendly prices and our prompt and efficient shipping wherever you are in the Sunshine State! Click here for a shipping quote.

Business apparel and corporate clothing for ceremonial events are not just for big brand names anymore! It used to be that polo shirts with branded logos and similar corporate clothing hand-embroidered with the company or brand logo for conferences, conventions, or sales meetings were presented to each participant as a special gift and worn on special occasions. Today, the process of machine embroidery for corporate apparel as well as refined printing for lighter materials such as safety vests and t-shirts makes it possible for small businesses and global conglomerates alike to use branded apparel for efficiency and team building. CeremonialSupplies.com understands this and as the best online store supplier of quality corporate branded wearables, our selection meets all the exacting demands of business professionals by offering top quality, comfortable and elegant items to enhance a corporate wardrobe. Hand embroidery has been around since ancient times, but the process was costly and time consuming. Today, automated embroidery machines have put a new spin on logo or brand embroidery and have opened up the benefits of Corporate wearables to small businesses and large corporations alike.

The Ceremonial Deluxe Oxford Non-Iron Shirt for Men is elegant, lightweight, and 100% cotton. This cotton material has a wrinkle-resistant finish with pucker-free taped seams and rounded adjustable cuffs that makes this sharp, long sleeve shirt perfect for a ceremonial groundbreaking event. Emphasizing a company or brand embroidered logo using state of the arts embroidery machines and digitizing software, the ceremonial deluxe oxford non-iron shirt for men combines the distinctive oxford style club shirt with the stylishness of embroidery - which is still perceived today as a staple of corporate class. Add to that the convenience of wearing your shirt right off the hanger without the need to iron, and look sharply tailored as you confidently step up to the groundbreaking shovels to dig first dirt and be photographed and videotaped for the company newsletter as well as any media coverage the event will receive. Where in the past suits and ties and pant suit or skirt and blazer sets were the traditional dress for a corporate groundbreaking event, a high quality, comfortable and elegant deluxe Oxford shirt with an embroidered company logo will have the benefit of uniformity, and promotional value with the company's or brand's logo featured in photos and videos. And ladies, the Ceremonial Deluxe Oxford Non-Iron Shirt for Women has all the fine points and qualities of the men's shirt, but with tapered pleats that favor a woman's curvier figure. The women's Deluxe pinpoint Oxford shirt is light and comfortable and features pucker-free tapered seams, shirttail hem, button-down collar, a left chest pocket and back box pleat as well. Ladies, look like the boss while wearing a fine quality Deluxe Oxford shirt with embroidered logo and hold a ceremonial groundbreaking shovel for photos and videos, feeling as fresh and comfortable as a daisy!

The Oxford Look at an Efficient Price!

CeremonialSupplies.com understands that when it comes to supplying dress shirts for an entire workforce, pricing is an important consideration. Many business and companies shy away from the benefits of corporate wear because this is perceived as a costly exercise, however the benefits of corporate wear far outweigh the apparent drawback. For those who want the Oxford look at an efficient price, CeremonialSupplies.com has the Ceremonial Personalized Classic Oxford Shirt for men, and for women. This long-sleeve shirt has the same elegant cut as the Ceremonial Deluxe Oxford shirt, with wrinkle-resistant material blend of 60/40 cotton and polyester. This long sleeve traditional club shirt is a great piece for all professionals and is perfect for use during conventions, conferences, and any group event where a team is seen as a whole. The color of the shirt with the embroidered logo make the personnel stand out and this is a strength for any business or company. The traditional, classic Oxford clue shirt is stylish and elegant and can be worn either with classy slacks, or a skirt and works great for groundbreaking or grand opening ceremonies too!

Outdoor Summer Corporate Events? Here's What to Wear!

There's no denying that stylish corporate clothing creates unity and confidence when professionals participate as a team in industry conventions, sales conferences, and ceremonial events like an official groundbreaking or grand opening ceremonies, but when you're outdoor holding a groundbreaking shovel or ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors, you'll want the same stylish elegance in a comfortable polo shirt! If you're wondering what's the best corporate attire for an outdoor summer corporate event, here's what to wear:

CeremonialSupplies.com is proud to offer the Ceremonial Personalized Nike Polo Shirt for Men and Women, made specifically to keep you dry and comfortable outdoors in the heat of summer. The material is the proprietary Nike Dri-FIT micro-pique technology, 100% polyester. These classy polo shirts can be embroidered for customization for maximum impact and the men's polo shirt has a flat knit collar with a three-button placket and open hem short sleeves. The women's Ceremonial Personalized Ladies Nike Polo Shirt features a tailored fit with a Johnny collar and open hem short sleeves. The personalized polo shirts from CeremonialSupplies.com have a Dri-FIT fabric that provides maximum moisture management technology to keep you cool and comfortable for any event where you must look your best! match groundbreaking shovel color or grand opening ribbon and giant scissor handles color with your company or brand colors and unify the entire theme by matching your slick and stylish personalized polo shirt! The Personalized Nike Polo Shirt pairs perfectly with casual khaki slacks or skirt for a groundbreaking or grand opening event, and with Bermuda shorts for more casual corporate or business events like a family picnic.

Printed Ceremonial T-Shirts and Safety Vests

All good companies and corporations understand the value of a good team. This is the reason why so many businesses organize events such as company picnics, corporate marathons, and special days when employees and their families get together. For these events, CeremonialSupplies.com offers the printed Ceremonial T-shirt in styles for men and women. The fabric is 100% ring spun combed cotton combined with polyester and is light and airy while maintaining long-lasting quality. The slimming body, short sleeves and rib knit neck with shoulder to shoulder taping provides a great fit and a company logo or brand name can be prominently displayed in the front and back.

Most ceremonial groundbreaking events are organized by the developers or the construction company that will be building the structure, and at these events you not only have the principals in attendance, but also many of the project's overseers, foreman, and other on-site supervisors will surely be present. To identify personnel at a groundbreaking ceremony and use during the actual construction, CeremonialSupplies.com has a selection of Dual-color Safety Vests that are made from 100% polyester ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 certified safety vests with contrast binding, vision zipper and 2" wide reflective taping front and back. These durable and sturdy safety vests are available in yellow with orange trim, or in orange with yellow trim and include 2 chest pockets and 1 lower left pocket and can be customized with your brand or logo on the back of the vest. In addition to the dual-color safety vest we also offer the Lightweight Standard Safety Vest which is super lightweight at 6oz, and the fabric is a breathable mesh of 100% polyester in neon yellow with vertical and horizontal reflective silver grey tape and an outside left pocket and an inside pocket on the bottom right side of vest. This lightweight standard safety vest can also be customized with the company logo on the back.

Whatever your corporate wear needs are, shop CeremonialSupplies.com for the best quality long sleeve deluxe and classic Oxford club shirts, dri-FIT embroidered polo shirts, lightweight t-shirts and safety vests, all at budget friendly prices and shipped efficiently and promptly wherever you are in the world! Click here for a shipping quote!

February 14, Valentine's Day, is celebrated in the US and in Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. The origins of the day are muddled and obscured since the original festivity, which is seeped in an ancient ritual of rebirth, fertility, and growth clashed strongly with the traditions imposed by the Catholic church during the "christianization" of Rome. CeremonialSupplies.com, the best one-stop shop on the web for all things ceremonial - groundbreaking shovels and hard hats, shovel display stands and cases, ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors, grand opening ribbons, military decorations and gifts, corporate clothing, and many more, is proud to bring you this brief and concise history of Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day Started With The Festival of Lupercalia

The festival of Lupercalia was an annual festival celebrated in ancient Rome and was held between the 13 - 15 of February. Some scholars claim Lupercalia is a pastoral festival, meaning it is related to pastures, land, and farming and very likely originated even before the founding of Rome when early man experienced the coming and going of the seasons and held rituals he believed would influence the weather patterns. The month of February falls in the peak of winter. Anyone who has lived outside the tropics understands the barren landscape of winter - a season associated by the ancients with death and rebirth. The Lupercalia was a major organization that operated like a cult, with its own priesthood called 'the Luperci' who was formed by men between the ages of 20 and 40 and divided into two religious associations; the Quinctiliani, a patrician family of Rome whose members held high offices in the State, and the Fabiani, the most ancient family of Rome. It is interesting to note that during the time of Julius Caesar in 44 BC a third institute was created and called Juliani in honor of Julius Caesar and its first magistrate was Mark Antony. The Juliani was disbanded after Caisar's assassination. The priesthood of the Luperci conducted with great pomp, a sacrificial ritual that entailed the killing of a male goat and a dog at the Lupercal altar. The ceremony was carried out under the supervision of the chief priest. When the blood sacrifice was completed, two members of the Luperci were anointed on their forehead with the blood from the knife used to kill the animals, and then wiped clean. The two chosen members were then expected to laugh. This ended the ritual and opened the official feast during which the Luperci men cut strings or pieces of hide fiber (called februa) from the skin of the sacrificed animals and ran naked (and most assuredly drunk) within the city limits while whipping women who would literally line up for the men to hit them as they believed this would make them fertile. The celebration included a matchmaking ritual in which unmarried men drew the names of unmarried women from an urn and the two were paired for the duration of the festival, or longer if the match was successful. Some of these matches ultimately ended in marriage.

Pregnant women would get in the way of the naked men to be struck with the bloody piece of animal skin as a way of assuring a safe delivery. We know this through the writings of the ancient historian Plutarch who describes Lupercalia: "...many of the noble youths and magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they met with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy."

The Catholic Church Outlaws Lupercalia

Pope Gelasius was the head of the Catholic Church from AD 492 to 496 a time considered as the cusp between late antiquity and the early middle ages. He is responsible for banning the festival of Lupercalia and instead combined the martyrdom of at least four men - supposedly all named Valentine and executed by Emperor Claudius around the year AD 270, with the debaucherous festival. According to the "Acta Sanctorum" or "Lives of the Saints" there were several "Valentini" named men who were killed during this time. One was a priest who married Christian couples and helped Christians who were being persecuted and was beheaded by order of Emperor Claudius for refusing to denounce Christ. Another is said to have died in Africa; the third was beheaded for performing a miracle upon an aristocratic family named Asterius, and yet another one was the bishop of Terni who also cured and converted an unbeliever and was also beheaded. Throughout history scholars have dissected the story of St. Valentine's and have suggested there was actually just one Valentine who was beheaded but different stories surfaced about him. There are others who are skeptical that any Valentine ever existed at all and the observance of St. Valentine's day on February 14 was a way for the Catholic church to put a somber note and discourage the reckless sensual pleasures of Lupercalia. Regardless, none of these legends are remotely romantic.

Thank Chaucer, Shakespeare and Cadbury for the Romance in Valentine's Day

More than a thousand years after the festival of Lupercalia was outlawed by the church and replaced instead by the observance of the gory death of one Valentine who may, or may not have lived, the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, author of "The Canterbury Tales" mentions the February feast of St. Valentine's in connection with the mating of birds and wrote, "For this was on seynd Volantynys day. Whan every bryd comyth there to chese his make." in his poem called "Parlement of Foules." Apparently, birds in England mated during February and this inspired European nobility to send love notes during bird-mating season and in fact, in February of 1415 the Duke of Orleans during his imprisonment in the Tower of London wrote to his wife calling her his "very gentle Valentine." The connection with love birds and February 14 continued and even Shakespeare includes it in Act IV, Scene 5 of "Hamlet" as Ophelia, already losing her mind sings: "To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, all in the morning bedtime, and I a maid at your window, to be your Valentine."

As time passed St. Valentine's day made its way to the New World and had now become a bit more sweet than its origin, while becoming increasingly popular throughout Europe. February 14 became a day to exchange love notes, poems, and handmade paper cards until eventually in 1913, Hallmark began mass production of Valentine's Day cards and ushered the commercialized big business that the holiday is today.

Dropping the "Saint," Valentine's Day is celebrated today in a big way. As soon as New Year decorations come down, Valentine's Day ones come up. Businesses, shops, office cubicles, and homes everywhere bring out the hearts, the cupids and the red and pink bows as gifts of cards, love notes, candy, chocolates, jewelry and sexy undergarments fly off the shelves. Ironically, over the passage of time, there is more of a trace of the sensual paganism with which the holiday originated and less of the gory details, which have survived. We at CeremonialSupplies.com love the idea of celebrating Valentine's Day in grand style! We'll provide the red carpet and stanchions, the red and pink ribbons, banners, and bows, a step and repeat for your official photo of the event, and you create the version of Valentine's Day that inspires you most! See our other blogs for ideas on ceiling draping, ribbon banners, extra-wide ribbons colorful table runners, and much more! Happy Valentine's Day, with love, from CeremonialSupplies.com! Contact us here for questions or shipping quotes and let Cupid's arrow fly!