I hear a lot of questions from brides about not needing a wedding planner because they already have an on-site venue coordinator (I’ve also been told DJ’s and florists also say they are wedding planners as well!). It’s important to consider what will really be involved when orchestrating your wedding and what exactly each “planner” does for you.

Below are just some typical examples of what a venue Catering Manager/On-site Coordinator will handle vs. hiring your own Event Planner.

Typical Catering Manager Duties:
℘ Sell the venue
℘ Schedule personalized tour of venue
℘ Arrange and attend menu tasting
℘ Create catering contract related to venue’s rentals and food
℘ May or may not have a preferred vendors list, help decorate, or create a timeline
℘ Oversee venue ceremony/reception set up and food prep
℘ Pass duties to venue’s banquet captain before leaving

These coordinators are essential to understanding the space and layout, but please remember that they work for the venue. They are there to follow the rules and guidelines of the facility and at times may have several events going on at the same time.

Typical Event Planner Duties:
℘ Assess and recommend vendor professionals (music, flowers, rentals) to fit your needs
℘ Create comprehensive timeline of day
℘ Tie all vendors together and confirms “call times” and details
℘ Coordinate ceremony rehearsal, ceremony, reception
℘ Assist in the details like wording of invitations, cake tastings, favors, music, décor and design
℘ Deliver and arrange programs, place cards, favors, decorations; collect personal items, gifts

An event coordinator works for you, the client. Our job is to orchestrate your entire event from start to finish based on your style and personality. We deal with the emotions, the families, the emergencies, and the details to make it is a flawless event for you and your guests.

Though a venue coordinator does help coordinate your event, know that they are not a wedding coordinator. Neither is your DJ, photographer, or florist. They all coordinate things that directly relate to their field (ie, your DJ will create a timeline as it affects the music of your reception) but they are not orchestrating every single detail like a wedding coordinator will.

A venue coordinator and event coordinator are both very important to have as they both have specific jobs that they are good at doing, and they will work together to make sure you have a beautiful and stress-free party!

Welcome to Bizbash LA!

I worked as the Bizbash LA Expo and Awards 2010 Volunteer Coordinator this year, and wow was that an amazing experience! I got to work directly with the Bizbash New York team, Richard, Sheryl, and Marissa, and learned a lot about what takes place when planning an expo and awards show.

Girari tabletop

As the Volunteer Coordinator, it was my job to find volunteers for the prep and day of the event. I had to assign duties and shift times to everyone as well as train them with what needed to get taken care of that day. We held a walk-through the day before and stuffed over 1500 goody bags for attendees. Luckily I was blessed with over 30 volunteers interested in helping, and they really made my job easy! Should you ever be looking for any interns or event assistants, I can recommend a number of these volunteers to be fully capable and fun to be around as well!

Lovely Ladies from Champagne Entertainment Group

Between running around, sitting in the Show Office, answering questions, and making sure everyone was calm and having fun, I didn’t get much of a chance to listen to the speakers or walk the trade show floor, but I did get some event highlights to share for you:
1. Lots of photobooths this year on the trade show floor. From silly costumes to flip books to boothless photos, these vendors are really innovative and fun!
2. Loved Glitter Body Art! They were there last year and I just had to get a tattoo with them again!

3. The Twitter Lounge was a big hit! I’m sure the Twitter Girls had nothing to do with it!

The Twitter Girls

4. Met Noc Nguyen from Skybox Productions who is such a sweetheart! I hope to keep in touch with her and pick her brain a little bit as she’s been in this industry for 5 years!
5. I always love my chocolates from Images Printed on Chocolates! Her work is superb!

From Images Printed on Chocolate!

Thanks again to my wonderful volunteers, especially those that stayed around from 7am to 7pm! I hope to see everyone again at next year’s Bizbash LA event!

ISES Eventworld 2010

If anyone else is attending, I would love to know if anyone’s interested in meeting up while I’m there getting my LEARN on!

Dates: August 5-7, 2010

Location: Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, MD

Website for Info: http://isesew.vtcus.com/EW2010/index.aspx

What is Eventworld?

Eventworld offers 3 days of educational sessions for all event industry professionals. Among many topics discussed include leadership development, trends in the industry, real world case studies, brand extension, networking, and better budgeting, just to name a few! The final evening also awards the winners of this year’s 2010 Esprit Awards.

If you’re debating attending Eventworld this year, here are some reasons why you should attend!

-Network with Peers

-Meet with professionals from around the globe

-Create a resource list of individuals who can be a resource when working out of your city

-Share ideas and broaden your base knowledge

-Make contacts as this will make your company more known throughout the
industry.

-Gain Knowledge

-Attend sessions that will increase your base knowledge and open doors to new experiences that you can share with the rest of your staff

-Learn about the latest trends through the various keynote and panel discussions with industry leaders

-Share your knowledge on the latest areas of growth within the industry, as well as information about their events.

-Grow Professionally

-Discover new tools, solutions and trends that will improve and prepare your business for the next level in special events.

-Obtain points toward your CSEP or other industry certifications for attendance and participation in classes

-Obtain Lead Referrals

-Generate leads while you have plenty of face time with your potential clients

-Grow your business through contacts met in a personal setting
-Brand Your Business

-Opportunity to showcase your company through sponsorship

-Position your company’s message in front of all the attendees

Can you afford NOT to attend?