Having worked in the event planning industry for almost 15 years, there aren’t many surprises left, but I still get the “did they what” every once in a while! Why doesn’t it surprise me anymore, because over the years the number one rule of thumb for event planning is to spend time pre-planning for the event, and then plan contingencies for exceptions that may occur?

So where do you start? As far away from the event date as possible, getting space is the first step. In Orlando, where we do a lot of work, it’s not unusual to book a year at some of the places as they are full every week.

The first decisions are the easiest. What is the budget? What is the event about? A party, a corporate seminar, a convention, a festival, a wedding, an anniversary, the list is endless, but one thing remains constant once the event has a name and the type of event is decided, the next step will be to decide where to hold the event . This is where real event planners stand out from the crowd. So, you have an event – ​​ok, book a hotel normally is the next answer, but why would you miss out on creating a unique experience for your client? Stop thinking like a newbie!

Look around the city you are in and start looking for that different space! We once held a red carpet fashion show right outside the lingerie store that was promoting its opening! What’s unusual about that? Nothing except the two lane highway outside which we had to close, get planning permission and then build a 150 foot canopy over the driveway, flooring, carpeting, stage, runway, fancy lighting. All in one day. That is planning. Or the client who wanted a nautical theme so we brought a pirate ship complete with water cannons, pirate uniforms for everyone including the CEO! Ah Captain. Get the idea, think outside the box – everyone does hotels, make your event unusual. How about an event/launch or party on the top floor of a multi-story car park? We’ve even filled parking lots for major downtown festivals and invite 5,000 people to attend. He used castles for car launches and produced tours for musical contests.

So please know we have an event and the location/venue. Do you need planning permission for the event? If you have tents or are in a public place, the answer will be yes. Get that permit application done quickly, the city will have a lot of questions for you to answer. Don’t worry, they will let the event happen, they just want all the answers to intersect, so give them time.

Are you also helping with marketing? Now is the time to get started on all of this and create the timeline when copying, printing, and emailing is due. Do you see a starting pattern, timelines, pre-planning, etc.

Next on the list will be catering commonly called F&B. Is it a sit down event, standing cocktails, dinner reception, hors d’oeuvres, alcohol, etc.? Again, another decision and you need a budget figure. Full-service hot meals can cost upwards of $50 per plate or as low as $19. It’s all about the budget. Once you have decided what is required, your event planner will have a list of suitable vendors who can produce the meals.

If the event is themed, the next step is to design the layout of the tables, the environment and turn the place into an experience. I remember erecting a canopy inside a tall ballroom for a client, as they didn’t want the traditional ballroom space. A local hotel has two weeks of ice sculptures in its ballrooms and kids can play on ice slides, play in the snow and experience sub-zero conditions – in Central Florida

Another area that will need to be addressed is entertainment, is it your music, what style of DJing and what purpose. Is it for dancing or just as a background environment? Again, if the event requires a headliner, you’ll need to contact the booking agencies in plenty of time to ensure that timeslots are available. You also had a second option ready, didn’t you?

So now we have an event, date(s), theme, venue, food and drink, entertainment, and permission has been granted by the city!

What about the sound, lights and video for the event, usually called Audio Visual or AV again, the event planner will know what and where to get the appropriate systems and size of equipment required based on the number of attendees? While watching AV, we can also mention the cameraman for filming and recording the event for the DVD and also the photographer for taking a million shots overnight, making sure everyone gets in at least one picture!

The event date is obviously getting closer. If it’s a corporate event, you’ll want to make sure all the appropriate insurance is in place and certification of public/general liability insurance is in place. The policy must be at least $1 million dollars of protection.

The fire marshal always wants to know about events in your city and no matter how big or small, a phone call to answer your questions and get approval is always part of the planning stages. It is your responsibility to contact the fire marshal, not they should contact you.

One area that many people forget is how people get to the event, do people fly in, do they book tickets. And if so, what transport do you provide them from the airport? We use certain limousine services that have provided us with excellent service and deals over the years and we know that guests are in good hands.

So far we have overcome all the problems, but since this is a summary of event planning, each event will be different. Seminars, for example, will need registration tables, classroom-style layouts, etc. Each event has its own nuance.

On the day of the event, everything goes according to plan, if you didn’t plan for the contingency then panicking doesn’t help. Look at each part of the schedule and guess what if scenarios. Plan around that too so your day will run smoothly.

Lastly, the day doesn’t end until the last guest leaves… errr no! until the venue has been restored to how you found it, until all the decorations have been removed, the caterers have packed up and left, the AV guys have loaded all their gear into the vans, and the venue operations staff finally said good night and thank you. .

steve a brown

Event Planner – Resource Management Alliance

http://resourcema.com.