The Truth About Event Planning

Here is the truth about event planning and the skills it takes to become successful.

I’ve heard of young children dreaming about their weddings and planning them for years before they even meet their life partner. Well, that was not me. I wouldn’t have had a wedding if my mom didn’t plan the whole thing. I would have been happy to make a quick trip to the courthouse and be done with it. Why am I telling you this? Because I’m going to share the truth about planning events. It is not about the flowers, decorations, invitations, and music. Those things are important, but it is really about patience, communication, and logistics. This is not the fantasy job many aspire too, instead, event planning is hard work, physical labor, and lots of planning. Believe it or not, I am pretty good at it, probably because event planning is not what most people think it is.

I never intended to be an event planner, it actually just happened naturally through the course of my career. Starting out as a young entrepreneur many years ago, hosting events and meetings was a good way to grow my business. Then as I changed careers, I realized that I had a brain for logistics and that it was actually a unique skill. Luckily a Vice President at my organization saw my strengths and placed me in a position where I would lead a large team to host events with thousands of guests. Talk about a challenge! Getting all the pieces and parts in the right place, scheduling the “show” by the minute, and planning for every small detail or derailment became my mission.

So what are the skills an event planner must possess?

1. Ability to Stay Calm: If there is one skill an event professional must have, it’s the ability to stay calm no matter what. I’m not sure if I was born with this ability, but after years of training horses and riders, I knew it was the only way to build confidence in my students and equine partners. When dealing with flight animals that weigh more than a thousand pounds, their human companions must stay calm. When a rider is starting to panic, their instructor must talk them down so the horse doesn’t instinctively react the same way. The same is true with event clients. When the AV system isn’t working properly, the event planner must stay calm and have a backup plan. You cannot let them see you sweat; you must talk them down. They are trusting you to make everything run smoothly, and with the proper planning, that is exactly what will happen. 

2. Willing to Do (Almost) Anything: So I mentioned physical labor. Yes, that’s right. Event planning is a physical job. Every event professional must be able to roll up their sleeves and move tables and chairs, carry large props, and be proficient at sweeping, mopping, and yes, sometimes using a plunger. Maybe it’s not the job you pictured when cutting out pictures for your wedding planning album, but those that pitch in and do whatever it takes to keep their clients happy are those that are successful. 

3. A Good Listener Who is also Nimble: You will have many conversations with your clients and in doing so, you must be able understand what their vision is. Or if they don’t have a vision, you must create one for them. In order to create a vision, you must ask questions and really listen to the answers. Ask about their taste; do they like elegant or casual? Ask about their style; are they more structured or laid back? Or maybe, who is this event for and what do they like or dislike? Collect as much information as you can at the very first meeting. But then remember, it is human nature to change our minds. Sometimes the client will have ideas they want to explore after the initial planning has been done, sometimes they have received input from others and want to integrate their ideas too, sometimes they get to the venue and just want something changed. A good event planner must be nimble and cannot get flustered. If you are the type of person that likes certainty or feels that plans are set in stone, this is definitely not the job for you. 

4. Logistics, Logistics, Logistics: As an event planner you must look closely at everything that might affect your event. Run through every scenario from start to finish so you can have a back-up plan whenever possible. Know your guest list. Are they young or old? Are children attending? Then put yourself in their shoes and walk through every detail of the event from arrival time to departure. Think about parking, walking to the building, weather, the kind of seating that will be provided, safety for kids, program length and content, line of sight and sound, food and drink options for those with special diets, elevators, coat racks, suitable restrooms, lactation room- the list goes on and on. These are the details that matter, the details that will make or break an event. The client is relying on you to think of everything, even though they don’t know it. Believe it or not, most people don’t think of these things, but somehow think everything just naturally falls into place. It doesn’t, it is up to you, the event planner, to insure every detail has been carefully evaluated and put into place.

So there you go, in a nutshell, and to the point. The job is fun, challenging, ever-changing, and, believe it or not, rewarding. Seeing everything come together and pleasing your clients and their guests is priceless. If you are lucky enough to possess the skills above, you are well suited to be an event planner. If you like to pick out flowers and centerpieces, bring your talent to the table when you meet with your event planner. They will truly appreciate your input in order to create your perfect event.