Wedding planning can be very stressful for a bride and groom under normal circumstances, let alone during a worldwide viral pandemic. Unique obstacles have continued to arise for couples planning their 2020 and 2021 weddings with many unanswered questions about what the future will hold short and long term. Hiring a professional event planner can help ease many of your frustrations, and together, they can help you create your dream wedding through these dark times to include a happy ending. First, take a deep breath and follow a few expert advice tips to navigate through this complicated experience. 

Postponing or Canceling?

With advisements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they continue to urge individuals to practice social distancing and limit groups of people to no more than ten and have enforced travel restrictions for months. If you have an event scheduled for this spring or early summer, it will most definitely need to reschedule for a future date. The key to re-planning a wedding during this time is to postpone to another day rather than canceling; to avoid losing deposits since retainer fees can apply to future dates.

First Steps for Re-Planning

If your event was to take place within the next ten weeks, call your designer and florist immediately to freeze your vendors from printing any dates on stationary or from a florist creating an order for fresh blooms. The next line of communication should be with your venue to discuss what options are available for a rescheduled date. It is essential to be flexible and open to the idea of an event being hosted on a different weeknight like Friday or Sunday and considering an off-peak month since many venues will be booked with other weddings previously. It may be safest to postpone your wedding until late summer or fall, maybe even later, if you’re willing to allow the crisis to have time to diminish entirely. Choosing a date too soon may result in having to reschedule a second time, causing additional stress.

Contacting Vendors

Once you confirm with your venue, it is necessary to reach out to your event consultant and other vendors to check availability. A photographer may be the most challenging person for rescheduling due to the nature of their business. Vendors who focus on one client per day, like photographers, get booked quickly and far in advance. Other vendors, such as bakers, florists, linens, and entertainment, are more available for multiple orders on a given day. If your vendor is not available for rescheduling, be sure to review all contracts and discuss cancellations per the policy.

Let Your Guests Know of Changes

Lastly, you will need to contact your friends and family quickly so that they can adjust their schedules as well. Many of them will have additional travel expenses, such as hotel bookings, that will need rescheduling. Sending a quick electronic message through social media or email will quickly allow you to get the word out. Then, it is advised to send postponement announcements through the mail for actual headcounts when needed.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We have access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget. Our team prides ourselves in offering only the highest-quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at https://www.eventplanningdc.com.

The event industry is constantly changing and continues to grow in popularity as people’s lives are on overdrive. They can’t take the extra time to plan an upcoming event, or they don’t need the added stress. Often, in this line of work, there are several terms used that are misunderstood or defined loosely. Certain words or even job titles can mean different things to different people. An easy example of this is the word “event” in which some people will interpret it to be a birthday party, business conference, wedding, sporting game, and the list goes on. These varying descriptions can be confusing in the event industry and so can job titles, such as “event planner” verse “event coordinator.” What is it precisely that separates these two careers?

Choosing an Event Planner

No matter the type of event you are in the process of planning, whether it is a social or corporate gathering, an event planner is not a “party planner.” Throwing a grand party may seem like the profession’s main job goal but it’s not nearly as simple as that. The first step in event planning is to visualize the big picture and understand the purpose of the occasion and how to achieve it. The planner oversees making critical decisions such as who, what, where, when, and why factors of the event. An event planner communicates directly with the customer to incorporate their vision to create an affair that aligns with the client’s needs and budget. After the initial meeting, the planner will select a venue, entertainment, and discuss menu options, among other things. This career holds a considerable amount of responsibilities to ensure that the event is everything the customer is expecting.

Hiring an Event Coordinator

A coordinator, on the other hand, is responsible in making sure all the details are carried out smoothly with each vendor showing up on time and that they provide the services correctly. This specific job is typically a milestone in becoming an event planner down the line. An event coordinator requires skills such as excellent written and verbal communication and the ability to work well with others since the central portion of their job is to collaborate with vendors, their clients, and guests at the party. Once an event planner has completed the vision of the event, the coordinator can step in and provide management to the individual components to guarantee it goes smoothly. Event coordinators are hired for specific lengths of time during the planning process, whether it’s from day one of planning or if needing extra assistance on the actual day for several hours.

Which Professional to Select

Although the two roles are very different from each other, they often work hand in hand. As discussed earlier, many event planners early on are trained as event coordinators and depending on the level of expertise your event requires will help you decide which option will be best for your needs. Both professions have similar skill sets; well organized, creative, and can work well under pressure. No matter if an item turns up missing or a vendor is running late, or if an outdoor event has a sudden downpour of rain – your professional will be able to help guide your event to a successful and memorable day.  

 Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design, and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. With access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget, we pride ourselves in delivering only the highest quality event coordination. We promise to give you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion, including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events, and milestone celebrations. For more information, visit https://www.eventplanningdc.com.

For any company, throwing a large event can be a very unpredictable experience. It’s hard to gauge exactly how everything will shake out even if you’re the most meticulous planner in the business. Unexpected issues can arise from any area, from troublesome guests to shoddy technology. While a great number of unforeseen issues cannot be avoided or predicted, there are elements of a great event that can be. Choosing to hold your event outside or in an event center can be a big choice that leads to your event being a big success or it can ruin the entire day or evening. There are a few elements to consider when making such a choice.

Visual Interest/Location

Location is a very obvious but very crucial element to holding an event outside. While you can decorate an event to an extent inside, business hotel conference halls and event centers can all look only so visually appealing but may be more than adequate for corporate events. Holding your event outside in a beautiful area of the state or country can give your event a visual splendor that costs nothing outside of a higher booking cost. An event taking place near the Colorado mountains will give a much higher visual quality to any event compared to, say, the farmlands in Iowa. While budgets for any event can vary it certainly helps to plan, if having the event outside, to have it in an area that can lend to the overall visual quality of the planned event.

Noise Levels

The overall size of your event can influence the noise levels no matter how many guests attend. For smaller events, it’s possible to have more guests show up than expected and that can make it hard for guests to hear over the chattering of other guests around you. Even with larger event spaces, the higher ceilings can elevate the sounds to an uncomfortable degree. Holding an event outside can ease the noise levels substantially, as the obvious lack of walls can let voices travel across the abyss of the landscape. Conversely, having a speaker at an event can be troublesome outside as using devices like portable speakers can be unpredictable when outside, causing guests further back to get only mumbling sound.

Weather

Naturally, the weather outside is a large issue for outside events. Not only is the weather incredibly unpredictable but it can be small and harmless or explosive. Events held outside can experience weather that is easy to wait out or weather that can not only cause delays or cancellations but outright destroy property and rented equipment. While the weather can often be seen ahead of scheduled events oftentimes storms or high winds can break out with no warning at all, giving events little no time to prepare or react. The weather might be the most obvious and crucial element to consider when deciding to hold an event outside, no matter how beautiful or visually appealing the terrain around it.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest-quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at https://www.eventplanningdc.com.

The holidays are upon us!  Of course, we all know what this means… PARTY TIME!  There is no better way then to start getting in the spirit of the season than with a company holiday party.  Although company parties can become the source of water cooler stories for years to come, they are the perfect time to get to know the people you spend eight to ten hours a day with.

Yes, some co-workers will take this opportunity to enjoy a few beverages which can lead to some tipsy revelations, funky dancing, or perhaps some mild filtration it will also be a time for some fun and entertainment. Corporate holiday parties are similar to that once a year wedding we are all excited to attend, they allow employees to have a little fun and reward them for the hard work that has been put in throughout the year.

Below are some ultra-exciting corporate party ideas to ensure your event is something that your employees enjoy.

Company Olympics

Instead of running, swimming, skiing, and so on create a few fun events that employees can participate in for prizes.  Consider creating teams by randomly drawing names and have them compete in fun games like wine cork shooting ranges, team table tennis with one partner blind folded, bouncy ball basketball using mason jars as baskets, balancing by the books, and so on.  You really can come up with just about anything to create a night of activity and unexpected team bonding.

Rent an Indoor Field

What better way to get to know your employees and them one another than to rent an indoor athletic field for a game of kickball, softball, flag football, and more.  After the game, surprise employees with an entertainer that is able to set up a stage and perform for them after they have cleaned up and are ready to party.

Take Over a Museum/Zoo

How awesome would it be to attend a corporate event in a venue that is normally over crowded and unable to be enjoyed.  Think about having the Smithsonian, the Shedd Aquarium, or San Francisco Zoo all to yourselves to enjoy.  Having food and drink stations throughout for employees to enjoy.  What a treat it would be to have time to enjoy something so amazing without the crowds, just your co-workers and their families.

A Bar Crawl

Not all places of employment would consider this but a less conservative, smaller company might see this as a perfect opportunity to let loose.  Rent rooms for each employee and a company party bus to explore several bars throughout the area without having to worry about driving and getting home.

Of course, your corporate party needs to be planned with your company and employees in mind.  No matter what type of event you decide on you have to be prepared for a bit of “backlash” by outsiders uninterested in participating in activities outside of normal business hours.  As an employer your job is to plan for the masses and make sure to give your employees an experience that lets them know just how appreciated they are!

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at http://www.eventplanningdc.com.

If you haven’t started planning for your company’s holiday party, it’s time to start!  Our experts are on the job to assist in planning a bash that your crew will actually be excited to come to.  Corporate events don’t need to live up to their stale reputation, it is 2018 and having a good time with your co-workers is trending!  Here are some tips to create a corporate event that stands out to your employees for years to come.

Choose a Theme

Nothing turns a frown upside down faster than a party with a theme!  Even your typical drinks and dinner event goes from ho-hum to something better when a theme is stuck to it.  Think about it, you will be talking about how Donna from HR won the ugly sweater contest with her hideous, super flash, glitter, punk sweater for holiday parties to come.  Here are some other ideas:

• Create a wonderland with fake snow, twinkling lights, and all white décor
• Have members of your staff vote on a decade and dress like they are from that era
• Create a tropical resort or cozy cabin
• Choose a color theme
• Invite people of different cultures to share recipes pot luck style

Entice Them with Prizes

Winning something is always fun.  Think about prizes that truly connect with your employees and budget.  Consider the following ideas:

• Gift cards
• Gadgets
• Paid time off
• Tickets

Activities That Break the Ice

Games aren’t just for kids anymore.  Plan an activity that helps loosen everyone up and get to know each other better.  Activities where people have to work together are popular at corporate holiday events as it works as a team builder but in a non-formal setting.  Try the following:

• Charades
• Scavenger hunts
• Movie trivia
• Assemble gingerbread houses
• Decorate cookies

Some other fun ideas are:

• Give back to the community by helping others or hold a toy/food drive.
• Bring in some entertainment like a comic or hypnotist
• Do a gift exchange or secret Santa
• Do a group outing like to play laser tag, an escape room, or karaoke

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at http://www.eventplanningdc.com.

Every couple wants the wedding of their dreams without the expense of their relationship.  Here are common but avoidable fights couples often experiencing when planning a wedding and how they can be handled.

Different Sized Guest Lists and Unequal Family Contributions

There are a number of solutions to help avoid the issue of uncontrolled guest lists and unequal family contributions.  This like many other times finances and family will be involved must be met as you would any business situation.  One approach is to set boundaries immediately with the number of guests each family can invite and how much they will be required to contribute to cover the cost.

Another approach, especially if the bride and groom are paying for the wedding together is to break it down, “This is the cost of your guest list, this is the cost of my guest list.  It seems as if there is an imbalance, can you address this with your family to see if they are willing to chip in and if they are not able to then how can we make the wedding more affordable, so everyone can come or how can we trim down your families guest list to fit within our budget.”   Compromising in financial situation is something that will be required throughout marriage.  Learning how to properly handle financial issues now will help prevent a lot of headaches down the road.

Lack of Interest in Wedding Planning

Many brides are so excited to plan for their wedding day.  It is a day they have thought about forever and are anxious to be detailing each and every intricacy of the day. The problem arises when brides see that their grooms are lacking their enthusiasm.

It is crucial that brides remember that although they have been thinking about this day since they were a little girl most grooms haven’t thought about it even once.  Most grooms don’t really want to be involved in each and every decision and are happy as long as their bride is happy.  What brides need to do to combat what they see as a lack of interest on the groom’s part is to get them involved in areas of the wedding that actually matter to them.  If they are into music hand that over to them.  If you have a foodie on your hands invite them to take charge of the menu.  It is important to be honest with your soon to be spouse and to speak honestly about a division of labor and where interests lay.

Allocation of Wedding Funds

When planning a wedding most often the first thing that is discussed is the budget.  Problems can arise quickly if a detailed allocation of funds has not been agreed upon.  Are you eyeing a four-thousand-dollar dress?  Does your spouse have their heart set on a two week, all inclusive honeymoon?  You can instantly see how problems can occur.

Unfortunately, when you are working with a large sum of money it is crucial that the two of you meet in the middle with how and on what the money will be spent.  This may require some give and take but, in the end, it is important to recognize the end goal, a happy life spent together.  After much thought you may see how a four-thousand-dollar dress you will wear one night is slightly impractical when you can spend two solid weeks together away from the stresses of the real world to enjoy your new husband and wife status.

As wedding consultants, we have seen some of the littlest arguments turn into something ugly, fast.  It is important to remember that although you want this day to be as magical as you always dreamed, it is in fact just that, one day.  Make sure that the small loop holes you are experiencing before the walk down the aisle are not bigger hidden issues looming in the dark.  Work together to make sure that a mole hill isn’t turned into a mountain.  At the end of the day what really matters is that you are marrying the individual you will spend the rest of your life with even if they don’t care about the pink napkins or choose invitations fit for a kids fifth birthday party.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at http://www.eventplanningdc.com.

No matter how prepared a bride and groom are there will always be circumstances outside of their control when it comes to planning for the big day.  To prepare yourself we have come up with a list of issues our brides and grooms have run into and how to handle them if (when) you run into them while planning your wedding.

Awkwardness in the Workplace:

• In wedding planning there will always be people that think that they should have been invited to your special day. A lot of brides and grooms struggle with invitations for their boss and coworkers.  As a couple you are under absolutely no obligation to invite anyone to your wedding.  The best way to avoid awkwardness is to address the issue head on letting people know that it is nothing personal but that your wedding invitations are being limited only to family and close family friends.  This will help people understand why they have not received an invitation.  If you are not going to be inviting people from your workplace to the wedding it is best to keep wedding talk to a minimum.

Bridesmaids and Groomsman Budgets:

• There is a slight chance you may hear some grumbles when it comes to the expenses associated with taking part in your wedding. When you consider the costs associated with being in a wedding don’t forget to consider all of the parties, the attire, the presents, and everything in between.  It is important that as the bride and groom you take them into consideration as you are choosing attire.  Try to choose a style that is affordable and that they may be able to use again.  Black suits for gentleman and simple, yet stylish dresses can be perfectly suitable.  If you are a bride that always dreamed of glitz and flash (otherwise a dress that will never be worn again) consider offering to split the expense.

RSVPs:

• This is the absolute worst part of wedding planning for most couples, getting people to respond! If the date you expected the RSVP’s back has come and gone it is time to get on the phone.  Never assume that those guests are not coming instead reach out and touch base with them or if it is a family friend have your parents reach out.  When it comes to a final head count it is better never to assume that people are not coming.  If you cannot reach them error on the side of caution.  It is better to have more food than and seats than not enough!

Toasts:

• This is another tricky area to regulate and thankfully that is why you have hired people. To avoid the scenario of drunken, inappropriate toasts, or toasts from any guest who can get a hold of the microphone speak to your DJ and wedding coordinator about the “rules” of the microphone.  Make sure they understand that under no circumstance should the microphone be handed over to any other guests than the ones that have already been preapproved by the two of you.

There are so many little things that can and will go wrong.  Some you may know about; others may be hidden from you because after all you shouldn’t worry…It’s Your Day!  Whatever happens it is important to remember at the end of the day the only aspect that is truly important is that the two of you become one.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at http://www.eventplanningdc.com.

As adults we don’t tend to make a big deal about our birthday each and every year however the game changes when it comes when we reach major milestones.  Planning a special event can take a lot of time and planning which is something most of us don’t have extra of when we are reaching the 40, 50, and 60-year marks.  Thankfully this is where event planners come into the picture.

An event planner helps to take your vision and turn it into reality without much more than your input.  It is important to work with a professional in planning larger milestone celebrations to truly take the time to enjoy it rather than stressing about the details weeks.  A party planner takes charge from the inception of the idea until the last guest leaves allowing you to be the social butterfly you want to be when celebrating a major milestone in your life.

Below you will find a short list of some of the things that an event coordinator will take care of for you so that you can sit back and enjoy the event.

Invitations:

Your invitation will set the tone for the entire event and allows you to make a first impression to remember. The part of invitations that is tedious and not fun to deal with however, is the addressing them, sending them out, and responding to R.S.V.P.’s or worse yet those guests who never respond at all.  As an event coordinator it is our responsibility to track down your guests, make sure counts are accurate, and that everyone is knowledgeable of the day’s events.

Decorations/Colors:

Since most people don’t specialize in planning for an event, if left to their own accord often end up choosing from themes and colors commonly found at the local party store.  This is not the case when you hire a professional. Just because you are turning 50 and heading “over the hill” as it is often coined doesn’t mean you have to have an event themed around growing older.  Instead we help you to build an event around what makes you unique.  We create the day around you.

Attention Grabbing:

It is important to make sure that guests feel included in the event to ensure that they enjoy themselves and help to create the atmosphere you are looking for in your event. It is our job to grab their attention and guide them towards the theme.  Chilled events with wine and cheese trays are much different than those with themed adult beverages and photo booths with props.  The tone is set by planners who are guided by your direction. It is also important for you as the party’s guest of honor are recognized and readily available to mingle with guests.

Activities:

No one wants bored party guests. It is important to have things for guests to do as they arrive at the event all the way up until they leave.  Whether it is hiring live entertainment or offering interactive group games via smartphones it is crucial to keep events moving forward.  As a part of the party you don’t want to be worried about if people are having a good time, that is our job.

Presents/Parting Gifts:

Even when invitations specifically say not to bring a gift you can be assured no one will listen. We prepare for the unexpected and make sure that you come prepared as well.  Every detail, down to the partying memory you give guests to take with them is planned for you around your ideas without any actual leg work needing to be done on your part.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at http://www.eventplanningdc.com.