Plan for Success - Why Leadership Skills Matter to Event Organizers

It's Monday - and the start of the week makes me think meetings. In this blog I thought it would be good to post an article written by Emma Nelson. It rings true on so many levels. Many of these I will say is my secret to dealing with others. I can't wait to use some that I haven't yet before.

Here's the article:

I recently attended a leadership course where I learned that the key to being an effective leader is to determine what motivates the people you are trying to lead. Each person is different, so don’t assume what motivates you is the same for others. Remember the “Golden Rule” we each grew up reciting? The new trend, as presented in my course, is the “Platinum Rule”; treat others the way they want to be treated.  I think this is valuable advice not only for leaders, but also for event planners. Find out what motivates your participants and provide the content that your attendees want. Enable exhibitors to accomplish theirobjectives. I’ve provided, below, a few of the “Cornerstones of Leadership” to demonstrate how these principles might apply not only to leading others, but to planning successful events.

• Listen: All people like to be heard. When your attendees or exhibitors have ideas they’re willing to share, listen. And, avoid complaints by asking for feedback in advance of your conference.  A few key areas where it’s in your best interest to listen are:
  • Bring value into the exhibit hall by asking your attendees what companies they would most like to see there. Then solicit those types of companies to join your event.
  • Improve your program content by asking attendees what types of speakers and in what topics they’re interested. Then, seek those out.
  • Drive engagement to your conference by polling participants to see what would excite them. Mobile Apps? Scavenger Hunt games? It won’t work unless it fits your group, so ask them and then be prepared to listen and act!
• Be nurturing: Show people that you care. Look out for your participants’ best interests. A few suggestions:
  • Prepare for the unexpected as described in Christine’s Meeting Planner’s Guide blog post to ensure your conference participants feel safe at all times.
  • Bring value and content to attendees and sponsors throughout the year by going beyond traditional coffee break sponsorships to year-round content delivery through sponsor hosted webinars, podcasts, surveys and more. Give continuing education credits to people who participate in these webinars. This type of program sends a message that you are looking out for your sponsors’ interests as well as providing educational content to your members throughout the year.
  • Host a charity event at your conference. This shows you don’t just care about your attendees, but that you’d like to leave the world a better place too. Check out Molli’s blog post focused on how to position your organization for sponsorship success for a few ideas in this area.
  • Have an “attitude of gratitude” and show your appreciation to your participants. Providing unexpected “thank you” gifts to your exhibitors shows they are valued. Hosting a reception for your top sponsors with your leadership helps build relationships and allows for a personal word of appreciation from the “top.” Lastly, be sure to send thank you letters or emails out to your participants post event.
• Empower others: People want to feel as though they are important and their opinions have merit. Empowering your conference staff and participants is equally important. A few ideas:
  • Let your conference participants plan their own schedules onsite – allow them the flexibility to choose the sessions they want to go to, rather than requiring advanced registration. And, don’t forget to provide your attendees with a tool to search sessions, either by mobile app or searchable program online.
  • Involve your attendees! In addition to allowing them to recommend keynote speakers, help select session content, etc. you can take this one step further and put together a panel session, inviting attendees to come and sit on the panel and provide expertise at one of your sessions. Everyone is an expert on something, so engage your attendees and empower them to share expertise with others.
  • Implement a CRO (Chief Relationship Officer) as described by Lisa Petrilli at your next event – allowing participants to engage prior to the conference for more meaningful connections. Read more on Lisa’s strategies here.

By following a few leadership principles such as listening, being nurturing and empowering others, you just might find yourself following the platinum rule; providing an event that doesn’t just fit your needs, but the needs of your participants as well.

Wedding Color Trends for 2014

Planning to get married next year? Then you should know what the trending color schemes are for the coming year. I was asked by a client what the trending colors were. So I started to do some research. Hours of searching and reading and reviewing. These are the color pallets that are the most popular. 

Multi-Shades of BLUE

It seems that the color blue - especially the navy blue/royal blue are the absolute hottest wedding colors for 2014. These are some of the hotter color pallets for blue.

                    

The always popular PINK 

Pink them weddings have always been popular. There are so many color pallets that work well with pink. 

                

50 Shades of Gray

Gray has become a very popular color for wedding over the last few seasons - surprisingly. And it looks like the trend will continue into the next year. Gray is an easy color to pair up with. 

The Neutral Effect

This is becoming more and more popular. Generally they are paired with soft colors. The trend for 2014 is the Neutrals with the bright and colorful colors.

For the next year - when it comes to weddings - you will see alot of these pairings.

Image Credit: Fabulo

Image Credits: elegantwedding.com and Pinterest

A CRASH-COURSE ON HOW TO LIGHTEN UP THE PARTY

I wrote about lighting not long ago. I thought I would add to that post with this one. Keep reading for some great tips and ideas to lighten up your party.

Lighting creates atmosphere. Use it to create effect, to illuminate, mask, highlight, create shadows and to set a certain mood or tone. This post is a crash-course in lighting party solutions and a handful of alternative, exciting ideas:

LED/Plasma screens:

Play favorite clips from a relevant movie in the background to help “set the scene” and get everyone into the theme of the party.

Color alternating lights:

Get into the groove with rock ‘n’ roll themed party lights. More economical to rent than buy unless you plan to use them again. Use to create a vibrant disco scene.

Color changing orbs:

Although these can be a little pricey they provide wonderful decoration for a stage area during evening entertainment and provide the perfect “go-to” lighting solution for event planners and even bar and restaurant owners who are hosting a large event; definitely worth the price tag.

Color changing battery operated candles:

A cost effective lighting solution for any event with options on color swap modes.

Illoom balloons/balloons with LED lights:

Whether it’s a kid’s party, wedding, Valentines day celebration or a Christmas office themed event, with many different colors and styles available on line, there is something for everyone…literally. Where as ordinary balloons, seem just a little bit….well….. “ordinary”, Illoom balloons definitely add a little bit more pizzazz. There are even seasonal selections to style your event with.

LED furniture:

Add a touch of sophistication and modern technology to your party. Just some of the options available include: chairs, cubes, coffee tables, armchairs, barstool or bar-chair, plant pots (yes, I said plant pots!) and poseur tables. Poseur tables in particular can be strategically place to create focal points. Often becoming the hub of social activity, they are at convenient elbow height over which to share a drink. Many of the furniture options will also come with a slow color change function; think 70s party, Las Vegas or science fiction style party.

LED wire water proof lights:

These lights are extremely versatile as they can easily be placed in trees or around seating areas. Use them to light up a driveway, garden, terrace or bar area.

LED Tree or branches/Fiber Optic Crystal Lamp:

A simple way to create the big wow factor, either of these is definitely an innovative idea for a winter wonderful, Cinderella or masquerade ball style event.

Luminescent canopy gazebo:

This pretty gazebo is great for the garden and just perfect with which to recreate a fairytale Winter Wonderland. Don’t worry about it being too cold….kit it out with outdoor heaters, it will go down a treat!

LED cube lights or rainbow raindrops:

A decorative addition, these lighting options add a sparkle to any event and can be used to brighten any dark, un-used corner or frame a doorway.

Fairy berries:

Meet the up market version of fairy lights. Although they are best used in the garden, this is not to say that they can’t be used indoors. Dare to get creative!

Iridescent chiffon:

Create beautiful backdrops for photos or add a shimmy and a shine to any table.

Swirl/white luminescent column/stretch columns:

These are available in most colors and come in a range of different heights and shapes. Perfect to fill up corners or break up a room, again think Masquerade Ball or Cinderella-esk ballroom scenes.

Laser sphere projector:

Set the mood with a gentle wall wash.

Iridescent beaded curtain:

Don’t let the size of your event space inhibit your creativity. It is not necessarily the size of an event space but what you do with it that will make or break the party ambiance. These iridescent curtains make for great wall decorations and are a wonderful way to divide up a room.

Paper LED battery lanterns:

Remember that lighting coming from any angle can create an atmosphere so don’t forget your ceiling space. Available in all shapes, sizes and colors and suitable to use both inside and out, these Harry Potter style LED lanterns are currently trending with events and weddings.

LED table skirt or light base/LED beaded table runners:

Either of these lighting solutions create a wonderfully intimate setting. The soft distribution of light from light bases, however, are particularly effective and offer a warm glow. For something a bit more glitzy and glamorous, use with iridescent crush table cloths or substitute for an LED color changing programmable table skirt.

Silk flame lamps:

Silk flames create fabulous special effects. They are also not expensive and can be used and re-used in many different party scenarios so let your imagination run wild with your party theme ideas. Try real flame lamps if looking for something a little more fancy with a real flare! These are not quite so readily available however and significantly more expensive.

Effective lighting will often affect the perceived depth of a room by throwing certain areas into shadow and highlighting others, so choose carefully. Use lighting solutions to maximize the decoration but endeavour to keep it classy. A large LED lit marquee crammed into a small back garden doesn’t look so great and lighting up the garden path so it looks like Blackpool, will not fashion the sophisticated image you were aiming for to say nothing of upsetting the neighbors. Choose a few items for your event theme to subtly infiltrate the event space from the entrance to the exit and it’s enough. Going overkill will only get people criticizing rather than complimenting.

THE ROLE YOU WILL REGRET IF YOU FORGET

Pop quiz: What is the job you can assign for your event that will have you breathing sighs of relief (and admiring a little extra shred of intact sanity) that you have probably forgotten?

You have someone to make the key trade off with the cranky venue attendant, you've hired the limo driver, you know exactly whose hands will be on that expensive champagne, and there is a greeter for each VIP guest at the airport, so you could not have forgotten a thing. Right?

Answer: A cleanup crew.

Oh, wow. The 7 boxes of hand-shredded confetti and 300 votive candles atop what used to be your expensive kitchen table just fell into an ugly light. Pity.

It is easy during planning to stack on detail after detail, obsessing the whole time about the perfect guest experience. We pack in little unexpected touches, plan to transport impossibly unwieldy food and décor, and play our fantasy of the special day in our minds ad nauseum. Rarely, though, does our mental picture point to the end of the soiree. Guests have left and the lights are on, and everyone on the planning team is either MIA or has plopped into plush chairs complaining about their swollen feet. With a little luck, they are probably tipsy too.

If you have been the person in charge of motivating an intoxicated, whiny version of the enthusiastic crew who hours before scattered rose petals on every inch of your venue, you know it is next to impossible. Your team evaporates and yet more stuff seems to precipitate. You have probably pulled the ill-advised all-nighter(s) prior to this moment, so it can feel as if your assistant has actually morphed into a pile of shrimp shells and smashed cake.

I have witnessed each version of this: The wedding party member who has found true love in a visiting cousin, their promises to do anything and everything possible to make your day special forgotten in the romantic aftermath. There’s the non-profit staff, disappearing into their offices to make incredibly important phone calls while you answer awkward questions from the trickling guests. And, of course, there is the bubbling band of socialites whose early attempts to casually direct the afterparty have become a full on passive-aggressive war and is carrying them all out the door in a sequined skirmish.

Meanwhile, you and one or two trusty companions lug load after load to your crammed cars, and it has just dawned on you that you promised the cranky attendant you would vacuum and put the trash out.

This can all be avoided, of course, but you must follow a direct method: Recruit, assign, repeat, multiply.

Recruit

Recruit a team of reliable folks to be your cleanup crew. Avoid the obvious choices; they are probably already up to their necks in this little adventure. Promise whatever they ask, and ask them to plan to be working for an extra-wide window of time. Ask half of them to recruit a helper. Make sure they each have a car or access to one.

Assign

Assign every possible detail. My uncle was the only person in charge of loading our car after my sister’s wedding, and he drunkenly stacked the food on top of her dress, which I had to carefully extract so as not to spill a morsel. Give one person food, one person décor, etc. Keep handlers separate from cleaners; no one wants to fold 300 chairs and then sweep the floor. Arrange the destination for each team member’s part of the breakdown, and make sure that someone has made room in the fridges, planned to drop off items to charity, or whatever needs to be done.

Repeat

Repeat every step of the way in every fashion you can imagine. Do not worry if you seem micromanaging; they may read your 6Kb email and follow-up texts while they should be working, but that is a much better time for someone to be annoyed with you than at the end of the event.

Multiply

Secretly recruit a second crew. They can be smaller than your first, but make sure they are the quiet types who like to be needed. I guarantee you will be thanking them.

And if you plan your cleanup crew properly, chances are they will be thanking you as well.

Great Gatsby and Event Planning

So it has been a very busy week... and my blog has really suffered.

I started writing this blog on Monday - but there is so much to write about. Plus juggling my job and family (hubby and 4 girls) - you can imagine I don't have an enormous amount of spare time.

There is just so much to cover on this one - it has taken me a few days to write it...

OK... in the theme of the Great Gatsby and events - I thought I would write my blog about it. So - truth be told - I will be attending a Corporate event that's theme is 1920's. So it got me to thinking about the extent that you can go with this theme.

With the release of the movie The Great Gatsby - there has been a lot of buzz using this theme in all different types of parties.

Further to the clothing - which is very cute and fun - for both men and women... there are a few other things that you can do to be able to pull off that theme. Think VINTAGE. From the wedding to the Christmas party - the possibilities are endless.

If you are thinking about having a party or wedding with the 1920s theme incorporated - there is so much that can be done.

Decor:
Figured it would be nice to have some ideas on how to decorate an event that is set way back in the 1920s.
From fur to feathers and glam to glorious - this is where many people experimented with a wow factor.

One piece that screams 1920's is the Gramophone. I'm sure most of you have no idea what that is - until you seen the picture. This replica is actually an iPod docking station - so you can listen today's technology with a flare from the 1920's. Find some songs from that era - and you have yourself a party.

In the 20s, it was really popular to have candles and sand in mason
jars. Using mason jars as candleholders was all the rage for garden parties in the 1920s. 

For food displays such as trays - look for steel pieces such as the one in the picture. This has a very vintage fell to it. It does not have the new look to the metal. Rounded edges and steel will bring a 1920s feel to your food display table.

Games station
Keep guests entertained with a games table set up. From checkers to cards to dominoes, these timeless games will create a lighthearted atmosphere

Mint julep
1 1/4 cups fresh blackberries, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons bourbon
1 big bunch of fresh mint leaves, plus whole sprigs for garnish
Shaved or crushed ice
Club soda, chilled



Directions
1 - Mash together the blackberries, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and let macerate at room temperature until juicy (about 20 minutes). Strain the mixture - extracting as much juice as possible - discard the rest.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of blackberry liquid and 1 tablespoon of the bourbon into a silver mint julep cup, add 8 mint leaves, and muddle together.

3. Add shaved ice until the cup is half full. Insert a sprig of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1 inch over the top of the cup. Pour 1/4 cup of the bourbon over the ice, add a splash of club soda. Garnish with sprigs of mint and whole blackberries (if desired).

Champagne flutes
End the night in the true Gatsby fashion with a champagne toast. Go for a classic pour or play it up by adding some berries into the glass wine flutes.

Lighting
If you plan to have your Gatsby garden party - don't forget to add stringed lights overhead. This was wildly popular during the period. Simply hang fairy lights in straight lines or a sting of globe ligths for a brighter effect.

Table Cards
Encourage all of your guests to mix and mingle by creating a seating plan. No matter how many tables you may have - these 1920s style place cards would be perfect on any table.

Feathers were all the rage in the good ol' 1920s. They were used as centerpieces and all the way down to being used in fashion. This is a great centerpiece from that era. Multiple feathers - with faux pearls. So simple - yet so extravagant.

Woman of the 1920s

Hair
In this picture are some of the hair styles for women. The styles were often short back then. Women also wore the tiny hats with veils, head bands that are beaded or with feathers and flowers. There was long hair - however not as common - and often made to look like they had short hair.

                     

Clothes

A familiar description of the 1920s women's dresses could be described as the flapper dress. It was all the rage. Dresses and skirts were getting shorter and shorter. Ladies often wore a boa type shawl made of fur or feathers. The long pearl necklaces were often adorned with this ensemble. And who can forget about the shoes...

Shoes

 The days of pumps became more and more common. Ladies could where a stylish pare of shoes - as you could see in the pictures - their choices were very very limited.

And the men...

It was all about suits and fedoras. It was also known as the mafia days. It was all the glam in those days. The days of pinstripe suits were coming into style. It was also known as the zoot suit era. The oversized suit coats that would go down to nearly the knees.

All this is to say that the ideas are endless - and inspirational. The amount of changes that happened in that time frame. The social changes - women were able to vote and show their legs off. Money was easier to come by and spend - on a new car! I'm sure I will be writing about this again in the near future - there is just so much to write about!

If you have any questions - or need some help with ideas on an event you are planning or even going to - I am so happy to help! The 1920s was the bees knees!

Lighting...in any event!

No matter the event - wedding, party or corporate event - lighting is an important part of event decor. It can actually make or break the event. So when planning an event it is really important to have a checklist.

It's amazing the ambiance you can create using lighting. It is a very inexpensive way to transform the barn into a beautiful wedding venue. With the right touch and a vision - you can create anything. With special event lighting anything is possible - in some cases using projected images and sayings onto walls and scrims.

An easy way to spruce up the venue, is to light-up the trees. Many venues and areas have big plants, trees and shrubs that can be used. It can also be rented - if needed.

Candles are also an essential part of venue lighting. It can create a romantic luster. It gives an event a more intimate feel. Many venues, have band flames in their venue in fear of the unthinkable happening. Technology is great, thank you! We now have candles that are flameless and look like the real thing.

A great reason to use lighting is that depending on your theme and decor - there is many colors that can be used. The lights can add a splash of color in a somewhat dull venue.

There is also LED string lighting - that can be used as base lighting for things like bar, dance floor, stage, main tables and so many other ideas.

Lighting under tables creates a great use for lighting. You can use the icicle type lights and hang them under the table cloth. It creates a romantic light. This works great in weddings under the cake table and head table.

Lighting can be used in corners to create a more subtle and soft tone. It also evens the lighting across big rooms.

As you can see there is a lot that can be done with lights to create the perfect ambiance. From types of lights to colors - the possibilities are endless. If you can imagine the endless combinations of lights and candles - together with color -you can create your perfect event.

Entertainment Ideas: for Corporate Holiday Parties

As I went through stores today - I noticed all the Christmas decorations taking the place of all the Halloween treats that once had me so excited only hours ago. Then I started to realize how close it really was. Wow - we are only a month and a few weeks away. And its just about that time - time to plan for those holiday parties. From family to friends - Christmas through to New Year's - ones agenda gets filled very quickly.

Today I thought I would talk about ideas for entertainment - for the corporate holiday party.

Holiday parties in general can be a lot fun, or they can be really awkward. As a planner - we look at what makes everyone happy...then book entertainment.

Creating the perfect corporate party with entertainment can be pretty easy. The main thing is to envision how the entertainment will fit into the overall event. I thought a few ideas on ideas out there on entertainment would be very helpful. Better to start thinking about it as early as possible. It does depend on the budget you have to work with in terms of how dramatic the entertainment.

'Tis the Season - Sounds of the Season
Every party definitely isn't a party without music, and corporate events are no exception. That's why during holidays - DJs and bands are always very busy. If you go to the DJ or live band for entertainment - keep in mind 2 things. The first being budget. This avenue is definitely a higher cost in budget. If budget does not accommodate for a DJ or a band - another alternative would be to have an auto DJ. This would mean putting together a long list of music to be played - without any supervision. Often more of a background music alternative. The second thing to keep in mind, is the audience musical tastes. Another thing to keep in mind is that by having a DJ or a band - they are often a main stage type of entertainment option. Also - plan for a dance floor - if the guests get into the music - it would be wise to have an area for them to dance in.

Cocktails and Conversation
Sometimes corporate holiday parties can be dull or even like a business meeting. To avoid this from happening you may want to consider hiring an entertainer. Good ones to hire a magician or juggler of sorts. This really helps to get conversations going. If there is a possibility of having a "Variety Entertainer" where they have multiple talents - they would definitely steal the show. This aids guests to have conversations other than work related topics. Instead of having that awkward small talk - guests will be talking about the amazing entertainment.

Dinner and a Show
This works really well for a dinner style affair. The best to consider using a comedian or hypnotist to put a show while guests are eating. In the last couple of years, the most booked corporate holiday party entertainers are Comedians and hypnotists. There are other options you can consider - but as popular options that reach an over all satisfaction level across all types of personalities. Everyone loves to laugh!

Good Ol' Saint Nick
Even the oldest - is still young at heart. And why not bring in Santa, so that everyone can have a moment of flash back - of when they were little and sitting on Santa's lap. Saying cheese with our biggest smiles to get a picture taken with our "hero". Recreate this aspect - bring in a Santa - and have people take their "grownup" pictures with Santa.

Creating memories - making keepsakes
As with any parties - guests love taking something home from the party. We all love favors! This is also true for corporate events. An idea that works with any size party is the Photo Booth. Depending on budget - you can have it very simple - or very extravagant. Either way - it will be a hit! Everyone likes to get a little goofy. These can be done either DIY or you can rent. There is also another popular trend of having a caricaturist at the party to make drawings of your guests. Either ideas - make great memories...and keepsakes.

In the coming months we will be sharing more ideas. I know it's early - but in the planners world - many of us have already been working on the details of corporate parties and events.