Day in the life of
Event Planner – Vincent Elisius
As an Event Planner, my daily roles entailed brainstorming, planning, and executing events like weddings, naming ceremonies, birthdays, conferences, among others. I prepared event budget proposals, as well as invoices processing. I assisted our clients to identify event requirements and ensure their expectations are met. I made researches on available venues suitable for the occasion and book them and coordinated all or some aspect of the logistics to ensure successful outcomes. I made arrangements for the necessary supplies, staff, caterers, entertainment, etc. In addition, I managed set-up, tear down and also ensured that the environment was kept clean after the event.
My typical day
No two days are the same for an Event Planner as each event varies in many ways from the other.
We normally make use of a calendar/roster to plan events in advance. We assign events and deadlines to specific dates to ensure no stone was left unturned. My job was done partly in the office and partly outside.
On each day, the first thing I normally did was to check the roster to know what I was supposed to do. There was this particular day. I had to call one of our clients whose event we had at hand to ascertain his likes and tastes pertaining to the event. We had it as a top priority to ensure that our clients’ demands and tastes are always meet. From there, I phoned the caterers, suppliers and negotiated contracts with them.
I assigned one of our junior staff to research venues for the event. When she was done, I had to cross-check the 3 venues she selected to know which one was more suitable and appropriate for the occasion as the choice and location of the event can make or mar the event.
In the afternoon of that very day, I went to inspect the venue facilities and build relationships with the managers. I also meet the photographers, portable restrooms providers, florists, audio equipment providers among others and strike deals with them.
After that, I’m done between 3 and 4pm. But there were some days I worked over 9 hours in a day, especially a few days to the event.
On an event day
When there is an event on, it would be very busy. I must be on the ground to monitor delivery and the setting up of vending services like exhibit booths, food, etc. I made sure that attendees were duly registered and issued name badges.
I handled transport arrangements to the event to and from for the attendees as well as assist them to book hotel reservations if needed. I also checked the rooms for the meeting to ensure there was audio-visual equipment and sufficient seats. Even labor and fire regulations were monitored by me to ensure strict compliance with the law.
In a nutshell, I made sure that everything was as planned.
After the event
I supervised the cleaning and tidying of the environment. After that, it would be time for me to evaluate the success of the event as par whether the event met the client’s aspiration and goals, and areas where improvement was needed (if any) for future events. We used surveys to solicit feedback from the client and attendees. Next was the analysis of the cost of the event and actual benefits which helped us in future event planning.
Pros
Being an Event Planner afforded me the opportunity to travel wide on helicopters, private jets in many glamourous areas. I had been able to lodge in 5-star hotels in many parts of Australia which would not have been possible if not for the job. It afforded me also the opportunity to dine at exclusive restaurants like the Eagle Club in Gstaad. In addition, I was able to meet and interact with celebrities and people from all walks of life in the process of discharging my duties.
Cons
Most of the time, I was separated from my family which I love so much as I worked most often on irregular hours in addition to weekends and late nights. I was always under pressure to meet deadlines and also ensure that all were in order. Sometimes, I have to travel out of town when it was not convenient for me. Another major drawback was the issue of dealing with difficult people and working hard to please them to the best of my knowledge.
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Meeting, Convention and Event Planners
coordinate activities of staff, convention personnel, or clients to make arrangements for group meetings, events, or conventions.
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