any classes or courses you can suggest i take please let me know i really enjoy party planning and putting events together so any info id really appreciate it : )
any classes or courses you can suggest i take please let me know i really enjoy party planning and putting events together so any info id really appreciate it : )
Hi, I’ve been an event planner for a huge caterer for five years. It’s fun, if you’re the right person (hyper-organized, great at switching gears in a sec, and not that attached to your Saturday nights). You need to work for an excellent, busy caterer. You’ll learn about the diversity of style, menus and clientele that purchase catering.
Also, you’ll learn things like:
~required staffing ratios for various types of events and different tasks
~setup time for different decor ideas
~what menus people like to buy versus what people actually like to eat
~local venue nuances
~local rental vendors to trust
~how to calculate beverage consumption
~what’s in season when, (or at least where to look it up quickly)
~laws about fire codes (it’s not all pretty work…and the liability is HUGE)
~how many people fit in a given room ceremony-style, meeting-style, for a seated dinner, for a buffet dinner, for a cocktail party and with/without a dance floor (I hate math but you get used to it…diagramming to scale helps a lot.)
The certified event planners that I’ve met aren’t any better than the people that are just naturally organized, methodical and tactful. I’d say, skip the formal training. You’re the right person or you’re not. We absolutely do not look for CMPs when we hire event planners or event planning assistants. I was a project manager before I became an event planner, and the skillset is similar. It’s about turning nervous people in chaos into happy people with certainty.
Definitely keep an eye on food and reception trends. Visit TheKnot.com, and watch a lot of Food Network.
Subscribe to BizBash.com’s reports…very fun and inspiring stuff from the most expensive parties in the country.
Good luck!
Look into becoming a certified event planner. See if any event planners in your area are looking for apprentices or would be willing to invite you into their businesses to create a specialty division of some kind. Visit local events in your area and try to find out skills and connections are needed. Make business cards and a brochure. Maybe plan a couple parties or events of your own to put in your brochure and see how successful you are at it.
The best way to get clients and get started I believe is by planning parties for people you already know. Word of Mouth is your best advertisement. Let your friends/associates know that you are available for hire. Start a portfolio of events you’ve done and keep it in a nice album to show potential clients.
Online classes will help; but you’ll have to find a way to break into the business. Good luck!