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Party Planning Committee – WHAT?

September 21, 2011 By Comments

Photo courtesy of ambimb on flickr

When it comes to party planning committees, the question everyone is thinking about, and wanting an answer to, is “What exactly do they do”? If we’re not part of the committee or involved in any of the planning, the $64,000 question remains “What exactly is the PPC?”

A lot of companies have a PPC (party planning committee) and, as we all know, the social aspect at work is of the utmost importance. It is essential for the “powers that be” to recognize and place a value on the balance of work and fun for their employees. Because a happy staff is a productive staff.

Just ask the folks at “The Office”. They always crack us up while getting the point across.


Party Planning Committee par HPVideos

 

 

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Party Event Planning

August 25, 2011 By Comments

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Pike-Russell on flickr

The guest list is compiled and the theme has been selected. The entertainment is booked and you’re pretty sure the perfect party venue to showcase your event is confirmed. You’re feeling pretty good and you think you have it all covered. But wait…things can still go wrong, awfully wrong. What’s missing?

Unfortunately we sometimes learn by trial and error. And forgetting or having the wrong, or too little, food is definitely an error! It’s safe to say that one of the very most important factors in party event planning is the food.

Bad food, or not enough food, can and will ruin even the best planned party. How key is food at a party event? From simple gatherings to blockbuster party events food is the energy and centerpiece of the party. When planning food for your party, there are many factors to consider. You have to think about what type of food to serve, should it match a theme, how much and staying on budget!

Party Event Planning – What to Do, What to Do?

The $64,000 question remains… what type of food should you serve? Hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, finger food, cocktail party food, meal, non meal, buffet, sit down…And more decisions follow.

Food matching. Should you match your food to your theme? Should you match the wine with the food?

Quantity. How much food should you serve? And organizing food qualities can be equally as important as determining what type of food to serve…

And of course…cost. Determining and sticking to the budget is a crucial part of party event planning, it can make or break you, quite literally.

The possibilities really are  endless.

Party Event Planning – A Solid Decision

The answer to all of those questions, and more, is to hire a catering company. Catering companies bring experience, knowledge and understanding to each and every event. A catering company will take your planning and organizing and balance your ideas with the right food fit and guest experience. They will work with you and be an extension of you and your company. Most times your guests won’t know who did what. A caterer will take on as much or as little as you want them to. They will ensure you are on the right track and make the food one of the brightest stars of the party event.

Party Event Planning – Selecting the Catering Company

When deciding on the right catering company for your party events, be sure the company you select has what you are looking for. I was just about to say to be sure they have the experience working with the type and size of party event you are throwing but I am reminded about meeting planner story.

An industry friend was planning a company event for 5,000 guests in a city she had never worked in. She granted the party contract to a catering company that she didn’t know. They hadn’t worked on any events the size of the one she was planning. The reason for her decision, she said, was because after interviewing all the companies, she liked the newest and smallest company of the group. And the other companies reminded her of the invited guests attending the party. She felt that working with a catering company that had the experience, but not the suitable personality would be a mistake. So she went with the “newer” caterer with less “big group” experience and she never regretted her decision. And after celebrating a 15 year business relationship, it continues to be the right decision.

Before making that final decision be sure to get and check references, observe the company in action during an event and sit down for a tasting. I am a big proponent of tastings; they give you the opportunity to really see the quality, of the food, service and presentation, eliminating any future surprises or disappointments.

Working and partnering with professional catering companies will make your job easier and will elevate your planning party events to a new level.

 

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Party Planning Business – Finding a Job You Love

August 15, 2011 By Comments

Photo courtesy of billaday on flicker

It’s the ultimate career goal…to actually enjoy your job while making a living. It’s amazing how many people are acutely unhappy at work. According to aGallup Management Journal Survey, almost 20% of employees are actively disengaged or disconnected from their work. Those unhappy employees affect both employee morale and the bottom line.

It’s a pretty simple statement. You want to be happy at work. So how do you make it happen? Well, it’s a pretty simple answer. Do something you love.

Party Planning Business – Is It Right For You?

Most people think, “Planning parties, what’s not to love?” But there’s more to it than that. A lot more.

I use to work with someone who would always say “You can train a monkey to flip a burger”. But I always argued that it didn’t mean the monkey was going to be good at it. It’s a very fortunate few who actually find something they love and naturally excel at it.

The party planning business requires long hours, extreme multi-tasking and, often, high maintenance clients who require a special touch.

Still interested?

Party Planning Business – Are You Right For It?

Can anyone be a party planner? Sure. But very few can be a good party planner. There are several important qualities in any successful party planner.

You need to have excellent organizational abilities. Any event or party is going to have about a thousand details, deadlines, quotes and invoices. And you won’t be working on only one event, but rather planning several events, for different clients, at the same time. Party planners require the ability to organize, compartmentalize and prioritize. All while multitasking.

Add creativity to the list too! What can you bring to the party (pun intended) that is going to WOW people and blow them away? And you can’t just recycle one good idea over and over again. Trends and styles are always changing. You need to be aware and react and plan accordingly. A good party surprises the guests and leaves them feeling like they were part of something special.

The party planning business is definitely not for a fragile flower that breaks easily. It requires both stamina and a thick skin. It often involves long days of planning and longer nights of being on-site at your events. And when dealing with a myriad of venues, vendors, and victims, you’ll come across the occasional person who isn’t so nice. And since crying in the backroom doesn’t exactly shout out confidence, you can never take it personally.

Party Planning Business – Time to Go For It!

So, while being as objective as possible (Because you know how fabulous you are) you have decided that, in addition to the above qualities, you’re a great networker, have fabulous ideas and an unflagging energy. Party planning is for you. What now?

Without any professional experience (Uncle Bob’s 65th Birthday Party doesn’t really count) it’s a little ill advised to hang out a shingle right away. Working for an established party planning business is a great way to get the practical experience you need, and determine if it’s the job that’s going to make you look forward to going to work!

Party Planning Businesses can be more fun than the average job. But underneath the exciting cocktail parties, over-the-top events and glamorous shindigs is a lot of hard work and long hours.

 

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Event Planners Need Good Communication Skills (Comedy Video) http://t.co/UDn1v2ceF2 #comedy #Communication #eventplanning23 hours ago