What I Learned:
- In the planning stage, ask several different people for their advice and opinions about event details and needs. The more well-informed you are, the less often you'll have to guess when making decisions.
- Type out detailed written requests to caterers, hotels, etc. Talk to them on the phone or in person, and then follow up with the details in an email. I am grateful to have exact records for clarity and future reference.
- As a follow-up to number 2, caterers don't necessarily do the things that you expect them to do (even if you have confirmed and triple-checked).
- Before the event, stock refills as close to the place where they will actually be used as possible. For me, keeping non-refrigerated snack refills under the serving table was extremely helpful, and the extra chairs in an adjacent closet was a great time/stress-saver as well.
- People like helping, so give them specific tasks to be in charge of (details and a reminder right before the event are helpful)...but don't be a diva, and be sure to thank them afterwards.
- Beware: it is indeed possible to accidentally stab yourself with a ballpoint pen.
- Alarms, "calendarized" to-do lists and calendars are absolutely essential. There are entirely too many things for any person to keep track of in their brain alone.
- It is completely likely that people will drink more coffee than your overestimation of how much they could possibly drink. (Hello, last-minute brewing!)
- People may actually show up 45 minutes early. (This never happens in my world, so it was a shock.)
- Plans, hotel reservations and catering orders can be canceled in 2 minutes...a little shocking compared to the hours it took to make the plans. Just let it go.
- A good event-planning motto: Try your best, but if something goes wrong, life will go on.
Does anyone else have good lessons or advice for new event-planners?
