Day 4: Bridal show crashers? I didn't know they existed...

As a person who one day wants to become an event planner, I was so excited to go to my first bridal show. Especially since I helped promote the show, I was anxious to see how it would all play out.

I got there at about 10am to help set up. Vendors were running around with their heads cut off, all trying to make their booth as appealing as possible. There were some who came up to me asking outrageous questions like, "Can I move this table backwards, then this one sideways, then add another?" As an intern, I wasn't in authority to make important decisions, but vendors like this needed to know that they needed to chill out and stop making things so difficult!

After all the vendors were set up it was time for the brides and their entourages to start coming in. All-in-all the event turned out great and my boss actually booked a wedding!

....However, it didn't all go completely smooth (I mean, when does an event ever go 100% right?). A couple came in a few minutes before the doors opened and kept hounding us asking, 1. when the fashion show was going to be on and 2. when the food was going to be out. And when I say hounding us I mean hounding us- asking the same questions every 2 minutes. 

Needless to say, once the event started the couple just got worse and worse. They went up to the food buffet a total of 7 times each throughout the event (each time with a full plate). It was evident that they were not here for the vendors, seeing that they did not walk around once to look at the different booths. Then once we figured out they were the parents of one of the models, we realized they only came to the show for the free food and the show.

Don't get me wrong, supporting your daughter is completely understandable but crashing a bridal show is not only unconventional but a little rude. We collectively decided to say something to the couple once they sat on the floor in front of our booth to eat their food. Although they moved, they still continued to be a nuisance. So, at that point we gave up on trying to control the two crazies and just let them be and just focused on the show.

Day 3: Time Crunch

My boss decided to put together a bridal show. And since it was coming up, she asked me to call some brides to promote the event. She gave me a list of HUNDREDS of brides. Having only a week to get all of these phone calls done, I knew I was in a bit of a time crunch.

As a student-althete its hard enough to balance my time. Add in internship duties, and I have more things to do than there are hours in the day. And it just so happened that the same week I had to get all these calls in I had several tests and assignments on top of a gruel-some week of lacrosse practice.

Although I was partially sleep deprived, by the end of the week I got everything done. How? Time management. I had to take my time and use it very wisely. I made myself a schedule of what I needed to get done and when I needed to get it done. Even if I didn't learn anything from my classes, college life has defiantly pulled through to teach me at least one thing, and that is how to effectively manage my time.

Day 2: Gotta love those AwKwArD phone calls...

Next assignment, make a bunch of cold calls to brides-to-be and try to book a tour of the venue.

"Hi person who I do not know, I creepily got your number from my boss, whom I am calling on behalf of- I stalked your life and see your getting married, wanna take a tour at our venue?"

Situations like this are always uncomfortable. Most people have a hard time calling up the chinese place to order food, let alone calling up a person who is probably pissed you somehow got their number.

To be honest, every time I dialed that number I hoped I got a voicemail, so I could state my claim and if they were interested they would call back. Although most of them were that, there were a couple of live people I had to talk to, some interested, some not, some well... uh, this is awkward.

Here is a prime example of what I am talking about:
"Hi bride-to-be, I see you are getting married next year, congratulations! I was wondering if you had booked a venue yet, and if not if you would be interested in taking a tour of ours."

"Oh hi... um, we're actually not getting married anymore."

.......woops

Like, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?!

Loving a juicy story, all I wanted to do was ask her what happened but fortunately, I do think quick on my feet and have the gift of turning an awkward situation into a comfortable one. So, I just apologized for calling and wished her luck with everything.

Like I said, gotta love those awkward phone calls.

Day 1: Write a Press release on something you have no idea about

So, my boss asked me to write a press release about a bridal show coming up. She provided me with a link to the RSVP site with the date, time, and a brief description of the event- but other than that I didn't know much else about it. Obviously, press releases are fairly simple, give the "who, what, when, where, why?" but I had to figure out a way to give the logistics while  incorporating info about the company and most importantly, creating a buzz about the event.

Since the event was being hosted by two companies (the event planning one I am interning at) and a catering hall (which I have never heard of). Of course, I knew about the company that I work for but had absolutely no clue what the other one was about.

My biggest fear before writing this, was that I wasn't going to represent the companies who are hosting the event correctly.

Solution? Research, research, research! Annoying, but necessary. 

After spending a lot of time on each companies website and the event RSVP site I finally felt knowledgeable enough to write the damn thing.

Check it out:

Why event planning?

My whole life I have been a planner. Whether it's on the weekends when I'm trying to rally up my friends in trying to figure out what we are doing at night, or trying to put together every detail of my high school proms- I have always been a person who takes charge and needs to coordinate something. Some might say its my "control freak" nature, but to be honest I think I just like seeing people come together and just having a good time.

Anyway, I needed to blog about something (thank you to PR campaigns class), and since I want to eventually be an event manager and have recently started an internship with CR Socials Event Planning , I thought I could blog about my journey.

For those of you in the field, who have already established yourself, it might be fun for you to read about my new experiences. Enjoy!