Planning Your Event From a Distance
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Your parents will soon celebrate their 50th anniversary and you want to have a party for
them, but they live 1,800 miles away. Perhaps you want to get married in your home
town, which is half way across the country, or in the Bahamas. You would like to have
a family reunion in a location that is convenient to everyone. These scenarios and
similar ones occur frequently. You can plan an event by long distance, but it takes
time and effort and you may need assistance.
The best way to plan a successful event by long distance is to hire an event planner
who is located in the area where the event will occur. A good planner will be familiar
with the local market and will be able to help you make choices that fit your needs
and your budget. He/she will do the leg work and narrow the choices, then you can
make the final decisions.
To find an event planner, check with the chamber of commerce in the city where you
will hold your event. Also make an internet search. If you have already booked a
venue for your event, the sales manager may be able to recommend someone or they
may have an event planner on their staff. This is particularly common in locations
where destination weddings regularly occur. If the city where your event will be held
is small, check the nearest larger city to find an event planner that will travel to your
desired location.
Once you locate a planner, interview the person either by phone or e-mail. Ask for
references and check them. Get references from both past and/or current clients and
from local merchants. Photographers, caterers, and others will have seen the planner
in action at a number of events, so their comments may be more revealing than those
from carefully selected past clients.
Your event planner should have e-mail, fax, a toll-free phone number, a computer, and
a scanner. If you need help selecting a venue for the event, the planner can narrow
down the choices, then direct you to web sites with photos and booking information
or he/she can take photos and scan them in for you. Menus and contracts can be faxed
to you.
Most event planners will not sign contracts or pay deposits for you unless you give
them an advance payment against which funds can be drawn. Therefore, once you
decide on a venue or a merchant, you may need to provide a credit card number or a
check directly to the merchant.
The planner may or may not be present for your event, depending on your needs.
If you are planning a one-day event, such as an 80th birthday party or a wedding,
then the planner should be there to oversee activities both on the day of the event
and the wedding rehearsal. If you are planning a multi-day event, such as a family
reunion, then the planner may not need to be present as long as all of the arrangements
have been made.
Hiring an event planner to help you with your out-of-town event will save you time
and money. The planner's knowledge of the local market and her/his contacts can
help you create a lovely event with a minimum of hassle and stress. Plus, your planner
may be able to make suggestions for services that you would not have known about,
thus making your special event truly unique.
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© Copyright 2004; Glenna Tooman, all rights reserved . Glenna Tooman owns Memory
Makers Event Planning, LLC located in Boise, Idaho. Visit our web site
at www.memorable-events.com |
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