As a NY event planner, you’re no stranger to event hiccups and challenges. And you’re probably familiar with some of the event day horror stories floating out there among the event services community. From wildlife invading the big wedding to catastrophic weather knocking out power during your conference, nature can play a big role in an event planner’s day. There’s also that time the band canceled at the last minute or the time the caterer got the menu wrong. And the more you think about all these scenarios, the more nightmarish they can get.
But the key to being a successful event planner is knowing how to dodge and weave to avoid taking these event production hits. If you’re looking to improve your contingency planning and grace-under-fire reactions, keep reading. We’re sharing some of the tips from top pros about how to stay cool, calm, and collected no matter what your event throws at you.
Have Last-Minute Cash
As you curate your clients’ big events and special celebrations, you’ll be mindful to stick to the budget. But you should also give yourself a little financial wiggle room should you need extra cash or last-minute payments to shell out on event day. A nice cushion of reserves can ease your mind as a planner and be helpful, especially if there are last-minute event changes, tips to consider, or unexpected fees on the event day.
Plan to Give Yourself More Time
Last-minute changes never seem to happen with enough time to properly troubleshoot. Something comes up, and you have 30 seconds to make a decision. This is why veteran event professionals will often try to schedule their timelines with a few extra minutes throughout to accommodate delays and provide time for facilitating changes. Talk with your event services vendors about arriving 10 minutes earlier than the previously allocated time. Maybe ask your guest speakers to confirm their arrival and set up with you, giving you time to change direction if they’re running late. Get creative with carving a little more time where you can so you’ll be able to roll with the changes like a pro.
Accept the Extra Help When You Need It
Sometimes, as an event planner, you feel obligated to tackle every event or conference detail on your own. But when things go awry, it’s best to accept help wherever you can get it. Don’t be too proud to ask the venue staff to help coordinate the crowd with you. Get your photographer or catering partners to help when the stunning dessert table collapses. Whoever is handy and is available to help, ask them. When there are several of you tackling an event change or challenge, the solutions come much quicker.
Keep Your Eye on Mother Nature
Contingency planning skills will separate the best from the mediocre. Part of your backup event plan should account for Mother Nature’s occasional wrath. From rainy wedding days to monsoon-like wind gusts launching your party tent, weather can wreak havoc on your client’s big event. Handle these changes like a pro by preparing for the worst ahead of time. Keep an eye on weather conditions leading up to and throughout the duration of your event. Coordinate with indoor venue plans should the outdoors no longer be party-friendly. And have a roadmap to follow should you lose power or experience some other nature-related anomaly.
Keep Effective Communication Lines Open
Event changes can come from any direction, including your client. To anticipate changes in planning or upcoming challenges, be vigilant about communicating with your clients. Confirm and connect frequently throughout the day of the event to verify and confirm the next steps and details. And when those changes happen, your clients should know to reach out to you directly for swift action and solutions.
Focus on Delivering Event Objectives
No matter what happens that challenges the success of your New York event, remember to keep your eye on the prize. The event goal should always guide your decisions. And every change you make, or problem you solve should be through a lens of delivering on that core event objective.
New York event planners often thrive on the fast-paced nature of high-profile event production. But it doesn’t mean you can streamline your flexibility and preparedness. After all, the more anticipatory you can be for event changes and roadblocks, the more efficient and resilient you’ll be with every last-minute nuance. Keep these insights in mind and look to learn from the best of the best at The Event Planner Expo 2024! Explore exhibitor booth availability and ticket options now to make sure you’re in the room for all three days of this premier events industry conference!
