So I am in the beginning stages of planning Gardner's first birthday! Side note, where has the last year gone? Alas, here I am though, coming up with a theme, putting the guest list together, and going to my Pinterest board for the latest and greatest creative ideas for one-year-old birthday parties. I have decided to do electronic invitations through Punchbowl, one of the many sites with adorable electronic invitations. But all this planning got me thinking about the event industry (of course). Are electronic invitations the way of the future? Here I'm going to explore the pros and cons and when it is appropriate to do e-vites over paper.
A NYC Ticker-Tape Parade
The US Women's National Team were honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City on Friday. Their triumphant win during the Women's World Cup Final against Japan earned them the opportunity to make history yet again. Not only are the US Women the only team in the world to win 3 World Cups, but this is also the first time that a women's team has ever been honored on the Canyon of Heroes, along Broadway.
Sometimes a GIF is Worth a Thousand Words
I came across this article on Meetings Mean Business that perfectly summed up the top signs you're in the meeting industry. I love a good top ten list. I also love when they have animated GIFs that correlate to the point being made. BuzzFeed is notorious for having their articles contain these hysterical, yet appropriate animations. Sometimes you find that someone else can say it best.
Clutch Advice of the Week
I received an email last week from a colleague of mine thanking me for some advice I had given him about distributing a survey through a listserv not owned by the School of Government. At the time, I didn't even realize how important my critical thinking was. It was just my way of thinking out loud about the process that he was going through to collect the data he sought. I was able to lend some insight into the process, but I definitely did not think I would get such a nice email follow-up.
Poll Question: You know you're an event planner when...
So I've been droning on this blog for awhile now and I'm sure many of you have learned a thing or two about event management, but now it's your turn! I want your funniest, best, most entertaining moments that only happens to those of you out there that are event planners, OR those of you that work with event planners and you see these things happen to us!
Disco Nights
Celebrating July 4th
When I worked at Rider University for Study Tours we would get this email on the 4th of July from our supervisor. The email would be really heartwarming about how he felt to be an American. The essence would include that what we were doing on a day-to-day basis for our international students was not only important, but that we were so incredibly lucky to be charged with such a task. Our job included, above everything else, to provide the students with a truly American experience. He would talk about our freedoms and pride that we have for our country. It really was inspirational and students that were with us on July 4th would get to experience a special celebration.
Goods and Services For Sale
A temp in our office, Sue, was working on a wedding shower for her future daughter-in-law. She saw my wedding flowers in my office (also pictured on the home page). She instantly loved them and wanted to use something similar to help decorate the shower she was throwing. She asked for my assistance and of course I said "Yes!"
Catching Up
Being out of the office is usually really great. Whether you're off-site at a conference or on a vacation, it breaks up the monotony of being at your desk everyday. The worst part... being back in the office. Yesterday was my first day back after being out of the office for nearly a week. There is always so much to do. It can often be overwhelming to try and catch up from being out, but here on some tips to keep from drowning in the tasks.
Progressive Dinner
Jerry and I had the pleasure of hosting our friends from church this weekend for part of a progressive dinner. The way progressive dinner works is someone hosts the appetizer, then you drive to the next house for the entree, and a final house for the dessert. We improvised on this particular gather since the couple that was making the appetizer didn't have the means to host on this occasion. We offered to physically host the first two courses and make food for the entree. There was a little bit of thought and planning for this and Jerry and I put our thinking caps on last week to make the event a success.
When Decor Becomes the Focus of Your Meeting
Picking the Right Speaker for your 5 p.m. Session
By the time you get to the last session of the day at a conference everyone is tired and ready to pack it in. Often, a conference will kick off with a high energy speaker to set the tone. However, I think you can leave your attendees on a great note if you have a fantastic closing speaker. This is exactly what I saw on Wednesday at the North Carolina Conference of Superior Court Judges' Conference.
A Gardner Reunion with Gardner
This past weekend Jerry, Gardner, Robbie (Jerry's brother), and Mrs. Becky (Jerry's mom) attended the Gardner Family Reunion in Elizabeth City. The reunion is a great opportunity to interact with family that we don't see very often. This group of family are related to Mrs. Becky. Her late father had a number of brothers and sisters (only 3 of which are still living). The remaining living brothers and sister, children and grandchildren all converge at the Hampton Inn and have a fun time!
Becoming a Leader
I'm just a week or so away from embarking on a new journey as President of the NC Society of Government Meeting Professionals. I am both excited and nervous to take on this challenge. I think that's a normal feeling.
We have a retreat planned for July 9 and I'm in charge of it. *Cue scared face* I've never run a retreat, so I actually have no idea what to expect, but I have lots of ideas to discuss with the incoming board. Although I am terrified at the thought of taking on something new, leadership in general is not a new thing to me. Here is my advice on leadership.
Take Your Breath Away... Literally
In the summer of 2010 I had a student named Carlo with the Rider University Study Tours program in Los Angeles. Carlo had the privilege of staying 3 whole weeks in the United States, but this was not the original plan. He was on tour with us scheduled for just two weeks, but after 5 days of sightseeing the unexpected happened.