IT’S A PANDEMIC…NOW WHAT?

WHY YOU NEED A PLANNER DURING A PANDEMIC

It’s an unprecedented time right now in.  We are all basically “shut- ins” and life as we know it has come to a halt.  Everything from casual weekend gatherings with friends to larger scale events have been put on hold until we can safely interact and gather socially again.  For people planning special events right now, this is an especially scary and confusing time. 

Should you postpone? 

Can you schedule an event for the fall? 

Will anyone be able to attend? 

How can you safely put together a larger event for family & friends to celebrate a milestone occasion?

As you navigate this difficult time, a professional event planner can be your best resource and frankly best friend during this time of need.  Here are some ways a planner can help you during this Pandemic.

Prioritize- Most likely you are mid-way through planning your event and not sure what to do next: do you continue, how long do you keep things on hold?  You may be worried about signing contracts in case an event vendor may not be around in 6 months, but you also don’t want to lose out on the opportunity to secure the vendors you want.  A planner will assess the current status of your planning and help you prioritize what needs to happen next.  They will plot out a planning timeline so you can anticipate when you need to make decisions. Prioritizing the steps of planning will help you save time, money and energy when planning resumes.

Power- Ok, we don’t actually mean you need power, but Knowledge is power.  Planners are staying current as planning regulations change and monitoring the status of the events industry.  We participate weekly in industry webinars specific to the DC metro area; we are learning what changes vendors are making for future events, so that we can ensure best practices are being put in place by your caterers, DJ/Band, entertainment companies etc.  Your planner will take that knowledge and help you make informed decisions as planning continues and you navigate this “new norm”. 

People- An experienced event planner has established relationships with their vendors.  These relationships are critical to helping our clients maintain deposits, move contracts to new dates, and not lose money on new contracts as we contingency plan.  As vendors, we look out for one another and always try to work as partners for the best outcome.  Our vendors are also incentivized to keep us happy, so we will continue making recommendations for their services.

Patience- We know how challenging this time can be.  Especially for clients who have that event which may have been scheduled for April, May, June or July.  You were in the homestretch and then planning came to a screeching stop.  Not only are you upset, you are frightened about losing your deposits, upset that you can’t celebrate this event on your date, and unsure of when you can re-schedule.  Your planner will help you get through this rough patch with patience and a little TLC.  We often get to wear our “social worker” hats, as part of the planning process.  Since this is truly unchartered territory, your planner will patiently work through the postponement/re-scheduling process to take a little bit of stress and worry off your plate.  

Plan B- An essential part of event planning is having a contingency plan for all aspects of your event.  As we move ahead in planning events, we are recommending all of our clients have a Plan B.  This doesn’t necessarily mean we will need to implement it, but we will be prepared and ready to go.  Working with our vendor partners, we can ensure you will have everyone lined up that you need, if plan B goes into effect. 

Having a planner during a Pandemic is essential for anyone planning a major life event/milestone.  Remember the 5 P’s –

Prioritize- Power- People- Patience - Plan B

We want to remind you that we WILL celebrate again; it just may take some time.  But, when things open up, we will be ready.  You can count on your event planner to be here for you during your time of need and take much of the worry away.  Reach out; we are here to help!

Until the next Extraordinairy event…