Types of Event Planners & Planning Services: Which to Choose

What are Event Planners?

Imagine inviting 100 guests to a retirement bash for a close friend. You've rented the local community center to host the celebration, hired a catering service to set up a buffet-style dinner, and asked your friend's boss to give a speech to honor the retiree. Everything is planned and ready to go!

You arrive early at the community center and discover the locked doors. You try calling the building manager but get their voicemail. An hour later, the manager arrives, apologizes, and unlocks the doors. Just before the guests arrive, the boss calls and says he can't make it because he is ill. What else could go wrong?

Professional event planners have mastered the art of orchestrating the perfect event, whether that event is small or concert-size. From ensuring the event takes place on time to having backup speakers or caterers in case of no-shows, event planners are "must-haves" for creating a memorable event.

Although different types of event planners perform different types of event planning services, these special people possess the skills and knowledge to take corporate, wedding, social, and other occasions to the ultimate level of success.

What do Event Planners Do?

Brainstorm ideas to create a unique and creative concept that aligns with the purpose of the event
Utilize a given budget to provide clients with top-notch events that stay within that budget
Research and select a venue appropriate for the event
Research and choose trustworthy vendors to provide services such as entertainment, food catering, decor, and audio/visual equipment
Develop promotional strategies for concerts, seminars, trade shows, and other events that require marketing and publicizing to attract attendees
Manage parking, security, event-holding permits, and documenting RSVPs

What Skills are Required for an Event Planner?

‍In addition to possessing exceptional problem-solving and budget management abilities, all types of event planners:

Use their allotted time to initiate an event smartly and efficiently
Communicate clearly and promptly with all people involved in the event
Have an aptitude for negotiating the best prices for venues, vendors, and assorted elements
Are gifted with the ability to develop unique ideas that make an event memorable and unique
Have in-depth knowledge about the types of event planning services needed to optimize an event's success

Types of Event Planners

Corporate Event Planners

A corporate event planner specializes in coordinating events for businesses and organizations. Initially receiving client input concerning the function's purpose and objectives, the planner begins organizing the event to align with the client's goals. Event concept, venue selection, managing attendee registration, and obtaining essential multimedia equipment for presentations are just a few things corporate event planners do.

Seminar and Conference Event Planners

Seminar and conference planners create and stage educational and professional events, such as industry-specific, career development, or personal growth seminars. While seminars typically involve educational speakers, conferences tend to include business executives summarizing their company's changes, strategies, and outlook.

Concert Event Planners

Professional concert event planners handle musical performances by orchestras, bands, singers, and specialty acts. They master the skills of choosing an appropriate venue, booking performers, providing input on sound and lighting arrangements, security, and managing ticket sales. Events that need experienced planners include charity functions, outdoor concerts, and headline tours.

Festival Event Planners

A festival event planner handles venue selection, budget management, vendor coordination, and many other elements associated with events that typically celebrate thematic aspects of culture, art, or music. The planner also obtains city or state permits, hires security, promotes and sells tickets, and schedules entertainment for the festival.

Social Event Planner

Social event planners manage gatherings like birthdays, retirement parties, anniversaries, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and any event that involves people celebrating and having fun. Esstart's Storybook is one of the most popular items used by social event planners to make the bash more entertaining and memorable. Storybook is an app that allows attendees to share real-time photos, play interactive games, and post messages on a message wall.

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Virtual Event Planners

Virtual event planners specialize in organizing and managing online events, such as webinars, virtual conferences, and digital trade shows. They select the platform, create content, and utilize attendee engagement strategies to motivate people to stay at the virtual event. They may also provide technical support during the virtual event or enlist the assistance of someone to resolve technical issues quickly.

Wedding Event Planners

Large weddings with hundreds of guests require the services of a professional wedding planner to guarantee the bride and groom enjoy every minute of their exciting day. To make their job easier, wedding planners use numerous products to facilitate the seating order of guests. For example, wedding planners consider Esstart's seating charts essential for streamlining the placement of guests at indoor and outdoor weddings. Proper wedding seating etiquette, organized by our seating charts, ensures guests know where to sit to minimize confusion before and during the ceremony.

Choosing the Right Event Planner

Consider details about the event you wish to hold before hiring an event planner. For example, if you want to throw a 50th birthday party for a relative with about 50 guests, you probably don't need a planner who deals with festivals or large conferences. Alternately, if a charitable organization is holding a concert in the park, they should search for a professional concert event planner, not a virtual event or wedding event planner. Budget restrictions should also factor in deciding what types of event planners can accommodate your needs.

FAQ

Can One Event Planner Handle Different Types of Events?

That depends on whether the event planner specializes in only one type of event. For example, most wedding planners would not know how to plan a festival or virtual event.

How Important is Certification for an Event Planner?

Certification programs for event planners usually involve coursework, passing examinations, and fulfilling specific requirements related to education, work experience, or professional development. However, a successful event planner without a certificate but with years of experience would probably do just as well as a certified event planner.