Wedding & Event Planning...Fresh Ideas for Planning and Design
Caroline Wolfe Papocchia Friday, April 8, 2011 at 9:01AM As in any industry, the best event planners know it is important to stay abreast of the latest trends, tips, techniques, and technology in their field. Industry expos and showcases are excellent ways to pursue this, particularly when the organizing body brings together a robust series of presenters and speakers.
The 2011 Best Events Food, Decor + Event Design Experience in New York hosted several excellent speakers, including a kick-off keynote by celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian, and a presentation about the design work of his eponymous firm by Adam Aleksander.
Chef Geoffrey Zakarian on the Food NetworkDespite the early timing, Zakarian's keynote was packed, and he delivered. As a regular guest on the Food Network and a talented chef and restaurant owner, Zakarian is at the crest of the "foodie revolution" wave; an unprecedented emphasis on food, cooking, and cuisine that is very alive in the current cultural zeitgeist. For his keynote, he drew on his years of catering and entertaining experience to speak about "entertaining mantras" essential for any event planner.
Geoffrey Zakarian speaks at the 2011 Best Events ExpoSeveral of Zakarian's mantras focused on the guest experience via attention and simplification. Avoiding confusion and bottlenecks are hallmarks of event planning, and Zakarian cast them into concrete.
"Follow a five second rule," he told attendees, "when a guest walks into a party they should know within five seconds what is going on." To achieve this, Zakarian recommends keeping a consistent theme and limiting food and beverage offerings like a seasoned curator. Offer only one or two types of cocktails as well as a choice of wines; be sure those cocktails are quick and easy to execute (and to pre-mix), and avoid complex or experimental food - on the contrary, Zakarian recommended serving "food that [guests] will understand and enjoy."
Above all, Zakarian pressed that the best events are focused - "we can't be everything to everyone" - and choreographed - "we are the new storytellers." Illustrating each mantra with incredible photos of private and public events, Zakarian rounded out his presentation with the grace and energy for which he is revered in the food world. At the end, his answer to an attendee's question about a client's budgetary concerns was equal parts chutzpah and candor: "Show them the dream. Show them what $300,000 looks like. If they had $75,000 in mind, they will spend $150,000."
After the presentation Zakarian signed copies of his recent cookbook, Town/Country: 150 Recipes for Life Around the Table.
Geoffrey Zakarian signs copies of Town/Country
A perfect foil to the seasoned chef headed up the next presentation: the charming, slightly nerdy, and refreshingly youthful event designer Adam Aleksander, a design school drop-out who has turned his love for costume and set design into a full-fledged business. With a pedigree that includes the creation of fantastical window displays for clients such as Macy's, the young designer is renowned for executing truly avant-garde, fully-realized event experiences.
Adam Aleksander speaks at the 2011 Best Events ExpoHand-sculpted sets, outrageous decor, handmade costumes, a bevy of performance artists, customized food presentation, and event-specific cocktails are de rigueur at Aleksander's events, and his creative drive is not satisfied until the whole vision is realized. At one point, Aleksander was crestfallen when he described the waiters at an event inspired by "Marie Antoinette's post-bacchanal boudoir" wearing basic black - it was clear to all attendees that the failure of that single detail was, in his mind, a failure of the event.
Aleksander acknowledged that not all clients are ready or able to sign on for the experiences that he envisions, and there have been times when he had to walk away. Many event planners and designers would consider that a disappointment, but Aleksander is part of a young, unique breed of purists in the event design world - he feels it is better to walk away than to compromise on a vision.
Best Events has made Aleksander's presentation available for download. This eye candy is too sweet to pass up!
Event design for Hendrick's Gin by Adam Aleksander
Zakarian and Aleksander offered great advice on event planning and design, from two totally different perspectives. What did they have in common? A single message: Focus, curate, and execute in full. Now that is a mantra for success for any event planner.
Interested in becoming a planner? The Sheffield Wedding & Event Planning course teaches everything you need to know to orchestrate a memorable event, from creating a guest list, to hiring vendors, to creating a beautiful wedding design.
Reader Comments (11)
Wow, those ideas are amazing! Aleksander's presentation was great.
The idea was so glitzerous and original.
Greetings from Germany!
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