Jenny Watts - September 15, 2017
Event planning is something I really enjoy and have several years of experience. I have coordinated many events, both in my personal life and for professional organizations to which I belong.
Over the years, these events have included:
- University Sports Celebration and Silent Auction for 500 fans, complete with the West Virginia University marching band, cheerleaders, and mascot
- Regional Sorority Weekend meeting for 200 collegiate women and alumni
- Fundraising Dinner with Coach Bob Huggins for 100+ people
- Numerous corporate events and social engagements
Some of my most recent events involved planning celebrations for my family and close friends, making them extra special -- an engagement party, a double baby shower, and a girls' beach weekend.
Many people may think that event planning is just a fancy term for throwing a party, and while that is sometimes the end result, there is a lot of skill and work involved leading up to the event. Event planning allows me to use many of the skills and strengths I have developed as a PMP (Project Management Professional) -- organization, flexibility, creativity, communication, negotiating, budgeting, customer service, multi-tasking, time management, and attention to detail.
One of the things I enjoy most about event planning is the project-oriented aspect. Each event I plan has a beginning and end date and I get to oversee it from start to finish. And while some events may fall into similar categories, each one is unique and special. It makes it fun and exciting to work on events with different themes and goals.
Event planning can also present challenges and frustrations, including working with several vendors or merchants, coordinating multiple deadlines and schedules, and project constraints such as time and money.
For me, event planning truly is a labor of love. It requires a lot of hard work, but it also a ton of fun!