The day in the life of an event planner is hectic and ever-changing. No one day is quite like another. That’s the exciting part of the job!  But you can expect your “typical” day to go something like this…

8:00 am: It’s go time! First things first, coffee. Once you get your morning jolt, it’s off to business. Communication is key. Email and phone calls are the start of almost every day. Make sure to check your messages in the morning so you can prioritize how the rest of your day will go. A to-do list is essential, not only to plan out your day, but your week and month as well.

9:30 am: Meeting with a new potential client (congrats!). Make sure you know their priorities before the meeting. Listen carefully to your client, and remember: this is their day. It doesn’t matter if this is for a party for five, 500, or 5,000. Every event counts.

Building a client list is crucial for an event planner, because if you do a good job they will likely come back, and recommend you to others.  Once you score your client (of course!) it is time to plan, plan, plan!

10:45 am: While you are starting to plan for your new client, you have to remember your other clients! An event planner usually will have more than one event going on at a time. It’s all about multi-tasking and keeping careful track of dates and times.

In a single day, you may have to call a caterer, a florist, a hotel, an event space, an AV provider, a speaker. and other vendors, partners, and suppliers. As it gets closer to the big day, you will need to go to the location to double check that everything looks right and is being set up correctly. It’s all in the details. Organization is an event planner’s most important skill.

12:30 pm: Lunchtime may be a break some days, but on others you may have to meet your clients to get updates, as this may be their only time to meet. It is important to continually be in contact throughout the event planning process. Make sure they are up to date. Share the good news about their favorite caterer and be honest if there are hiccups along the way.

2:00 pm: Throughout the rest of the day expect more calls and emails (remember communication!). Occasionally, you will have to meet with the hotels and florists, etc. to personally see everything is going according to plan.

6:00 pm: On most nights this will mean the end of your day, BUT we cannot forget about the events themselves. Of course, this means you get to attend the event you planned (for weeks and months!), and although you should enjoy a job well done, it is still your responsibility to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

This means checking microphones, table settings, food and more! Don’t forget the cleanup as well, either hiring a cleaning service or having your own staff do it personally. You can’t leave without the space looking the way it was when you arrived.

Event planning is not your typical nine-to-five job. Often, it involves nights and weekends. But, you get to be involved in a world where your imagination can run free. One of the greatest rewards is knowing that you are turning someone’s special day from their dream into a reality. Remember, planning can be stressful, but in the end it is well worth it all to see your event come to life.