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Event Spotlight: Tracy Fuller-White

There is a lot that goes into becoming an event professional, and for today’s event spotlight we want to focus on Tracy Fuller-White the founder and CEO of Event Heroes!

We talked with her about her start to her career, her inspiration and what she is doing now with her event planning business.

1. Tracy, first tell us how you got your start into the Event Planning world?

Through tragedy comes perseverance and figuring out how to recover from loss sent me to create something bigger than me and somewhere I could put grief in the background. So I started a little company called Happy Occasions. This was the start of a much bigger company that came along a few years later when I started working with event producers, lighting directors and learning about the production world and how to work with Corporate America.

2. Did you have any training in Event Planning before starting your own company, InnovativEvents, Inc.?

Training wasn’t really available for events at that time. We were at the beginning of what is now a great industry with lots of opportunity for training and education. In fact in the last few years, many colleges have started degree programs for events and event planning.

3. Why did you start Event Heroes?

I started Event Heroes after several people came to me asking to ‘pick my brain’ on how to get started in the business. Not only was it the décor business and event planning business, but even musicians were asking how to get started in business. I create Event Heroes to help others get into this business I have loved and still enjoy working in.

4. How did you scale your business to grow it into a seven-figure operation?

This is tricky, good word of mouth has been my blessing. I network in the community a lot and have become members of several organizations and this has been a great way to build my business. Also, doing a great job for my clients creates year over year events. Having a client for as long as 20 years can help in your planning and keep your business going year after year.

5. What are some of the companies that have hired you, and where have some of those events taken place?

We’ve worked with all kinds of companies and many Fortune 500 companies. Companies such as Google, Allstate Insurance, Meredith Corporation and many others. These events have taken us all over the US and occasionally overseas.

6. What is one important lesson you have learned from your event experience?

Treat everyone with respect. Getting to know and respect everyone you come in contact with is the best way to ensure you can pull a rabbit out of your hat when you need to. Need a ladder? Better be nice to the person that can get that for you! Need the trash emptied? Well, that person is as important as your client to you at that moment but if you are rude, they won’t help you out. So be nice!

7. What do you think people can learn from using the resources at Event Heroes?

At Event Heroes, we want to cut down the learning curve of doing WOW events. We want to help make sure our Event Heroes have access to the best providers in the industry so they look like the hero to their clients and can build a business where their clients come back year after year. We want to help Event Heroes be the Hero for their clients.Tracy Fuller-White is a great example of how hard work and a good attitude can make you a top event professional!

To learn more about her or Event Heroes, contact us here!

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Protecting Your Events: Preparation for Unforeseen Weather

Winter is coming. As much as we would all like to deny the fact, winter weather is on our heels. When outdoor elements become more unpredictable than ever, do you know what to do to protect your meetings and events from this event villain?

The first thing you should do is ensure you have a backup plan in place. If flights are cancelled, the venue could close, or any other weather related issues could arise – make sure you have a backup venue or date secured in unforeseen circumstances. Read more in the following article “Protecting Your Events from Inclement Weather” which shares six important points on how to secure your event during perils such as the snow miser.

It never hurts to be over-prepared! What’s your number one way to handle unforeseen weather conditions?

Original photo by Paul Itkin

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Creating a Thrilling New Year’s Party

The Holidays are quickly approaching, which means events and gatherings of all kinds for you to either host or attend. One holiday in particular is New Year’s Eve, which is always accompanied by the year’s biggest parties. New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the past year’s successes and new beginnings of the upcoming year.

As a host, you always want to put your best foot forward. Have fun brainstorming fun ideas, but most importantly make sure you are prepared for the task at hand. Whether you are hosting a celebration for friends and family or having a huge blowout party with celebrity performers, we have some ideas on how to create a thrilling New Year’s Eve party!

Whether you want to WOW! your guests with festive food, interactive games or a themed atmosphere, we came up with ideas to make your guests leave in awe:

Light Up the Night with an Interactive Activity

Instead of fireworks, surprise your guests with Chinese lanterns! This subtle, yet beautiful custom is a great interactive entertainment option. Guests will enjoy being this hands on activity where they can write their wishes for the year on the lantern and watch them float into the sky. Make sure that this activity is legal in your state, as several have acted to ban it.

Use a Bubbly Twist on Decor

Champagne is a MUST for NYE parties. Since you’ll already have bought champagne for the party, use empty or full bottles for decorations as well. Add glitter and decorate them for centerpieces or place them around the room! Pinterest has some great ideas on how to repurpose the bottles.Have Bite-sized SweetsAs midnight nears, guests will likely be standing and walking around more than before as the party comes into full swing. For dessert, try festive Cake Pops! These are easy to grab and are hard to resist.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Another great option for a late-night snack is personal popcorn boxes. Make this easy and loveable snack pop at your party by placing them in a printable box, perfect for sponsorship at large parties or a personal message for more intimate gatherings.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Theme It Up

For those looking for a unique NYE party theme consider a ‘Black and White Ball’ or a ‘One Last Hurrah’. Check out the details here! Other popular options include prohibition parties, masquerade mystique, or even black light. Just be sure that your theme aligns with interests of the guests you are inviting.

Share the Year’s Highlights

NYE is also about reflecting on the past year. For smaller parties, have guests write their favorite memory of the year on fun colored paper and place them in a mason jar. Read these aloud to relive great memories. For large parties, have guests tweet or share a post on Instagram and portray them on a screen inside. Guests will love to see themselves on a big screen!

Make it Memorable with Photo Opportunities

At any fabulous party people are going to want pictures. Who doesn’t love capturing a memory of when they are dressed to the nines or having a blast with friends? Set up a photo booth or create a space with a festive backdrop. Encourage guests to strike a pose by having fun props to pose with. Include props with the upcoming and past year, fancy glasses (stars, sparkles, & funky spectacles), mustaches & lips, and printed phrases like the one below!

 Photo Source: Uncommon Designs Online

These are just a few ideas to get your NYE party started! Anything with glitter, champagne and finger foods are always a hit, but try to think outside of the box for your party this year! What unique twist are you planning on using or have you seen in the past? We’d love to hear!

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Creative Event Spaces: Wineries

Searching for the perfect venue can be tiresome. In addition to knowing the size, cost, and décor capabilities, you’ll want to know what environment or atmosphere will best fit your event.

In your search for a creative event space, you may want to consider holding your event in a winery.

Wineries are a wonderful summertime and early fall venue choice. Many have great cellars that you can hold part of your event in or beautiful terraces to enjoy a peaceful night. Not only does a winery give you spectacular views, it makes your drink choice obvious!

But don’t think wineries are just for the wine, enjoy a peaceful atmosphere where guests can wander around the property. This venue can work for cocktail parties, corporate events and more. The options are endless.

Keep your event simple, and let the scenery speak for itself.

Although wineries are a great fit for a wide variety of events, consider using this venue space for the following event themes:

  • Wine and cheese fundraiser
  • Romantic Wedding

  • Halloween parties (think of the opportunities for scare factors out in the vineyard)
  • Team building exercises
  • Paint and wine night

  • Women who “wine”
  • Sommelier expert and chocolate pairing social
  • Chef competition

  • French themed dinner

 

Photo Credit: Jay Wennington

  • 1920s event
  • Corporate Picnic

Photo credit: Gregory Bourolias

No matter the theme or event, a winery is a surprisingly refreshing venue choice! Next time you are planning an event think about the benefits of using a local winery and enjoy the views, fresh air and grapes!

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7 Simple Centerpieces for Fall

Fall is finally here! Which means we can start thinking about all the great Holidays this season. It means football, changing leaves and warm sweaters.

Fall is a great time for events, and centerpieces don’t have to be extravagant to get your guests attention. So we came up with a list! Here are 7 centerpieces that are simple and classic!

1) This rustic centerpiece is chic and simple! Use a lantern as your main piece with a warm candle and some accents around it to light up your table.

Photo Source: Women’s Day

2) Create a centerpiece with soft-hued pumpkins to subtly draw in the guest’s eye. Add a little sparkle to make it pop!

Photo Source: Women’s Day

3) Get inspiration from your local apple orchard for this centerpiece! Lay down some eucalyptus and candles of different sizes to add volume to the table.

Photo Source: Country Living

4) For a simple project, go to a craft store and create your own centerpiece with only a few items. Incorporate your event’s color scheme with different leaves and string. Accompany with a scent that fits in well!

 Photo Source: Women’s Day

5) Make your centerpiece edible! Gather some fruits and nuts in a hue of your choice and gather your guests around. Not only does it look good, but tastes great too!

 Photo Source: Country Living

6) Add a pop of color to your centerpiece! This easy to do project will brighten up any table and make guests feel warm and welcome.

 Photo source: Women’s Day

7) Put a twist on wild wheat with this centerpiece! Add color to an ordinarily bland décor.

 Photo Source: Elle

These centerpieces are simple and easy to do, and can accompany almost any fall event. From a small dinner party to a large wedding, put your own unique spin on them, and let them speak for themselves!

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Creative Venue Spaces

We’ve all been to great events in standard venues like hotels, convention centers, churches, event halls but the events that really stand out in our memories are the ones that are held in non-traditional venues.

When you begin planning your event and you want to make sure you add that WOW factor, start by thinking about a creative and unusual venue that will give your event a fresh and exciting bang right from the start.

Some possible options you might consider are:

  • Museums
  • Art Galleries
  • Country Clubs
  • Private Yachts
  • Wineries
  • Tents
  • Libraries
  • Airplanes
  • Restaurants
  • Airport Lounges
  • Theme Parks
  • Aquariums
  • Entertainment Complexes
  • Covered Swimming Pools
  • Theatre Stages
  • Retail or Specialty Stores
  • Soundstages
  • Sports Stadiums
  • Practice Fields
  • Rooftops
  • Private Clubs
  • Equestrian Clubs
  • Golf Clubs
  • Spas

Don’t let traditional spaces limit your imagination, but do take into consideration your event needs when booking your space. Some questions to ask yourself are, Do you need IT capabilities? Are restrooms readily available and suitable to your attendees? Will your attendees be comfortable in the space? Will the weather be appropriate for the event in the space you are choosing?Be creative with your event space choice, but make sure it fits with your event objectives and meets all of your clients and attendee needs.

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Texting During An Event

We know that texting when we are driving, when we are in face-to-face conversations and during church is not acceptable, but what about texting during an event between the meeting planner and the provider?

Of course I keep my phone on silent, but the ability to communicate with my client during an event has been extremely helpful. This line of communication between you and your client during an event can make sure your guests are comfortable, update on the location of your keynote speaker, and let them know just when the VIPs are ready to enter the stage. Not only that, but texting can keep the catering company on track, allow you to know when to release guests for dining, or get the temperature adjusted in the room to keep the guests comfortable.

Therefore, I’ve gathered my top tips for maintaining your professionalism while using the great tool of texting to communicate with your client and vendors during an event:

1. Mimic your client’s communication style

Make sure you know the best way to frame things for your client. Be sure to keep the text professional and keep the slang words and emojis for your personal text.

2. Make your texts clear

Texting is for short messages. Because they are short, they can at times be misunderstood. Instead of shooting off a quick message that wasn’t well thought out, take a minute to make sure your message can be easily read and understood without creating any hard feelings or misinterpretations.

3. KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetheart

Don’t be long winded on your text messages. Save the novel for email communication. Understand that a quick text to have the heat in the room adjusted is just that. No more needs to be said. Make sure your communication is not quip or snarky on text. This can easily be misread.

4. Respond Promptly

The reason I love texting for events is because I don’t have to open my email, comb through all the junk emails and find my client’s correspondence. I can quickly get the message and pass it along to others and solve the problem quickly. I am also less likely to miss something.

5. Be Patient

Yep, I just said quick, quick and quick; now I am reminding you to have patience.The fact is, your text might have come at a bad time and can’t be immediately responded to. Don’t continue to send texts over and over; give your recipient a bit of time. If you don’t get a response in a very long time…Pick up the phone and call.

6. Don’t completely give up on the old-fashioned phone call 

Yes, I love the ease of texting, short messages and quick responses, but sometimes the best way to communicate is still hearing a voice on the other end. You can learn a lot about what is going on with the person by hearing what and how they say it.

7. Finally, don’t text more than necessary, know when to end the conversation

I know sometimes texting ends abruptly, but if the information flow has come to a stop and all the necessary information is exchanged, end the chain. Don’t get stuck with having to have the final word.

Use texting to your advantage with your client and vendors during an event. It will save you from running from location to location to communicate simple requests, or the loud interruption of a radio that comes on at inopportune times. Make sure you have a list of all the cell numbers you need from your clients and your vendors and if you are sending a text to a new number, or haven’t communicated in a while, make sure to introduce yourself again to those you are texting. “Hi, this is Tracy Fuller, ………”Happy Texting!

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Event Technology: Instagram Stories

If you stay up to date with social media apps, you may have noticed a new feature in Instagram. The photo-sharing app recently added a ‘story’ option for users. Similar to Snapchat, a user can now upload a picture or short video for followers. Unlike regular posts, these only last 24 hours.

This is an unexpected change for Instagram, which seems to take this idea from another popular social media tool, Snapchat. So how does this effect the event world?

We all know that live feeds are becoming popular, and that Snapchat is great for communicating directly with attendees. However, Instagram is still more popular and has double the users Snapchat does (around 300 million!).

For events and event planners, who already have a good following on Instagram, and may struggle with Snapchat, this is your golden ticket! Now you can tease your audience with behind-the-scenes peaks, your planning process and more!

It is more common to post multiple times on Snapchat than compared to Instagram, so use these stories to give you more exposure to your followers! Use it to your advantage, because stories appear at the top of the screen, every time a user opens the phone app.

For those not familiar with Snapchat, but want to get the most out of the Instagram stories, know that these can range a lot of different topics! Tease guests with previews of your next event, or if the theme is a secret give them hints. Show off your event team and your work area. The possibilities are endless!

With new updates to social media apps coming in lightning fast, it is crucial that you stay updated; especially if you are targeting millennia’s who are tech-savvy. Just think of this as one more opportunity to reach out to your audience and gain potential attendees!

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State Fair Themed Event: Unique food and Entertainment Ideas

There are so many great events that happen during the summer, but for some people the greatest event is the State Fair! Here in Des Moines we are proud have the Iowa State Fair, one of the largest in the country.

Not only do people come from around the nation for our fair, but many corporate companies have State Fair themed events. Keep reading for food and entertainment ideas to make your next event a success.

As a general rule state fair food is insanely awesome and either fried or on a stick, but how do you make Fried State Fair food on a stick unique and interesting for a corporate event?

1) Deep-Fried Twinkie:

Ahhh a classic! This delicious deep-fried treat is a must have for any party. Yep, we know you love them but for a higher-end event consider deep fried cheese cake pops.

Photo Source: Willow Bird Baking

2) Cheese:

Cheese, period. You can fry it, melt it or smother it on almost anything. It is a staple state fair food. For an upscale feel, hire a food truck that specializes in the ooey gooey deliciousness!

 

Photo Source: Memphis Daily News

3) Corndog:

Another great go-to-snack, the corndog! Step it up a notch with Lobster corndogs… this will really get your guests talking with their mouth full!

 

Photo Source: Style Me Pretty

4) Corn on the Cob:

Always a classic dish for the fair! The good thing is this can be dressed up very easily. Serve as an appetizer on a stick or use it during the main course.

Photo Source: Style Me Pretty

5) Cotton Candy:

This may not be the easiest to enjoy without getting slightly messy, but when you have cotton candy in a tub guests can eat it right then or take it home. We find attendees want a treat for the moment and a treat for later. Plus, you can choose the flavors that are unique and different or dyed into the company colors.

Photo Source: Chocolate Story Book

Entertainment

Okay, we’ve visited the foods. Now how about your entertainment? Of course you can choose to have the standard midway games, but there are ways you can take it to the next level as well!Here are 5 ways we’ve found that our clients love to step it up:

1) Custom photo booth – we have had great success and fun creating photo booths that are interactive. This has included duplicating the American Gothic painting and allowing guests to become the couple in picture, which has been a hoot! – and the longer the night goes on the more fun it becomes! – Have a photographer there to help guide the subjects and print photos on site. This makes for a memorable keepsake.

2) Caricature artist – Make this unique by having a roaming artist that walks around to guests instead of vice versa. Also create a custom logo’d canvas for them to draw on. Having them walk around will help with those guests that are reluctant or shy to have their caricature done. This is another item for them to take home and you bet it gets featured on the social media!

3) What fair theme is complete without carnies? The balloon man, the inflatable items and the games. Have a few of these characters set up around your event to really set the mood.

4) Create games of chance – it’s really easy to do a balloon popping game, a weight or age guesser or a ring toss game.

5) Dunk tank – this might not work for all events but if you can get your CEO to sit in the dunk tank, this is a real winner and your guests will stand in line just to get the chance to dunk the CEO.

We like to end the evening with a wonderful headliner. As with all fairs, yours should include a concert. Consider the crowd and pick your headliner carefully to ensure you entertain the crowd and send them off with a wonderfully warm feeling of the all-American pastime of the State Fair.

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Event Trends Based On Movies In 2017

Movies are definitely a trend setter for event themes. If you think we’re wrong, let us just say these two words “Great Gatsby”. Yep – so as you can see knowing the upcoming movie releases and staying on top of the most popular movies can definitely help you get ahead of the curve with your clients and their theme parties.

2016 was definitely a big year for highly anticipated movies and remakes. For example, this year’s Tarzan might not be the most popular of movies released, but you still can’t go wrong with a jungle theme. Waiters dressed as jungle guides sporting pith helmets will be sure to add that memorable touch to the jungle theme. 2017 also has some promising excitement for those who love movie series. So we looked to the biggest movie releases to determine hot event themes that you’ll likely begin planning now and sharing a fun element that you can add in.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

AYE! What’s better than a pirate-themed party? We love decorating for this type of party and even have the pirate statues to prove it! To add a unique element to this theme have netting hanging through the entry walkway for guests to walk under as they enter. Place “treasures”, fake sea creatures, and imitation seaweed in the net to look like a catch from the bottom of the sea. Don’t forget to hire a “Jack Sparrow” to greet guests!

Star Wars: Episode VIII

Everybody who was around in the 80s had a heyday when Star Wars: Episode VII came out – so you can only imagine that this movie will also gain some attention. Food is always a fun way to get creative with themed events. Find creative ways to make the oh so popular red and green light sabers – one way we’ve seen is with dipped pretzels. What would you use to create light sabers?

Wonder Woman

Everybody loves Event Heroes – I mean, super heroes 😉 This is one theme that will not die out no matter what the year. Super hero theme parties are great for hiring local models or actors to dress as the super heroes and welcome guests. This would be a great woman-empowering theme. For a fun touch, have wonder woman props for a fun photo shoot.

Resident Evil: The final chapter

Although you won’t find many zombie themed corporate events, zombies are the perfect setting for Halloween parties. Zombie themed everything has taken off the last couple of years from zombie food joints to zombie runs. For a scarier theme party, hire actors decked out as zombies to walk around the party aimlessly. If you’re looking for something low key, have zombified appetizers. We suggest a venue for this theme that is dark and bare with cement floors. Something fashioned to look post-apocalyptic would be perfect for this theme.

Avatar

When Avatar was first released, it blew audiences’ minds. Nobody had used that quality of CG yet. Not only was the cinematography amazing, but people loved dressing up as Avatar characters soon after. For a unique spin on this event theme use lighting to recreate the glowing grass, shrubs, and trees. You want guests to feel like they are visiting another world with this theme party.

While upcoming movies are a great way to determine event themes, some will stick around longer than others. Be sure to keep an eye out for the hype leading up to them and watch if they are trending on different social media platforms.

Need a full theme party with entertainment and decorations? Click on over to Event Heroes theme pages and pick a party with all the elements and suppliers you need to throw a party to be remembered for years to come.

What would be your favorite theme party to throw? Let us know and share what you would do to make it unique!

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