Show me the money...

What are typical event planner salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

I've been in this field for more than 15 years and I am currently making over $125k. The key is to add additional responsibilities to your role, including marketing, promotions and other like activities.

Corporate Event Guy said: I've been in this field for more than 15 years and I am currently making over $125k. The key is to add additional responsibilities to your role, including marketing, promotions and other like activities.

Corporate Event Guy - Can you help me get a job doing what you're doing in Seattle? I am an Event Planner and been in the business for 7 years now; I work for the Venetian Resort~Hote~Casino, but am originally from Washington State. I really want to get back up there soon.

Hi Wendy,

Are you still working in Las Vegas? I am a recent college graduate (The George Washington University in DC) from Las Vegas and would like to get into the event planning industry back home.

-Thank you

Alexis

Alexis in Laurel, Maryland said: Hi Wendy,

Are you still working in Las Vegas? I am a recent college graduate (The George Washington University in DC) from Las Vegas and would like to get into the event planning industry back home.

-Thank you

Alexis

Alexis,

You want to get into Event Planning back in Las Vegas? There is plenty of opportunity there. It depends on what you want to do though. ARe you interested in planning ,weddings, receptions, business Luncheons/Dinners, cocktail parties? If so, you should contact some wedding/event venues outside of The Strip..that is what those places mainly do. If you are into Conference Management...then most of the Hotels (Number one Hotel being The Venetian) hires Conference Managers to handel businesses that come in to hold meetings & trade shows, and they also have dinners, parties, cocktail receptions, etc. BUT...pay very special attention to jobs posted as "Special Events" in the Casinos, those are Event Planning Jobs that focuse on 90% Casino Related Events...so in other words, you are running Slot/Video Poker Tournaments and Blackjack/Craps/Baccarat Tournaments. That is the type of job I had at the Venetian for the past 8 months and I Hated it! With my background and experience, I was wasting my time adding up scores for a Slot Tournament. I have since moved on.

Thanks

I am looking to get into event planning but jobs are hard to find if anybody knows fo any please email me Thank You Jill TmblnAFtr@aol.com I am in southern california

I am also looking for an event planning job and have recently graduated. I found that hotels have been the best bet. I currently have a full time job (not with event coordination), but I am going to intern first. I think interning is a great start, and/or volunteering as well!

I, as well as others are looking into getting a job in event planning I am graduating in May 2008 from the University of Rhode Island in Communication and leadership. But I thought I should start looking for a job in that area now. If any one have any tips, advice or websites for me please let me know because I really want to get in that field. My e-mail address is gsarpong@mail.uri.edu.

I also just graduated in May and I am looking to get into event planning. If someone could email me with job opportunities I would greatly appreciate it. I am in the Upstate of South Carolina. bretate3@msn.com

I am a recent college grad with a degree in Sports/Event/Entertainment Management with my concentration in Hospitality Sales and Meeting Management. I have about 1 1/2 years of event experience and have been working in the hospitality field since I was 13!

I am an event coordinator currently but am looking to get more into the special events side of the industry. It's hard because it seems like I can't catch a break. I'm just looking for that one company willing to give me a chance.

It seems hard because a lot of places want you to have 3-5 years of experience, but no degree. Where I have a 4 year degree and almost 2 years of experience.

How can I convince a company that I am going to do great things?

wow! We need to start a support website or something....we all have degree's and a passion. Whoever gets in the door first give us a call!! ha ha I'm from houston, tx, it also looks like we have south carolina, cali, rhode island....it's endless.

Hey fellow event-planning-job-lookers it is me from CALI, I talked to a lady this past week and what she told me was to start looking at golf courses and places where events are held to find a job and then if that fell through the best thing to do is to just start your own business, start small and work your way up. So I think that just might be my plan I am going to start my own and work my way up. Hope to hear from everyone soon

I see you just graduated from GWU They have an event planning maganagement certificat program for you -its call www.gwu-aqe.edu
It is a wonderful program that I am looking into although I have already been certified as an event planner. The program is varied and adds a lot of education to the eventplanner profile

Jill said: I am looking to get into event planning but jobs are hard to find if anybody knows fo any please email me Thank You Jill TmblnAFtr@aol.com I am in southern california

Create a job your self- Try having a gala than do another the following year -this get your name out there.
Also try just doing some fundraiser ex. raising money for underpriviledge children back to school items in a bag. The proceeds can pay you and fulfill the needs of the underprivilegde children

im in south florida in boynton beach and although I am currently a student in interior design however event planning is a passion of mine and I have planend parties for family and friends and looking for a way to make a break in the industry.anyone have any suggestions? feel free to email me at jenniferjewels@bellsouth.net

Hello, Wendy.
I have over 15 years expereince in Event Planning and would love to make a contact at the Las Vegas hotel circuit. Do you have any suggestions who I should contact to "get my foor in the door" and get a one-to-one interview? Your help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!!

Brian Bertolucci
lilbert62@yahoo.com

Hi Brian, I have 14 years of experience, and I can tell you that todays market for beginners is $500.00 flat fee OR 15% to 20% of the final bottum line figure. Which ever is greater. It is when you gain experience and clients and you become more in demand that you can allow yourself to charge more. I can also say that if you have general planning experience, find a catering company that provides full service planning and has a reliable reputation and work for them to educate yourself of how it all works. You will also discover a huge networking system that you yourself will be able to create working relationships with. You will need them when you go on your own.

Host said: What are typical event planner salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

I just wanted to thank you all for your comments and information. I am to a recent graudate and wanted to go into event planning. I am working now is sports management/planning, not really what i want to do, but it's a start. I hope to move somewhere south where the job market is a litle better than MICHIGAN.

I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Don't forget to check out your local phone books under "Event Planning" and find out who is doing this already in your area, check out their websites for entry level jobs and see if you can get time for informational interviews with them! Good Luck.

Yes, I want to know how the process is for getting a job in this field, because where I live the job market is slim to none especially for college graduates. I am from Rhode Island and everything is pretty conservative, so event planning from what I know of is not popular unless you work for a hotel and you have to hospatality experience before they even consider you. But I am looking for a place to relocate after graduation so I can really get into it. So please help me out here.
-Georgina S.

i am a business admin student from nj but i plan to do event planning and PR. i recently took a trip to vegas n fell in love with the city. with all the venues vegas has to offer i think its the place for me to live and work! i would relocate in a heartbeat if i had the right job waiting for me !! someone please help!

**IS EVENT PLANNING A DESK JOB???**

I am hoping someone with some experience could answer this question for me. What is a 'typical' day like for an event planner?

What percentage of a day is typically spent on the phone? Emailing? Paperwork?

Basically:

I think this could be a career path for me, esp. being from Las Vegas, but I would hate to find out that it is far less 'glamorous' than I perceive it to be.

*Any insight would be appreciated*

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

My business associate and I are starting up industry. Excited because this city is growing fast,in this middle GA area (2 hrs. south of Atlanta). How did you start?Certified?Ideas for beginners? There are not visible, prof. planners in this area. Please help as we are trying to organize thoughts/plans/cash.

I am starting up my event planning business in western Massachusetts. ALready have done a fund raiser that went really really well. But still looking to see how I can get my name out there? Any ideas?

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Hi Wanda, I would love to know more about the event planning business in Tampa. My family recently relocated to Fort Myers and my husband and I were thinking of moving to Tampa. Is the market booming for corporate special events or social or both? Also, what would you say is the average event planner salary in Tampa for someone with 6-8 years of experience.
Thank you!

Wanda: I too would like to talk with you. Will you be willing to email at letsplan@cox.net to discuss some ideas with me. *Cynthia

Hi, i was wondering what a beginner year salary is for being a event planner? And what an experianced event planner salary is? Do you have to have a degree to get in this field? What are the responsabilities of a entry level position? Thanks a bunch

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Hi Wanda, with 14+ years of experience in the Tampa Bay area, you’re just the person I need to talk to! I relocated several months ago with my husband from San Diego and I been searching for a company to bring my talents to. Do you have any openings with your company and do you need any help in Sarasota? I’ve made some great contacts here but I need help with staffing, creative design and culinary delights. With my old company, I was charged with the larger high profile events, some for celebrities and sports players. You mention that there are a lot of sports players in the area. Who have you done events for? If you’d like, you can email me at eventsbybeth@gmail.com

THX

Beth Shaffer in Sarasota, Florida said: Hi Wanda, with 14+ years of experience in the Tampa Bay area, you’re just the person I need to talk to! I relocated several months ago with my husband from San Diego and I been searching for a company to bring my talents to. Do you have any openings with your company and do you need any help in Sarasota? I’ve made some great contacts here but I need help with staffing, creative design and culinary delights. With my old company, I was charged with the larger high profile events, some for celebrities and sports players. You mention that there are a lot of sports players in¢Ã‚€Â™d like, you can email me at eventsbybeth@gmail.comI really want to get into party planning . Can you help me?

the area. Who have you done events for? If youÃÂTHX

Host said: What are typical event planner salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

The skills I should learn would be how to network myself . And maketing skills

Is there anyone in Bham Alabama Icould talk to about getting into the party planning biz.

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: Hi Brian, I have 14 years of experience, and I can tell you that todays market for beginners is $500.00 flat fee OR 15% to 20% of the final bottum line figure. Which ever is greater. It is when you gain experience and clients and you become more in demand that you can allow yourself to charge more. I can also say that if you have general planning experience, find a catering company that provides full service planning and has a reliable reputation and work for them to educate yourself of how it all works. You will also discover a huge networking system that you yourself will be able to create working relationships with. You will need them when you go on your own.

Hi Wanda,
I'm in the Tampa Bay/ Wesley Chapel area and I am interested in starting an event planning business. However, I have limited experience and I'm not sure where to begin. Your knowledge and experience would be a great tool and I'd love to pick your brain for some information. Please email me at ladylisa125@yahoo.com

Lisa

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Hi Wanda, I have a BA in Public Relations and I've been doing some event planning (at work, family and friends) here and there. Now, I'm really interest in get into the event planning full time, but I don't know where to start. Can you please contact me, I live in Tampa Bay area, my email is mdefensor@tampabay.rr.com
Thanks, Marilyn.

I am graduating from Iowa State University in a few weeks here with a BA in Communications and a minor in English. I currently have an internship that I've been with for 2 years in a Public Affairs office with the DOE where I've done several events & charity auctions. I have yet to find a job as an Event Planner after graduation but feel that this is my passion and if given the opportunity I would be an excellent employee. Unfortunately though, there's not a lot of business here in the Midwest that I'm aware of. Any thoughts on where else to look? Or if you know of something in this region I'd love to look that up too!
Thanks!
Heather

Has anyone ever received a response from wanda souders in Wesley Chapel?

I am a college student Graduating in May 2008 and have gained as much experience as I can in this area. I have working for the only event planner in the area and at hotels. I do not have the normal 3 to 5 years of experience need for jobs. I would like to continue to work in this field but am not sure how to proceed. HELP!?!?!

Salary depends on who you work for and what you are doing. 30,0000-over 6 figures.

I currently live in Madison, NJ, attending Fairleigh Dickinson University, with a major in Communications and a minor in Event Planning. I just recieved my certification in Events Planning/Meeting Management from Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ.
I don't really have any experience in the field and would love to do anything I could get into. The problem is I just don't know where to start! I know that once I graduate from here I figured that I would start my own company, but I don't know what kind of events I want to do, how to get started, how many events you can do at once, how long you should allot for each one, etc. As you can see, I have a lot of things going on in my mind regarding this and you are experienced, so if you have any advice it would be much appreciated. You can e-mail me at Devylbunie@aol.com.

I am a recent English graduate with an Events Management degree from Leeds Metropolitan University, a University known as the leading centre for Events Management education in the UK.

I graduated in July 07 with an upper second class degree in BA (Hons) Conference & Exhibition Production Management and also HND Event Management.

I am currently employed in the UK as a Conference and Event Planner; main clients include large Pharmaceutical companies and the NHS improvement Foundation.

I am looking for work in the USA to expand my business expertise within the industry. My mother lives in the USA and it is somewhere I have always wanted to be. I have spent weeks applying for Entry level positions, and have sent my resume to numerous Events companies.

I am looking for a 6 or 12 month placement preferably in Florida or Los Angeles.

As an international applicant I can reassure employers that I already have acquired a visa agency to fully process and sponsor my J1 training visa and will be responsible for all fees regarding this visa.

Does any body have any tips or know of any companies that may be interested ?????????

If so then PLEASE get in touch.

juliacorner92@hotmail.com

Many Thanks

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Wanda would you contact me..

Hi. I am senior in high school and i really love Event planning and that's
what I'm gonna do when I get out of college. I am gonna start my own business and I already have the name. I just wanted to know, what at my age can I do to help further my career in Event Planning.

Thank you!!

Well I'm glad to see that you know this is what you want to do already! It took me awhile to finally decide that this was the path I wanted to take- even though it has always been my passion, I wasn't sure if I could really make the money.
I am not that much older than you- your 18? I just turned 21. What I would suggest doing is looking into colleges that offer a certification in events planning. I don't know where you are located, so just search around. Something will be there. I took a 30 credit program and it was to recieve a certificate in Events Planning and Meeting Management. I think that the best you can do is not go to a college and take BS classes. Really focus in on becomming certified because you are way ahead. Also, search in the yellow pages and online for event planners in your area and volunteer to be an unpaid intern. Feel free to e-mail me whenever you want or if you have any questions!
-Jaclyn

Jaclyn Dawn in Madison, New Jersey said: Well I'm glad to see that you know this is what you want to do already! It took me awhile to finally decide that this was the path I wanted to take- even though it has always been my passion, I wasn't sure if I could really make the money.
I am not that much older than you- your 18? I just turned 21. What I would suggest doing is looking into colleges that offer a certification in events planning. I don't know where you are located, so just search around. Something will be there. I took a 30 credit program and it was to recieve a certificate in Events Planning and Meeting Management. I think that the best you can do is not go to a college and take BS classes. Really focus in on becomming certified because you are way ahead. Also, search in the yellow pages and online for event planners in your area and volunteer to be an unpaid intern. Feel free to e-mail me whenever you want or if you have any questions!
-Jaclyn

Hi Jaclyn..!! Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciated. But yeah im a senior, im actually graduating early, i excelled a grade, im 17. I have to check if the college im attending next fall offer classes like those. But thank you so so so much..!!

I am currently looking for a part-time applicant who is interested in Event Planning. This applicant will develop strategies to promote and market the company. Gain potential wedding proposal leads along with wedding planning/coordination leads. Will attend some of the most outstanding wedding shows across Florida.

Potential Candidate:

Great customer service skills
previous marketing experience a plus
Ability to travel and work flexible hours including weekends
Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and meet multiple deadlines
Must be highly motivated and able to take initiative
Superb organizational and project management skills with attention to detail

www.PlatinumProposals.com

If you are interested, please e-mail me: NigarK@PlatinumProposals.com

**This is a commission based position for the state of Florida.

Hello Wanda Suders, Im graduating in May from Stetson University and I'm planning to move to Tampa in August. I want to be an event planner and I was wondering if you could give me any suggestions on how to get my foot in the door. My e-mail address is dsigl@stetson.edu. If you could please e-mail me back with any information or any other contacts that would be great. Thanks so much! Dominique

This question is for Sylvia Parrish Event Planning Productions. I noticed in our local paper here in Roanoke Rapids, NC that your company is attending the job fair at Halifax Community College's The Centre. I know I wont be able to attend, but is there any way you can give me some details about your company? I am trying to get my hands into wedding & event planning. I took a course at home online and I have a certicate for CSI as a wedding consultant.
Thanks

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

I am also in Tampa,FL and I'm interested in getting into the Party Planning business. I graduated with a degree in the medical field and decided that was not for me. I would like to get some experience and knowledge about this field. I currently work full time at a financial firm and my creativity is being drained from my life! I am extremely organized and feel that party planning would be a great career. If there is any information or assistance you can give, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

wanda souders in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I am in Tampa Florida. Events are booming here. We also have a lot of sports players that live here. It is a beautiful city and growing in leaps and bounds. If you ever have any questions or just want to chat about processes, feel free to contact me. Good Luck Wanda

Wanda,
I am also in the Tampa bay area. I am very interested about getting your thoughts on getting into the business. My brain is always thinking about events to plan, like my wedding or birthdays, and I am not even engaged. I also work in a financial firm that has given me little opportunity to plan events other than luncheons due to the fact there is a department that does this and they hardly have openings. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you.

Wanda,

I to am an aspiring event planner. I absolutely love planning events!!!! I currently work in the finance department at my current job and it doesn't excit me as much as event planning. Friends of mine allowed me to plan their weddings, birthdays, bridals showers from start to finish and loved the results. I want to pursue my passion as a career but not quite sure how I should get started. Any direction given would be appreciated!

Thank you.