Show me the money...

What is the starting salary for one entering into event planning and public relaions writing? How competitive is this business?

-Amanda Clyde

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 a graduate and I am trying to get started in event planning. I love to plan trips and find cheap rates on hotels, airline tickets, car rentals & etc. I'm always having fundraisers for my church. I just don't know how to go about getting started. Can you give me some advice?

Hello everyone, I have a degree in Marketing and I am also looking to get in to the event planning business. But I have a passion for sporting events, and I know how tough it is to get in the door with pro teams. I have had a previous internship with a conference in the NCAA coordinating and plannning athletice tournaments. It has been six months since I finished my internship and I still have not found a job. What can I do to make myself, look more desireable to employers so I can gain the needed experience to start my own business... Also I live in the Tampa Bay area. And the superbowl will be held here in a few months, does anyone know how I can get involved with paid or unpaid events work.

I am currently an event planner/general manager at a floral and event company. I manage the store, employees, etc as well as meet with brides and anyone else that's planning an event. I am now on a salary making 42,000 a year.
I keep wondering- Should I be making a commission on the weddings I book?
Is it a different percentage for the events that I bring in rather than the events that come in due to my boss' advertising? Does anyone know?

Hi All:

I'm in the Las Vegas area, and I'm looking to get into the event planning industry. I recently just graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with a Hospitality Restaurant Management AOS. I wonder if it is actually worth it to be certified as an event planner, and if so...which certification programs do you recommend? I was thinking about going to a few meeting and wedding venues and possibly interning for a month or so. Longer if I can get a foot in the door.

Anyone in the area care to mentor a newbie? :)

Thanks for any information you guys can give me!!

Hi everyone!

I live in Las Vegas and I am a stay at home wife. I am finishing my bachelor online but I need to find something to do out of the house soon and I am seriously interested in becoming an event planner so I was wondering if anyone here in the area would consider to partner with me to start the business. I have no previous experience but figure it would be a lot better to work with someone else.

Hi there,

Did you happen to get any good responses? I'm pretty much in the same boat as you, I have my AOS in Hospitality Restaurant Management and going to pursue my bachelors come fall. Just wondering if you got any good leads?

Thanks

Hey mizi!

I didn't get any answers yet but my plan is to take an event planning class since I'm starting from zero and from there put everything together. Probably start working from home since I'm just starting and don't have the means to rent an office at the time. Build a website and advertise as much as possible. I also thought I could call a local event planner and ask for an information interview if necessary but really there's so much information on the internet that I know will be very useful. Like I said before, I have no previous experience but I had so much fun last year planning my wedding, I'm sure this is something I can do and I will enjoy plus I have so much time in my hands I am really looking forward to start producing:)

Hi Siana,

Do you have an email address? I wouldn't mind a new friend to bounce ideas back and forth. I went to Le Cordon Bleu for hospitality and had to interview a few Event Planners so some insight may be there for you. Which certificate course were you looking at taking? I'm also looking to work from home, as I'm prego with my first baby so I have plenty of time on my hands right now. :P

Congrats on your baby!!! That's so exciting:) my email is anaisarnold@hotmail.com. I've been looking around and can't seem to find a place that will offer an event planning class so ultimately I may do it online. This is one of my options: www.qceventplanning.com/qcevent/qcevent.pdf

what do you think?

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 moved to Tampa about 9 months ago and have been looking to get back into event planning, which is what I did in college. I have a BA in Marketing Communications and have done everything to restaurant closings/reopenings to concerts. Any advice on who I can contact to get a job??

Thanks for any help you can provide!
Margo
margncl@yahoo.com

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! My name is Ashley and I live in the Central Florida area currently as a Registered Nurse. My passion is in event planning. I want to begin doing some events but do not know where to start with the process. Any words of advice?
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

Hi Wanda,
Are you an event planner here in Tampa? I live in Tampa and have organized weddings for friends (and recently my own). I truly have a passion for weddings and enjoy planning events (pretty much organizing anything). I would love to chat and get to know more about your experience and get your advice about steps to take to get my foot in the door.
Here is my email: t.tiso@yahoo.com
Thanks!
Tara

Has anyone heard of the QC School of Event Planning? I am living in NH and am interested in becoming an event/wedding planner. I currently do not have much experience so I was thinking of taking some classes but I have not found much in my area. Any help will be greatly appriciated.

Corporate Event Guy in Seattle, WA 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.

Hi,

What would you say would be the smartest way to get into this buisness. I'm looking for a career and it just so happens that this field fits me. I'm starving to learn and become sucessful in this buisness.

TO SIANA & MIZI:

Hello, I realize that this post is about a year old, but I live in Las Vegas and just recently graduated from TISOH in event planning, I am currently attending U of Phx for Business and desperatley want to get into this field. Did you ever start a business? If you have things up and running or still looking to start, will you please email me? I am looking for a partner!! trgreat8@hotmail.com

Thank you!!

For those of you who are serious about the business of professional special events planning should join ISES (www.ises.com). Go to chapter meetings, delveop your skills, make contacts, continue your professional development. Become a CSEP.

I have planned for 20 years and always hear "oh! What a great job you have! How do I get into the business?" Anyone can call themselves an event planner. Planning parties for your family and friends is nothing like being a real event planner.

Starting pay is low around 25K or so and can shoot as high as your scope of skills will qualify. Learn, study, meet people in the idustry. Hotels are the easiest to get a job with, but they will lieterally work you to death. VERY LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS on your feet with clients who can be unhappy about anything at any given time. Turn over is high too. So I recommend it only for new planners to get their feet wet.

Planning is about 30%, producion is about 50% and the rest of your time is sourcing, budgeting, selling, administration, risk management, etc. Good luck,

I live about 100 miles west of Las Vegas NV, and my dream is to open a Wedding and Events planning business. I just recently went back to school to earn a degree in medical but I am thinking I do not want to wait any more to get started on my dream. I started to go to school for medical because I wanted something to fall back on in case my dream career did not work out but at this point in my life I am ready to get started on what I want to do for the rest of my life. I would like to know if anyone has any ideas on how to get started, do I have to have a degree other than business? Where do I start???? Please help any information will be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone actually has a business in Las Vegas how has business been ? Does anyone think that it is worth starting a business there? This is my number one choice as to where I would like to start out because it would be really easy to relocate and I am familiar with Vegas I have been in the area for 20 years. I know that Vegas is a busy place and who doesn't go to Vegas and get married???

Producer in Charlotte, North Carolina said: For those of you who are serious about the business of professional special events planning should join ISES ( www.ises.com ). Go to chapter meetings, delveop your skills, make contacts, continue your professional development. Become a CSEP.

I have planned for 20 years and always hear "oh! What a great job you have! How do I get into the business?" Anyone can call themselves an event planner. Planning parties for your family and friends is nothing like being a real event planner.

Starting pay is low around 25K or so and can shoot as high as your scope of skills will qualify. Learn, study, meet people in the idustry. Hotels are the easiest to get a job with, but they will lieterally work you to death. VERY LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS on your feet with clients who can be unhappy about anything at any given time. Turn over is high too. So I recommend it only for new planners to get their feet wet.

Planning is about 30%, producion is about 50% and the rest of your time is sourcing, budgeting, selling, administration, risk management, etc. Good luck,

Hi

I am taking an online course for Wedding planning and recently came across CSEP while reading Wiley's Events Art of the Event Complete Guide to Designing and Decorating Special Events. How many years do they require you to already have in the business before they allow you to join?

I want to work for a planner for 6-months to a year before I open my own business to gain valuable on the hands on training. I don't want to get involved in all events just weddings.

Thanks

Hi,

I am looking for a Post Graduate Diploma on campus courses in USA and i came across a institute called Project Management Courses located in 60 East 42nd Street,New York, NY 10165

Can someone recommend if this is a reputed institute and also advise on other universities who offer such courses in US

Corporate Event Guy in Seattle, WA 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.

How did you first get started planning events? I want to become an event planner and I can't find a job that will take me with little experience.

Crystal in Lakeland, Florida said: Hello everyone, I have a degree in Marketing and I am also looking to get in to the event planning business. But I have a passion for sporting events, and I know how tough it is to get in the door with pro teams. I have had a previous internship with a conference in the NCAA coordinating and plannning athletice tournaments. It has been six months since I finished my internship and I still have not found a job. What can I do to make myself, look more desireable to employers so I can gain the needed experience to start my own business... Also I live in the Tampa Bay area. And the superbowl will be held here in a few months, does anyone know how I can get involved with paid or unpaid events work.

I am a Director of Human Resources and am looking to hire an event/marketing intern for our Florida region. It involves NASCAR branding and RV Resorts. Please email me at sue.mawdesley@morganmanagement.com if you are interested in learning more about this unique opportunity.

am a Director of Human Resources and am looking to hire an event/marketing intern for our Florida region. It involves NASCAR branding and RV Resorts. Please email me at sue.mawdesley@morganmanagement.com if you are interested in learning more about this unique opportunity please email me at sue.mawdesley@morganmanagement.com.

I've graduated from Berkeley Colledge for Interoir Design. I've recently moved to the Tampa area and am interested to know where I can apply for event planning work or home staging. Thank You

halo, i got two offers of event management from university of brighton and university of hertfordshire. Anyone can give me an advice? which one is better? THZ so much!!

To whom this may concern:

I am looking to continue my career in the event planning sector of the hospitality industry and would welcome the chance to learn about appropriate opportunities. I graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in Communication (this past May). While working as a concierge at Walt Disney World’s four diamond Yacht and Beach Club and Wildness Lodge Resorts, I experienced a great deal of satisfaction in exceeding our guests expectations. I strive for excellence- not mediocrity in all of my endeavors.

I am passionate about following current and upcoming food and beverage trends and enjoy exploring the city of Boston in my spare time. In the past 6 months i have expanded my network of professional contacts by attending career fairs, UMass networking events, and informational interviews. I am open to jobs in event planning, catering/ convention/ banquet services, marketing/and sales, and hotel management. Many of the employers i have spoken to/ interviewed with in the Greater Boston area require years and years worth of experience and seem to be turned off by my newly acquired status as a graduate. Despite my ambition and best efforts, i just seem to be hitting a brick wall. I would greatly appreciate any advice or contacts anyone might offer.

Jackie