My Blogging Experience

It’s been a really great semester and I’m so happy to have had the chance to share a little bit of my knowledge with you. I hope you all continue to join me as I work to better this blog and get you guys more information on event planning. Here’s a recap on my blogging experience the Fall semester!

• Which tools were effective?

Using the insert media and insert link buttons were most effective for me. Linking can bring you traffic through SEO, make your page more resourceful and potentially make other websites want to link back to you.

• Which tools weren’t?

I really love the idea of the widgets, but they were kind of a pain to get on my page; the Twitter one in particular. I can’t prove that they were ineffective for me, but I feel as if they were obscure. They’d probably work better if I chose a theme that put them on the side bars rather than at the very bottom.

• What would you want to improve or include within the blog?

In improving my blog, I think I would like to get more and better imagery. I would also like to add videos and DIY in order to give the blog an extra “oomph.”Also, I feel like my blog could look better. There were so many themes that I liked so I just kind of picked one and went with it. I also would have promoted my self on all social platforms so I could have raised my views.

• In what ways could the experience benefit you in the future?

If you are a mass communications major and want to further pursue a career in this field, you need to be able to write! As I pursue a career in event planning, it’s important to keep up with trends.

• Discuss how you might implement these tools professionally in the future, in a job or an entrepreneurial endeavor.

Almost every business website I’ve seen now has a “blog” or “press/news” tab. If I chose to apply at a major company, they’d more than likely want experience and this free online blog gives me that experience. Knowing how to write is a key communication tool and it’s important to practice it as much as possible! In event planning it is important to keep up with trends, DIY and advice for potential clients.

 

• Which was your most popular week, and how many views and visitors did you get that week? 

10/12-10/18 was my most popular week…though it’s not really a lot, I got 10 views and 10 visitors. I should have done more promoting and tags…*sigh*

• Which was your most popular post of the year? How many views did it get? Why do you think it was the most popular?

My most popular post occurred when we were told to review another blog page. I chose to review a well-known wedding blog known as, Green Wedding Shoes,  which got a total of 25 views. It wasn’t super poppin’, but I think I got the most views on it due to the link and mention on twitter.

• In all of the Site Stats data, was anything surprising to you?

I had 1 random view from South Africa! It’s so mind boggling that the internet has the power to connect people from different parts of the globe. It makes me want to continue to use tags and promote my page to see what other people and places I can reach.

• Do you have any Twitter, Facebook or other social media stats you want to share?

I was actually surprised that my Twitter brought me like half of my views. It really shows the power of social media. I definitely would have gotten more view had I promoted myself more on Facebook…which I regretfully should have because, there, I have noisy family members and more people I have met in the event industry.

 

 

Creativity in Your Event

Depending on the vibe you are going for in your event, you can chose to go simple and traditional… or get creative! One of the greatest lessons I have learned so far has been to think outside of the box. You can always incorporate unique elements into any corporate event, organizational gathering or wedding that will have your attendees in awe.  Today I will be sharing with you all some really fun ideas from events I worked or been to in the past that will hopefully inspire you!

Corporate:

An event titled, “Event Professional’s Day in Hill Country” was a day dedicated to event coordinators and industry experts in order to introduce them to 3 venues and a number vendors in the Texas Hill Country. Central Texas venues get a lot of clients from San Antonio and Austin so the idea was to have professionals meet in the city closest to them, shuttle them to the 1st venue, crossover at the 2nd venue then continue on to the third. The concept of the event was unique itself, but one detailed element stood out to me the most…and Aerialist! Gracefully posing from an 18ft ceiling, was a former cirque du solei aerialist dressed in gold. Everyone began taking out their phones for pictures and commenting on how awesome they thought it was. The venue even had a shirtless bartender painted gold and serving wine. YASSS!

Photo Cred: Jennifer Weems Photography

Tip: Try to find an unusual focal point or something that will have your guests talking (good things) and admiring!

Organization:

The ISES SA chapter recently hosted a Pub Crawl in the downtown area. For those who don’t know what a pub crawl is, it’s when a group of people gather together, drink and visit a number of bars together by foot or other transportation. Basically bar hopping with a cooler name. The organization used this as a fun networking experience to get people together in a casual and fun environment and I though it was brilliant. People were ask to wear ugly christmas attire in order for our group to be identifiable and uniform.

Tip: Think of ways your group can interact in different environments rather than at the same location.

Wedding:

Couples are steering away from traditional church settings and finding more imaginative ways to make a grand entrance on their big day. Of course outdoor settings are always gorgeous, but what do you do when unpredictable, crappy weather occurs? Make sure your venue gives you alternative options indoors! A great Plan B or an out of the ordinary walk down the aisle is always a cool spin to a very special day. The couple pictured below got married on the staircase with their bridal party staggered up the stairs and all their guests looking up. It was very dramatic and chic and the guests raved that it was something they had never seen before. Check out this article for more creative ways to get you down the aisle!

Tip: Find a venue that gives you options and figure out show your guests something they’ve never seen before!

 

 

Antonian Awards

A couple of weeks ago, the International Special Events Society of San Antonio hosted the first ever Antonian Awards at the Historic Sunset Station in order to honor the hard work of event professionals in San Antonio and surrounding areas! This inaugural event was …

Love Wins

This summer the United States Supreme Court ruled for the legalization of same sex marriage nationwide; a victorious moment to say the least! Same-sex couples are now able to get the same legal rights and benefits as heterosexual couples and …

Green Wedding Shoes Review

For my blog review, I decided to choose a website named, Green Wedding Shoes. This website is one the first web pages that pops up when you google “wedding blogs,” so according to search engine optimization, many people must like and link to it, therefore I had to see what it was about! Green Wedding Shoes was developed and designed by a couple who have backgrounds in the arts and web design; the perfect combination. When the wife, Jen, noticed there was a need for something more amidst weddings in the web-world, she and her husband teamed up to create a mega wedding blog tailored for every kind of bride imaginable.

What I love the most about this blog is simply what they say in their “About Me” section about how they “believe that there is no ‘right’ way to throw a wedding.” Their blog is focused on showcasing all different styled weddings and brides in order to inspire, present ideas, and bring to view some of the most beautiful events from all around. They execute this perfectly by giving a series of tabs including as DIY Ideas, Honeymoon, and Galleries from weddings. This page truly connects with their audience by offering a submission tab that allows couples and event professionals to send in pictures, video and details about their events and then the blog creators write about it and feature it on their page. Very cool.

My favorite feature on their page is the “Real Weddings” tab. The “Real Weddings” section allows future brides to look through an assortment of themes from real weddings including, beach, elopements,green, modern and rustic…just to name a few! This feature gives a complete visual of all styles of weddings, allowing the bride to better craft her day and to see what works and what doesn’t. It also gives readers exclusive details from the couples themselves, such as the music, advice and a list of all the vendors used on their special day. I also really enjoyed the fact that there is map feature that lets you select what area of the country you would like to views weddings that includes areas in California, midwest, west, southwest, south, north and even international weddings.

Overall, I loved this webpage! I feel as if it was very thought out and covered all aspects of the wedding industry. It is beneficial to engaged couples, vendors and even married couples! Be sure to check them out at GreenWeddingShoes.Com!

Maybe we even should submit photos/ideas from some of the weddings we’ve done at the Studios at Fischer like these:

5 Things Event Professionals Wish You Knew

Hello All,

In my one year working as an events coordinator, I’ve learned A LOT. The list includes, how to open wine and champagne, what prosecco is, never tuck a chair under linen, and…even not to microwave silverware. Yeah…I said that. I work for two highly professional women who definitely know how to throw an extraordinary event and I am eternally grateful for the knowledge that they’ve shared with me. Through all the wedding and events, I’ve collected a few tips from my own personal experiences in the field and came up with this list of 5 things every event professional wish you knew.

1) Mason Jars Are Played Out – Who knew a jar made for food would have such an impact on the wedding world? Millennial brides have taken these glass wonders and made just about ANYTHING with them. With that being said, let’s leave mason jars in the kitchen and try something new. Check out this blog by Inked Weddings to find some cute alternatives! Here is also a picture of a wedding I worked last year where they used an assortment of small vases for their floral:

2) Your Planner Should Never Be an “All-In-One” Deal – If you hire a planner and he/she suggests that they can take care of everything including the coordination, decoration, lighting, catering and DJ…JUST SAY NO! You may think that you’re been cost efficient, but you are really hurting yourself in the long run. This day should be about you and/or the people you’re throwing the party for, therefore you need someone making sure that everything is executed flawlessly, not someone running dealing with multiple situations.

3) Your DJ and Photographer are the Two MOST Important Vendors – DJ’s are in charge of keeping the party alive and upbeat, so make sure you hire a credible person with experience! There’s nothing worse than a DJ that makes you and your guests feel like your at a nightclub while shouting, “All my ladies in the house make some noise!” No. Just No. As for your photographer, you’ll be way too occupied to remember this day or keep up with your guests, so great photos are a MUST!

4) NEVER Hire a Family Friend or Relative to Work at Your Event – I can’t tell you how many times we’ve encountered this situation and each time, the result is the same each time; IT DOESN’T WORK. The person you hire needs to be 100% dedicated to their job. If you hire a family friend or relative, they will want to be a part of the mix and will not fulfill their duties as an outside vendor would.

5) Be Sure Guests are Watching Their Kids – Kids will be kids…and that’s ok! However, it may become a problem when they start running around knocking things over, putting their fingers in the cake, throwing fits, etc…Make your day less stressful by hiring an event baby sitter so you can have a good time all while your is child close by. There are actually websites you can look up that specialized in event sitting such as American Child Care and Nannytainment.

Fall Wedding Trends

This past weekend marked our first wedding of the fall season at the Studios at Fischer and there really is no better time or season to get married outdoors in Texas. We’re either having horrendous flooding and rain storms in the spring, dying of heatstroke in the summer or dealing with Frozen weather in the winter…In the fall, however, we are (for the most part) blessed. Saturday was filled with crisp air, clear skies and a Texas sunset that made for the perfect backdrop for a dinner on the lawn. Our lovely couple had a small destination wedding with guests that flew in from California, Indiana and Tennessee all to see Marianne and Scott exchange vows in the Texas Hill Country.

Marinanne definitely did her research on fall weddings, as seen through her color scheme, wedding cake and her floral. TheKnot.com shared an article listing several fall wedding trends that were very apparent throughout our bride’s special day. Below, I will discuss the autumn influence I witnessed this weekend and show you how it’s possible to take wedding tips (such as the ones linked above) and make them your own!

Colors – typically when we think of fall colors, we think shades of orange and browns, however, In reference to the knot article linked above, deep shades of reds and pastels are the “it” colors for fall weddings. At the Davis wedding this weekend, plum, wine and cream colored linen made the perfect combination of colors as they lay atop the cocktail and dinner tables. The knot also hints a tip to incorporate metallic and here, the golden chargers and dark copper lanterns for made for a subtle, yet powerful interpretation of this.

Tip: Metallic genuinely does add a “je ne sais quoi” to your wedding day, but it’s best for delicate accents. Incorporate your shimmer through things such as, candle holders, frames, foliage/leaves in your floral, hair pieces, make up, nails or even you and your bridal party’s shoes!

Cakes – I’ve found that plain cakes with whimiscal vibes are super popular. As stated in The Knot article, cakes are getting smaller. Unless, you’re Kimye with a 7 foot, 7 tier cakes, it’s best to keep it simple and offer alternative desserts.

Tip: Alternative wedding cake suggestions – Ice cream bar, Cake shooters, Fruit shaped cake, cheesecakes or a bar full of an assortment of desserts

Check out these cute mini-pies from a wedding I worked back in June:

The Event Nerd

About a year ago I got the amazing opportunity to become one of a few student members in the San Antonio chapter of an organization called International Special Events Society. Many refer to it as “ISES” for short, but have to be select about how and to who we say so it doesn’t get confused with the other “ISIS.” Yikes. This global organization was found nearly 30 years ago with the goal to educate the event industry as a whole while allowing industry professionals to network and interact with one another. ISES promotes a professional conduct that upholds legal and ethical standards while encouraging excellence. Each monthly meeting has a guest speaker that educates and provides insightful information based on their area of expertise. This past Wednesday, we were fortunate to have a gentlemen self-titled, “The Event Nerd,” to speak on the importance of technology in the event industry and to show us top websites for event professionals to utilize.

For starters, the venue room for the meeting was amazing! The Plaza Club, stationed on the 21^st floor of the Frost Bank, provided incredible views of downtown San Antonio and a breathtaking Texas sunset. The Plaza Club has their very own caterers that served fabulous food with a menu that included a spinach strawberry salad, a linguine pasta served in a lemon butter sauce, and a coco mousse pyramid for dessert. YUM. Rentals were provided by Marquee Events Group and decor by Goen South.

Photo by Ara Photography

The Event Nerd himself was a gentleman and event producer named Damany Daniel. I could already tell his presentation was going to rock just by his appearance; he wore pink pants and a bow tie and carried himself with the utmost confidence. I dug it. Damany’s company, The Event Nerd, specializes in introducing new and innovative strategies for a variety of business professionals through technology. Below, I will briefly introduce a few of the websites he discussed that could be helpful for anyone that needs spruce up on their planning, strategizing and managing techniques.

(Photo by Me)

• HoneyBook – an online planning site that helps you design and manage your events while connecting you with your clients and colleagues. Here you are able to do away with the hassle of paperwork and keep all of it in an online file instead! The site even offers a way or clients to pay online and track the payments. Great for anyone involved in the planning process including hosts, photographers, wedding/corporate planners, caterers, etc.
•  LocalTable– Great for managing and scheduling your employees. Give staff everything they need to know about the event including location, what time it starts and ends, shift times, dress code, among other things. Sends an email reminder to avoid any miscommunication.
• SocialTables – Essential event planning software that allows you to create accurate layouts of seating and table diagrams. Let’s face it, people like to see things in place, so by creating visuals the client is able better able to see your vision come to life. It’s customizable, efficient and can even help boost sales!
• ShoFlo – Designed for all technical producers and people involved with live events. It’s an online cue sheet that can keep you and your crew all on the same page during making of the production cue, the actual production and even the rehearsals.
• Survey Monkey – Damany described this best for an “End of Show Report.” He suggested that a survey should be filled out after every event to help be proactive and to evaluate performance.

To conclude this post, in addition to the sites listed above, there are endless options for you improve you planning/managing process through technology. We are living in an ever evolving digital world and whether you like it or not, it is highly important that you familiarize yourself with online sources.

-Emily Santana

Just Around the River Bend

When I think of the word “embark,” I think of venturing with a purpose, staring a new journey and lots of adventure. About a year ago, I found myself embarking on one of life’s great journeys: leaving the nest. I …