Offering a solution before the client is aware of an obstacle.
This past week has been a great example, a 40th wedding anniversary celebration with over 15 individual suppliers onsite, with terrible weather conditions. It’s May and when walking the site in January you think the weather will be better. Oh, how we love the English weather don’t we? It’s the one thing we have absolutely no control over. Mid-week the site particularly at the back of the house looked like a scene from Glastonbury 1997! We protected the lawns with field tracking although I think there will be some TLC required over the coming weeks from the gardener.
Last minute changes, additional heating requirements, more blankets, an unexpected screen to be designed with willow screening, additional floristry work and extra props. It is all doable and the fun part is whilst we run around the client is completely unaware. You will often hear a supplier chat to another colleague and ask at the most stressful point why the hell do we do this?
Why do we do it?
Well, I guess because we love the possibility of going above and beyond the clients’ expectations. I still marvel at how it all comes together, often working with suppliers that come highly recommended, but you have never worked together before, yet it just works. There is a camaraderie that is unique to the industry, which generally goes hand in hand with a wicked sense of humour and the patience of a saint.
As with the building of a home it starts in the planning stage, the building of the structure, first and then second fixings. It is no different putting an event together. The difference for us is that it all happens in a very short and intensive space of time. The clever bit is being able to put it all together without the client knowing about the stress levels and being able to pre-empt the problems. This ability has been crafted over the years learning on the job. It allows us to overcome with our experience and the ability to find the solution to each obstacle.
• Additional power requirements required which involved the hiring of a more powerful generator.
• Stuck vehicles requiring a few favours from other suppliers to get them to the location of the site.
• Extra lighting of trees.
• Transport issues from mid-afternoon.
• Band stuck in traffic arriving 10 minutes before performance time.
Did the client know about these stresses? Of course not, because that’s where the magic happens; we are fire fighters, solution finders and above all great in a crisis. We may have a quiet moment behind a bush and quietly scream but if we look in control then everyone around us thinks, well it can’t be that bad?
It always works out (in the end!)
The joy is that whatever happens it always works out and I am so proud of all the amazing specialists that I have worked with over this past week. They have all pulled together and created this most magical, unique, and memorable event for my client. It is quite breath taking the talent out there despite the rocky path that we have all had to return from over the past few years.
Me, well onto the next event this coming week but I know that I made a difference and had the ability to put my client at ease and foresee most of the pinch points before they arrived. It allowed the compliments to flow from the guests to my client and I left so proud of all we had achieved.
Testimonial:
“Thanks again for all the wonderful work you did to make our party such a huge success. You co-ordinated everything so the whole day flowed seamlessly, enabling Rob and I to really enjoy our own party.
We have received so many really positive comments back about every aspect of the day.”
So, if you are looking to organise an event and require a unique and dynamic event maker, why not give us a call?