Tag: event planning

In the spirit of love for Valentine’s Day, today’s feature vendors can create any experience your heart desires. Whether you’re planning a last-minute celebration for a loved one or creating a love-inspired activation at your next event, check out these vendors to pull together your best event experience yet!

Each week during Black History Month, we’ll feature 7 new black-owned businesses that have services and solutions for your events. These vendors range from chefs and musicians to digital platforms and exhibitors…and everything in between!

We believe it’s important to diversify your event team and encourage organizers to hire black vendors for contracts and gigs . Vendorspace works establish these relationships by promoting black-owned businesses that are ready to work! 

Check out this week’s feature vendors below:

Pretty Luxe Picnics
Category: Event Planning, Decor, Unique Solution

Pretty Luxe Picnics & Affairs Atlanta is a full service luxury picnic company, that specializes in creating luxurious and upscale picnics settings and beautiful table-scapes for any gathering, whether large or intimate. We love nothing more than creating beautiful designs for each of our clients, from a sophisticated high-class afternoon tea picnic with the girls to a romantic & intimate evening that ignites the love between two people. 

The team at Pretty Luxe have an engraved belief and appreciation for  living life extraordinarily, celebrating life out loud because yes you are royalty!! living in the moment and creating magical and extraordinary memories with the people we love and those that makes us the happiest.

IG: @prettyluxepicnics

Ideal Media
Category: DJ, Audio Visual Solutions, Draping, Uplighting, Photobooth 

As a DJ/Audio-Visual Technician/Music Producer, DJ-HD can creatively combine Sound, Lighting, and Video to get you the outcome that you’re in search of.   “My aim is to combine skill, technology, interactivity, fun, and quality to provide a professional service for all of my clients. Being passionate about the craft of DJ’ing, assisting others with their important moments, and getting a kick out of seeing people have fun, is what makes this the best profession (for me anyway). ”

IG: @idealmediaevents

Table Made
Category: Decor, Curated Tableware, Table-scaping, Event RENTAL

TableMade is your one stop shop for all your entertaining needs. Our assortment is expansive and unique. We have everything from 24K lined charger plates to specialty dyed glassware. Simply rent from our collection of curated collections and return once the party is over! So, call an old friend. Treat your loved one to an at-home dinner for two or dream up the most amazing tablescape at your reception. Bring together the gals, or guys, and reconnect at the table.

IG: @tablemadeco

Machee Creates
Category: Art & Stationery 

Machee Creates is a creative business owned by Machee Kelly. Machee is a Washington DC native and creative enthusiast.  Since her youth, creating has been her passion. In high school, she would design fashion illustrations and transform them into garments, but soon realized she enjoyed illustrating more than sewing textiles. Her entrepreneurial journey began in college, as she worked to create extra income for education expenses and her daughter. During that time she focused on print design and decor for events. 

Machee then took her passion to the classroom, teaching graphic design to elementary and middle school youth, inspiring young people to discover their own passion. As a young professional she’s designed for schools, non-profits, and most frequently local women-owned businesses.

Today Machee creates art and products inspired by women, their beauty and versatility, and colors that evoke joy.

IG: @macheecreates 

Amarachi Ikeji Photography
Category: Photographer

Amara Ikeji, the woman behind the lens of Amarachi Ikeji Photography, first picked up a camera during a fashion internship in college and hasn’t put one down since. She serves clients in New York City, Philadelphia, and Europe and strives to capture “stylish moments of love and beauty.” She has been featured BRIDES, New York Times & more and was also named Best Wedding Photographer in America by Brides.

IG: @amarachiikejiphotography

Get Plated
Category: Catering

GetPlated is locally owned by a husband and wife team: Keyon & Alexandria Hammond! This duo shares a love for the kitchen and family. Keyon is the leader of the squad, a classically trained chef with an edge that brings bold flavors, refinement, approachability and more than 12 years experience as a platinum country club chef.

Alexandria  brings the  distinct eye for details; from the logistics to the plates for every event. Her keen ear for listening has proven invaluable to bringing our private and corporate clients’ vision to fruition. Have a crazy idea-she’s definitely your girl to chat with.

Together they bring  a well-defined palette, fun culinary attitude and most importantly love to GetPlated. The guy loved the food! The girl loved the guy! Together they created GetPlated! 

IG: @getplateddc 

The Jam Band
Category: Musicians, Entertainment 

The Jam Band is a Port Saint Lucie, FL-based wedding band that services the coasts of Florida and beyond. Owner Jamilia Anderson, otherwise known as Jamilia Hall, started this band in 2013. Since then, this group of talented performers has thrilled wedding guests with a high standard of live musical entertainment.

Jamilia began her entertainment career in Miami, FL, at The Edwin Holland School of Dance. She followed her passion to NYC to train to the standard she dreamed about. Jamilia has performed in music videos, a hip-hop company, and on cruises as a production singer. Gathering together experienced and diverse music professionals, Jamilia created The Jam Band.

Wedding services offered by The Jam Band include live music, DJ service, MC service, and sound and lighting equipment. These musical professionals include vocalists, pianists, guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, brass instrumentalists, and percussionists. You may draw on their talents for your wedding ceremony and reception as well as your rehearsal dinner and after-party.

IG: @thejamband 

Ways to support these vendors: 

• Book them for an upcoming event. 
• Refer them to an organizer or agency that plans events. 
• Follow, like and share their work. 
• If you’ve worked with them, leave them a review.
• If they are product based, buy something! 
• Invite them to speak, sponsor or vend at your event where they can meet potential clients and customers.

These are just a few examples but there are several ways to support. Let’s be more intentional with our vendor relationships and help make events a more inclusive industry. 

If you know are black vendor in events or know one we should feature, send us an email at: hello@stagingsvs.com 

Just like any business, a successful event requires a system. The quicker you understand the process to creating your magical events, the quicker you hit your success streak, get more clients and understand how to build a career in events.

Here’s a free event system guide to help plan your next event:

Develop Event Strategy: “What type of event are you planning?”

• Create event budget detailing expenses for venue, entertainment, catering, marketing, staffing and miscellaneous projections
• Create action plan for event detailing logistics for event timeline (i.e. 6 weeks for sponsorship, 2 weeks venue scouting  1 week vendor search, etc.)
• Create strategic partnership opportunities by identifying possible brand activations 
• Develop vendor management process:
  • Draft contracts if applicable
  • Set up corresponding email copy
  • Set up payment methods
• Monetize event by identifying additional revenue streams in each city (i.e. selling ads, selling vendor tables for companies in attendance, etc.)

Confirm Funding: “Who’s funding the event?”

• Analyze potential funding options and cash on hand  
• Seek sponsorship and/or outside investment if applicable

Confirm Venue: “Where is the best location for this event?”

• Research unique venue options within budget; try tools like Peerspace or  Airbnb 
• Confirm venue layout, AV needs; furniture needs; lighting needs; sound needs; parking information; wheelchair accessibility; setup and curfews
• Create emergency exit routes if applicable 

Confirm Vendors: “Who are your event partners?”

• Identify events needs (i.e. DJ, host, speakers, dance, catering  etc.) and book on Vendorspace
  • Example: Confirm catering including but not limited to food items, cutlery, delivery method, etc.  
  • Also confirm event staffing needs and/or volunteers for event day management
• Coordinate vendor delivery method  (i.e. picked up at what time, dropped off at what time, set up, etc.)
• Manage vendor communications pre, during and post-event (A new feature coming to Vendorspace next month!)

Create Event Brand Kit: “What does your event look like?

• Create event look and feel with an event logo from our event market
• Create flyers for each city, sponsorship deck, social media ad templates and event handouts (i.e. program booklet, way finder, etc.)  when applicable
• Create merchandise designs

Set Up Marketing Campaigns: “How will you automate event marketing?”

• Work with your marketing team to begin traditional marketing (i.e. street promotions, flyer distribution and social media blasts)
• Leverage social capital by partnering with brands that compliment the event for promotion
• Work with media outlets (i.e. radios, blogs, tvs, etc) to announce event
• Set up campaign content in email management system
• Schedule emails and social media content for event duration

Event Day Management: “How are you managing the event schedule?” 

• Manage day of logistics for the event; including but not limited to:
  • Set up
  • Decorations
  • AV Testing/Soundcheck
  • Delivery & Pick ups
  • Registration
  • Stage Management (control flow of show)
  • Breakdown
• Delegate above tasks to staff and volunteers

Post Event Management: “How do you keep in touch with attendees?”

• Thank you notes to participants and vendors to nurture long-term relationships
• Share event recap and photos with media outlets 

This system will give you a good foundation for building events. What else would you add to your event system?