Thanks to Instagram and other social media sites, people are often more focused on what their event looks like vs. what actually goes into planning it.
The next time you pick party inspiration photos off social media, here are three things to consider:
1. How much does it cost to recreate the look?
I commonly see people wanting event planners like me to recreate what they see on social media, without understanding the process or the cost that went into the end result. That’s the result of a lack of transparency and information that accompany the party inspiration photos.
2. Is the photo from a real-life party?
Sometimes what’s not clear in a social media photo is the circumstance of the event that’s pictured. For example, some photos are the products of style shoots – which means they’re staged to look a certain way and may not be suitable or functional for a real-world event scenario. Not all designs work in all spaces.
3. Do you have the resources to bring your party inspiration photos to life?
The event planning process should involve education. Before you fall in love with a social media image and dream about it for your next event, take steps to find out more about what it will take to make it happen. Do you have the budget? The time? The staff? (A truly talented designer is able to adapt the desired vision within a workable budget.)
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Shari Zatman is an event producer with more than two decades of experience. She owns two companies: Perfectly Planned by Shari, which focuses on luxury events (like weddings and mitzvahs), and Eventful Event Producers, which focuses on corporate and non-profit events. Her latest venture is event training, coaching, and consulting for event and hospitality professionals. She created a handbook and seminars to work with them to identify problem areas, create solutions and share best practices.
