What I miss most about organising events?

It is so odd to be sitting at my desk now... this is normally high season for my event business and I'd be running around like a headless chicken, although smiling away to my clients!

For May and June I had three school Balls planned, a Charity Ball, various dinner parties, a family reunion (gathering people from Canada, Spain and the UK) and a 50th birthday party. Instead I am writing blogs, updating my website, emailing various potential clients, organising silent auctions to raise funds for charities and attending various webinars. I am trying to make the most of my time, but I do miss the exhilarating feeling during event season. What I miss about it?

1. The moment the marquee guys come, the excitement starts.

2. The crazy idea of driving a 1920s car into the marquee as the main centrepiece and hoping it will fit as per plan.

3. Making sure the tables look right and in the theme. The decorators are putting up the amazing centrepieces. Then I come over and ask to move table 8 10cm to the right and table 25 should really go back 20cm. Yes it needs to be perfect!

4. The excitement of everyone around, putting the tableplan together, placing namecards, organising the wine per table, the DJ doing sound checks and everyone dancing away as they are doing their jobs. I feel everything it is under control!

5. The stress if the chefs will be on time and have not forgotten anything. They always outperform but always stresses me.

6. The excitement when it’s all set up, the entertainers made it just in time, the waiting staff have the welcome drinks ready, the technicians got the speaker in the far corner to work, the marquee guys managed to stop the wall flapping because it’s so windy out. Yes it is looking good and there is a great vibe between all the event suppliers.

7. The huge smiles on the guests faces as they see how the school’s sport field has transformed into a themed party venue.

8. The amazement when the celebrity guest comes in to do the live auction and the amazing buzz that is filled in the room while guests are bidding for great prizes to raise funds for the chosen charity.

9. The sudden realisation half way through the night that you forgot to put the sombrero hats on the bar for extra decorations and only you know this, the guests had no clue.

10. Feeling so happy that it was another successful event. It takes six months of preparation to put a great event together, stress, laughter, happiness but that feeling when it’s 2am and it’s all over is indescribable. And that glass of red wine always taste so good then!