Jenna Leak: What I Learned as an Event Planning Intern

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Whether it’s playing with baby goats at a new site tour, working with two German Shepherds lying under your desk, or watching Cassie walk in the office with a 3-foot tall M&M character, TCG provided everything but an ordinary day in the office. Each day was full of new experiences and challenges that only helped me gain an appreciation for the industry. Being an event planning intern was anything but a walk in the park, but the knowledge I obtained made it worth it.

I came into this internship simply wanting to learn more about the planning process for an event on any scale. I learned all of that and more. From creating color-coordinated table linen tags to brainstorming themed event elements in the Creative Room, I was able to see everything that goes on behind the scenes in the world of an event planner. My internship involved everything from working on basic office tasks to coordinating how an event runs in real time, and each experience helped shape me for the future.

Spending the past three months as an event planning intern made me realize how much I had yet to experience in the industry, even after having a previous internship and taking courses in school.

At first, I had my heart set on weddings, and wanted an internship with a wedding planner. However, when that opportunity never arose, I considered a different path that would still give me a similar experience. I never once dreamed I’d end up with a company that produces events for non-profits and corporations – to me, it sounded boring and dull. Boy, was I wrong.

Within less than a month of working for TCG, I saw how large and incredible their events can be. Even the smallest details made a huge impact. While working onsite at a non-profit event, I was amazed by all of the levels of entertainment in place. From start to finish, there were out-of-the-ordinary elements including a woman in a champagne dress, a sway pole acrobat, a speed painter, and even a celebrity riding in on a motorcycle.

 Event Planning Intern Takeaways:

  • It’s a lot of office time. Majority of the internship, I found myself sitting in front of a computer, researching vendors, looking up décor, or even making vouchers for an event.
  • The office time is important – there are a million moving parts that can be easily missed. Planning an event down to the minute helps prevent things from going wrong onsite.
  • It pays to take your time and triple-check things. Word templates and the printer hated me 50% of the time. But it’s better to learn the lesson on paper rather than during an event.
  • Non-profit & corporate events can be beautiful, fun and exciting. Most of the time, they can be cooler than weddings.
  • It takes months of hard work to pull off events that are over in a matter of hours.
  • There are a ton of different ways to manipulate design and transform spaces. An event planner’s creativity isn’t just decor and themes, envisioning the way guests will interact in the room.

Aside from gaining knowledge and experience, all I wanted in an internship was to feel like part of the team.  That’s exactly how I felt during my time with TCG. My experience allowed me to branch out from the wedding world, feel welcomed, and make my internship worthwhile.

 

Check out our current internship opportunities here!

Contracting Entertainers: How to Negotiate a Rider

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When negotiating riders, it’s important to remember just that – you can negotiate. A rider is the section of an entertainer’s contract that details requirements for things such as a dressing room, transportation, food and beverage or the performance itself.

All requests might not be as detailed as sorting M&Ms by color. Some specifications are made for health and personal preferences and should be taken seriously. Riders are part of a contractual agreement, so terms should be reviewed carefully before signing.

Negotiating Riders-Where to Start

Re-reading and getting a second set of eyes to look it over are good ways to make sure you don’t miss any details. Determine the needs of your event and come to a decision about what you can and are willing to comply with, and what have questions about. If you aren’t 100% comfortable with signing the contract as is, communicate with the sender and note your changes by marking them directly in the document.

Making Changes

First, go through and cross out anything that doesn’t apply. It’s important to note that most national entertainer contracts default from arena or concert venue tours. In which case, a lot of terms will most likely be inapplicable to an event. These are usually things such as comped seats and merchandise sales.

Add in any terms that relate to your event or venue (i.e. no onsite showers, a different stage size, an outdoor venue, etc.) While the rider represents the artist or performer’s requirements, it should also align with the specifications of your event.

Negotiating Terms

The purpose of rider requirements is so that entertainers are able to perform the best that they can. If you are suggesting changes to their requests, you should know how to offer comparable options. As with any other contract, a fair compromise can satisfy both parties.

Certain terms in a rider may require more attention, time, and money. For example, if a band has specific dietary preferences, organizing a catered meal in their dressing room might become pricey and time-consuming. A more efficient solution may be a buy-out, providing a fixed stipend for the band to go out to eat.

Negotiating riders ultimately comes down to understanding the specifications of your event, the needs of your entertainers, and your resources.