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!