Evening y’all. What a whirlwind the end of the summer has been!

Straight away, I have to say how incredibly blessed I am to have met such wonderful people and experience so many new things. One highlight being Confero’s first true destination wedding, and let me tell you the respect I have for the folks in the destination industry! I can see something developing in the future with Confero involving sun and sand but for now, let’s keep rolling with things ashore and soon we’ll venture seaside.

Moving along, this blog post is going to look at the differences between being an event DESIGNER and a event PLANNER. I will forewarn you, this is a soapbox of mine so beware!  Also, not everyone agrees with my point of view. There are plenty of fantastic design firms who employ individuals with the specific task of planning. I simply enjoy keeping everything within Christopher Confero of the creative nature.

For a lot of professionals in the industry, they confuse the defined difference between the two and it blurs the boundaries for everyone involved. I want to begin this post with a snippet of a post from Preston’s blog on common mistakes, and being an instant “self proclaimed” planner.

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From Preston :: Common Mistakes : Commissioning the Wrong Planner

I think planning is probably one of the most complex and layered parts of the event industry. Years ago when I first started, I made the mistake of accepting a job as a planner in addition to doing the design, and I remember spending a whole afternoon making 20 phone calls just to set up one meeting…. click here to finish reading Preston’s post.

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As Preston explained what formulates a good (or bad) planner, I want to define and expound on the difference between the two, and what warrants a true event designer.

Design – v

1. To make something in a skillful or artistic way.

2. To create the form or structure of something.

3. To intend something for a particular purpose.

Plan – v

1. To work out in advance and in detail how something is to be done or organized.

2. To make a list that shows how the items that make up something are to be arranged.

While most aspects of the design process demand being organized and plenty of preparation, it’s rare the standard planner is capable of producing the design elements that come together to form the décor of an event.  One’s background, be it education or other experiences, form their skill level and ability. To offer a service, it is a necessity one must have a working knowledge of that service. How could one offer lighting design, when they don’t know the difference between a par 56 and an ellipsoidal. You may be well equipped enough to pair colors, but don’t offer a service you can’t execute yourself.

Through the years, many things shaped my design experience. Being active in the arts, both on stage and behind the scenes, trained me in the technical aspects of lighting and staging. My major in Public Relations from Auburn University taught me everything from graphic design to news writing. Training under nationally renowned floral designers enhanced my technical knowledge of floral design. With all of that experience in tow, Christopher Confero offers floral & lighting design, event branding : logo & stationery design, custom props & staging and many other design elements.

Most creative folks aren’t the most organized [heaven knows I’m not] and your top planners aren’t the best at selecting a linen. It’s what makes the world go round. A planners job is organization: timelines, diagrams and overseeing a flawless execution. I do want to highlight two event PLANNERS who are firm in their responsibility concerning the design process. These two are masters of their craft and are a sheer joy to work with! Please visit their websites to learn more about what they offer.

I’m so happy to call these ladies two of my dear  friends.

Ashley Baber & Meghan Cease

Bottom line, either you got it… or you don’t. There are people who use the left side of their brain, and some that engage the right. Not everyone can be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist in the same way not everyone can craft a breathtaking bridal bouquet. If everyone remained true to their ability, the event industry would be a much happier place.

Until next time…