Friday, January 20, 2012

5 Reasons to Meet Me in Vegas

1.      
Awesome Icons. I had the chance to meet both Preston Bailey and David Tutera last year—and so did many other attendees. It was, quite frankly, a hoot to see how down-to-earth and human these celebrity designers are in person. I actually was there when one nervous, excited planner spilled red wine on Preston’s white shirt at a meet-and-greet. I learned a huge lesson in how to be gracious from the way Preston handled this awkward situation. Who knows what may happen this year?

2.     Pure Eye Candy. Like anyone in this industry, I am drawn to visual delights. This conference and tradeshow is stuffed with them, from the gorgeous tabletop display contest, to the glittering fabrics in exhibitor booths, to the inspiring images that seem to abound everywhere you look.
I can’t wait to get that familiar rush of joy and admiration while I soak in all the new sights.

3.    Food Food Food. I love food. Looking at it, tasting it, preparing it and displaying it. How many shows do you know of where event planners can get up and close to the greatest caterers in the world, and their awesome suppliers?  ‘Nuf said.

4.     Friends. I actually got to meet people I’ve only heard about, talked to or emailed, face-to-face. People like King Dahl, Nico Cervantes, Howard Givner. I also met planners and suppliers that I’ve interviewed for stories, and photographers whose work I’ve used in the magazine. It adds a whole new dimension to “networking” and I’m really looking forward to doing a lot more of it this year. How about you?

5.      It’s Vegas, Baby. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s nothing quite like it. You know you’re alive, and there’s an adventure around every corner. Just like there is at the Idea Factory. Will I see you there?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Time to Try Pinterest


I’ve been hearing the buzz about the online pinboard Pinterest for a while now and have taken a couple of spins through the site to get a feel for this new social network. It’s still invitation-only, but has been growing faster even than Facebook and Twitter in their heydays. 

Yesterday’s announcement that it’s now available through Facebook will make it even easier for early adopters to jump on board.

What does this have to do with special events? Well, more than anything, events are visual treasure troves of imagery—and Pinterest is all about images. Food, décor, fashion, gatherings, art, lighting…they’re all being pinned on Pinterest just waiting for you to discover them.

One of our favorite bloggers, Lara McCullough-Carter (also known as ready2Spark) has published one of the best blogs I’ve seen on Pinterest, and she offers up some very resourceful ideas for how meeting and event planners can make the network work for them and their business. Check it out here, and get pinning!