April Showers: How to Pivot During Unexpected Weather

April showers can bring more than just flowers- think power outages, extreme temperatures, severe weather and hazardous conditions.

Over 15+ years planning events, we’ve weathered many a storm (even a tornado!) and believe that in these moments of crisis, having an experienced planner managing your event has a significant impact on positive outcomes and mitigating risk. 

Outdoor events can be lovely, but with planning an al fresco occasion comes some important details to consider. Here, a few of our tips on how to pivot during unexpected weather.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Tent rentals are in high demand and there’s often limited inventory during peak seasons. If you’re planning an outdoor event, reserve a tent early in your planning process, to ensure you have a weather plan in place. Also, reserve tent walls that can be installed and easily dropped down to provide wind or rain coverage during your event. Most rental companies will allow you to reserve inventory with a deposit and around 10 days out from your event, reach a final decision if you want to move forward with the tent rental + fees, or release the order. While it can still be somewhat difficult to predict what the weather will be for your event from 10 days out, this is a critical time to reach a decision about your event layout and if there’s any doubt, go with the tent.

When possible, we also highly recommend setting up your tent early, in the days leading up to your event. This helps ensure ground cover if rain does end up being in the forecast. By covering the ground ahead of time, you will protect your event footprint that is underneath the tent. If you put a tent up after rain and the ground hasn’t had time to dry out, you’ll be left with muddy, soggy ground underneath that won’t receive sun exposure to recover. When considering venues, ask the venue manager about the possibility of setting up your tent one to three days out from your event and keep in mind that additional fees may apply. This will also extend the rental of your tent, so be sure to reflect these dates on your order for installation and take down. Also inquire about what back-up locations may be available at the venue, should you need to move your event indoors. Often, venue managers can hold indoor event spaces to be reserved for your event date, in case you need to relocate your gathering.

Risk and Reward

Planning outdoor events comes with a high level of responsibility to ensure guest and vendor safety. Risk assessment plans help work through potential scenarios and identify solutions in advance of the event, with a goal to eliminate, or at minimum mitigate, risk. 

Don’t be in denial about the potential of it raining on your parade. Work through weather plans ahead of time and identify alternative locations, set ups, and any additional materials that may be needed if you do have to shift your event. Make sure you know what rental items can remain outside and what materials may need to be relocated to avoid damage fees.

It’s best practice to have contingencies in place for a variety of potential incidents and to work with a team to have defined plans of action outlined. By going through these exercises ahead of time, you will be better prepared to quickly respond if inclement weather does present issues for your event.

Communication is Key

One of the quickest ways to be able to pivot during unexpected weather is to have a clear channel of communication set up with your event attendees that you can use to deploy messages to guests and vendors. In the event of weather, you will want to be able to quickly distribute information to contacts and you don’t want to get caught spending time fielding individual questions, as you likely won’t have the capacity. Segment your lists by event attendees, vendors, etc. so you can easily assess which audience is appropriate for which message and provide timely correspondence to your contacts.

Be sure to communicate with event attendees what the policies are for weather related incidents. Is the event rain or shine? Are there refunds issued if the event is canceled? Having clearly defined terms and instructions for your guests will help eliminate the volume of questions that will flood in (pun intended) if you have a weather-related incident that impacts your event.

Be Prepared

You can’t predict unexpected weather, but you can plan for it. If you’re hosting an outdoor event, be prepared with items on-hand that may be needed if inclement weather is present. Items on your checklist could include:

• Extra umbrellas

• Rain coats and boots

• Portable generators

• Pre-charged power banks

• Sunscreen

• Pashminas

• Tarps

• Flashlights and lamps

• Always have extra water on standby and a first aid kit accessible

Building a kit ahead of time will save you from scrambling to source items last-minute and aid you in speeding up response times, if unexpected weather does arise while your event is taking place. Whether it’s keeping guests dry while they’re walking from the valet to the building, or providing pathway lighting to help direct guests to an alternative location, these materials will come to the rescue when you’re forced to make adjustments on site.

We all know that weather can be unpredictable: this list is certainly not exhaustive and there’s more that can be done to ensure comfortability and safety, but we hope this is a helpful starting point as you consider how to be better prepared and the first steps to take if you are forced to make a pivot. As always, we’re here to help in good weather and bad!

The Art of Creating Captivating Events: Tips for Weaving Continuity Through Buzz-Worthy Details

This Easter, eggs— dyed or deviled, aren’t the only plans we’re hatching in our creative minds. One of the secrets to our events is a style often deployed by Taylor Swift, we enjoy the concept of “Easter Eggs” or little hints that are peppered throughout the event planning process to give guests a peek at what’s in store. Our goal is always to capture the guests’ interests BEFORE the event begins and keep them engaged every step of the way. Think elevated, layered surprises that are revealed, both leading up to, and during, the event.

With an early Easter around the corner and Spring + Summer events on the horizon, we decided there’s no better time to break down the thrill of the hunt and share a few of our expert tips for leveraging event details to bring continuity to an event design. From the invitation to the exit, learn how to pique guests’ interests from beginning to end.

Be Our Guest

Don’t sleep on an opportunity to make jaws drop from the first moment guests hear of your event! The more whimsical, clever, and unique the better.

Pro tip: work backwards and weave elements that you are planning for the event experience itself into the invitation and pre-event communication. If there’s a design element that is going to be prominent at the event, why not tease it out ahead of time by giving a first look at the patterns, themes, or cuisine planned for the lucky guests?

You’ve Arrived

Rethink the experience of guest arrivals at your event. By using the concept of world creating, you can immediately transport guests into the environment (and mindset) that you’re wanting them to embody.

For example, look at how Disney designs the space where you wait in line for a ride. Upon arrival, you begin to be immersed in the sights and sounds of the ride’s theme. The space is strategically created to begin to usher you into the specific scene, which causes your excitement and anticipation to build.

The same can be true for event entrances. Everyone loves to make an entrance- give guests the portal to go all in! Characters + entertainers, large-scale decor elements, and defined pathways filled with floral or candles all visually indicate that guests have stepped foot into an alternative world and helps guide them in the direction you’re wanting them to explore.

Creative Writing

Carefully consider the titles used for elements such as beverages, signage, bar details, and menus. By dreaming up creative language to attach to these details, this is an accessible, zero cost way to further integrate your details and theme into the event experience.

Making signature moments out of core event elements give guests a taste of what’s to come. If you have a French themed dinner menu, label the featured drinks in the cocktail hour to reflect the je ne sais quois of your brasserie. If you’re transporting guests to a midnight disco after-party, brand directional signage with directions to “Funky Town” to get everyone ready to boogie on the dance floor.

Leave Them Wanting More

We’ve already discussed the importance of the entrance and, you guessed it, the exit is just as essential! Our team believes in the power of ending on a high note and sending guests off with one last surprise that will leave them wanting more.

Take this opportunity to wow attendees one last time with a takeaway gift or post-event delivery that will be a reminder of the good times had by all. Use must-have amenities like valet or coat check as an opportunity to surprise guests with one more detail as they depart. These touch points can often be clunky or include a wait, so why not give these stations a dose of creativity to keep the magic going? Making transitions seamless and frictionless is highly impactful to the overall guest experience.

Think of it this way: have you ever been on the best trip of your life and arrive at the airport riding an absolute vacation-high, when all of a sudden you’re jolted back into reality with a banal environment, delays, and less-than-hospitable service? How wonderful would it be if could you make the travel back home as enjoyable, and part of, the trip experience? This is the idea behind the exit- allow guests to linger in the joy of the event just a little bit longer before they have to come back to reality. After all, aren’t events all about escapism?

If your event is an annual occasion, this is the perfect time to reveal a first look at next year’s theme or date. Drop gifts in guests’ valeted vehicle, late-night snacks for the rideshare trip home, or an envelope presented with an exclusive first look at the save the date for next year’s celebration will certainly leave a lasting impression.

Weaving together details is key and by creating a story arc for your event, you’ll help tell a compelling tale that is guaranteed to captivate guests. Consider us your go-to experts for making every detail, every moment a wow and remember that no opportunity is too big, or too small, to reimagine.

Before the Event: Tips to Capture Your Guests' Hearts

We all know and love the concept of après, aka the after party, but sometimes, we find that clients overlook pre-event opportunities to wow guests before they ever step foot into the experience.

When our team at Cassie LaMere Events approaches an event, we map out all of the touchpoints that we will have with guests, from the moment they first hear about the event to the post-event thank you, and consider each interaction an opportunity to surprise and delight. As a host, it’s beneficial to unveil details and information to guests in a layered series of correspondence that keeps them engaged leading up to the main event.

Before you light the candles and welcome the first guests, consider these four tips to capturing their hearts and piquing their curiosity- far before the big day arrives.

Be Our Guest

Think of your save the date and invitation as a first opportunity to set the tone for your event, enticing guests about the experience that awaits. The key to successfully executing these materials is to give guests the need to know information, plus a few “Easter Eggs” (to borrow a term from Taylor Swift) that alludes to some of the experiences or personalized details that will be incorporated into the event.

A good invitation evokes a feeling of “This event can’t be missed” and gets people talking (and speculating) so much so that by the time they arrive at the event, their excitement is at an all-time high.

We’ve used everything from a preview of custom design elements that have been incorporated into the event, to illustrated renderings of the location, announcements of marquee entertainment, and invitation films to make a statement and get guests ready to party.

Set the Mood

At our HQ, we are seeing more and more hosts elect to define an attire color palette or theme for their events. We know what you’re thinking, a theme? Cringe. Trust us, themes can extend well beyond the dreaded costume party of times past. 

By defining a color palette or theme for an event, you are helping ease guests anxiety around the perennial “What to wear?” question and instead, offering them clear, specific directions about the perfect attire for this occasion. Everyone wants to be the best dressed guest and these visual cues will help guests feel at ease. 

Defining a color palette means that guests can immediately have a greater understanding of the vibe you are looking to achieve. As a bonus, your photos and videos will be AESTHETIC when every detail, down to guest attire, is cohesive.

Working with our event team and design vendors, we can create attire mood boards that are shared with guests prior to the event. These inspiration collages convey the look, feel, and spirit of an event, while getting guests engaged as part of the pre-event planning process. Boards can include curated example images for what to wear, links to favorite retailers, and for our tastemakers clients, promo codes extended exclusively to attendees. 

Know Before You Go

There’s nothing worse than having RSVP’d to an event and being left in the dark about the important details that will help you plan for your experience. We like to remind hosts to put themselves in the shoes of the guest: although you’ve been working on this event for months, your guests have very little information about the details of the event and what to expect, which can often induce anxiety. What you want to avoid is guests losing interest or even further, deciding not to attend an event, because they either don’t feel connected to the experience or are stressed about the plans surrounding the event date.

Keep in mind that strategic communication is key to a successful event. Items such as Know Before You Go emails are essential to helping guests be prepared and feel at ease. Always include the core tenents of who, what, where, when, and why, as well as any specialized information that is unique to your event. Parking and rideshare information, detailed directions for private or hard-to-find locations, security guidelines, a high-level itinerary, and social media links are all helpful information for guests to have in advance.

Gift Greetings

Our fellow social butterflies are familiar with the concept of a takeaway gift, but how special would it be to receive a customized gift from the host BEFORE you attend? Delivering a small, thoughtful gift to your guests ahead of your event conveys a very personal message to your attendees. Going the extra mile to extend this gesture ahead of time shows guests that their presence is not only meaningful, but also makes them feel special knowing that you’re looking forward to seeing them and sharing in this experience together.

Gifts can vary from an item that the guest can use at the event or a preview of a detail that guests will see incorporated into the event experience. If your event is being hosted in a destination, travel-friendly gifts that can be useful to guests on their journey to your event will go a long way to show your appreciation for their efforts to join you. If you’re featuring a favorite restaurant or Chef at your event, consider sending gourmands one of their signature food items in advance, to whet their appetites for the culinary delights that are to come.

No matter the occasion, there are multiple moments where hosts can engage, enlighten, and excite guests. Given all of the time, energy, and resources that is put into planning an event with our hosts and partners, why not seize every opportunity to blow guests away and put our own stamp on things (literally and figuratively!)

Images Courtesy of Shannon Skloss and Ralpn Lauren