This bestselling all-in-one guide to the event planning business is back and better than ever, fully updated and revised to reflect the very latest trends and best practices in the industry. This handy, comprehensive guide includes forms, checklists, and tips for managing events, as well as examples and case studies of both successful and unsuccessful events.Judy Allen (Toronto, ON, Canada) is founder and President of Judy Allen Productions, a full-service event planning production company.

Judy Allen is one of the world’s leading authorities on staging, event and lifestyle design and the bestselling author of ten books for the professional, business and consumer markets. Allen, a master of creative design, has flawlessly executed successful special events—corporate, social, and celebrity—for up to 2,000 guests at a time in more than 30 countries around the world. She has designed and produced memorable events such as Disney’s worldwide theatrical opening-night gala for Beauty and the Beast, and the orchestration of Oscar-winning director Norman Jewison’s 25th anniversary celebration for Fiddler on the Roof.

Highly skilled in staging events that are strategically designed to be one-of-kind experiences and a master of transforming the energy of an event environment by engaging the senses with trademark primary design principles, Allen has worked closely with CEOs, CFOs, presidents and their executive staff around the globe to create, implement and oversee their corporate and social business events.

The many diverse events that Allen has designed and executed extend from complex one-day events to elaborate arrangements of theme productions taking place over the course of a week. These events ranged from very exclusive VIP events to multimillion-dollar, multimedia fantasy extravaganzas including seven new-car product launches and involved high-tech stage and show productions.

Allen, and her 2jproductions (www.2jproductions.com) partner, Joe Shane, are now bringing their dynamic creative energy, innovative style and perceptive insight to home, life and lifestyle design and world class resorts around the world through Sensual Home Living™ (www.sensualhomeliving.com) and other initiatives.    

 

Preface AcknowledgementsChapter 1:The First Steps: Initial Planning and Budgeting How Much Can You Spend? The Purpose of the Event Initial Planning Visualization Budget BreakdownChapter 2: Organization and Timing Critical Path Function Sheets Timing Is Everything The Time of the Day and the Day of the Week Date SelectionChapter 3: Location, Location, Location Site Selection Location Requirements Hotels and Convention Centres Restaurant, Private Venues, Catering Location: Q&A Theatres Tents Contracts Gala Openings in New VenuesChapter 4: Transportation Limousines Motor Coaches Parking Transportation: Q&AChapter 5: Guest Arrival Weather Considerations Arrival & Weather Considerations: Q&A Fanfare Fanfare: Q&A Registration: Guest Pass Security and Ticket Pick-up Registration: Q&AChapter 6: Venue Requirements Staging, Audio-Visual, Lighting Staging, Audio-Visual, Lighting: Q&A Room Requirements: Q&AChapter 7: Who's It All For? The Guest List Invitations Media Media: Q&A Children At Your EventChapter 8: Food and Beverage Menu Planning StaffingChapter 9: Other Considerations Entertainment Entertainment: Q&A Photographer Photographer: Q&A Themes and Programs Final TouchesConclusion It's A Wrap Applause! Applause! Your Next EventAppendix A: Sample Cost SheetsAppendix B: Sample Payment SchedulesAppendix C: Sample Function Sheets Index