From weddings and wine tastings to trade shows and corporate conventions, the proverbial event planner sets the stage. Lighting, decorations, menus and materials; one misstep may result in myriad of mishaps. It”™s the event planner who holds things intact.
A general consensus for catering and event planning operations in an indeterminate economy points in one direction ”“ the show must go on.
At Morton Williams, a New York metropolitan area food retailer, a just expanded full-service catering and event planning division in Hartsdale hints that a down economy may not be hitting the events industry as expected.
“Customers want to know that there is one person who will start the process, keep it all together, bring in all the rentals, the staffing, the wine ”¦ and then execute it,” said Audrey Wyman, catering and event manager. “People today can be under a lot of stress, so this service is important.”
Laurie Warner, director of prepared foods and catering, calls the Morton Williams customer “educated.”
“We listen to our customers,” she said. “They tell you what they”™re looking for and we strive to meet their wishes.”
In pre-event consultations, Wyman sits down with a prospective client and works within their budget. “The reality of the situation is, people may not go for the $80 bottle of wine and order a case ”¦ they”™ll try to figure out something that is comparable at $20 a bottle,” she said. “So I think people are taking the economy into consideration, but let”™s face it ”¦when you have something like a wedding or a bar mitzvah, you”™ve saved for years, so it”™s not like they”™re cancelling out their wedding halls, they might just opt out of the seafood bar ”¦maybe they”™re not going for the martini station, but there”™s still an open bar. Weddings will still go on.”
Morton Williams just provided food at a wine tasting during the grand opening of Vintology Wine and Spirits in Scarsdale, N.Y., an event with a turnout of more than 100 people, which Wyman said is an effective method of marketing the division”™s services.
In Pomona, N.Y., Maria Rodd, owner of Casablanca Events, commented on trends in the business and nonprofit sector. “In terms of the recent economic situation, no, I”™m not seeing clients scaling down,” she said. “Many of my clients plan for long-term events ”¦they lock in their dates and venues in advance as a result of competition.”
Rodd said that clients are very concerned, however. “Many say, let”™s keep an eye on expenditures,” she said. “It can be challenging to obtain sponsorships, for one thing, and many events are driven by sponsorships.”
Casablanca Events orchestrated a “Going Green” trade show for the Community Association Institute”™s Hudson Valley chapter on Nov. 8 and has several winter projects in the works, including the Palisades Interstate Park Commission”™s Knickerbocker Ice Festival.
“I think I will pull through this,” Rodd said, acknowledging the economy. “I have little overhead to worry about and my staff is contract labor, so I pay as I need it.”
In an industry where contract labor and vendor relations are key to an event planner”™s success, there are ways to cut costs without compromising aesthetics.
Wyman discussed a scenario in which she and Warner are assisting a bride with summer wedding plans. “There are many ways of still creating a beautiful wedding,” she said, taking the economy into consideration. “Maybe instead of ballroom chairs, she might go with white wood folding chairs ”¦she may not choose silk overlays, but that won”™t change the quality of the wedding.”
In the catering and event planning industry, diversity in choice can make an elaborate event cost-effective. “Depending on what you want, the possibilities are endless,” Wyman said. “I have everything from jazz trios all the way up to 12-piece orchestras.”
 “Scaling down? It”™s interesting, because in today”™s economy, I mean, reality check ”¦we all know what”™s going on,” Wyman said. “Are bar mitzvahs going to stop? No. Are weddings going to stop? No. Are christenings going to stop? No.”
