Successful wedding planners come from all walks of life, and no single profession prepares an individual for this career. So what kind of experience prepares someone to become a wedding planner?
My fourth installment of articles about the event planning business of weddings highlights that many professions prepare individuals to become wedding planners, but jobs that frequently prepare successful wedding planners may be found in the banquet department of large hotels, florists, corporate planners and others.
Learn more about becoming a wedding planner:
With 104,000 events held in Berlin in 2008 and 8.15 million participants, Berlin is definitely a contender for hosting conventions and other business events. Interestingly, Berlin was listed as number 4 on the New York Times' list of 44 places to go in 2009.
The Berlin Convention Office hosts Meeting Place Berlin once every two years, and about 150 international meeting planners are expected in Berlin, July 2-5.
Top sectors for hosting meetings and events in Berlin include "trade, banking, Insurance", then "chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics", followed by "publishing houses, media, culture, leisure, sport.
Learn more about Meeting Place Berlin.
High speed rail in Europe is seen as a flexible transportation option for business events and travel. What should the U.S. market consider high speed rail -- particularly Spain's Renfe as a model -- and what does this mean to event planning? For starters, air travel for business and social events continues to be faced with challenges: increased costs, ongoing security concerns and declining airline satisfaction (at least in the U.S.). And it has already been noted that the U.S. Department of Transportation is taking a look at how various other countries have adopted high speed rail.
High-speed rail takes years to implement, so it will be many years until these options are available for corporate and social event planners in the U.S. But this is certainly something that business travelers and business event planners should elevate in discussion. Learn more about high speed rail.
Perhaps one of the more popular incentive or meeting destination options with attendees is a program held in wine country. Whether you're looking to Napa Valley or other wine regions around the world, many choices exist for wine tasting events. Marie-Therése Pachmann, public relations and quality manager at Marques de Riscal Hotel in Rioja, Spain, has packaged more than 15 different wine tasting activities and events that groups may wish to consider when organizing a conference or meeting in wine country. Learn more:
Did you know that a red wine stain may be prevented if you pour white wine on the stain right away?
Photo courtesy of Marques de Riscal
