Event planners play a critical role in the planning of all types of events, including social events, corporate events, trade shows, conferences, non-profit events, and more. A certified event planner is skilled in helping clients coordinate every aspect of an event from initial budgeting and guest list management through selecting a venue and vendors, organizing details, creating, and managing timelines, arranging walkthroughs, layouts, and seating charts, and handling the day of event coordination. From social events such as weddings, Sweet 16’s, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and milestone celebrations to corporate events such as networking events, trade shows, and conferences, to non-profit and charity events, various types of event planners specialize in assisting clients throughout the specific planning processes.

When seeking an “event planner near me” through Google searches, it’s best to know the type of event you are planning in order to select the best event planning company.

Many event planners take event planning certification courses for event education and hold CMP and CPSE titles. These titles signify that they dedicated time and resources to become experts in planning weddings and other events. While an event planner does not need a certification to plan an event, the knowledge and experience gained through the certification programs are certainly useful and valuable.

Types of Event Planners in South Florida

The South Florida region hosts a significant number of events per year. From social and corporate events to trade shows and conferences, as well as non-profit events, event planning companies are busy making milestone moments happen for thousands of people!

There are various types of event planners in South Florida. Depending on the type of event you are planning, you would want to choose an event planner who specializes in the appropriate area of the industry.

Wedding Event Planners

Wedding event planners have the luxury and pleasure of planning beautiful celebrations for clients in the South Florida region. Venue options are plentiful, and many outdoor weddings take place on beaches and waterfronts. Wedding event planners help the wedding couple with all planning details such as venue and vendor selection, establishing and facilitating the decor vision and event rental selection, and even helping, as needed, with wedding dress selection and appointments, beauty appointments, hotel accommodations, bridal shower and rehearsal dinner planning, creating and managing the wedding day timeline, and coordinating favors and bridal party gifts. There’s no task too big or small when a wedding planner is bringing a wedding vision to life!

What It’s Like to Plan Weddings in South Florida

According to Stefany Allongo of Married in Palm Beach, “Weddings in South Florida have their own vibe and play by their own rules. It’s so fun to figure out how that translates to each event.”
Jennifer Hardiman, Chief Event Officer at Fabuluxe Events, loves being a wedding planner in South Florida because “It’s the best job in the world when you get to see a couple’s special day come together and for them to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Jennifer loves planning weddings with clients in South Florida because it’s always such a pleasure to work with wedding couples who want to be married in the area. “It’s a challenge sometimes though, to explain the weather to clients and how truly seasonal South Florida is!” said Hardiman.

Photo Credit: Wild Eyed Photography

South Florida is beautiful year-round, but it can get extremely hot. And, along with the heat comes thunderstorms. Wedding planners in South Florida need to plan accordingly for outdoor weddings as guest comfort is extremely important, and there always needs to be a Plan B in place, or at the very least, a plan to get around a passing thunderstorm, be it during set up, during the wedding, or even during break down after the event.

Stefany Allongo of Married in Palm Beach agrees. “One of the biggest challenges is the weather. Between heat waves, afternoon thunderstorms, hurricanes, and cold snaps, you must be prepared for all weather contingencies.”

South Florida event planners certainly operate on their toes. They are prepared for everything, which brings the level of detail to their roles as wedding planners to the next level! From having a Plan B to knowing how to work with rental companies regarding event rentals, to the possibility of inclement weather and how it affects the event and rentals needed, to knowing how to reschedule should an event be postponed due to weather, South Florida wedding planners are prepared from experience to handle these details with care and attention.

Corporate Event Planners

Corporate event planners work hard to assist corporate clients with corporate event planning. Many corporate events take place in South Florida for networking events, corporate get-togethers, trade shows, and conferences. South Florida is a prime location for companies and organizations to host corporate events year-round. For this reason, companies in South Florida with locations out of the area may choose to host a corporate event in Florida and fly in employees from other cities and states.

Corporate event planners have the proper knowledge for assisting with room blocks and travel accommodations as well as finding extracurricular activities for out-of-town guests. A corporate event planner will help to book the hotels with pools for out-of-town attendees, as well as select hotels either on a beach or local to the beaches. Corporate event planners also handle the typical event planning duties of finding a venue, coordinating vendors and brand activations, selecting entertainment, and ensuring tech capabilities are available on-site for the event. High on the list for corporate events are the proper event giveaways and swag. A corporate event planner can assist clients with selecting the best event swag that serves a purpose, fits the budget, and is in line with the company’s branding.

Charity & Non-Profit Event Planners

Charity and Non-profit event planners need to be skilled in creating an event that has the sole purpose of a specific mission while looking budget-conscious as the money needs to go to the charity and/or cause. In the competitive social environment of South Florida events, it’s the event planner’s job to plan an excellent event while balancing budget and cause. Event planners specializing in charity and non-profit events assist clients with planning strategies, selecting venues and vendors, design, layout, and more, while taking into account the special charity and causes that the event is benefitting to keep it within budget. All events are milestones and special, but charities and non-profit events take on a very special meaning that is often quite different from a wedding or special occasion celebration. Charity and non-profit events help to raise awareness for a cause, so the event planner takes this into account as part of the planning process.

Photo Credit: Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART

Charity and non-profit planners will likely reach out to South Florida event rental companies and other event vendors when seeking sponsorships and donations to fall within the budget. Building relationships with vendors is vital for all in the event industry, especially for charity event planners, as they come to rely on their network to get the planning details established while meeting the budget.

Conference & Trade Show Planners 

A conference planner needs to focus on functionality vs. aesthetics in comparison to a wedding planner. Conference and trade show planners have the job of planning a logistically seamless event. Conferences need to meet the needs of hundreds, if not thousands, of professionals who are attending and exhibiting from all over the country (and possibly, the world). Travel and room accommodations that are located close to the conference center venue are important, as well as carefully planned menus and food options for conference attendees with various dietary needs. Conference planners need to focus on a properly seamless check-in process and may include booth setup and design for individual clients, as well as the other factors of the client’s needs at a trade show. Conference planners may also assist the conference organizer with the planning of all aspects for attendees and exhibitors. This may include finding the conference center, assessing costs and attendee count, arranging the conference layout, and helping to build a timeline for education sessions, seminars, and conference events.

Working with Event Rental Companies

All types of event planners in South Florida work with event rental companies. Event rentals are needed for weddings, social, and corporate events. Event planners work side by side with clients and rental companies to select the best party event rentals to meet the needs of each event. A rental company can assist in the design process and rental selection process, and make suggestions, as needed, while also helping with alternate plans and special accommodations in the event of inclement weather.