A successful party planner must be creative, with an eye for detail and flair for design. He or she must also be very organized, patient, a good problem solver, and have excellent communication skills

How much money can you make?

What type of training will it take?

And what does the job actually entail?

Read on to find out whether this is the job for you

What will I be doing all day?

A party planner develops, coordinates, and executes  parties, special events, and receptions. Responsibilities include developing a creative plan and concept for the party, based upon the customer’s desires and budget; helping the client choose a venue and caterer and devise the menu; creating artistic décor; reaching out to and coordinating with vendors; being on-site during the event to oversee its smooth operation, and more.

What kind of career options do I have?

Party planners work in a range of venues, from small-scale kiddushes and brissim to weddings and larger community social events. Some party planners specialize in running corporate parties and events.

What kind of training do I need?

While no formal training is necessary, many party planners will start out shadowing an experienced professional to learn the skills of the trade. Some choose to study for a degree in event planning or hospitality management.

Do I have the personality for it?

A successful party planner must be creative, with an eye for detail and flair for design. He or she must also be very organized, patient, a good problem solver, and have excellent communication skills. Being able to work well under pressure is essential in this field.

What can I expect to make?

Party planners charge by event. For an average event, prices can range between $800 and $2,000. Some take a percentage of the overall event budget.

Median annual salary: $52,500

TALES FROM THE TRENCHES

CHAVI HORN, Flatbush, NY

Party Planner, Brooklyn

Years in Field: 20

My Typical Day at Work

On a typical day, I meet with clients, follow up on party ideas, make purchases, speak to vendors, oversee deliveries, set up an event, and more.

When I meet with a client, I start by discussing what their goals are for their party. What kind of venue are they looking for? What kind of simchah do they want? Are they envisioning something over the top, balabatish, or low-key? Artistic, modern, or heimish? I walk them through all the details. We also discuss their budget, something I take very seriously. I respect their budget and I’m very careful to stay within it, while still providing them with the gorgeous event they want.

Next, we get to work: meeting with the caterer, choosing flowers, tablecloths, décor, music, entertainment, swag, and setting the overall vibe. Some people like to be hands-on, while others are very happy to leave everything to me.

In general, I find that the most popular times people use party planners are for events like vorts, which tend to come up suddenly. Those are the times you want to be able to just make one phone call and presto, you know it’s being taken care of.

How I Chose the Profession

I’d been running organizational events already for a while. It started with my volunteering for Chai Lifeline, which then became a job. (Today I do the party planning for Bike4Chai and Tour de Simcha. I also ran the Hatzalah of Flatbush Gala Auction for many years.) Then, my son turned bar mitzvah, and I went all out indulging my creativity in planning his party. Well, the next week, my friend was making a Shabbos bris, and she asked me to plan it.

“But I’m not a party planner,” I said.

“Oh, yes, you are!” she told me.

What made the request extra flattering was that this friend was Raquel of Raquel Couture, a well-known designer. Well, I guess she was right, because my son is now 33 years old and I’ve been doing party planning ever since!