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re in Florida, we are seeing a very strong return to in-person events! We have been booked solid all fall as clients aim to squeeze in two years’ worth of events into just a few short months. We are finding that our clients want to be together again, and they want to celebrate in style, spending more of their budget on upscale details and making experience and being together a big priority. Many new brands have chosen Miami over other destinations this year because international travel proved impossible and they knew that in Florida, the decision to postpone would ultimately be up to them rather than city or state restrictions. Florida may be an early indicator of what is to come for the rest of the country because the pent-up demand for in-person events here is very real!

I’m looking forward to our industry collectively reevaluating their priorities and recognizing their worth. In doing this, I believe event professionals may make different and better decisions than they used to related to work/life balance, the rates they charge, and what types of clients they want to work with. This is a win-win for both vendors and clients in building more harmonious partnerships and successful events into the future.

As we swing into 2022, I expect that businesses will have to focus more on strategy than ever before. Many businesses used the downtime during COVID to really innovate how they are showing up in the marketplace and making more impactful connections with their customers. We are in an amazing place in that regard! Creativity is at an all-time high and businesses are positioned to shine and thrive in the online space. Ride the wave and reap the rewards!

2022 will be the year of weddings and events filled with high-touch experiences that celebrate the present joys of life together. I expect to see more people on the dance floor, and nights ending with private last dances for the couples instead of grand exits. There will be a sense of continuing strength in the close-knit relationships that helped us survive 2020 and 2021, and exuberance in expanding our experiences and our circle of relationships again. We will party both big and small in 2022!!!

We are looking ahead to 2022 and seeing clear signs that it will be a repeat of 2021 when it comes to demand and volume. Having had an excellent year financially we are in a position to purchase the equipment we need to meet the demand but the challenge will still be staffing. Our top priority this winter will be ongoing recruitment. Each new year presents new opportunities to push the limits of creative tenting and layouts. Our hope for the industry is that we all keep quality at the forefront. We encourage our fellow vendors to stay focused on what inspires you, let go of what doesn’t, and to set healthy volume boundaries to protect the best interests of your staff and your clients.