The special events industry is so all-emcompassing that it can be difficult to to stay up-to-date on what's new and what's on trend. Whereas weddings may gravitate more towards luxury, corprorate and fundraising events focus more on the cutting-eduge entertainment and technology that are available. Regardless of which area of the special events industry you work primarily in, The Special Event has your bases covered.
The Special Event, co-located with Catersource Conference & Tradeshow, will take place July 19-20 at the Miami Convention Center and will feature sessions on the many sectors of the events industry, catering included. Here is just a taste of the many events-centric education you will have access to. By purchasing an All Access Pass, you can take advantage of both sides of the conference.
The DNA of Exquisite Events
Thursday, July 22 at 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Presented by Cayetano Uribe, CEO, Cayetano y Mónica Decoracione; and Monica Sevilla , Chairwoman, Cayetano y Mónica Decoraciones
We constantly find ourselves celebrating life´s milestones, so why not make all our celebrations exquisite? Whether we are designing small gatherings, or grand weddings, all of our creations follow a creative and production process that guarantees cero human errors. Taking you step-by-step through our process will allow you to have your backend set up and running in order for you to concentrate on the creative process of producing events and ultimately be more effective and efficient with your work.
Setting the Stage at Iconic Music Venues for Large-Scale Corporate Events (CS)
Thursday, July 22 at 11:00am - 12:00pm
Presented by Steve Hark, CEO / Founder, Entourage Events Group; and Nancy Jacobs, National Sales Director, Entourage Events Group
Taking "A BLANK CANVAS" VENUE and creating unique memorable guest experiences that activate our client's visions and goals. Blank canvases are the best type of venues. They allow food and beverage teams to design themed menus and culinary experiences that compliment our transformed venues. Full-scale transformation of iconic venues results in high-barometer rated guest experiences. We transform concert venues into large-scale marketable corporate events. This presentation will show venue owners how to reimagine and redesign their buildings into new guest experience-focused environments.
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen: The Business of Million Dollar Events (CS)
Wednesday, July 21 at 11:00am - 12:00pm
Presented by Jennifer Bertolino, Director of Catering Sales, Levy Convention Centers; and Thomas Whelan, Director of Banquets, Levy Convention Centers
Internal friction is often the cause of the most stress for events. You know the saying, Sales sells the dream, and operations lives the nightmare. Statements like "But this is what the client asked for", "I've already sold this to them" and "this is absolutely impossible" need to come out of our vocabulary and we need to steer these conversations in a different direction and start the sales/operations relationships on the right foot. In this session, we will break down the communication walls and share how Jen and Thomas work together cohesively to build a $2M catered event, and lead their teams to build partnerships that work.
Beyond the Ballroom - Galas Reimagined
Tuesday, July 20 at 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Presented by Sabrina Roy, Founder & CEO, Fluid Events Inc.
Amid the cancellations and rescheduling of events during COVID-19, we were terrified of losing our last client of the fall event season. Bringing together our team's creative minds and those pie-in-the-sky ideas, we pitched three new possible event formats that reimagined our client's signature fundraising gala. Looking beyond the ballroom, our session will give attendees an inside look at how we successfully pivoted during a pandemic and created hybrid galas - think 20 mini dinner parties happening simultaneously with the exact same Run of Show. We kept all the important traditions of a signature fundraising gala while shaking things up a bit!
Cause for Celebration (Bridge)
Tuesday, July 20 at1:00pm - 2:00pm
Presented by Kristin Banta, CEO and Creative Director, Kristin Banta Events; David Merrell, CEO/Creative Director, AOO Events; Clint Upchurch , Event Producer, independant; and Stavros, Director of Business Development, M Culinary Concepts
At a time when the wedding and event industry has taken one of the largest hits in history, how can you make yourself stand out and continue to keep your doors open? How can you encourage a client (whether that be wedding, social or corporate) to press on with their event and tell their unique story? We will examine what's taken place over the past year, presenting the various challenges that we've all been faced with in 2020, while discussing how to refocus and rebuild our clientele and our businesses as we come together to build a stronger, more dynamic industry.
Producing the WOW Factor: Using Trends and Technology
Tuesday, July 20 at 9:30am - 10:30am
Presented by Deborah Elias , President, Elias Events
The WOW Factor: Using technology and trends to make your meetings POP!. Experience live technology demos and discover creative tips on how to use technology and trends to wow your attendees. Find out how this clever technology can also make your day-to-day workflows more efficient. The session is engaging and showcases multiple products, trends, apps and ideas.
Love Reimagined! - Luxe Micro Weddings (CS)
Thursday, July 22 at 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Presented by Kelly Spencer, Founder, The Dogwood in the Grove / The Social Affair Catering + Event Design; and Jody Cox, Founder, An Affair To Remember | Styled + Staged STL
Weddings look a little different these days, don't they? We are here to help you help your clients reimagine their day without canceling or postponing. As owners of a high-end floral design and rental company, plus a luxe venue and premier caterer, our "La Petite Affair" has allowed us to keep our clients and their dates, as well as their budgets! Smaller actually becomes bigger and better than ever. We will share our all-in-one Micro Wedding Kits that are designed and curated for our clients by our award-winning design teams. Each kit is customized to our clients style and color palette. You will learn how to take care of all of the details so your couples can keep their date, celebrate with their nearest and dearest, and have the most magical day you never dreamt possible. Love is reimagined...while adding to your bottom line!
Designing and Producing Memorable Events
Tuesday, July 20 at 11:00am - 12:00pm
Presented by: Cayetano Uribe , CEO, Cayetano y Mónica Decoraciones; and Monica Sevilla, Chairman, Cayetano y Mónica Decoraciones
Designing and producing an event is no easy task, but it is sure an exciting one. The art of creating experiences that tap into our 5 senses and stay in our memory forever. We will take your through a step by step journey through our creative process where you will get inspired and learn how to design and produce unforgettable events. We have designed unique experiences for event attendees for over 37 years and now we are eager to share our most valuable tips and tricks.
Love is Not Cancelled ~ Wedding Trends to Fall in Love With (CS)
Tuesday, July 20 at 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Presented by Robin Selden, Managing Partner-Executive Chef, Marcia Selden Catering; and Jeffrey Selden, Managing Partner , Marcia Selden Catering
These wedding industry experts know how to stylize any wedding to fit the needs, desires, interests and budgets of today's bridal couples. Robin and Jeffrey will share how they create exclusive tailor-made, bespoke weddings for their clients. Join them for this idea-packed session and learn the latest culinary and cocktail trends, presentation and menu styles, and service touches that add style to any wedding. See what is trending now with their "out and inside of the box", creative & successful concepts for a presentation that will "wow"
Elevate your 2021 Events with Florals (CS)
Wednesday, July 21 at 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Presented by CeCe Todd, Founder, CeCe Designs and Events
Celebrations of all sizes benefit from the enhancement of the right event florals, By including the appropriate styles, colors and amounts, you're guaranteed to elevate not only the event itself, but your brand. In this session, award-winning florist CeCe Todd walks you through the role of flowers for your 2021 events, whether you're creating a stunning microwedding, or a larger over the top event, as the country returns to some semblance of normality.
2021 Global Wedding Trends (Bridge)
Wednesday, July 21 at 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Presented by Meghan Ely, Principal, OFD Consulting LLC
Each year, a collective of the top wedding professionals globally share their insight into what's going to be big in the coming year—from food, beverage and decor to destinations, florals and colors. In this robust session, Meghan Ely will present the 2021 Global Wedding Trend Report for the first time to a conference audience, dissecting what's in around the world, what's out, and what's next.
The Look Ahead: F+B Trends in the Post-Pandemic World (CS)
Tuesday, July 20 at 11:00am - 12:00pm
Presented by Stavros , Partner | Director of BizDev, M Culinary Concepts
Remember the good ol’ days when we got excited about things like new food & beverage trends? That was awesome. Well after waaay too long, it’s time to get excited again because LIVE EVENTS are coming back, baby! Join longtime catering pro and certifiable food freak Stavros for a look at the hotness and coolness coming our way in food, beverage, presentation and service. When the floodgates open – and they will! – you’ll be ready to surprise and delight your clients. It’s gonna be awesome again!
Attend The Special Event + Catersource and find the right solutions for any style of event. Register today!
Miami here we come!
