I had the tremendous pleasure to speak again this year at the Potluck Hospitality Conference and was thrilled to be part of this 2 day intensive gathering focusing on the business of social occasions. The conference creator, Beth Griffiths of Whoa Nelly Catering and Little Nelly Catering, put together an incredible program of world class entrepreneurs sharing their battle stories, advice and support with their fellow hospitality cohorts.
My discussion centered around setting the table, specifically how to do so resourcefully and creatively when we don’t have the luxury of an unlimited budget for rental upgrades and extensive decor. In other words, ballin’ on a budget: dinner table edition! I divulged my own process for prioritizing rental upgrades, gave numerous examples from my past events of how we took our clients’ tables from “meh” to “spectacular” and shared my tips and tricks for making tablescapes their most photogenic and publish-worthy. It generated an interesting debate on salt and pepper shakers (for the record, I’m staunchly against pre-setting S&P at the dinner table unless intentionally placed in a decorative vessel) and left attendees, from event planners to catering teams to venue representatives, with a new creative table setting strategy to implement with their own clients.
After the discussion, my styling lounge with Bright Event Rentals and La Tavola Linen pieces allowed attendees to mix and match and get creative with their own tablescape designs. It was an exciting day and left me feeling even more driven to share the knowledge I have gained from almost a decade in events and even longer in the hospitality world.
I’m so excited to announce that I’m turning my presentation into an online e-course that will be available for everyone who wasn’t able to make it to the conference. I’m thrilled to share my experience with tablescape design and styling with others and will be launching all of the details soon! If you’re interested in learning more about this new e-course, CLICK HERE.
Some of my other industry pals were also part of the conference, either as speakers, sponsors or attendees. It was a wonderful two days of intensive discussion about the business of social occasions and it has reignited my passion for this industry and the complexities involved in putting on events and working together as a team and running a profitable business.
Credits:
Photography: Marble Rye Photography // Host: Potluck Hospitality // Venue: Valentine and Grass Room // Graphic design and branding: Oh Babushka // Nametags and tassels: The Idea Emporium // Floral : Twig & Twine and Wilmarose Orlanes // Rentals: Yeah! Rentals and Bright Event Rentals // Linens: La Tavola /// Food and Beverage: Amazebowls, Cake Monkey, Helen’s Wines, Hungry Bear Catering, Kogi, Lady and Larder, Longshot Coffee, Oysters XO, Scootabaker, Taste of Pace, The Whaling Club, Whoa Nelly Catering