Skip to main content
  • Claims Center
  • Contact Us
  • Español
  • Brokers & Agents
Hiscox Insurance
Menu Toggle
  • Home
  • Small Business Insurance Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Why Hiscox Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Resources Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Policy Management Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Claims Center
  • Contact Us
  • Español
  • Brokers & Agents
  • About
  • Get a Quote Get a Quote
  • About
  • Get a Quote Get a Quote
  • Blog Home
    Start Your Business
    Grow Your Business
    Protect Your Business
    Celebrate Courage
    Search

    Small Business Insights

    Sign up to get the latest small business news delivered right to your inbox.
    Protect Your Business
    June 9, 2016
    a calendar with multicolored pins marking important wedding dates

    Event planners: How to minimize stress during wedding season

    Industry Spotlight | Insurance 101
    By: Hiscox Blog

    Share Image

    Embed Image

    Copy

    Share Article:

    Whether you plan weddings, reunions, fundraising galas or corporate conventions, there’s probably one time of year that’s busiest for you. For wedding planners, it’s often summer going into early fall. For corporate event planners, it may be the first quarter, after the year-end results have been tallied. No matter when your busy season is, these tips will help you do more in less time.

    Automate your own planning

    There’s a reason that what you do is called event planning. You need to plan ahead and plan for every possibility. Developing a process for each type of event can help. Take the list of questions you ask a new client and beef it up. Include items that are specific to that type of event, like the list of speakers for a corporate meeting or a slideshow of yearbook photos for a reunion. Then drill down to the most minute details, like that one song the mother of the bride simply cannot stand, or the best way to get the CMO off the stage when his time is up. Next, make a flow chart that shows the process for each aspect of the event. Depending on the complexity of the event, you may want separate charts for the venue, food, entertainment or speakers, and so on. Each chart should show what needs to happen at what point in time for each aspect. Include a designation for who can be responsible for each item, so you’ll know what you can delegate. If you’d rather automate the process, you can use a Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, software program that you can customize to your business. Or, you can try a specialized event management software like PlanningPod, which is designed specifically for event planners. If you currently use a spreadsheet and just want to bring it to the next level, try SmartSheet, which has been described as a ‘spreadsheet on steroids.’ Two things to keep in mind when automating your event planning business. First, be sure to choose a program that works the way you work. Don’t change your processes to fit the program—it should work the way you do, not the other way around. Second, remember that event planning is, first and foremost, a personal business, so automate the behind-the-scenes stuff all you want, but make sure you never lose that personal touch.

    Protect your business

    The busiest season for your business is also the busiest season for mistakes. Protect all you’ve worked for with event planner insurance.  It can protect your business from a claim or lawsuit based on something you or your staff did or didn’t do. It even protects you if you didn’t make a mistake, and it covers temporary staff as well. Consider this: You’ve planned the gala of the season for your non-profit client at your city’s most prestigious museum. This is their major fundraiser and the source of the lion’s share of their annual donations. At the last minute, you learn the museum has accidentally double-booked for that date. You have to change the date, the charity brings in significantly less money than they anticipated because of the mix-up, and they sue you for negligence. A professional liability insurance policy could protect you, covering your legal costs as well as any settlement or judgment. Ask if the subcontractors you use, like photographers and DJs, have their own liability insurance as well. Even though your coverage may protect you for the actions (or inactions) of sub-contractors, having their own coverage shows they take their business as seriously as you do.

    Don’t overbook

    The hardest part of owning your own business is turning down work. As you work to build your business, it’s natural to want to take on every client that comes along. But if you overbook, you won’t be able to do your best work for any client and you’ll end up losing future business and referrals. Be realistic about the number of events you can accommodate and stick to it. If you have someone you can trust to manage an event while you are unavailable, you may be able to book two events on the same day. Just remember that no one has as much interest in seeing your business succeed as you do, so be involved in every event in some way.

    Delegate

    Make sure your business is adequately staffed for the busy season. Cast a wide net, early on, to find people you can call on as business picks up. Like your clients, your staff will appreciate your advance planning skills so that you’re not frantically calling them at the last minute to fill a spot. Understand the strengths of your regular help so you’ll know what tasks you can delegate. Use your CRM, if you have one, to keep track of people you’ve used and what they’re good at. Once you find people you can rely on, use them often and pay them well. Eventually, your business may grow to the point where you can bring on staff full time. This will give you year round help so that you can devote more of your time to getting new business and strategic planning.

    Budget for the down times

    During your busy season when the money’s rolling in it can be tempting to make purchases and commitments that you may regret when things slow down again. If your business is truly seasonal, make sure you put some money aside to pay your bills—and yourself—during the lean months. When you’re busy, it’s easy to let your invoicing slide. Be mindful of this, since staying on top of billing clients is the only way to make sure you bring in the money you’re expecting. Timely invoicing makes your business look organized and professional, too.

    Celebrate!

    Once the last bouquet of the season has been thrown or the fundraising records have been broken, celebrate all you’ve accomplished during this busy time. Then, take note of what worked well for you, and where you can improve for next year. Put in place the processes and procedures you need to be more efficient when next year’s busy season rolls around. How do you handle your busiest season? Tell us in the comments below.


    Protect Your Business

    Protect the business you’ve worked so hard to build. Get a fast, free quote and your business could be covered today.

    Get a Quote
    Get a Quote
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Related Articles

    4 Min Read
    to-do list on clipboard on a beach to help small business owners take time off work

    Taking time off when you're the boss: 9 tips

    Management | Entrepreneur

    As a small business owner, it can be a challenge to take time away, but with a little preparation and planning 

    Read More

    2 Min Read
    Female small business owner holds white poodle upside down in office

    Bringing your dog to work: Luxury or liability?

    Insurance 101 | Management

    Bringing your beloved canine companion to work can be one of the perks of being your own boss. After all, getting pet snuggles during the workday is great for morale. But is it always a good idea? Here’s what you need to know.

    Read More

    3 Min Read
    three employees sit in commercially leased space discussing small business

    Focus on liability insurance: does my commercial lease need it?

    Insurance 101 | Management

    If you're running your small business using a commercial space you may be wondering if your commercial lease requires you to carry liability insurance. Here's what you need to know.

    Read More


    We’re here to help.
    We provide tailored insurance for the specific risks you face, so you can take the right risks to grow your business.
    Get a Quote
    Get a Quote

    Footer menu 1

    • What We Cover
      • Business Insurance
      • General Liability Insurance
      • Professional Liability Insurance
      • Errors and Omissions
      • Cyber Security Insurance
      • Workers Compensation
      • Other Coverage
    • Who We Cover
      • Small Business Owners
      • LLC
      • Sole Proprietors
      • Entrepreneurs
      • Side Hustle
      • Contractors
      • Home Businesses
    • For Our Customers
      • Refer a Friend Program
      • Covid-19 Response
      • Claims Center
    • For Business Owners
      • Save with our Partners
      • Blog
    • About Hiscox
      • About Us
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
      • Hiscox Corporate
      • Investors
      • Foundation
      • Newsroom
      • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
      • Affiliate Partner Program

    Footer menu 2

    • Accessibility
    • Site Map
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Legal Notices
    • Español

    Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    Feefo Reviews: Hiscox rated 4.7/5 with 1,067 reviews between January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2023

    © 2023 Hiscox Inc. All rights reserved. Underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 1760, Chicago, IL 60602. As of December 31, 2022, HICI had admitted assets of $1,458,861,470 and policyholders surplus of $380,056,863. Total liabilities were $1,078,804,607 (inclusive of $529,538,410 of loss reserves) and paid-up capital stock was $4,242,000.

    icon-facebook
    icon-youtube
    icon-twitter
    icon-linkedin