#214 - Saving The Event Industry

Kate Whelan is a wedding planner, business owner, and an Advocate for the Live Events Industry. The live event industry includes everything from weddings, concerts, festivals, and conferences to live sports. More than just the planners, the venues, the vendors are being effected by the pandemic! There is a massive trickle down happening causing a big wave in the events economy. Kate joins us to talk about about all the challenges, successes, questions, and more. Big Takeaways A non-lawful event isn’t necessarily illegal, but instead it goes against health orders/mandates. There are guidelines you must adhere to, and there are consequences should you not. These are put out by the health department, the mayor, and/or the governor. Ex: The consequence now in Illinois is s $10,000 fee. Some states are considering misdemeanor charges for the host (could be the couplet the planner, etc.) What couples need to know: Do not rely on your vendors to tell you whether or not it is safe to have your event. Check your state or county’s live event’s coalition. Insurance is a huge consideration if you are moving your event to a private residence. Considering a micro-event any time soon? Determine the current mandates or restrictions for your county. Review cancellation policies as you book your vendors. Be prepared to postpone, should mandates change. There is a lot of uncertainty right now. A lot of businesses are going to close. There are no insurance companies covering Covid related cancellations, but there are some that cover if the company claims bankruptcy. Make your own decisions about what is next, reach out to your vendors to see where they are coming from, and consider the financial impact. Links We Referenced www.californiaeventscoalition.com www.katewhelanevents.com liveeventscoalition.org Quotes _“Because most people’s perception of who is involved with any given event is so minimized by us doing a really good job, they don’t realize the economic impact we have across the United States.” - Kate“If you’re planning a wedding, you’re planning a live event.” - Michelle “Staying in the now and staying in the present is more important right now, more so than ever.” - Kate The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. Edited by Veronica Gruba Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. Easy to get in touch with. Email us at [email protected] or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices