Event Planning and Paper Work

Working in the events industry for the past 3 years I have developed a love for hospitality and event management however in my role as a Food and Beverage assistant I have found my self stepping up to take control as I have become comfortable and confident in my work environment. I have managers and team leaders to run decisions and questions by, I am not in a position where I am responsible for spending money, I sometimes step up and help facilitate events purely out of my own volition but am under no duty to do so.

However after brainstorming with the company directors on a good way to promote Friday nights at the venue the decision was made to target the backpacker and student market of Perth. After deciding on a theme and name for the new night as well as any specials or incentives that would act along side it we decided to host some smaller events to build up to our grand opening in April. These smaller events would take place at university campuses across Perth and raise awareness of the new student/backpacker night as well as drive interest in the social media campaign that it would launch alongside. The planning of these smaller events was handed to me as my responsibility.

Having previously been on the other side of more formal events I was not aware how much planning goes into even the smallest detail. The forms and council permissions that are required, chasing up documents like food licenses and temporary stall permissions from different City Councils. Even for small seemingly simple occasions such as hosting free sausage sizzles there is a multitude of forms to fill out and safety programs to complete to be licensed to handle food. And all these licenses, forms and permits require diagrams and layouts of locations, lists of equipment, safety procedures and risk assessments.

Previous to my internship I had been very interested in the event planning aspect of Public Relations and in the middle of planning several events and feeling bound by red tape I am starting to question that. The realities of just how many forms and permits and plans and certificates are necessary to facilitate the completion of any event are at times overwhelming. Liaising between a Corporate Head, a University Guild member and a City Council Health Officer to ensure a small 4 hour event can take place to raise awareness and kick off a new campaign became far more stressful than I had initially anticipated.

Ash