Wedding Day Coordination

💐 Banquets Operation tips: 1. Pre-Event Planning: Understand Client Requirements: Have a detailed consultation with the client to understand their vision, guest count, menu, and theme. Create a Detailed Timeline: Include all stages from setup to breakdown. Customized Layouts: Use 3D tools or software to provide visual layouts for seating, buffet, and entertainment setups. Vendor Coordination: Confirm delivery schedules with florists, decorators, and other vendors. 2. Team Preparedness Comprehensive Training: Train staff on luxury etiquette, table service, and guest interaction. Roles Assignment: Assign specific duties to team members (e.g., servers, greeters, cleanup crew). Dress Code: Ensure staff uniforms align with the banquet's theme or luxury standards. 3. Ambiance & Setup Lighting: Use dimmable chandeliers, spotlights, and candles to enhance the ambiance. Table Settings: Employ high-quality tableware, linens, and centerpieces. Music & Entertainment: Ensure high-quality sound systems and arrange live music if needed. Fragrance: Use subtle, premium fragrances to enhance the atmosphere. 4. Guest Experience Warm Welcome: Have greeters at the entrance offering a smile and sometimes beverages or wet towels. Personalized Service: Train staff to address guests by name if possible. Attention to Detail: Ensure no empty plates, refilled drinks, and spotless surroundings. Interactive Elements: Incorporate live stations (e.g., carving stations, dessert-making stations). 5. Menu & Catering Exquisite Menu: Offer a variety of gourmet dishes, including international cuisines. Food Presentation: Ensure dishes are plated attractively. Dietary Preferences: Cater to allergies, preferences, and dietary restrictions. Wine Pairing: Offer a curated wine selection. 6. Service Excellence Anticipate Needs: Proactively offer assistance, refills, or other services. Crisis Management: Have a manager on standby to handle guest concerns or emergencies. Discreet Service: Maintain a balance between attentiveness and guest privacy. 7. Post-Event Management Guest Feedback: Collect feedback to identify improvement areas. Efficient Cleanup: Ensure the venue is restored to its original condition promptly. Vendor Payments: Reconcile payments and evaluate vendor performance for future events. Key Takeaways Luxury banquets require a blend of meticulous planning, high-quality execution, and exceptional guest experience. Communication, attention to detail, and flexibility are critical for success. Thank you

We’ve helped over 3,000,000 attendees check in to events. Here’s what we learned. 1. Coach the check-in staff on how to greet attendees. That’s far more important than how to use the tech. 2. A 2-5 minute line is a good thing. Attendees chat. It warms up the ‘networking juice’. 3. Create a 'service desk' AND put it off to the side. Get people with issues out of line. 4. Let attendees make basic edits from the Kiosk - it will reduce service desk requests by 90%. 5. Make sure your platform supports offline check-in if the internet does go down. 6. If you have a big reg area, have little flags that check-in staff can raise if they need a printer tech to come over and restock. 7. Pre-printing the stock significantly increases print speed onsite. 8. The biggest attendee experience improvements came from events that consolidated registration and badge printing into a single platform. E.g. Accelevents 9. Look for what could go wrong. Story - we were running check-in for an event with 40 kiosks. The power strips were daisy-chained together. One of the check-in staff had a busy foot that unplugged the extension cord TWICE and took out half the printers. 10. Design your badges and do your test prints at least 30 days in advance but still order at least 100 badges for test prints on site. 11. Test crazy-long names, companies, and job titles on your badges. Your badge software should automatically adjust the font size to prevent text wrap. 12. Different roles require different colored shirts. Much easier to find help and route attendees. E.g. Service desk, printer tech, decision maker. 13. Have a plan for walk-ins. 14. Make sure everyone knows who can make executive decisions AND how to find that person. 15. Have a backup for 👆. Reminder: On event day, you can’t do everything. Empower your team to make decisions. There isn’t time to ‘find you’. And finally- Have fun. Attendees pick up on your energy. What did I miss? #events #eventmanagement #eventmarketing

Most teams don’t get better because they don’t take time to debrief. Last year, I had the honor of doing a bunch of leadership development work alongside my dear friend and amigo, Michael French. He’s a multi-time founder with successful exits, a fantastic family, and a heart of gold. One of the most powerful tools we taught together (really he, Michael O'Brien, and Admiral Mike McCabe taught, and I amplified in my sessions) was the concept of a Topgun-style debrief — and then we practiced it ourselves after every single session as a group. It’s a simple but transformative ritual. After every experience, we’d ask each other: What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions will we take to be even better next time? That’s it. Just three questions. But when asked in a space of trust, it opens the door to continuous improvement, honest reflection, and shared learning. The coolest part? Michael started doing it at home with his son — and now his son comes home from school excited to debrief the day with his dad. That’s when you know the tool is working. The origins of this approach go back to the Navy Fighter Weapons School — better known as Topgun. In the 1960s, Navy pilots were underperforming in air combat. So they changed the way they trained. But more importantly, they changed the way they debriefed. They created a culture of constructive, positive, inclusive performance reviews — grounded in trust, openness, and the pursuit of excellence. Led to a 400% improvement in pilot effectiveness. The philosophy was clear: the debrief is not about blame or fault-finding. It’s not about who “won” the debrief. It’s about learning. It’s about getting better — together. The tone is collaborative, supportive, and often informal. The goal is to build a culture of reflection where people feel safe enough to speak, to listen, and to grow. Most organizations only do debriefs when something goes wrong. But if we wait for failure to reflect, we miss all the micro-moments that help us move from good to great. Excellence isn’t a destination. It’s a mindset. It’s the discipline of always being open to improvement — even when things are going well. Especially when things are going well. So here’s my nudge to you: give this a try. Whether it’s with your team, your family, your partner, or just yourself at the end of the day — ask those three simple questions. What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions can we take to be even better next time? Let me know if you do. I’d love to hear how it goes.

How many times have you had the ah-ha moment after the meeting? I recently mentored two coaches who coached each other for 25 minutes. Then came the gold: the reflection and debrief. We asked just three questions: 1. What went well? 2. What would make it even better if…? 3. What are the next steps? What I realized soon after the session is that breakthroughs don't always come in the moment, sometimes answers to questions need room to breathe. Behavioral science backs this up. Reflection activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for insight, planning, and empathy. It’s tempting to focus only on performance, but mastery often comes from what we do after the moment has passed. Here’s what I’ve learned (and re-learned): 1. You don’t need fancy frameworks. 2. You need good questions, asked at the right time. 3. Debriefing is the unsung hero of skill-building (Use the 3 questions above!) 👉 I break these down in detail in my latest blog post: Practice. Pause. Progress. --- 📌 Want more content like this? Follow me Andrew Calvert, PCC Follow Serendipity Engine

I’ve been having a lot of conversations with clients that need help with creating VIP experiences on tighter budgets. Sound familiar? I’m going to share some strategies for “smart luxury” so you can create more of those win-win premium experiences while keeping you on-budget and driving the results you want! But first…I love this quote: “Luxury means just giving more; hospitality means being more thoughtful”. Powerful, huh? But what does that mean? Example #1: Rather than spending $100 more on caviar for every attendee, investing in an “event concierge” who will sending a personalized email to every attendee before a special dinner to ask them if they have any special requests, share with them who they can expect to meet, the format, how much you’re looking forward to making personalized intros to them...  Why does this work? If you take the time to invest in getting to know your attendees and showing you’re invested in their personal experience, they are more likely to show up, be engaged, remember to take the action you want them to take after the event. Example 2: Rather than providing fancy but generic gifts, do a little time “researching” guests and personalize a welcome amenity to set the tone for the event. I once bought-out a hotel for an event, and they sent up a “blind tasting” wine experience to my room when I arrived since I had recently passed the Court Master Sommelier exam. They had researched that about me. It was so fun to have a playful moment where I got to taste wine and guess what they had selected for me (it was a Robert Sinsky pinot gris and yes, I still remember 10 years later because it was so personalized and unique!) Why does this work? That bottle of wine cost them roughly $30, but the thoughtfulness that they put into covering the bottle, printing out a blind tasting test from the Court master sommelier site, and delivering it with some nuts/olives and a fun note made such an impact on me, I’ve shared this story so many times! They could have instead sent up a $150 bottle of champagne, but I probably wouldn’t have opened it and also probably wouldn’t have remembered it from all the other bottles of champagne I’ve received. Fancier isn’t always better and thoughtfulness counts! Example 3: Listen and respond. I was once managing a Google Executive event and I noticed in our event app’s chat one attendee was complaining that he was really craving his afternoon Diet Coke fix. So I went to the nearest vending machine, and bought one to hand deliver to him. That Google client was so surprised/delighted that we had delivered what he was craving in the moment, that he booked a meeting with our SVP afterwards, and we closed a major deal! Hospitality is about making your guests comfortable, anticipating their needs, and then delivering a personalized and delightful experience. It can involve luxurious treats, but doesn’t need to. All it takes is time, intentionality and good old fashioned hospitality.

I threw one of my dream events with FERMÀT last week - an intimate yacht party for senior leaders at top ecomm brands. I'm thrilled with how it turned out. Here are a few things I learned about throwing events like this.👇 1) Highly curated events take so much logistical work. But even if you plan the most perfect day-of experience ever, you need an incredible group of people in the room for an incredible attendee experience. Spend the time on 1:1 email & DM invites; it matters. 2) If there's someone you REALLY want to attend, send them a physical invite that's unforgettable. We sent some of our "dream attendees" a beautiful box with a message-in-a-bottle style physical invite. 3) Make the RSVP process as simple as possible. We tried two different methods - one that was techhy and "cool", and one that was just a basic Partiful. The Partiful test won. (You can always catch me testing & optimizing - even on event invites 🤣). 4) Go out of your way to personalize the event experience. We asked attendees their favorite beverage during the RSVP flow, and made sure we had their favorites on board, down to the brand. This included specific cocktails, N/A beers, hard kombucha, and more. 🥂 5) Add in some unexpected elements. We surprised guests with two different experiential activities on board - a speed painting activity and a mixology class. The activities were designed to inspire conversation and meaningful connection building. Optimize for fun. 6) Don’t give people sh*tty swag. Our guests were given custom FERMAT totes, whiskey glasses, and beautiful hardbound journals. Giving them takeaways they'll actually use and love keeps your brand top of mind. 7) Don't underestimate the value of the "little touches" that make your event unique. For us, this meant custom FERMAT flags on the boat, branded drink cans and straws, bench pillow slip covers, and more. 8) Thank people for attending in sincere ways. I hand-wrote a thank you note for each guest that attended, made time to speak to each attendee 1:1 as best I could, and am following up this week with invites to future events based on their preferences. -- If you'd like to be invited to future FERMÀT events in your city, let me know by adding your name to the VIP guest list here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gR65bkJ4 -- Shoutout to Rishabh Jain, Shreyas Kumar, Evelyn Xue & Rabah Rahil for giving me the opportunity to throw something so rad. Major thanks to Brennan Keough, Hannah Merrill, & Shane Kovalsky for your hard work in making this event so magical. 🙏

🚀 The Era of One-Size-Fits-All Events Is Over. Stop Doing It. Personalization isn't a single action, it's a series of intentional, strategic choices that come together to make every attendee feel genuinely valued. We’re not just organizing events anymore — we’re crafting journeys. 🧭 In today’s marketplace, attendees expect more than just a badge and a schedule. They want curated content, meaningful connections, and real-time relevance that makes them feel seen. That’s where hyper-personalization comes in. And no, it’s not just using someone’s name in an email. It’s about using data and technology to design experiences that feel custom-built for each person. 🧠📊 As an event marketer, I’m all in on data-driven strategy. This is where we move beyond logistics and design every touchpoint to be personal, memorable, and valuable. Here's some ways that can look like across the attendee journey: Before the Event: 🎯 Targeted Invitations & Content: Use behavioral data to send invites that speak directly to someone's interests. A marketer might get a blog post on campaign strategy, while a developer receives a product case study. 📝 Dynamic Registration: Ask tailored questions based on the attendee’s role or industry to build rich attendee profiles from the start. During the Event: 🤖 AI-Powered Agendas & Recommendations: Event apps can recommend sessions, speakers, and exhibitors based on real-time behavior, interests, and profiles — reducing decision fatigue and maximizing impact. 🤝 Smart Networking: Go beyond job titles. Use AI to match attendees with shared goals, values, or expertise for deeper, more meaningful conversations. 🎉 Personalized On-Site Experiences: Greet attendees by name on welcome screens, print session tracks on badges, or use RFID to tailor in-person interactions. 📽️ Customized Content Delivery: Make booth visits unforgettable. When someone scans their badge, show a video personalized to their company, role, or industry — turning a quick interaction into a memorable moment. 🧢 Personalized Swag: Skip the generic t-shirt. Offer attendees the ability to choose colors, styles, or even print their name on a water bottle or notebook. After the Event 📬 Tailored Follow-Up: Instead of a generic “thanks for coming,” send curated content based on sessions they attended, people they connected with, and their unique interests. 📚 Personalized Content Hubs: Create a portal where attendees can revisit the event — with homepages tailored to their track, interests, or role. 📊 Custom Surveys: Don’t ask vague questions. Personalize post-event feedback forms to reflect their specific journey. 🤔 What's one thing you're doing to add a touch of personalization to your events? Or, as an attendee, what's a personalization strategy that has truly impressed you? Let's share some ideas in the comments! #EventProfs #EventMarketing #HyperPersonalization #EventTech #ExperienceDesign #EventStrategy #PersonalizedExperiences

The Cost of Ignorance, The Power of Responsibility When we buy a vehicle, we ensure it doesn’t pollute. We care about mileage, emissions, and environment-friendly features. Then why do we ignore solid and liquid waste management in our most valuable investments — our homes and properties? We care about air quality, environment, climate change, food, and water... But when it comes to waste, we: ❌ Dump it ❌ Burn it ❌ Pollute water bodies ❌ Ignore it A Reality Check * India generates over 1.6 lakh+ tonnes of solid waste daily. * Only ~25% is scientifically processed. The rest? Landfills, open dumping, or drains. Bulk Waste Generators produce 30–40% of urban waste but most don't treat it at source. * Only 37% of wastewater is treated in India. And our rivers and groundwater are choking with untreated sewage. The solution lies in Decentralized Waste Management: * Compost wet waste at source * Install STPs that reuse 70%+ water * Recycle dry waste * Educate, segregate, and regenerate– build a circular mindset For Planners : ✔ Design infrastructure with on-site STPs, composters, recycling units. ✔ Avoid central systems that stress ULBs. ✔ Decentralized systems reduce costs, add resale value, and help earn environmental compliance. Beauty isn't just landscaping. True design respects soil, water, air, and health. For Societies & Citizens: ✔ Segregate at source (wet/dry/hazardous). ✔ Compost within premises — it's easy, cost-saving, and rewarding. ✔ STPs reuse 70%+ water for flushing, gardens, and cooling. ✔ Save thousands in water costs. You manage electricity, water, security — why not your own waste too? Why this matters for all: * Burning waste pollutes the air we breathe * Untreated sewage poisons our water sources * Open dumping destroys soil health and public hygiene * More educated = more consumption = more waste *Let’s prove that education brings responsibility, not just convenience. Decentralised Solid & Liquid Waste Management is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. * Prevents disease outbreaks * Reduces municipal burden * Empowers communities * Saves money * Preserves natural resources * Builds Aatmanirbhar Bharat through sustainable practices It’s Our Waste. It’s Our Duty. # Let’s design, build, and manage our spaces with awareness and accountability. Because this isn’t just an environmental issue — # It’s about our health, our dignity, our children’s future. # Let’s not make cleanliness just a campaign. # Let’s make it our culture. # Because waste isn’t someone else’s problem. # It’s ours — and so is the solution. Follow for more: Bawyeos Media Hub #MyWasteMyResponsibility #DecentralisedWasteManagement #STP #SWM #SBM #UrbanDesign #GreenDevelopment #CircularEconomy #SmartSociety #SustainableIndia #ArchitectsForChange #DevelopersResponsibility #RWALeadership #SwachhBharat #WasteToResource #ULB #India2030 #ourresponsibility #prideforchange #yimby #ahmedabad #gujarat #india

One Guest. Three Departments. Four Apologies. The guest just wanted a quiet room, an early dinner, and late check-out. But each department blamed the other. No coordination. No ownership. And the guest? He checked out — from the hotel and from the brand. The Story A boutique hotel asked me to investigate a trend: “Guests say they feel like they’re speaking to four different hotels — in the same building.” I followed one guest’s experience: The receptionist promised a quiet room. Housekeeping cleaned it late. Room service forgot the early dinner request. The night manager refused the late check-out “because no one noted it.” Each team apologized. But the damage was done. The guest left saying: > “Your people are nice. But they don’t talk to each other. I’m tired of repeating myself.” The Problem: Fragmented Operations = Broken Experience In hospitality, the guest doesn’t see departments. They see one hotel. But internally, most hotels operate in silos: Front desk doesn’t sync with housekeeping. Kitchen doesn’t talk to reception. Guests keep re-explaining their needs. The Consequences 😖 Guests feel exhausted — not pampered 📉 Lower online ratings due to inconsistency 💬 Staff frustration rises (“That’s not my department”) 🔁 Drop in repeat guests — especially corporate clients 📊 Reduced operational efficiency and accountability Root Cause Analysis 1. No cross-department communication system 2. Each team focused only on their KPIs, not the guest journey 3. Lack of shared guest notes or service timeline 4. Zero accountability for follow-through What We Did ✅ Guest Journey Mapping Identified all guest touchpoints — and who’s responsible at each moment ✅ Daily 10-Min “Sync-Up” Briefing All team leads aligned at 10 AM on guest priorities and special requests ✅ Shared Digital Logbook Every department could view updates, requests, and service notes in real time ✅ "One Team" Policy If a guest makes a request, it’s the receiver’s job to ensure it gets done — not just forward it ✅ KPI Realignment Departments were evaluated on guest satisfaction, not just internal targets Results After 21 Days 🗣 Guests stopped repeating themselves — thanks to better handovers ⭐ Review ratings mentioned “seamless service” 😃 Staff reported better teamwork and less blame-shifting 💼 2 corporate accounts renewed because of the “one voice” guest care 🔁 Rebooking rate improved by 19% Advice from Dr Jeff HD 💡 Guests don’t care who made the mistake. They care that it happened. You’re not just running departments — You’re orchestrating an experience. Fix the communication. And you’ll fix the reputation.

The moment the guest steps into your car — they’re stepping into your world. Are you treating it that way? A father traveling solo with two overtired children. A jet-lagged executive trying to land mentally before a meeting. A couple caught between silence and euphoria after a mid-flight proposal. We obsess over welcome rituals and lobby choreography. But for many luxury hotels, the first brand touchpoint is handled by someone else. A third-party driver. No context. No emotional read. No brand fluency. And by the time the guest reaches the door, the team could already be on the back foot. But what if the journey didn’t begin at the lobby? What if it began the second the car door closed? The Peninsula understands this. Their new Rolls-Royce fleet isn’t just a symbol — it’s strategy. It signals: you’ve entered our world. Lighting. Scent. Temperature. The driver knows the guest’s name, reason for travel, even emotional state. A wellness drink is waiting. A playlist designed to soothe. Every detail builds pre-arrival alignment. It’s not transport. It’s transition. Because here’s the truth: The ROI on chauffeur service isn’t about kilometres. It’s about the guest’s mindset on arrival: - Fewer recoveries - Smoother check-ins - Higher upsell conversion - Stronger emotional stickiness And above all — Return on Emotion. Best in Class: - The Peninsula Hotels Hong Kong: Fully owned Rolls-Royce fleet. Drivers trained in etiquette, storytelling, and discretion. Guests often cite the ride as a highlight. - Aman Tokyo: Pickups choreographed with brand stillness. Silence, scent, and space mirror the spa. - Rosewood Hotel Group Hong Kong: Soft-spoken chauffeurs. In-car scent and playlist matched to suite. Arrival feels like home. What This Means for GMs and Hospitality Leaders: 1. Own the first 30 minutes Audit the full arrival arc — not just logistics, but emotion. If you’re not shaping it, someone else is. 2. Make your chauffeur service a branded product Create SOPs to train drivers in guest intel, cultural nuance, brand tone, and situational EQ. 3. Codify care using CRM Track scent, music, lighting, drink preferences — and scale emotional consistency. 4. Choreograph the handover Lobby teams should extend the mood, not interrupt it. Receive the guest’s emotional state, not just their luggage. 5. Layer ritual into the ride Personalised wellness drinks. handwritten forecast cards/Spa reminder note. A lavender wipe after a red-eye. These aren’t extras — they’re alignment cues. 6. Measure ROI and ROE Go beyond vehicle utilisation. Track arrival mood, repeat rate, recovery triggers, emotional recall. Final Thought: The car isn’t a transfer. It’s a mood reset. A sensory primer. An invitation into something intentional. And when done right — The guest doesn’t arrive. They exhale. #LuxuryHospitality #GuestExperience #ChauffeurStrategy #BrandImmersion #ArrivalMatters #PeninsulaMoments #EmotionalDesign #ROE #CRMStrategy #EDGDesign #LuxuryHotels