I own an events company

[wellgood]

We are surviving. Just.

Can hopefully get through to spring. But if weddings / conferences are going to be off the table next winter then we really are fucked.

Whitty's comments about possible restrictions next winter made my blood run cold.

I keep thinking we are nearly there and then hope goes. I know for most people no big events for a few extra months is bearable but it's literally my life's work and income.

Struggling.

Here with you - we do weddings & events. Costs are still incurred whilst we wait for events. No help from the govt apart from one small grant that covered 2 days worth of costs.
Weddings & events have effectively been stopped since March last year, despite us showing consistently that we can operate in a Covid secure way when we're open.
We are viable. Our industry works, we just haven't been allowed the opportunity to show that.
We have been discriminated against (VAT rates lowered for hospitality EXCLUDING weddings!!?).
We have been ignored & belittled by Paul Scully.
One day we will be back, and we just have to hope that others round us survive too.

I feel for you, events are 75% of our business and it's terrifying. I don't know that I've got any encouragement, but solidarity

@HopelessBlue192 great post.

Weddings would be very easy to track and trace from plus rapid testing would unlock them almost immediately. Incredibly frustrating.

A great lady questioned Boris a few weeks ago on PMQT and he indicated we'd be back to normal by spring but it feels increasingly unlikely.

Hugely feel for you OP and hope that things improve faster than the doomsday predictions and people are sensible

I feel for you. Worked in event catering till a couple of years ago and I've felt terrible for the whole industry. Things I've seen some businesses do are set up pop-up café stalls (when allowed in the summer), supplying marquees to pubs and as temporary classrooms, and creating food boxes for people to recreate their food at home. Of course those things only work if you have resources and space already. Hope things get better into the spring.

Are you able to maybe put together smaller in house celebrations where families who live together/ couples can celebrate special things like birthdays/ anniversaries?
Food, decorations and maybe some sort of entertainment? Online games/performances.
Providing catering options for families who are watching films with their families via the Disney+ sharing thing (I had a notification about it the other day, you can watch films with the loved ones you can't physically be with)

You could help people with whiskey/wine tasting events hosted via online conferences and you supply the food & drink.

We were looking for something similar for DDs birthday over Christmas. We would love to have someone arrange a fancy date for us at home as we can't get out.

I don't even know if restrictions would allow, but there could be some money in it.

I’d look for another job and try to run the business alongside.

Why don't you offer some type of online wedding advice service, covid wedding on a budget etc. Small fee can be charged. Like how to make your own table favours of something to help people keep costs down. I know alot of this is online but if you market it right it could help bring in some money.

Conferencing equipment projectors etc to make virtual events happen. Many many people struggle with tech that is always changing.

Or offer wedding planning services at a budget to help people, there is always someone who will need help

In particular you could focus on covid weddings and how someone can use technology to stream wedding to everyone who cant make it.

I dont know, but your gonna have to adapt

I don't know what sort of events you do but companies round here started doing outdoor tee pees, elf and Santa visits and character visits for kids birthdays. Obviously from the window. Could you diversify a little? It's a really really tough time. I feel for you!

It's shit OP, I'm also in weddings. I both feel awful for Brides I've developed a relationship with who have had to postpone and cancel their weddings, and an consumed with fear our industry simply won't survive.

Like PP suggested, you could help people who are still wanting a covid wedding

You could provide the way to stream to the guests who can't make it, you could even arrange little videos for the happy couple from their guests. You know like the little bits of advice from granny etc that they'd miss out on otherwise.
You could arrange delivery of a wedding box for all guests who can't make it, consisting of a meal, some drinks, a slice of wedding cake.

You could really incorporate every single piece of the wedding.
Flower deliveries for the Mother of the bride, the mother inlaw on the day.

I'm sure there's a way it could be made really special.

Maybe write a book and self-publish on Amazon - How to organise your wedding or How to run a wedding planner company?

It’s the uncertainty that is so brutal. I have friends who run a wedding venue and there is just no sense of when and what size weddings will be allowed. Does anyone have a guess about what will be allowed when? Spring weddings are starting to freak and try to postpone.

Could u plan remote kids birthdays- it’s the only celebration I think people will bother with still with restrictions. Deliver ready made packages (look at what celebrities like Rochelle Humes did for their children in lockdown).

@wellgood, I know this may seem like an utterly stupid idea, but what about promoting zoom weddings?

our work conferences are going virtual with pre-recorded talks from keynote speakers etc. But the speakers HATE doing their talk to a black screen from home and it often ends up being a bad talk.

We've considered hiring a videographer to visit the home of each keynote speaker & record the talk with professional quality audio + video then edit it properly. That would massively improve the talk quality and the experience for the keynote speakers. But I don't know of any company that does this. It could be an opportunity?

Do 1-day or evening or something online courses on planning your wedding / other event? How to get into events planning? Make them modular eg evening classes for 2 hours?

@2020quelhorreur yes - so many spring postponements. Even May / June / July couples are twitchy.

@ssd the thing is our couples want to hold out for a proper big day so they are postponing completely.

I have a friend who has a similar business and have seen how much her finances have been impacted. Mortgage freeze, now just paying interest, new car has gone, kids are out of nursery because they can’t afford it. I feel so, so sorry for her... she’s such a grater as well and has built
It all up herself to be incredibly successful.

Grafter*

@parietal me and Dp are in this line of work. Feel free to pm me. Depending on where you are I could put you in touch with someone who would be able to help you out.

I totally get why they are postponing the big day. But could you afford to offer them a great incentive eg. Have a zoom wedding and we'll provide the venue/food/drinks for a big party when its allowed? Do you have any contacts who could come on board with you for this?