2021 is almost over, can you believe it? As you start wrapping up your events for this year, the vicious (ahem, I mean, creative) cycle is almost ready to start all over again. It is time to wipe those slates clean and start planning for your 2022 events and experiences.

Small Business Saturday is all about supporting businesses and giving back to your community, and we are never one to miss out on supporting our fellow small business owners. So, for a limited time only, BLME is offering exclusive discounts for startups and small businesses!

Events are an excellent way to create a memorable experience with your organization’s stakeholders. We know what stakeholders are in the case of a company (those who have a vested interest in your company’s success). It’s the same for events.

You’ve thought of your event idea, outlined the concept and created your mood board (Pinterest, we love you). Now what? It can be tempting to quickly hire an event planner, but the truth is, there are foundational items that we need in order to execute your idea effectively and efficiently.

Did you know that in the past year almost 57% of Americans have thought about starting their own business, but the overwhelming majority of them never got past the dreaming stage?

Are you part of that percentage?

Not sure which of our services would best fit your needs? Take our quiz to find out!

Planning an event is an enormous task to take on. There are countless elements that need to be addressed before an event can occur, including: catering, registration, speakers, sponsors, itinerary, virtual platform, bar, AV...and the list goes on and on. With so many different aspects to plan, creating an event from start to finish can be daunting. If you find yourself overwhelmed and unsure where to start or do next in your event planning process, check out BLME’s ideal event planning timeline here.

If you’re like us, right now feels a bit like Deja Vu (and, to be honest, like a bad group project where some people do the work for the entirety of the group). In the Spring, we saw vaccinations as a ticket to ‘normalcy,’ or as close to it as possible.

Although much of the nation is vaccinated, new variants and ever-changing mask mandates have event planner’s heads spinning, and clients thinking twice about large, in-person gatherings in Delta variant hotspots.

A story like mine is not unique, and not new. Hospitality industry veterans are no stranger to the hustle, and its effect on one’s personal life and mental and physical health. Workers who stay later, come earlier, and run themselves into the ground in service of the company they work for are praised, while those looking to achieve work-life balance are mocked.

After over a year of uncertainty, cancellations, pivoting, and changing, the event industry is finally on the track back to normalcy. While event producers are thrilled that we can return to live events and meetings, some audiences are hesitant to attend in-person events. As event industry professionals, it is our duty to create an environment that is welcoming and comfortable for all. For ways to do this, follow BLME’s tips for keeping event attendees informed, comfortable, and safe as the world opens back up.

We can’t believe we are saying this but after a life-altering global pandemic, things are actually returning back to normal! With the vaccine rate up and Covid infection rate down, live events and meetings are starting to make a comeback. While wearing sweatpants on Zoom for over a year had its perks, we at BLME are so excited to get dolled up for the return to live events. Want to know your “return to normal” style? Take our quiz below to find out!