Job Description : Event Designer

Career Profile of an Event Designer

 

What is an Event Designer? An event designer is someone who will design and execute an overall look for an event. The type of events they work on can include: weddings, product launches, fashion shows, conferences, exhibitions, gala dinners, corporate functions & festivals.  Some designers will also plan, consult and coordinate but more often than not, they will limit their services to design and decor.

 

Personality Requirements. You need to be creative with a good eye for colour. The ability to think outside the box and look at a venue as a blank canvass is a must, so you can effectively create something out of nothing. Working to deadlines under pressure is helpful as is being organized and having great attention to detail.

 

Quick Facts. Event designers are used for their creative flair and often work alongside event planners and event managers. It is the combination of many skills such as window & set dressing, fashion design, merchandising & styling, interior design & décor and colour management. Event design will see you working with many different elements including:

• Backdrops and Props
• Flowers
• Fabrics
• Balloons
• Lighting
• Entertainment, Signage, and Food
•  Candles, Ice, Pyrotechnics
• Event Design software

 

Education. Most companies will expect you to be well versed in the use of a basic CAD design program such as Vivien 2.0 virtual event design software. It is also desirable to have a good knowledge in event planning and be able to combine this skill with event design. Courses such as the Cert II & Cert III in Event Planning and Design at www.aawep.com.au cover all the basics you need to help you get into the industry at the ground level.

 

Basic Job Description. The primary job responsibilities of an Event Designer include: overseeing and directing all aspects of a scenic décor project's planning, production and design - from conception, proposal creation and budgeting through project pre-production, installation and completion.

 

Related Jobs. Event Producer, Event Manager, Event Planner, Audio Visual Technician, Floor Plan Designer, Set Designer, Event Marketer & Exhibition Designer.

 

Earning Capacity. $40,000 - $90,000 - it really does depend on how far you’re prepared to travel and how much experience you have as well.

 

Interview with an Event Designer.

What’s your name and how long have you been in the Special Events Industry?

My name’s Kylie Carlson and I have spent the large majority of my life in the Special Events industry. It is now coming up to 20 years.

How did you get into the industry?

I learnt my trade the hard way as there weren’t any courses available when I first entered the industry. I did my apprenticeship with a company called ‘Main Event’ who was on the outskirts of London. It was there that I learnt everything I know now and developed a real passion for the industry. I stayed with them for 3 years and then decided to go travelling to the US.

What did you do in the US?

I worked at several hotels in Chicago and then moved to New York. Whilst I was there I got trained as an etiquette consultant within a large wedding and event planning firm. I returned to the UK 18 months later and got a job with ‘Dream Events’ who were based in North London and serviced both private and corporate clients. The owners were both Jewish so we planned a lot of bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs which was very different to anything else I had ever done.

 

When did you get your big break in the industry?

Well Dream Events ended up going into liquidation 2 years after I joined and I bought the assets. I then re-launched the company under a new name with two distinct brands – Organised Kaos Events and Themed Events. I had a wonderful time working with my team and loved every minute of it. We won several contracts with some of London’s top hotels as suppliers of all their theming and décor. These included: The Dorchester, The Savoy and the Langham to name but a few. The company went from strength to strength. After three years, I started a wedding planning division of the company which was swiftly followed up with a children’s party division as well.

So how did you end up in Australia?

Seven years ago I was swept off my feet by an Aussie who I met whilst on holiday in Australia. To cut a very long story short, he moved to London for a while until we made the decision to make the big move to Australia. So I had to sell the company and up sticks to Australia. When I arrived I had no idea what I was going to do with myself, so I accepted a position on Hayman Island as the Event Operations Manager which gave me a great insight into the events industry in Australia.

Is the industry different over in the UK?

Yes! It didn’t take me long to realise that things were very different over here to in the UK. For a start there was no education for wedding planners, so I set about changing this and wrote my own professional wedding planning course. The rest as they say is history and the Academy is now the leader in industry training for Special Events.

Do you still work in the industry?

I still keep my hand in and enjoy planning the odd wedding and event, but I am allot more selective in what I take on these days. My main working day is spent within the Academy and I spend alot of time researching new trends and keeping up with the changes in the industry.

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into this industry?

This job is not for the fainthearted.  To be an event designer you need the patience of a saint, the skin of an alligator and the soul of an artist. My top 5 tips if you want to be successful are:

 

1.     Take a training course

2.     Get an internship

3.     Get connected and network with your suppliers

4.     Attend regular seminars, workshops and conferences

5.     Keep up to date with trends and do plenty of research