Importance of Networking

No matter what type of business you have, you will always have "competitors".  As we would all love to live in a perfect world where our businesses and services are the only offered, in today’s economy you aren’t simply competing with businesses in your area but business all over. When a consumer is making the decision of whom to do business with, they will feel more comfortable doing business with someone they trust, and therefore relationships matter. Clients can tell the vendors that work together often or socialize outside of the event industry.  We all know the phrase “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.  However, we're a true believer of community over competition 100%! Not to mention, there is enough business for us all and we can't do them all...it's good to know others in your community that you can recommend when you are booked.  So why not get connected with other vendors and network?

Build Relationships- Building relationships creates business in the future. When networking and meeting other business owners, establishing what it is your company offers and its vision will help create new avenues for business. Networking is a means for a business to tell their story. Utilizing networking socials to introduce your business and products can expand your client base. “Word of mouth” has become the top marketing tool in building clientele. If you are not telling your story and explaining what you do, your business could remain stagnant. Be strategic in planning where and how you spend your time. Select the functions and programs based on the most impact and effectiveness. You do not have to be everywhere all the time, but you do have to make choices to maximize the time you have.

Networking opens the doors to many beneficial avenues. When collaborating with people from your industry, you are bound to get talking about what has been happening. This provides a great opportunity to hear what trends are occurring, and areas in which others have been focusing on. It is also a great chance to understand the trends of your target market if you are attending for business growth purposes. Networking events provides you’re with the chance to connect with key influences and leaders in your field who could offer advice for growth in your company.

Networking events have been very beneficial to me. As I approach in the near future of entering my field of work, I have had the opportunity to learn and shadow many key influence's in my career field. I have learned building connections with others with like-minded goals and objectives will benefit you and build a relation that will increase business opportunity.

~Riddim Hackett (KYAE Intern)  

The Inspired Intern: Valeria Torres

Hi everyone! My name is Valeria Torres & I am also interning with Knot Your Average Events this summer. A little bit about me: I was born in Florida, which is where I spent the majority of my childhood before moving to the Piedmont

area of North Carolina. I currently attend UNCG (one more year until graduation!!) studying Community Recreation and Event Planning with a minor in Sociology. In the fall, I begin my senior year, however I will be spending August through December studying abroad in Lima, Peru! When I'm not in class, (talking myself into) going to the gym or binge watching Grey’s Anatomy, you can usually find me giving tours on campus to prospective high school students, as I work as a Spartan Guide for the undergraduate admissions department of UNCG.

Over the time period of the next two and a half months, I plan on immersing myself into the event planning business. While most of what I will be doing is weddings with Jenn, a lot of it can be applied to a various amount of events. My main goal of my internship is to be able to walk away from this experience confident that I learned as much as possible and to feel as though I always kept an open mind. I am incredibly excited about this summer and all it that it holds for me. I look forward to sharing a few of those events with all of you during the incoming weeks!

- Intern Valeria 

Intern Q

Meet Intern Q!

Hi! My name is Quineece Huntley and I am a recent graduate of The University of North Carolina in Greensboro where I studied Community and Therapeutic Recreation. I’m a military brat through and through, my mother was in the Air Force for 27 years! I began my school days as a tot in Japan and graduated high school in Iceland! I have live in more than 4 different states throughout the United States and have been able to experience various cultures and meet all types of people. This year has been filled with amazing experiences, including my son, Chancelor, turning 1! 

It’s been hectic juggling my little man, school and work, but each has provided me an opportunity to experience new, exciting things. I am grateful that I have an opportunity to work with Jenn and her KYAE staff and learn more about event planning and networking. She has so much insight and information and is gracious enough to share it with anyone who wants to learn more! I am excited to be on this journey and ready to learn as much as possible. I hope you enjoy it as well, see you soon!

***Intern Q

Raving about Rave

Hey! My name is Raven but call me Rave for short. I am originally from Charleston, South Carolina. I moved to Charlotte, NC, in 2006, and I currently reside in Greensboro, NC. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) brought me to the triad region where I have begun to develop an amazing network of friends and colleagues. This spring was my last semester of intense coursework in which I also gave birth to my baby girl Rhea. It was definitely a challenge finishing school and having my first child. But I am so proud of her and she is truly my testimony that proves I can do anything I put my heart into.

 I am so blessed to have the opportunity to work alongside Jenn and the entire KYAE staff. I believe the best way to elevate yourself in any field, profession, hobby, or personal goal is to learn from those before you. What better way than to gain from someone who is already successful in the exact thing it is that you want to do? I want to learn as much as my brain’s storage capacity can allow (LOL). Most importantly for me is learning how to adapt to various situations and a diversity of people. The technical part of event planning (booking vendors, design, schedules i.e.) can be mastered but customer service will always present a new challenge. I am excited about becoming culturally competent; becoming aware of different people and different interest. This is my hope for my future in event planning. Right now I am taking in all of the knowledge, gaining the experience and just keeping an open mind; so that one day I’ll have you RAVING about my events!

Unity Ceremonies

Knot Your Average Events... Uniting Love Forever

Unity ceremonies have been around in various ways for years. It all began with Unity Sand and Candle Ceremonies hundreds or even thousands of years ago. By use of Sand it’s a way for couples to display the joining of the flow of two lives into a single stream, or a meaningful ceremony that joins existing families into a single bond of love. The flowing sand and blending of the colors in the Unity Sand Ceremony symbolizes the bringing together of two lives into one. The two sands represent everything that the bride and groom have been or will become in the future. Candle lighting unity ceremonies give representation for a bride and groom as together you light this candle of unity. You symbolize the flame of your own individual selves joining to ignite the partnership of marriage. You also bring the warmth, strength and wisdom of your family’s fire as kindling for your own. As bride and groom, your flames are separate, yet they feed the same fire. These traditional ceremonies have been popular among couples symbolizing the public joining of love during wedding ceremonies.

Unity Ceremonies: not just sand and candles anymore

The great thing about a Unity ceremony is you can make it whatever you want it to be! It doesn't have to be traditional, or it can be traditional but with your own added spin. Make it something that’s personal and representative of you both and your relationship. To help spark your creatively-custom wedding ideas for unity ceremonies I've scoured the internet and included some of the unity ceremonies I've found to be unique and great ideas for a bride and grooms special day.

• Ring Warming Ceremony

Photo Cred: Google

Include guests in the ceremony by having each person bless your bands.Send one ring down one side of the aisle and the other down the opposite, with every guest having a chance to hold the rings and bestow their blessings and positive thoughts toward the marriage.

Paint A Picture

Photo Cred: Google

Express your emotions during your union with a collaborative piece of art. This couple's officiant led them pair through a painting.

photo credit: Google

• Blending White Wine and Red Wine

Photo Cred: Google

Mixing together two different wines symbolizes the importance of hard work and nurturement your new marriage will need, symbol to how good wine needs years of hard work before producing a finished bottle.

• Sealing Away Love Box

Custom-design a treasure box to lock up on your wedding day. It can hold anything from special photos, to love letters or a couple bottles of wine that will be opened on a designated anniversary. Seal them in a special box that can be opened during a milestone anniversary.

Photo credit: Christian Shoffner

• Tree Planting Ceremony

The bride and groom plant a tree together with dirt from each of their childhood homes. The parents can add water to symbolize their influence in the couple's lives. After the ceremony, the couple will plant the tree at their new home, symbolizing putting down roots, longevity and strength in their marriage.

(KYAE photo)

A Bitter Sweet Ending!

As my event planning internship ends, I wanted to extend a sincere thank you to Jennifer Ball and “Knot Your Average Events” for providing me with such a great experience this semester. It was exciting to be able to apply educational and developing lessons learned in real life action plans. I am grateful for the expertise Jennifer added in aiding my development as a future event planner in the recreation sector. This Spring internship has been the best experience for me as I conclude my undergraduate degree.

Working in the event planning industry has grown to be my personal interest and passion. With the help of Jennifer Ball both as a professor and mentor throughout this internship, I have learned positive and productive use of talent and education to creating a career path. One important piece of my internship that I have taken away and will carry in my future is the importance of networking. Networking is critical to your professional growth and development. Being connected with others who share your interests will keep you from becoming outdated and behind the times also collaborating to share ideas. During this semester I have had the pleasure to attend many networking and social events meeting other in my career field.

Although I previously worked as an employee for “Knot Your Average Events”. As I took on the internship role it opened doors for me to view the business side of the company from a different perspective of learning. Jennifer has demonstrated with many of hours in the office and prep work that loving what you do for a living makes the late nights worth it. As I assisted this semester dealing with a lot of weddings, I have learned so much of the behind the scenes legwork that goes unnoticed to the public eye. It is important to be a leader and very strong with communication to succeed in planning large events. Always be prepared for the unexpected and always have trust in yourself. I admire Jennifer as this semester shadowing her, I don't recall a time I have ever seen her down or out of character. Dealing with wedding planning and the stress of not one but multiple brides at once can become overwhelming. While some days were worse than other, Jennifer would always have solutions and always smile no matter the weight of a situation. In my eyes, this is what makes her a successful business owner.

With my undergraduate studies coming to an end. I will always remember Spring 2017 as an intern for “Knot Your Average Events” and the lessons learned to apply in my future career.

Again, Thank you Jennifer for a great semester!

-Riddim Hackett

Spring 2017 Intern