Cvent Supplier Network

Recently opened, The Westin Washington Dulles Airport is the crown jewel of Dulles Corner. Just one mile from Dulles International Airport and fewer than 30 minutes from the nation's capital, The Westin is perfectly located for business and leisure travelers alike.

The 314-room DC hotel boasts 14,000 square feet of flexible event space. Host an off-site meeting in its Executive Boardroom or a cocktail reception in the grand 8,000-square-foot ballroom. No matter what DC meeting space you choose, the Westin's facilities are equipped with sophisticated decor and state-of-the-art audio-visual and communications technology.

Just in time for your next event, The Westin Washington Dulles Airport is offering a great DC hotel deal. Meeting planners can enjoy the Add More Value promotion, which includes:

• 4 percent credit to master
• One complimentary room for every 25 booked
• One complimentary ticket for every 25 booked and special group rates with American Airlines
• 2,500 Starpoints signing bonus for every 25 room nights, up to 100,000 Starpoints

Book by December 31, 2009, to enjoy this great DC promotion.

View more information about The Westin Washington Dulles Airport on the Cvent Supplier Network

Thousands of planners have discovered that the Cvent Supplier Network is a fantastic resource to research meeting venues, whether they’re looking for a venue locally, nationwide, or even globally. But what many planners don’t know is that sending a Request for Proposal (RFP) through the network can equate to major savings for their clients or organization. Did I mention that this service is completely free of cost? Listed below are five cost-saving reasons to send an RFP through the Cvent Supplier Network:

1. Save Time

You may be thinking, “I already have a system in place to source venues for my events, and it works just fine for me.  Why should I invest time in learning a brand new process?” The answer to that question is quite simple—because it will save you much more time in the long run! Do you re-write an RFP for every meeting that you plan? Chances are, if you’re holding an event this year that you have held in previous years, your requirements for a venue probably aren’t going to change much. With the Cvent Supplier Network, you can replicate your previous RFPs and quickly update any changes to send it out year after year. Then, you’ll have a record of all the venues you’ve considered over the years and all of their quotes, easily accessible from your Cvent account.

Maybe your current system doesn’t involve writing RFPs at all, but rather, you research venues on the internet and call the properties directly.  But how long does it take you to Google all the potential venues in an area, confirm that they have the meeting space that you need, find their contact information, wait on hold while the front desk transfers you to the Sales office, relay all the information about your meeting, wait to get emailed back pricing…? You get the picture. Multiply that process by 8-10 properties to make sure you’re getting the best deal, and your days are easily consumed just sourcing your event—not to mention all the planning that comes after! Fortunately, Cvent has a team of representatives called the Supplier Response team who are entirely dedicated to getting your bids back from venues quickly when you send out an RFP. They make all the phone calls and explain your meeting details directly to the venues so you don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. The Supplier Response team also ensures that venues respond to your RFP through the Cvent system in a timely manner so that you can compare your bids side-by-side, all in one place.

2. Gain Negotiating Power

Another reason you might be skeptical of sending an RFP is because you already know the venue where you want to hold your event, or you’ve held it at that location before.  But are you sure that you’re getting the best rate at your stand-by property? What if another property could better suit your needs? On Monday, I wrote a post on how to negotiate better deals by sending an RFP on the Supplier Network. Knowing what else is out there is extremely important, even if you’re sourcing an event locally, because if you have bids from competing properties, you can better negotiate down the rates at your preferred venue. In this economy, several venues have had to significantly change their pricing, and sending an RFP is a quick way to check what the going rate is in an area. You might even find that a venue has an enticing promotion that you just can’t turn down!

3. Build on Existing Relationships

Perhaps you’ve already done your time on hold, waiting to be connected to the correct contact at a venue, and since then you have actually built a rapport with that person.  That’s great! In the meetings and events industry, relationships are extremely important (and they can even help you snag better rates).  With Cvent’s functionality, you can send your RFPs directly to your personal contacts at a venue to ensure that your RFP falls in the right hands. You get all the benefits of having your RFP details and meeting history stored in your Cvent account, plus you get the credit for sending business to your go-to supplier!

4. Leverage National or Global Sales Contacts

What if your contacts aren’t at an individual property but you rely on National or Global Sales contacts at major hotel chains? Cvent has you covered! On the Cvent Supplier Network, you can take advantage of our NSO/GSO forwarding functionality, which allows you to send your RFPs to a National or Global Sales rep.  Then, the NSO or GSO can forward your RFP out through Cvent to its properties that fit your needs. Using this feature, you get all the cost-savings of using the NSO or GSO, plus benefits #1-3 above. 

5. Use a CVB’s Expertise

If your job entails planning meetings in destinations that you’re unfamiliar with, a Convention and Visitors Bureau (also known as a Destination Marketing Organization) can help. A CVB is a non-profit organization that represents a specific metropolitan area or city. Since CVBs are the experts on their respective destinations, using a CVB helps you save time and money because they know which venues in their area are best suited to your RFP.  CVBs also know which properties can offer you the best rates and promotions because they’re always looking for ways to make their city more competitive than the next.  On the Cvent Supplier Network, you can send your RFP to a CVB (or a few), and they can forward your RFP to the best properties in their city.  It’s as simple as searching a major metro area on the Supplier Network and filtering the “Venue Type” on the left hand side of the results screen by clicking “CVB.” Add the CVB to your RFP and launch. Voila! Just wait for the bids to start rolling in.

If you’re not even sure yet which cities to consider for your next meeting, check out the Cvent Destination Guide, which has information specifically geared towards meeting planners about destinations around the world. You can also see which destinations are most economical for your meetings by comparing average stats for each city on our Event Planning Comparison Chart.

Transportation in Atlanta is much different from that of NYC or Washington, DC. Public transportation - MARTA - doesn't go everywhere and taxi cabs can cost you an arm and a leg to get from one end of town to the other. A great solution to transportation hassles is to offer your clients a mobile event.

Atlanta VIP Ride invites you to host an event in their 40-passenger limo. This bus is not your high school band bus: it's complete with three wet bars, a 42-inch plasma TV & a restroom. Other "rides" include the 28-passenger corporate limo bus complete with leather seating, meeting/dining table and luggage storage space.

An event on the go like this is also a great solution for a last-minute event. Many of the unique venues in Atlanta are booked months or even years in advance. No need to stress when you take your event on the open road!

As an added bonus, your guests can make stops at Atlanta attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke and Centennial Olympic Park. Benefits for using party buses vary, but a money-saving, easy cleaning and all-in-one sightseeing package sits well with most visitors when they travel to Atlanta.

View more information about Atlanta VIP Ride and other transportion options in Atlanta on the Cvent Supplier Network

There are so many things to consider when planning your event and most people forget the details. You will need to decide if you need a dance floor, lighting, red carpet, portable restrooms or pipe and drape, for example. But the things you will definitely need if you are throwing your party in a private residence or other Los Angeles conference center are: trash receptacles, glassware, dinnerware, flatware, tables, chairs, serving trays, and linens.

With that said, Pico Party Rents and Classic Party Rentals are some really great companies that can provide the typical rentals you will need for your LA event.

However, if you would like to create magic in your Los Angeles conference facility or other LA venue, I would consider adding unique rentals including colored acrylic chairs, blown glassware, or lighted acrylic bars and tables. Whether you are creating a white wonderland or a cozy winter cottage, sofas, ottomans and wingback chairs in chocolate suede or white pattern leather can create the comfortably chic setting you are striving for.

Two great companies equipped with the real goods Town & Country Event Rentals and Fete Accompli Event Rentals.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Most rental companies will wave the delivery charge with a minimum purchase, so try to get everything you need in one place.

Find more event rental companies in Los Angeles on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Tis the season for Chicago corporate photography professionals. Event planners around the city are getting ready to throw lavish parties in preparation for the holiday season. From corporate employee holiday parties at local restaurants to New Year's celebrations at hotel banquet halls, Chicago event photographers will be busy this season!

In order to capture these holiday memories, event planners around the Windy City are in search of the best candid and portrait photographers. With many well-known media companies as well as independent photographers, Chicago has a plethora of options, all guaranteed to capture the best moments of these important evenings.

Check out some of these great event photographers in Chicago:

EventGallery LLC
All Events Photography
Edward Fox Photography
Fred Fox Studios
Megan Szabo Photography Studio
Photogenic, Inc.
Stuart Rodgers Photography

To find more event photographers in Chicago, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Within the many hotels in the downtown Chicago area, travelers have their choice when picking the right property for them. What some people may not know, though, is that Chicago hotels are home to many fine dining restaurants. Many of these Chicago restaurants are considered the hottest spots to see and be seen and should not be missed!

The hotel properties listed below house some of the best restaurants in Chicago. These properties are great for welcome receptions, cocktail hours following a long day in meeting rooms or just for elegant private dinners. Although most planners overlook the restaurants in hotel properties, for shorter trips to Chicago, these can be great Chicago banquet facilities to entertain clients or co-workers.

The Palmer House Hilton - Lockwood Restaurant
Located in the Palmer House Hilton, this Chicago private dining facility was rated in the top 10 best restaurants by Chicago Tribune in 2008. Lockwood's chef has created a wide variety of upscale menus for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, pre-fixed, tastings, dinner and more! Menu includes items include Hawaiian bass and lobster and lamb loin in a fig mint marinade.

Park Hyatt Chicago - NoMi
NoMi is French cuisine with a "global flair." Its menu includes small bites or a full course meal, with options to please any guest. NoMi's wine cellar is a popular Chicago party venue to host small receptions or networking events for larger meetings.

The Fairmont Chicago - Aria
Aria's culinary team creates a very ethnic menu. The team is from Thailand, Korea, China and Japan, as well as a few Chicago locals and a member from the South. This cultivation of cooking styles creates a flavorful menu with items like BBQ duck chow mein.

The Swissotel - The Palm
The Palm is a well-known, traditional steakhouse in Chicago. It's unique in a sense that they offer a "Business Lunch" menu that includes tenderloin medallions and fresh fish. These menu options make it simple to coordinate business lunches following daily meetings.

To learn more about hotel properties in Chicago, or their in-house restaurants, please visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

For some who travel to Atlanta for extensive week long seminars or draining conferences, there should always be time for rest and relaxation. Not only will it increase your guests' attention span at meetings and events, but it also boasts their health and overall well-being. There are several venues both in Atlanta and just a short drive away where attendees - and even event planners themselves - can enjoy some R&R.

The Georgia Bulldogs are not the only highlight of Athens, Georgia. The Foundry Park Inn & Spa, located in downtown Athens, is the intersection of serenity and southern hospitality. With over 12,000 square feet of special event space, this venue is perfect for those who work hard and play hard. The full-service retreat includes spa body treatments, home inspired accommodations and a state-of-the-art fitness center. 

If your clients enjoy the bright lights of Atlanta but prefer a secluded destination, a hour's drive south the city will bring you to The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens. Recently listed as the first US Green Building Council LEED-certified business conference center in the world, this is not only a retreat for yourself but for mother earth as well. The spa invites guests to unwind in relaxation lounges, saunas and steam rooms.

No time to leave the city, but still want to feel refreshed? In lieu of breakfast room service, at Atlanta's Hotel Palomar, treat your guests to an early morning selection from the spa menu. No need to leave the suite, luxury comes to you in the form of various organic massage and body treatments.

When it comes to giving your meeting attendees a break from the boardroom, or even for incentive travel, Atlanta meeting planners should certainly consider these relaxing retreats.

View more information about Fondry Park, Callaway Gardens, Hotel Palomar Atlanta Midtown and other unique Atlanta venues on the Cvent Supplier Network

December is coming and the chanting of "Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!"is getting more and more intense with each passed yard. For sports fanatics in the Orlando area, this time of year means fantasy frenzy and football parties.

Orlando, a huge tourist destination, has a lot of draw for professional fans as well as players. Luckily, the city has plenty of event venues to accommodate sports-themed events of any size. If you are looking to throw an O-town tailgating party, the Orlando party venues are close to limitless.

Consider these two top Orlando restaurants for your next affair:

TGI Friday's Front Row

This multi-level sports bar is a great Orlando dining facility, offering over 150 televisions airing sporting events from around the country. Friday's friendly team is ready and willing to make your tailgating event or cocktail hour a themed and highly enjoyable one.

ESPN Zone

Just outside of Orlando, ESPN Zone is unique Orlando venue is a sporting fanatic's dream. Complete with games and memorabilia in the open gaming arena, this casual dining destination at Disney's Boardwalk is sure to be a great place for young and old to gather for luncheons, casual receptions and more.

Find more special event facilities in Orlando on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Pictures hold two key benefits for third-party planners. First, photos are an opportunity to prove that they can create successful events. Whether they are posed or candid, photos can be the deciding factor in whether or not you book your next event. Second, often times attendees who forget their camera will still want memories of how the event transpired - and they'll expect you to provide them.

Selecting an event photographer is a challenging task. Without proper knowledge of photographic elements, lighting or even the basic skills of your photographer, you run the risk of having a great event with mediocre pictures.

Be sure your photographers have everything they will need for excellent pictures. Check out their online portfolios, inquire about their photography equipment, and confirm their guest count (some photographers bring assistants). Have an area for guests to take posed photos that is clear of wires, AV equipment and, most of all, people.

Atlanta photographers Atlpics and Sandra Rose have made a name for themselves in the Atlanta event sector by posting event photos online. This is a benefit to both your guests and your brand recognition. It will only guests to see everyone that attended as well as preserve memories of the event. For your benefit, the photos will create a buzz about your event planning talents and possibly gain potential clients that may have never thought about hiring you.

All in all, remember that seeing is believing. You want your prospective clients to believe that you can create eye-catching events!

Find more information about Atlanta photographers on the Cvent Supplier Network.

One of Dallas' trendiest boutique hotels is also one of Dallas' greenest. Hotel Palomar, a member of San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels, has embraced a new trend and made it standard practice through their EarthCare program. This company-wide philosophy is taking giant steps towards ensuring a more sustainable planet by practicing over 70 "eco-practices" on a daily basis, including industry firsts such as in-room recycle bins, environmentally friendly cleaning products, and energy efficient lighting.

This forward thinking mindset parlays over to the meetings side as well. With their EarthCare Meetings Packages, this Dallas boutique hotel infuses full-service functions with small yet crucial facets of eco-conscientiousness like recycled paper products, soy-based ink, and locally grown, organic ingredients. In addition, a portion of all proceeds are donated to Kimpton's EarthCare partner, the Trust for Public Land, which promotes greener urban areas like rooftop gardens and inner city parks.

All this combined with innovative meeting ideas can truly make for memorable meetings. If you're looking to take the bored out of boardroom for your next Dallas meeting, look no further than Hotel Palomar. This Dallas hotel offers a variety of packages that will stir imaginations and challenge expectations with some very creative approaches.

Take, for example, the Fun Worship Package. This package offers a clever assortment of playful distractions that add unexpected fun to your meetings by incorporating games and toys like Rubik's Cube, PlayDoh, and Legos. Another signature package to consider is the Elements of Wellness Package. This takes on a spa-like retreat by introducing aromatherapy, massage breaks, wii fit (yup!), and a healthy menu.

This Dallas event space offers the following:

• 9,000 square feet of usable Dallas meeting space (including pre-function space)
• a 6,500 square-foot Grand Ballroom that is divisible into four separate rooms
• numerous and flexible breakout and boardroom options
• in-house audio-visual professionals (no charge for sound patch or wireless)
• tables and linens
• 24 hour, full-service business center
• on-site secured garage parking

Hotel Palomar is located in the ultra-posh Park Cities area and is a quick trip from Dallas Love Field Airport. It also sits directly across one of the trendiest spots for dining, entertainment, and shopping in Dallas: Mockingbird Station.

View more information about Hotel Palomar Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network

Historic Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot pier that extends on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. Located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Navy Pier was originally built to serve many different purposes including to serve as a cargo facility for freight shipments, docking space for passenger excursion steamers as well as a trendy place for public gatherings.

Today, Navy Pier is the number one tourist attraction in Chicago. It the location of numerous on-site sightseeing tour companies, four luxury dinner cruise ships, a huge Ferris wheel, the Chicago Children's Museum, the Shakespeare Theater, the Crystal Gardens as well as various restaurants, bars and shops.

Navy Pier is also home to a festival hall and numerous Chicago meeting spaces. Its two main exhibition spaces of a combined 170,100 square feet offer lots of flexibility and functionality. This space is able to accommodate up to 900 standard tradeshow booths; it's also a great Chicago party venue, capable of seating banquets or theater arrangements.

Navy Pier is also equipped with a Grand Ballroom; said to be one of the best Chicago ballrooms built. The Grand Ballroom is fashioned with an 80-foot domed ceiling lined with lights and affords panoramic views of Lake Michigan, making it incomparable with other venues around the city. Along with the rental of the ballroom, planners are offered the option to extend their function space into the Lakeview Terrace or Rooftop, both of which have unmatched views of the Chicago skyline. These can be used alone as function space or as an additional pre-function space for large Chicago events.

View more information about Navy Pier on the Cvent Supplier Network

Once you have chosen your perfect Los Angeles venue and settled on your fabulous fare, it's time to choose the bar selections. With a sit-down dinner, I suggest a bottle of red, white and sparkling wine preset on each table (it's best to have one bottle per four guests on hand). If you are having a cocktail party, make sure the bar is the center of attention with one of these festive ideas:

• Martini Bar with olives, apples, and pomegranates
• Champagne Bar with fig and strawberries
• Scotch & Cognac Bar with cigars and eggnog
• Coffee Bar with chocolate and mint candy canes

If you are hiring a bar service, here are my top LA event vendor picks:
Bartender Girl
Paradise Bar and Beverage Service
Bartending Solutions

However, bar catering in Los Angeles can be expensive, so one way to save: Buy your own alcohol and mixers and hire your own bartender. Just remember to stock five glasses per guest; one bottle of alcohol per three guests; one bottle of mixer per two guests; and 1.5 pounds of ice per guest. A few cost-effective ice delivery services in LA are Union Ice, Cal Ice and Keg King.

If your holiday soiree is at a Los Angeles conference center or private residence, check back tomorrow for staff suggestions.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Transform your bar into a winter wonderland with an ice sculpture, ice bar, or even snow! Call one of the companies above for details.

Find more great Los Angeles event suppliers on the Cvent Supplier Network.

This is a perfect time to book event space for a destination Atlanta wedding. Off-season usually occurs from October to January, during which time you can cut costs by 30 percent to 50 percent. For your budget-friendly brides who want to save money but spare their guests the frost of winter, Atlanta is the perfect destination. With its temperate climate and various indoor/outdoor venues, this city has plenty to offer for your client's 2009 winter wedding.

Rhodes Hall is a top Atlanta attraction that doubles as a museum and special event space. Luckily, this is a one-stop shop for this season's weddings. The ceremony can be held on the porch in front of the grand arches. The front lawn is also quite picturesque for the bridal party photos with its well-manicured lawn and seasonal floral arrangements.
 
Your Atlanta wedding reception will be the talk of the town when it's held at Rhodes' turn-of-the-century reception room. Seating up to 135 guests, this is a quaint yet classic event venue.

For a more modern feel, host your next winter reception at 103 West, Atlanta's newest private dining facility. It's a sophisticated but sexy setting, and your guests will appreciate this venue's attention to detail. There are five party areas varying in capacity, from an intimate dinner for 40 people in the Club Room to an elegant affair for 300 guests in the Grand Ballroom, which offers private lower-level access.

Special bonuses come with this Atlanta restaurant, including free room rental and the ability to have both the ceremony and reception in one location. Your event can be coordinated from beginning to end with complimentary white linens, audio-visual equipment and even wedding coordination services. No wedding is complete without the cake, and the on-site chef provides tasty flavors including hazelnut, white chocolate mousse and the Southern favorite red velvet.

View more information about the Rhodes Hall and 103 West on the Cvent Supplier Network

Smaller groups, conferences and weddings can often find blocking out hotel rooms in New York City at a reasonable rate is a bit challenging. How to outsmart the system? Consider this: In January and February 2010 (and possibly beyond), you and your New York event group can takeover the entire GEM Hotel Midtown West. Yup, that's right -- roll like rockstar and book all of the New York hotel's 39 rooms, all in your name.

The GEM Hotel group has created a clever New York meeting promotion to help cure the winter blues by allowing just about anyone to "own" their hotel(s) for as many nights as they'd like -- depending on dates and availability, of course. To lock up all the rooms at the GEM Hotel Midtown West, it will run about $5,000 per night. If you only need a floor for your entourage, single floors can be booked for roughly $520 per night at the GEM Hotel Midtown West, roughly $1,000 per night at the GEM Hotel Soho, and $2,600 per night at the GEM Hotel Chelsea.

So, how many floors would you like?

View more information about all the GEM Hotels in New York City on the Cvent Supplier Network

Arguably the most important elements of a holiday party is the feast. You will need to consider what food presentation will match the tone of your event - will it be a formal, sit-down dinner, elegant buffet, or tray-passed appetizers?

If you are choosing an LA restaurant or a banquet hall in a Los Angeles hotel, you're in luck - the caterer is already chosen for you! However, if you are throwing your festive fete at a private residence, museum or other unique LA venue, you will need a fabulous Los Angeles caterer. Of course, excellent catering in Los Angeles includes excellent staff, but most importantly the chef will guide you through your menu details according to your budget and the theme of your gathering.

Here are some amazing holiday caterers in Los Angeles:

Contemporary Catering
Gourmet Celebrations
Food Fetish

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Don't feel like a scrooge if you can't afford catering of petit filet mignon. Choose a pasta - it's festive yet hardy and will satisfy your guests and your budget.

Serving up some liquid holiday cheer? Check back tomorrow for some festive cocktails and bar suggestions.

Find more options for catering in Los Angeles on the Cvent Supplier Network.

As the days get shorter and considerably colder, isn’t it time to consider taking your events to a slightly more tropical setting? If you’re looking for an elegant, professional event venue with plenty of opportunities for guests to have fun in the sun, then consider hosting your next meeting or event at the Fairmont Orchid hotel in Hawaii.

The Fairmont Orchid offers a variety of activity passes at the resort, including 15 minute introductions to snorkeling, surfing, or canoe paddling, educational sessions about the tide pool, seaside yoga classes, botanical tours of the 32-acre grounds, golf clinics, Hawaiian arts & crafts classes, sand volleyball, and, even stargazing every Friday night! With so many opportunities to take advantage of, how is one to choose? Fear not! Headquartered at the Beach Shack on the lagoon, the Orchid Beachboys are ready to guide your event guests through all these Hawaiian adventures, and more! Guests can embark on a Holoholo or Fishing Adventure, practicing local and Hawaiian shoreline fishing techniques, or sit in on a Honu (Turtle) Talk to learn about Hawaiian green sea turtles.

With over 30,000 square feet of meeting space, an on-site spa, 18-hole golf course, and seven on-site dining locations, this luxurious hotel is perfect for hosting a multi-day corporate retreat or incentive trip. The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii will also assist you with planning your event using their Group Gift Guide to help select gifts and amenities for your attendees and VIPs. You can choose from a wide variety of items tailored specifically for your group, from local Hawaiian treats to tropical island gifts.

View more information about the Fairmont Orchid Hawaii on the Cvent Supplier Network

Today the new Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino will opens its doors! Conveniently located next to the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the 503-room property will boast 35,000 square feet of meeting space, a sizeable supplement to the convention center's 580,000 square feet of space. Additionally, the Puerto Rican hotel features 57,000 square feet of outdoor event space at its pool deck, which has panoramic views of San Juan Bay and multiple pools.

The hotel will be the first new full-service hotel and casino built in San Juan in over 10 years. It's also part of the brand's $6 billion worldwide, multiyear revitalization program.

"Sheraton Puerto Rico will be one of our brand’s signature properties and we are eagerly anticipating its opening," Hoyt Harper, senior vice president for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, said in a statement. "This property will reflect the new, superior level of amenities, offerings and services of the Sheraton brand and I’m confident both business and leisure guests will be impressed."

Other amenities at the urban resort are three fine dining restaurants, a 7,000-square-foot spa, 24-hour fitness center, over 70,000 square feet of retail space, and a 20,000-square-foot casino—the largest in Puerto Rico.

View more information about Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino on the Cvent Supplier Network

Establishing the proper LA venue is key in planning the perfect gathering. Whether it's at an elegant LA restaurant, opulent Los Angeles banquet hall or intimate private residence, the locale will set the tone and influence every detail of your holiday party.

These are a few of my favorite things this holiday season:

• Elegant Los Angeles restaurant venues:
Il Cielo
Locanda Veneta
Il Giorgio

• Opulent Los Angeles banquet rooms:
Maggiano's
Beau Rivage
Sportsmen's Lodge

• Other festive Los Angeles party venues:
Petersen Automotive Museum
Pasadena Museum of History
Pali House Lobby

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Remember to consider how formal you want your event to be as well as how much leg work you have time to contribute when choosing your perfect Los Angeles banquet facility. Keep in mind your budget will dictate your choice as well. Restaurants can be really convenient as they cut out catering, clean up and party rentals.

Booking a venue other than a restaurant? Check back tomorrow for catering details including menu options and bar suggestions.

Find more festive holiday venues on the Cvent Supplier Network.

As we prepare for the holiday season, people  all over the country have visions of sugar plum fairies and giant Christmas trees.  Just because Orlando may not have a white Christmas every year, a holiday in the city can be just as spectacular. In fact, you can rest assured that at least one classic element of the holiday season will always be present: traditional entertainment!

The Orlando Ballet is renowned throughout Florida for its rendition of The Nutcracker. This holiday classic will be preformed to the full Tchaikovsky score by the entire Company and will include more than 100 Orlando area children from the award-winning Orlando Ballet School and Patel Conservatory.

The Nutcracker is performed every year at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, in downtown Orlando, just east of I-4.  Year-round this Orlando attraction plays host to the Orlando Opera, Orlando Ballet, Florida Theatrical Association and the Orlando Celebrity Concert Association. Parking is generally $5. Don't know where to sit?  This Orlando Venue has a sports arena-like online seating chart!

View more information about the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center on the Cvent Supplier Network

While using a system like Cvent's certainly makes sense for the traditional corporate event planner, our association clients are a little different. We count nurses, teachers, doctors, engineers, dentists, psychologists, and pharmacists as our clients and users of Cvent! These volunteers give their time and energy towards increasing the value of their respective associations and professions - in addition to demanding full time jobs.

Because of this, volunteer board members need to ensure that their time is spent effectively. Here are some tips and tricks we have seen that will save you and your board a lot of stress when it comes to crunch time:

• Automate your communication. We all know how big of a pain it can be to manually add your entire database to an email invitation, or reply to each individual registrant as they sign up for your event. Sending the right message to the right person can be confusing and time-consuming. With Cvent, this entire process is automated. Simply design your email templates, and the system will intelligently know when to send confirmations, regrets, and reminders - based on a schedule that you pre-determine.

• Use your resources. Part of the beauty of an association is that everyone involved has a passion for the material and dedication to the chapter. Delegate tasks to board members, form committees, and plan ahead. Cvent allows you to have multiple user logins, so that different people can use your account to complete different tasks. Especially with a limited budget, associations must make good use of their most valuable resource - people.

• Clone previous events. We know that associations typically have reoccurring events that are fairly similar each time - annual conferences, monthly luncheons, etc. With Cvent, you can simply clone these events, change the pertinent details (date, time, location, menu options) and open for registration. When you don't have to reinvent the wheel, you are able to spend time focusing on more important aspects of your event.

• Put fee collection in the hands of the experts. Managing and collecting funds from each event can be a giant headache, especially when fees are different for members and non-members, you have early-bird discounts, or when some sessions command a certain fee and others do not. Simply ensuring that you are collecting the right amount is hard, and you can forget about getting complete payments at registration time! With Cvent, this headache is erased completely. With each account, you receive a commercial-grade Verisign account, which allows you to directly deposit fees into your bank account. Furthermore, our system automatically totals everything in your invitee's registration. There is little room for error, and no need to wait around for you to receive your money from a third party.

• Source your event with the Cvent Supplier Network. Our comprehensive listing of venues and service providers is so easy to use and dramatically cuts down on the time it normally takes to find the perfect spot for your next event. Even small board meetings need a location, and we can help you find and negotiate the best rate for your group. Best of all, this service is free - certainly the best price tag for a non-profit. Sign up for your complimentary account today.

Of course, these tips are only a few of the ways that Cvent can help streamline your processes. We'd love to hear from you with more ideas!