Orlando Meetings and Events

My name is Alex Courson. Since my graduation from the University of Central Florida , I've been planning events that range from weddings to venture capitalist forums to action events and promotions all over the country. Throughout the years, I've held some of the most memorable and buzz-worthy functions in the Orlando metropolitan area, for no other reason but the venues and talent that Orlando has to offer.

Good luck with your next event, and welcome to Orlando!

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.

The air is filled with the sound of the Christmas holiday season. It seems as if Halloween just passed, and already Christmas is right around the corner. Didn't we forget a valuable, yet less emphasized, holiday?

Thanksgiving is a great time to attend an event in Orlando; after all, we have a lot to be thankful for in our backyard. All around Orlando, there are special events designed to bring people in the the city together.

One of the area restaurants that fosters Orlando camaraderie is Dandelion Communitea Cafe. Dandelion is a largely organic-based Orlando restaurant that infuses free thinking and bohemian style in every aspect of the quaint house-turned-restaurant. From the vegan-inspired 'meat" dish of the day to the belly dancers that are invited in for special occasions, this eatery has inspired many great talks and salons; it even hosts monthly drum circles that come with the full moon.

Enjoying a Thanksgiving week event here seems to be a natural choice for gatherings of family or friends. On Thanksgiving Eve, Orlando guests can attend the Listen to: Front Porch on WPRK 91.5 Special Family Talk event, held from noon to 1 PM. This weekly Orlando event features different guest making a difference locally. On the Turkey Day event agenda are Astrology, Palm, Tarot and Angel Card Readings, held from 11 AM to 2 PM.

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

You're getting hosting a wedding in Orlando—Congratulations! Orlando is one of the most beautiful and affordable locations for a wedding.

As an event planner myself I would be remiss to not mention my own services as an Orlando wedding planner, but I would love to also tell you about some of the most fantastic resources to be found in Orlando for your big day!  My head wedding coordinator Helena and I have compiled a list of some of the best ways to prepare for a wedding event in Orlando and the days that lead up to it.

• Local bridal shows can help open your eyes to a world of possibilities. I always recommend going to a show early on in the planning process before choosing a wedding planner so that you can go to them with a basic idea of how you want your Orlando Dream Day to go. Orlando publications are a fantastic way of finding out the bridal shows around the area that you can take advantage of! WPCF.com is the site for the Wedding Planners of Central Florida group. Here, you will find a list off some great shows coming to your area and the wonderful people associated with the organization.

• Use the Internet! It is the most inexpensive, most useful, and most convenient way to obtain information on the area. You found your way here, didn't you?

• Check out the online versions of Modern Bride, Martha Stewart, The Wedding Channel, The Knot, Today's Bride, and www.topweddingsites.com/florida. All of these have fantastic Orlando event insights!

One of the hotels surrounding the Orlando convention center is a name that people all over the country recognize as a force among the four-stars. The Peabody Hotel Group has luxury hotels around the country; its signature mallards are recognized throughout as a statement of service and excellence.

Some Orlando meeting planners booking conventions, group outings and incentive trips, overlook this Orlando hotel and resort based on an assumed price point. Don't! The Peabody hotel in Orlando is available in both high-season and off-season at fantastic rates if you know how to get them.

The hospitality team is more than willing to accommodate large groups with special group packages, and if your travel dates are flexible, prices go down as well. The Peabody Group of Hotels is also affiliated with many discount programs such as AAA, AARP, and their very own Peabody Advantage for guests who stay on a regular basis. 

The Peabody Orlando, currently undergoing renovations, offers 57,000 square feet of Orlando meeting space. Located right next to the convention center and the rest of the Orlando tourism area, the Peabody could not be a better destination for a luxurious Orlando stay.

View more information The Peabody Orlando on the Cvent Supplier Network

Orlando event planners have two great advantages on their side: fantastic weather year-round, and a multitude event venues both in the city and in the region's various small towns. The city of Winter Park, for example, just seven miles from downtown Orlando, has one of the most desirable outdoor event venues located right in its central shopping district.

Central Park is directly across the street from some of the area's best boutique shops, wine bars and four-star restaurants, making it the ideal outdoor Orlando venue for a beautiful, memorable and stylized event. With its immaculate rose garden complete, the picturesque 11-acre park has been used as the location for free classic movie showings, Orlando wedding receptions, art shows, fundraising walks and more.

Convenient to not just Orlando locals, Central Park is also easily reached by out-of-towners. It's right next to the quaint Winter Park/Orlando Amtrak train station, which also imparts a nostalgic feel to the area.

Learn more about renting Central Park for your next Orlando meeting or event.

Of the roughly 115 downtown restaurants in Orlando, I've compiled a list of 10 great ones to host small- to medium-sized meetings and events. These Orlando private dining facilities feature great food, amazing service, and wonderful people in charge of event and hospitality coordination.

Funky Monkey Wine Company
Cuisine: Fusion / Eclectic
Price: $31 to $50

Napasorn Thai Restaurant and Sake Bar
Cuisine: Thai/Chinese
Price: $20 to $40

Citrus Restaurant
Cuisine: Contemporary American
Price: $30 and under

Java Lava
Cuisine: Coffee and Bakery
Price: $5 to $15
 
White Wolf Cafe
Cuisine: Healthy Mediterranean
Price: $15 to $30
 
Sam Snead's
Cuisine: American Fine Dining
Price: $30 and up
 
Ceviche
Cuisine:Spanish
Price: $10 to $30
 
The Black Olive
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $15 to $30

Wildside's Bar and Grill
Cuisine: Barbecue
Price: $15 to $30

Crooked Bayou
Cuisine: Cajun
Price: $7 to $20

In today's economy, it's helpful to get an idea of what an event is going to cost you before you start the long and arduous task of making it happen. To help, the event coordinators at Reveal (my staffing and events company in Orlando) have a pricing rubric to put together before we even start an event.

This rubric works anywhere and for any event, from corporate functions to social parties, to get a general idea of budget on the low, middle, and high ends. Keep in mind that Orlando has so much to offer to make any event happen, but setting your event budget is one of the first things to be done during the planning process.

Write out the six basic elements of your event in individual squares. Then list three preferred Orlando event suppliers, or the elements that you want, from least expensive to most expensive.

For example, here are two of the category listings one of our event coordinators put together in the early planning stages for a recent Wake-board DVD release party in downtown Orlando.

Downtown Orlando Venue
1. Latitudes on Church St.
2. Rooftop Waverley Condo
3. Lake Eola Amphitheatre

Food
1. Bubbalous  Bar B Q
2. Wildside Bar B Q 
3. Puff-N-Stuff Catering   

Laying out these options makes the choices much easier when it comes to sticking to your event budget. You can select the most important areas in which you want to really invest, then opt for the less expensive options for the remaining categories. Plus, laying out the pricing allows you to see where what competition is out there, making it easier to negotiate a great deal when you send these suppliers your Request for Proposal!

Orlando is sitting on a treasure that many people overlook: a mass quantity of private and public vent spaces. One such Orlando event venue warrants its own spotlight: the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), a versatile and successful option for any private event.

The space, located in the heart of the Orlando tourism area, is comprised of more than two million square feet of event space. In other words, Orlando's convention center has a floor plan and appropriate space for every event imaginable. In fact, it's home to most tradeshows and events in the Orlando area, from the Home and Garden to the Surf Expo every year.

If you're wondering how much such an event space could cost you, you'll be relieved to know this is a government owned and operated facility. So even though you are getting state-of-the-art services, the rental prices aren't exorbitant. Also, if you are looking for an event to either market with or be a part of, the Orange County Convention Center has a list of all of the events for the upcoming year, as well as a list of the companies slated to participate.

All in all, the Orange County Convention Center is a fantastic option for hosting your next Orlando event. If you need a location to showcase your event amidst other industry professionals, this location is a great spot!

View more information about the Orange County Convention Center on the Cvent Supplier Network

Finding an officiant for your wedding can be one of the most harrowing experiences in the wedding planner experience. It can be hard to find the perfect fit, but luckily, with Orlando being a center for weddings, there are plenty options from which to choose.

There are three things to keep in mind when looking for an officiant in Orlando:

1. Keep the Faith! Orlando has huge Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and everything-in-between populations. Make sure that your officiant represents exactly what you want. There are a lot of mixed-faith weddings as well, with many officiants in the area that actually specialize in these types of ceremonies.

2. It's your ceremony and YOU decide how long or short it is. Most officiants have been doing their jobs for a long time. They can be a great help to planners and couples who don't specialize in these matters, but make sure to assert yourself early on and let the officiants know exactly what sort of ceremony you would prefer.

3. Not everyone is a match made in heaven. You may have to interview a couple of officiants until you find the right one. If you don't think one is a good fit, Orlando is full of many other fantastic people willing to help contribute to this special day. Just keep in mind that most officiants are more than willing to make amendments or changes to their idea of a ceremony in order to fit to you or your client's tastes, so make sure to ask before completing writing someone off.

Planning an event in Orlando doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be full of cartoons and theme parks. The Orlando metropolitan area is a cornucopia of unique and under-commercialized spaces that can fit your specific needs.

In all reality, Orlando has so much to choose from that it can be overwhelming if you don't have an idea of who your target is. In my experience, I've found that working with generalized groupings of the Orlando area can help when determining where to hold your special function.

The city can be broken into four quadrants that contain four entirely different demographics. Understanding these regions makes planning for specific audiences a lot easier, especially for those unfamiliar with the area.

These four sections are:

• The University Area. This is where to go if your demographic is the college and university set. It's the bargain area, where the less expensive venues and some inexpensive accommodations are located.

• The Downtown Area. If you are looking to attract corporate clients, or want your event to appeal to the young, hip professional, the downtown area offers a surplus of unique venues in a very compact, walkable zone. By looking into one of over 100 Orlando restaurants, bars, or clubs, as well as the Citrus Bowl and Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, an event planner can easily find a space to fit any theme or size criteria. There are nicer hotels and restaurants in this area that are more than willing to discount based on party size and patronage of their industry partners.

• The Winter Park Area. Winter Park is a micro-center of socially and financially influential people in Orlando. If a philanthropic or fund-raising opportunity should strike, this along, with certain parts of the downtown area, is your prime location.

• The Tourist Area. If you are in need of a great corporate event space in Orlando, don't pass up the opportunity to look into what Disney, International Drive, Universal and some of the lesser-known tourist attractions have to offer. With some of the most convention footage in the world and different, over-the top themed venues lining the streets, there is something for everyone. The parks are fantastic at incorporating business and pleasure for whatever purpose you may have; they are also incredibly skilled at co-branding. Not only that, but if an event takes place in the off-season, these tourist area venues in Orlando are more than willing to negotiate!