Welcome to the Diary of an Event Planner!
We have brought back our Diary of an Event Planner because we are excited to share our experiences (the good as well as the learning opportunities!) with you.
Diary of an Event Planner
The Hilton Special Events team is excited to share our first-hand experiences planning meetings and events for Hilton. Come join us on the journey to create the World's Most Welcoming Events.
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How to plan an awards ceremony that attendees will remember
A thoughtful touch that takes five minutes per person may feel manageable for 30 winners, but it becomes a major lift for 200. Plan those moments intentionally, build in the time to execute them well, and prioritize the details that will matter most to attendees. In the end, those ceremonial touches are often what winners remember long after the trip is over.
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The art of personalizing recognition
Every year, we have the opportunity to help create those moments for Hilton's Circle of Excellence, our premier recognition program honoring more than 100 of our top performers. These are colleagues who have gone above and beyond throughout the year, and every detail of their experience is designed to reflect that.
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The Secret to Planning Incentive Trips
It’s not the itinerary; it’s the experience. Here’s how we partner with the Hilton Incentive Collaborative to help us plan incentive programs designed for moments, not meetings.
It’s not the itinerary; it’s the experience. Here’s how we partner with the Hilton Incentive Collaborative to help us plan incentive programs designed for moments, not meetings.
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Look the part to land the message
Wardrobe is never just about looking polished. It is about intention and connection. When speakers dress with purpose, the audience feels it before the first word is spoken.
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Evolving food and beverage expectations
The comfort food comeback
In the ever-evolving world of event planning, sometimes innovation means circling back to the basics. Because after all, a good meal should do more than fill you up; it should make you feel at home.
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Behind the scenes: how listening transformed our leadership conference
Listening isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a strategy. By acting on feedback, we created a conference that felt personal, practical, and powerful. And the numbers prove it.
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We’ve helped make your events more welcoming … now it’s our turn
How we’re making sure our hotel leaders leave this year’s most prolific event energized!
By creating the World’s Most Welcoming Events (WMWE) initiative and playbook of solutions, we’ve helped hundreds of organizations implement our research-backed agendas, ice breakers, and mealtime strategies.
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Elevate Your Incentive Program by inviting Family and Friends to Join Virtually
Another positive of "on camera" meetings is the ability to connect people to places or events that they previously weren't able tap into. One example of this is incentive programs.
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How to Activate Non-Traditional Event Spaces
(a.k.a Turning Guest Suites into Showstoppers)
When I say “event space,” most people think ballroom or conference room. But what about a guest suite? Often, when I’ve seen guest suites used for events, it’s been for something like a hospitality suite, a casual team game night, or a small breakout that feels like a compromise, simply rearranging furniture and hoping for the best. That’s exactly why I was so impressed by what our team at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills pulled off.
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World’s Most Welcoming Events
And how to create them …
Events and conferences should be energizing, not exhausting, right? But feedback over the years has made it clear that many guests, especially those who WFH or engage in a hybrid work environment, find in-person events draining.