Business, General Tips, Your Event Career

What Does a Party Planner Do?

Updated 2024.

Key Points

• A party planner is responsible for planning and executing events, parties, and other special occasions.
• Party planners work closely with clients to determine an event’s purpose, budget, and desired outcome. They also tend to handle all of the logistics of an event – such as contracts, vendor management, creating timelines, and creating/staying on top of schedules.
• Common tasks that a party planner handles on a daily basis includes researching/booking venues, hiring/managing vendors, creating timelines and schedules, handling customer service inquiries, and coordinating with other event professionals.
• If you run your own party planning business, you’ll also regularly be responsible for handling the business’s bookkeeping, administration work, marketing, etc.
• While event and party planners share many similarities, they also have their differences and can be regarded as two separate professions.
• The average event and party planner in the United States can expect to earn anywhere from USD $35,000 to USD $176,000 per year.
• The 4 steps to becoming a party planner are: getting experience, getting certified, marketing yourself, and networking.
• 5 signs that indicate you are well-suited for a career in professional party planning are: a love for social situations, attention to detail, creativity and resourcefulness, organizational skills, and ability to build relationships with clients.
• QC Event School offers a wide variety of self-paced, online event and wedding planning certification courses that can be completed in as little as 3 months – and has helped over 30,000 students and graduates launch successful careers in the wedding and event planning industry.

What Does a Party Planner Do?

• Party planners are responsible for the coordination and execution of events, parties, and other special occasions.
• They work closely with clients to determine the event’s purpose, budget, and desired outcome.
• Additionally, they also handle all the logistics of the event, including contracts, vendor management, timelines, and schedules.

PRO TIP: Interested in becoming a party planner? Here’s how!

What Does a Party Planner Do On a Daily Basis?

The day-to-day duties of a party planner can vary greatly, depending on the type and size of event they are working on. However, some common tasks that party planners do on a daily basis include:

• Researching and booking venues
• Hiring and managing vendors
• Creating timelines and schedules
• Handling customer service inquiries
• Coordinating with other event professionals

If your goal is to work as a party planner for someone else’s company, you’ll likely be responsible for all of the tasks listed above. On the other hand, what if you want to start your own party planning business? Then you’ll need to wear many hats and be prepared to do a little bit of everything – from marketing and sales to accounting and bookkeeping!

What Does a Party Planner Do Day To Day?

Morning:

The morning is usually spent:

• Catching up on emails;
• Returning phone calls;
• Dealing with any urgent matters that may have come up overnight.

Once that’s all taken care of, you’ll start working on the day’s tasks. This may involve:

• Meeting with clients;
• Visiting potential venues;
• Finalizing contracts with vendors.

Afternoon:

After lunch, you’ll continue working on whatever tasks you didn’t get to in the morning. This may include:

• Meeting with more clients;
• Working on marketing and sales initiatives;
• Doing administrative work (like bookkeeping and invoicing).

Evening:

In the evening, you’ll wrap up any loose ends from the day and start preparing for the next day. This may involve:

• Making a to-do list;
• Scheduling appointments;
• Working on your website and/or social media presence.

What a Typical Event Day Looks Like

Note: Keep in mind that this is based off of an example scenario in which you have one event scheduled for the entire day. That said, there will be days where you may have more than one event lined up – or days where you only have one event, but it won’t take the entire day.

Morning:

You’ll start the day by arriving at the venue to set up. This may involve:

• Setting up tables, chairs, and other decorations;
• Making sure that all the food and drinks are set up and ready to go.

Afternoon:

Once everything is set up, you’ll start greeting guests as they arrive. You’ll also need to keep an eye on the food and drinks, making sure that they are refilled as needed. Throughout the event, you’ll be responsible for making sure that everything is running smoothly.

Evening:

Once the event is over, you’ll start packing up all of the decorations and equipment. You’ll also need to make sure that the venue is left in the same condition as it was when you arrived.

Pro Tip: Enroll in QC’s Event Planning Course today and become a certified International Event Planning Professional™ (IEPP™) in as little as 12 weeks!

What’s Another Word For Party Planner?

If you’re interested in this career path but the term “party planner” doesn’t quite fit your fancy, don’t worry – there are plenty of other words that you can use to describe this profession. Here are a few examples:

• Event coordinator
• Event planner
• Special events coordinator
• Wedding planner (so long as you offer wedding planning services, of course)

What Is The Difference Between an Event Planner and a Party Planner?

While the terms “event planner” and “party planner” are often used interchangeably, there’s actually a bit of a difference between the two. Event planners often work with clients for events that, while including parties, can also include:

• Baptisms and Christenings
• Funerals
• Corporate functions (conventions, trade shows, conferences, employee retreats, etc.)
• Charity events and fundraisers
• Festivals and concerts
• Sports events
• Private dining and culinary events
• And more

Party planners, on the other hand, usually work with private individuals or organizations strictly to plan parties and other social gatherings.

Party Planner Salary

In this industry, there’s no such thing as a “typical” salary. Two party planners in the same city can make completely different salaries, depending on a variety of factors. Such factors include:

• The size of the events they typically plan
• The number of events they typically plan per year
• Their level of experience
• Whether or not they have any certifications
• The region in which they work
• Whether or not they run their own party planning business

That said, in the United States, event and party planners can typically expect to earn anywhere from USD $35,000 to USD $176,000 annually.

Tips For Increasing Your Income as a Party Planner

First and foremost, get certified! There are numerous certification programs available – such as the self-paced, online programs offered by QC Event School. Having one or more of these certifications will help you stand out from the competition because it will show potential clients that you’re serious about your career.

Pro Tip: Learn all about QC Event School’s wide range of online certification courses!

Secondly, make sure you’re marketing yourself effectively. Use social media, your website, and word-of-mouth to get the word out about your business. Business-savvy marketing strategies are a sure-fire way to attract new clients.

Finally, don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth and/or negotiate your fees. If you charge too little, you’ll end up working more hours for less pay. On the flip side, if you charge too much, you may not get as many clients as you’d like. It’s all about finding a happy medium.

Not sure how much to charge for your services? Take a look at what other party planners in your area are charging and base your prices off of that!

How To Become a Party Planner

If you’re interested in becoming a party planner, there are a few steps you’ll need to take…

1. Get some experience under your belt. You can do this by planning parties for friends, family members, or even local organizations. The more experience you have, the better!
2. Get certified. As mentioned earlier, certification will show potential clients that you’re serious about your career. QC Event School offers a range of self-paced, online courses that can help you get started in as little as 3 short months!
3. Market yourself effectively. Use social media, your website, and word-of-mouth to spread the word about your business.
4. Don’t forget about the power of networking. Attending industry events is a great way to meet other party planners and learn about new trends. Collaborations with other local industry experts is another great way to grow your business, build your portfolio, and get client referrals.

Of course, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” method to becoming a successful party planner. Everyone’s journey unfolds in its own unique way. But by following these 4 key steps, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals!

5 Signs You’re Destined To Be a Party Planner

Finally, here are 5 signs that you are PERFECT for a career in professional party planning:

1. You love being surrounded by people and thrive in social situations.
2. You have an eye for detail and enjoy making things look beautiful.
3. You’re creative, resourceful, and always come up with unique ideas.
4. You’re organized, efficient, and good at multi-tasking.
5. You are a people person and enjoy building relationships with clients.

Can you relate to any (or all!) of these points? Then you’re destined to be a party planner!

QC Event School has helped 30,000+ students and grads launch successful careers in the wedding and event planning industry. Join the QC Community today and start your dream career!

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