Advanced Diploma In Event Planning

Management

- Level 3

MODULE 1: Work with

3.1. Invitations and replies 3.2. Greetings etiquette and handshake protocol 3.3. Dress code

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3.1. Invitations and replies

At this stage, everything has been planned and agreed. You know what sort of event you are organisingas well as where and when it will take place. In addition, you definitely know who is going to be invited. Now it is time toac-tually invite the guest. There are a few popular ways used by event planners to do this:

• Handwritten invitations are usually appropriate for small, intimate

affairs, where the guest list is under 50, including luncheons, private receptions, and small dinner parties. Handwritten invitations take extra time and commitment, so they are not best suited for larger parties. Hand-write invitations on attractive stationery or plain white paper.

• Printed invitations. Always send printed invitations to formal events or

functions such as business gatherings, and formal dinners,as well as for special occasions like showers, weddings, or events honouring someone.

• Electronic invitations. Nowadays we can send almost anything electroni-cally,

including invitations. Electronic invitations save resources, such as paper and

stamps, and provide a quick way to get the message across. It is especially

helpful if you are planning an event at the last minute and you lack the time to

mail the invitations. Many online sites offer electronic in-vitations, and once you

have chosen one, you can enter multiple contacts at the same time. Once you

hit send, everyone on the list receives your invitation. Some sites even let you

know when your invitation has been read, so you are can be sure it has reached

the guest.

• Hand-delivered. For kids’ parties and similar, you should mail or hand-deliver the invitations to the guests’ parents. If you leave it up to the chil-dren, you can’t be sure that the invitations have been received.

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What should be included in the invitation? • Purpose of invitation: a birthday party, a wedding, a conference,etc. • Name of Honouree: Who is hosting the event? • Day and date: Saturday, August 29th. When you include the year after

the date, the form “August 29, 2016” is correct. However, “August 29th, 2016”should be avoided: the “st”, “nd”, “rd”, and “th”are only used when the date is not followed by the year.Informal invitations do not require the year. For a formal event, include the year,but spell it out: “two thou-sand and sixteen” instead of “2016”.

• Time: For informal events,the time is mentioned as “6:00 p.m.”, with

small letters and periods for the “p.m.” For formal events, spell out the time: “six o’clock in the evening”,“eleven o’clock in the morning”. Use a small “o” and “c”in the word “o’clock”. Before 6:00 p.m., use “in the after-noon”; after 6:00 p.m., use “in the evening”.

• Name of venue: such as “Restaurant” or “at the home of ..........”. It is

important to add the physical location of the place. Give the street ad-dress and the city. Include the country, if you are inviting guests from abroad. Including online driving directions or GPS coordinates might be very helpful.

• RSVP date: RSVP is an abbreviation for the French phrase

“Respondezs’ilvousplaît”, which means “please reply” (so don’t write “Please

RSVP”). If you want your guests to respond to the invitation, write “RSVP” at the

bottom, on the left side. You should always include a date by which people

should reply, otherwise some may decide to leave it until the day before the

event. Add the name and contact address, telephone number, or email address

of the person to guests should reply.

• “Save the date”: If the event is important and but is some time in the

future, then send a “save the date” or “hold this date” card to help your guests avoid making other plans. No RSVP is required for this. Then, two

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to four weeks before the event,mail or emailyour invitations.

• “Dress code”: If dress code or appropriate attire is desired for your event, such as a “White & Black Dress Party”,point this out to your guests. Oth-erwise, you might be surprised at what they choose to wear. It is not necessary to specify a dress code on formal invitations, the type of the event should give the clue as to the appropriate attire. However, “black tie preferred” or “white tie” can be included in small print at the bottom of the invitation, and is likely to be appreciated by guests (you will find more information in section 6 of this Module).

• “Miscellaneous”: Additional information can be included at the bottom

of the invitation. For example:

Whether guests need to inform you of any special requirements they may have, such as transport or dietary needs.

Whether the invitation is just for the addressed guests, or whether they can bring a guest. If they can bring a guest, do they need to let you know who it will be?If so, how should they do this?

If the event is “invitation only”, state that guests need to bring the invita-tion with them.

If the host does not want children present, you should include a statement such as “adult reception only”.

Information about photography at the event. Unless it is a public event, you should ensure that guests are aware that photographs will be taken. This will help avoid issues with permissions. Guests can notify the photographer on the day if they do not wish to be photographed.

How to properly address the invitation Your invitation should match the style of your event: is it formal, semiformal, or

casual? The proper way of addressing your guests and the wording used 55

in the invitation depend on this. Married couples can be addressed in several ways, though always on the same line. 1. Married with the same last name: Mr. and Mrs. Inigo Montoya 2. Same-sex couple who have exchanged vows and have the same last name: The Messrs. Elton and David John 3. Married with different last names: Mr. Diego Rivera and Ms. Frida Kahlo 4. Married with children. If children under 18 are invited, they should be listed from oldest to youngest on the second line. Don’t forget that those over 18 should receive their own invitation. Mr. and Mrs. Will Farrell; Magnus and Matthias; Mr. and Mrs. Will Farrell and Family. 5. Married with a title (The person with the title is always listed first) Dr. Francine Gideon and Mr. Howard Moon; The Honourable Judge David Smith and Mrs. Elizabeth Smith. For an unmarried couple, those living together, unmarried gay or lesbian couples, and members of any other type of long-term relationship, list each name in full, on a separate line, in alphabetical order. Mr. Richard Burton and Ms. Elizabeth Taylor. 6. A widow is traditionally addressed as “Mrs. John Smith”, If you feel that the guest may not want to be addressed this way, ask how

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she prefers to be addressed

7. A divorced woman who has kept her married name is addressed as: Ms. Jane Alden

When should invitations be sent? Work in reverse from the date the invitation should arrive. Allow sufficient mailing or hand-delivery time to address, fill, and stamp envelopes, and plenty of extra time for calligraphic printing, proofreading, and correction.

Formal dinner invitations 3 to 6 weeks Informal dinner invitations from a few days away

Cocktail party invitations 2 to 4 weeks Anniversary party invitations 3 to 6 weeks Dinner invitations 2 weeks to 2 months Christmas party invitations 1 month Graduation party invitations 3 weeks Bon voyageparty invitations last minute to 3 weeks Housewarmong party invitations from afew days to 3 weeks

Lunch or Tea invitations from afew days to 2 weeks

Wording for invitations to formal events Always spell out full names, dates, times, and addresses. Nicknames and abbreviations should be avoided where possible, with the exception of Mr., Mrs., Jr., and so on. You may use an initial if you do not know the full name, or if the person never uses a given name. In regard to addresses, the only optional abbreviations are for “St.” for “Saint”and “Mt.” for “Mount”; these can be written either way.

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• No periods (.) at the end of a line.

• First letter of each line is not capitalized, unless it is a proper noun. For example, “Sunday, the fifth of October”and“on Sunday, the fifth of October”are both correct.

• Time and date are written out (“half past five, September first, two thou-sand

and three”; “two thousand three” is also correct and more formal).

• Only events taking place in houses of worship should have the phrase

“the honour of your presence” used on the invitations. Otherwise, it’s appropriate to use “request the pleasure of your company”.

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Here are one examples: 59

Wording for casual eventsinvitations Although for less formal or casual events,all the basic information that you communicate to your guests remains the same, an invitation that includes a personalized verse, favourite sonnet, or informal introduction gives your invitations a contemporary flair. Use your imagination!

Managing replies Before you can arrange your seating plan, food and drinks, transportation, and

many other aspects of your event, you need to know how many guests are coming.

You can confirm numbers by sending out RSVPs. As described above,“RSVP” is

written at the bottom left of the invitation,which is sent out at least a month

before the event. Your RSVP should make it clear by when the confirmation of the

guest’s presence is requested. “Regrets only” responses should be eliminated from

invitation vocabulary, as it sets a nega-tive imprint on an invitation that is supposed

to make a positive impression. Moreover, a person who is not planning to attend is

probably the least likely

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to make the extra effort of calling or writing, making it more difficult for you to obtain an accurate count.

To make it even easier for your guests, include an RSVP card and an enve-lope.

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Remember that the formal invitation will be followed by a formal reply. Peo-ple tend to stick to the requested etiquette. Expect replies to formal invita-tions within two days. The guest list should be updated as replies are received. Where timing allows, leave a few days or a week after the deadline for re-plies

before contacting guests to ask whether they are planning to attend. If you are

planning an event at which guests will wear badges, make additional badges for any

guests who have not replied, in case they turn up. You should also have some blank

badges and a marker for other unexpected guests. Regardless of how people reply, it’s a good idea to obtain a telephone num-ber, as you never know what will happen at the last moment. You may want to contact your guests to update them about the current situation.

3.2. Greetings etiquette and handshake protocol Working as an event manager, you will certainly deal with people from dif-ferent

countries, cultures, and backgrounds. This can be fun, but also can be a little

complicated. The customs and rituals involved in greeting often dif-fer from country

to country, and unfamiliar customs may be confusing. The situation becomeseven

more complex when different greeting gestures are required between men and

women, women and women, and men and men. Luckily, the ultimate pleasant

gesture is used in every country. Although oc-casionally, in some cultures and under

certain circumstances, it may have negative connotations, this ultimate gesture is

seldom misunderstood and can be used in many situations. It conveys an array of

positive emotions, and as such is the great bridge-builder between the peoples of

the world. It is so powerful that it is thought to release endorphins into the body

that generate a feeling of euphoria. It is, of course, the smile. Below are described the most common gestures, and how they differ from nation to nation.

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Handshake, greetings, and kisses In the USA, it is normal for men to shake hands when they meet, but it is quite unusual for men to kiss when they greet each other. Greetings are casual, and a handshake, a smile, and a “hello” will do just fine. In America, people are taught to shake hands firmly. However, a bone-crunching hand-shake is much too hard.

• In the UK, peopleoften simply say “hello”, followed by “how are you”,

when they meet friends. In very official circumstances, the expression “how do you do” will be used. People usually shake hands only when they meet for the first time, and it might last for three or four shakes. It is usually the right hand that does the shaking. Very few people shake with their left hand, and it is considered rude to offer your hand without taking your glove off first. There are “power handshakes” that occur when one party either decides that they are superior or simply wants to win the battle of the handshake. In this case, the right hand is offered with the palm facing downwards. The hand on top seems to signify power. People in sales will often offer their hand with the palm facing up. This signifies that they will be submissive in the conversation that follows. Social kiss-ing—often just a peck on the cheek—is common in informal situations between men and women, and also between women who know each other very well.

• French nationals, including children. The French shake hands and often kiss

cheeks as well, upon meeting and upon parting. Between one and four kisses are

given, depending on where the person is from.Here you should take your

counterpart’s lead. If she or he leans in for an air-kiss or two, follow suit. Some

French people might give you a kiss on the cheek as they shake your hand. Very

rarely do the lips touch the cheek,however; usually it is a “pretend kiss”, and

only the side of the face will touch yours.

• Europe. Handshakes are the standard gesture for business greeting throughout Europe. However, the European handshake is usually ex-changed before and after each meeting, no matter how many times you’ve already met. An exception is the United Kingdom, where, as

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• in the United States, an initial handshake is often the only one you’ll

receive. European handshakes are more formal; they should be firm, as weak handshakes are considered limp and cold. A quick grasp and release is the norm. Finally, it’s customary to let women and those of higher rank extend their hands first. Kissing customs vary across European countries, and kissing is rather only used in less formal situations, where people know each other a bit better.

• In Russia, the typical greeting is a very firm handshake. Assume you’re

trying to crush each others’ knuckles, all while maintaining direct eye con-tact. When men shake hands with women, the handshake is less indus-trial. It is considered gallant to kiss women three times while alternating cheeks, and even to kiss hands.

• In Turkey, the casual standard greeting is usually two kisses on the

cheek. In some cultures, the handshake may be concluded with the open palm of the hand being placed on the heart.

• In the Middle East, close male friends or colleagues hug and kiss both

cheeks. They shake hands with the right hand only, for longer but less firmly than in the West. A grip that is too firm is considered rude. The left hand is considered unclean. This is particularly important at communal dinners, where many hands may come into contact with shared food, but it’s also important when shaking hands or giving and receiving gifts. Con-tact between the opposite genders in public is considered obscene. Do not offer to shake hands with the opposite sex.

• In Japan, the common greeting for men and women is to bow, rather than giving

a casual handshake or a hug. The timing, posture, and movement of the bow

should reflect sincerity, respect, and graciousness. The more mature the person

you are greeting, the deeper your head should be low-ered. An improper bow

hints at a lack of education and maturity. If you are not Japanese yourself, you

are not expected to emulate this ritual faithfully,and a gentle nod will do. Follow

your colleagues’ lead, and con-sider settling for a handshake instead. In Japan,

these tend to be

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• lighter than a paw-cracking squeeze.

• Chinese people tend to be more conservative. When meeting someone for the first time, they usually nod and smile, or shake hands if in a formal situation. Expect handshakes in China to be lighter and longer than in the West, and remember that there are different cultural expectations about maintaining eye contact. In the Far East, it is deemed impolite for a woman to shake a man’s hand.

• In India, the feet are considered unclean. Do your utmost to avoid

touch-ing any part of someone else’s body with your foot or shoes, and if you do so, apologise straight away. Pointing the soles of your feet at someone is also offensive. Handshakes are common in corporate settings: it is com-mon to offer your right hand, and once the handshake has been initiated, you put your left hand over the other person’s left hand. This means that the initiator is now giving a two-handedshake. The receiver may also usethe left hand, but it is not necessary. Bowing is rare outside rural areas and particularly traditional settings.

• In Latin and South America. Across most of Latin America and South

America, handshakes are lighter and longer than in Europe. Avoid being the person to pull away your hand first, unless the handshake has gone on forever, or you might come across as rude.

Finally, in some cultures, some may refuse to shake the hands of people felt to be beneath them. If you offer your hand for a shake and it is declined, just pretend it did not happen and carry on talking!

Personal space Individuals each have their own needs forpersonal space. If youneed a lot of space,

do notbecome disturbed or try to end the conversation when some-one moves too

close to you. In some cultures, it is normal to be “in the bub-ble”. In China and Latin

America, if people doing businessstand closer when talking to one another, and

casual touching of the arm or shoulder during conversation is not unusual. On the

other hand, some cultures 65

require much more space than in Europe and America. You should also re-member that some religions, such as Orthodox Judaism and Islam, prohibit physical contact between men and women. Keep in mind that the need for personal space will differ for everyone, depending on theirupbringing. If you are unsure, start with your own comfort zone and let the other person move to where they are comfortable. Hand kisses Kissing a woman’s hand is very much a European habit, and has recently seen a

revival in Germany and Austria. Neither British people nor Americans know much

about hand kissing or how to do it properly. A hand kissinvolves only one hand from

each person and the skin is not touched by the lips at all. It serves as a sign of

respect when a man greets a woman. However, the greeting becomes flirting when

the man grabs the woman’s hand with both hands, squeezes, plants a kiss on the

back of the hand,or accompanies the entire ceremony with an open or seductive

glance. Trying to kiss or even shake a woman’s hand in Arabic cultures is an

absolute no-no. Islam forbids any bodily contact between the sexes, other than

husband and wife and close family. In Turkey, it may be possible under some

circumstances for a man to kiss the hand of a much older woman as a sign of

respect.

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Touching This may seem OK, but be careful. In some sects of Judaism, the only woman that a man will touch in his lifetime is the woman to whom he is married. In Japan, Scandinavia, and England, touching is less frequent. In Latino cul-tures, touching is encouraged. Generally, though, never touch a person’s head. This may even be religiously offensive. Just don’t touch, except to shake hands. If you are comfortable, let the other person guide what is ap-propriate to them.

3.3. Dress code

One of the crucial factors in holding a successful event is to achieve the per-fect atmosphere that enables your guests to relax, interact with one another, and enjoy the proceedings.

There is no single action you can take that will conjure up this perfect atmos-phere. It takes a carefully planned and well-managed combination of factors, skilfully coordinated to ensure your event is everything that could be hoped for. One factor that will help the guests feel comfortable is an appropriate dress code. While dress code may not be an issue for casual celebrations, for more formal events, it is entirely appropriate to describe the dress code at the bottom of the invitation. If it’s a themed event, you may also request that form of dress.

As an event planner, you should also adapt your attire to your clients’ request and

vision of the event. Appropriate dress shows respect for the business and

customers. Showing up to a meeting poorly groomed shows the other person that

you do not care enough about the meeting to bother making an effort. When you

are properly dressed, there is also nothing to distract others from your message. It

is extremely helpful and considerate to mention to your guests that your event will

be held outdoors. To do so ap-propriately, simply mention it in the wording of your

invitation. For example, prior to giving the location name and address, include a line

that states “in the garden”, “under the stars”, or “on the terrace”, as appropriate.

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Guests will definitely appreciate a polite indication of the required dress code on the invitation. It will also save you a time and questions regarding how people need be dressed. Here is the list of formulas for indicating the desired attire. White tie means ultra-formal. Women wear only long, formal evening gowns. Long gloves may also be worn. A woman may keep her gloves on during cocktails, when dancing, and when going through the receiving line; they should, however, be removed during dinner. Men wear a black coat with tails and a white pique vest over a white formal shirt with white pique bow tie and black patent leather shoes. Charity or society balls are usually white-tie events.

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Creative Black Tie allows your personality to influence your formal wear. Men can go with a more modern tuxedo—perhaps a black shirt and no tie. Women can wear long or short dresses or separates (maybe a long lace or sequined skirt with a sleek blouse).

Formal usually means the same as black tie. If your host is especially trendy, men may wear a black shirt and no tie with a tuxedo. Tradition, however, requires that men wear the standard tuxedo and that women wear long cocktail dresses or dressy evening separates.

Semiformal is the trickiest of all the dress codes. Typically, it means that tux-edos are not required, nor are long dresses. An evening event (after 6:00 pm) would still require a dark suit for men and a cocktail dress for women. Daytime semiformal events demand a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her.

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Lounge suit. Lounge suit dress codes call for a suit and tie for men (black, navy, or tan) and a glamorous frock for women (floor length or three-quar-ter length). Accessories are important. For ladies, metallic accessories are lovely; for men, a silver watch and tie (a splash of bright colour to match your partner) is ideal. Cocktail dress code usually means semiformal short, elegant dresses, al-though they

dresses may be of various lengths. For men, such attire consists of a jacket, with or

without a tie, and long dress pants (trousers). Cocktail attire is often more fashion-

conscious with coloured suits and shirts. Business attire. On the scale of formality, business attire is more formal than casual but less formal than cocktail attire. Business attire for men consists of a suit (usually dark in colour), including a pair of trousers and a matching jacket. The suit is worn with a long-sleeved shirt and a tie or a polo shirt with dress pants. Attire for women is, in its strictest interpretation, patterned af-ter the male standard—a suit consisting of a jacket with matching skirt or trousers, plus a blouse.

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Informal may mean the same as casual; however, when the event is associ-ated with a wedding or another special occasion, some form of decorum should prevail. A dress for her or a nice pair of slacks and a shirt for him are informal, but respectful.

Smart casual. Usually causes the most confusion from the dress codes. This

etiquette varies across countries and even companies. Generally, safe smart casual

attire is office attire with some added accessories to dress it up a little. A smart

jacket with closed shoes or heels is recommended. If you do opt for jeans, your

denim should look somewhat dressy, fresh and sharp, with no wear or holes. A

great tip for woman: add a blazer for an extra touch of class.

Casual. Casual dress is more laid-back than any other dress code. You can wear anything from a cotton blouse to a T-shirt. Appropriate shoes are part of this dress code: Many assume that flip-flops (thong sandals) are suitable wear, when in fact they are not. Avoid inflammatory or otherwise offensive graphic tees.

Nightclub chic: suggests nothing other than black and sleek.

Sophisticated resort-wear: means upscale sundress for her and subtly col-oured linen trousers for him.

Theme or festive attire means that attire should match the event’s theme. Themed attire is becoming more common,and dress codes have expanded to fit the occasion. To encourage your guests to dress in costume, include a specific request on the invitation, such as: “Renaissance garb requested, but not required”. Be sure to let quests know that they may still attend even if they do not dress according the theme. Otherwise, you may alienate guests who don’t feel comfortable in costume.

In our increasingly casual society, there is a greater need for special dress codes. Here are common pitfalls of dressing etiquette: • Wearing casual wear to the office (unless the company has, e.g., a Casual

Friday policy)

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• Wearing beach wear in the city • Not dressing in one’s best at church • Wearing bright or coloured clothes at a funeral • Wearing entirely black outfits at weddings • Wearing flip-flops (thing sandals) everywhere • Ignoring the specific dress code of an event. When working abroad or with people from different cultures, or with very religious individuals, you will need to dress carefully to avoid offending anyone. Here is a list of five countries where very strict dress codes applies. 1. France: Ban on burqas and niqabs. In April 2011, France’s law against burqas and

niqabs went into effect. Essentially, the law is a ban on the tradi-tional female

Muslim dress, and it allows a police officer to verbally request removal of the veil

before escorting the violator to a police station for ID verification and removal. The

fine is 150 Euros for a first-time offender, and 30,000 Euros for a male who forces a

woman to wear a burqa or niqab.

2. Saudi Arabia and Iran: Ban on bare skin and crossdressing. Saudi Arabia and Iran

are home to some of the strictest social laws on the planet, many applying

exclusively to women. This separation of legal restrictions by sex seems austere by

Western standards. Aside from requiring a male guardian, a woman must also wear

a niqab and an abaya in public so as to not expose bare skin. Men also have

restrictions—they are not allowed to crossdress.

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3. Bhutan: Gho and kira required in public. Considered one of the happiest countries on the planet. While it is rare to read a word on Bhutan without being reintroduced to this policy on happiness, there are also other, less well-known measures in place to maintain Bhutanese culture. For example, all Bhutanese citizens must adhere to a strict dress code. In public, men must wear a knee-length robe called a gho, and women must wear a kimono known as a kira. The dress code is older than the current kingdom, and is known as driglamnamzha.

4. North Korea: No pants (trousers) for ladies; haircuts for men. In North Korea, men are supposed to trim their hair every 15 days. Older men are given leniency: their hair may grow long enough to cover bald spots. Most men are allotted a maximum hair length of two inches;males fifty years and older can grow their hair an additional 0.75 inch. Women are not permitted to wear pants (trousers), and if an infraction occurs, the pants-wearing of-fender faces a stint at one of the North’s labour camps.

5. Sudan: No makeup for men; lashes for pants-wearing women. Women are punished for wearing pants (trousers) with lashes and a hefty fine. Su-danese public decency laws are extremely strict and express the beliefs of the predominantly Arab north. The tumultuous country is home to violent religious differences. While women are prohibited from wearing trousers, men also have laws governing their behaviour. Some time ago, seven men were arrested and charged with public indecency for wearing makeup at a fashion show.

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