A Q&A WITH RILEY SHANNON
EVENT DESIGNER WITH IH
Riley was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, California, and attended college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree with a concentration in event planning and communications. She began her career as an event planner right out of college and has been working in the hospitality industry for 5 years!
Wanting to continue her event planning career in a new place with a thriving industry, she eventually moved to the Music City. “I had always loved visiting Nashville, so I made the jump and moved! I didn't know anyone here when I moved, and have made the greatest community of friends,” Riley explained.
Growing up, Riley's parents were fabulous entertainers, so she discovered her love for event planning very early on! She helped her parents host countless celebrations at her dad's winery and inherited her design skills from her mother. Watching her mom is where she first saw the thrill and beauty involved in event planning.
Outside of work, you can find Riley enjoying some fresh air and walking the trails around Nashville, traveling to new places, at Disneyland, or trying all the new restaurants the city has to offer! Her current favorites are dining at The Optimist and exploring 12South.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from a lot of different places! A lot of my events are inspired by seasons and themes. I also love to take inspiration from travel photos in coffee table books or magazines. I try not to follow trends but instead create them.
How do you stay on top of everything? Any organizational tips or tricks?
Every morning I have the same routine. I sit down and write my list of priorities for the day, and then write them out for my team as well according to their clients. It's helpful to compartmentalize everyone's tasks and be clear about what needs to get done.
In regard to weddings, I look at the event day from start to finish and work that way— start with the ceremony, work into cocktail hour, etc. I try to stay in chronological order as opposed to jumping around. This helps things to not fall through the cracks.
What themes or unique details have been your favorite from one of your events?
We incorporated a custom denim jacket bar from Levi's for our guests; it was a huge hit! I also loved planning a corporate event with the theme "Life is a Highway." We brought in a race car, stoplights, and race track lighting. It was such a fun opportunity to be creative and bring in so many unexpected elements to out-of-town guests.
If you could give one piece of advice to couples planning a wedding, what would it be?
Trust your planner and enjoy the process. Planners have your best interest in mind and will use their expertise to give you the day of your dreams. And make it personal to you and your fiancé! Incorporate elements that represent you as a couple that people can talk about.
What are some of the challenges you face when planning an event and how do you overcome them?
Budgets are the biggest challenge I face when planning an event; it encourages me to be creative and provide the client with their desired design within their budget comfort zone. I work on repurposing items for dual use to cut costs, as well as prioritizing certain elements for wow factor, and being conservative in other areas.
What is one of your favorite memories from one of your events?
I threw a corporate holiday party last year. We organized a charity drive and each guest came with gifts to donate to the local children's hospital. It was the most heartwarming, rewarding feature of any event I have put on.
What’s your favorite part about your job and why?
Creating relationships with clients from all over the country and helping them create a memorable experience that they will talk about for years to come. It's a privilege to be an integral part of someone's event and show them how much I care through the success of their day.
What is the biggest difference from being an event coordinator to event designer?
Responsibility. Designers are much more client-facing and responsible for budgets, timeliness, and execution!
For more weddings and events by Riley, click below!
