Hosting an event is always exciting, but it can also be a huge environmental burden. From the energy used for lighting and sound to the waste generated by catering and decor, events can significantly impact the environment. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize your event's ecological footprint. This post will explore some tips and tricks for sustainable event planning.

Choose a sustainable venue.

The first step in planning a sustainable event is choosing a venue that aligns with your eco-friendly goals. Look for venues that have implemented green practices, such as energy-efficient lighting, recycling programs, and sustainable landscaping. Also, consider hosting your event outdoors, which will reduce your energy use and give your guests a chance to enjoy nature.

Reduce energy use.

Once you've chosen your venue, it's important to focus on reducing energy use. This can be accomplished in several ways, such as:

• Using natural lighting instead of artificial lighting whenever possible

• Choosing energy-efficient lighting and sound equipment

• Encouraging guests to carpool or use public transportation to get to the event

• Turning off lights and equipment when they're not in use

Minimize waste.

Another critical aspect of sustainable event planning is minimizing waste. This can be achieved by:

• Providing reusable or compostable tableware instead of disposable items

• Encouraging guests to bring their own reusable water bottles and coffee cups

• Providing clearly marked recycling and compost bins

• Working with caterers to ensure that excess food is donated or composted instead of thrown away

Use eco-friendly decor.

There are plenty of ways to be eco-friendly when it comes to decor. Some ideas include:

• Using potted plants instead of cut flowers

• Decorating with recycled or upcycled materials

• Renting or borrowing decor items instead of buying new ones

• Using LED candles instead of real candles

Communicate your eco-friendly goals.

Finally, it's important to communicate your eco-friendly goals to your guests. Let them know why sustainability is important to you and what steps you're taking to reduce your event's environmental impact. Encourage them to participate in your efforts by bringing their own reusable items and using the recycling and compost bins.

Hosting an eco-friendly event may seem daunting, but with the right planning and execution, it's completely doable. By choosing a sustainable venue, minimizing energy use and waste, using eco-friendly decor, and communicating your goals to your guests, you can reduce your event's ecological footprint and inspire others to do the same. So why not give it a try and see how easy it can be to host a sustainable gathering?

As the world continues to adapt to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference industry has also had to shift gears. With travel restrictions, social distancing, and safety concerns, the traditional in-person conference model has become a challenge.

However, the pandemic has also presented an opportunity to rethink how conferences are planned and executed. Here are some critical considerations for conference planning in the new world:

1. Hybrid events: With the rise of virtual conferencing technology, hybrid events have become an attractive option. These events combine both in-person and virtual attendance options, allowing for a wider reach and more flexibility for attendees.

2. Health and safety protocols: As in-person events become more feasible, it is important to implement health and safety protocols to protect attendees. This includes measures such as mandatory mask-wearing, social distancing, and increased cleaning and sanitation.

3. Virtual platforms: For fully virtual events, choosing the right platform is crucial. It should be user-friendly, reliable, and offer features such as breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and exhibitor booths.

4. Engaging content: With so much competition for attention in the virtual space, it's important to create engaging content that will keep attendees interested and involved. This could include interactive workshops, keynote speakers, and Q&A sessions.

5. Flexibility: In the current climate, flexibility is key. Plans may need to change at a moment's notice due to travel restrictions or other unforeseen circumstances. Having contingency plans in place and being able to adapt quickly will be essential.

Conference planning in the new world presents both challenges and opportunities. By embracing technology, prioritizing health and safety, and creating engaging content, conference organizers can create successful events that meet the needs of attendees in these unprecedented times.

Change the outcome of your presentation...

Often lately, I’m asked by speakers, “How do I come across well online?”

While many of these suggestions may seem simple, taken together, they add up to create a perception of competence, trust, and credibility.

POSITION YOURSELF PROPERLY

Projecting executive presence starts by taking up space, literally and figuratively. If you sit too far away from the camera, it makes you appear small, which can subconsciously send a signal that you’re less powerful, nervous, or otherwise disengaged. 

Fix this by positioning your camera to show the area from your upper chest to your head. Make sure the top of your head isn’t chopped off and that there are a few inches of visual space above your crown.

BACKGROUNDS

You’ve probably seen or used Zoom’s virtual backgrounds feature, which allows you to display an image or video as your backdrop during a call. 

However, you’ve probably also noticed that it’s not fool-proof. Many times the software will display the image over your head or glitch and pixelate. 

For this reason, I advise my clients to stay away from it unless absolutely necessary. It simply introduces too much distraction and detracts from a strong presence. 

Don’t shy away from personal elements like photos of family. These are great conversation starters that humanize you and build connections.

Look Level

You garner the most trust by establishing strong eye contact with your audience. 

But many people make the mistake of positioning their camera too low (as if people were looking up your nose), which can make it seem like you’re talking down to people. If the camera is too high (as if you were taking a selfie), it can diminish your presence. 

Instead, keep your camera at eye level. Do this by propping your laptop or webcam on a stack of books. 

Pro Tip: LOCATION It’s important that you are as close as possible to your router. This will minimize any image freezing or sound issues during the presentation. If you can have a hard wired connection, that’s even more secure. In addition, try to be in a quiet space with a closed door. And most importantly, please do NOT sit in a chair that rolls or swivels.

USE A STRONG VOICE

On video conferencing, you need to speak slightly faster than you would while in person to hold people’s attention. 

And pay attention to your inflection, just as you would in person. Avoid uptalk – ending sentences as if you were asking a question – and trailing off at the end of your sentences. 

It may seem obvious but use a good quality headset. In this digital age, your audio quality is part of the overall picture of your presence.

Stay Stable

One mistake I see speakers make is letting their lack of confidence leak out through their physical posture. They slouch or hunch over during video calls, for example, or they may sway in their chair to get out nervous energy, which in turn makes your audience feel less secure. 

Instead, imagine as if there were an invisible string running from the top of your head to the ceiling pulling you up. Send signals of competency and warmth by relaxing your shoulders and pulling them down your back. Looking at ease creates a positive perception in the eyes of people you’re trying to influence. 

SMILE AT THE CAMERA

Practice looking straight into the camera rather than glancing at your own image on the screen. To train yourself into this behavior try: 

Placing a sticky note with a smiley face right about your webcam 

Turning off the “self-view” option on Zoom

Using the “active speaker” mode 

Each of the above will help direct your attention to where it matters most – authentically connecting with your audience.

KNOW ABOUT NOTIFICATIONS

Mute your phone and desktop notifications before hopping on a call. You may think that all the dings and pings may make you appear important, but it’s more so disrespectful to the people on the call. Make others feel important by demonstrating they have your full attention. 

Pro Tip: Be aware that anything you say in the chat will be visible in the final transcript. So make sure your private messages are something you’d be comfortable with your boss seeing.

GET YOUR MINDSET RIGHT 

Executive presence is about more than your visual look and body language. Fundamentally, it’s about your mentality. And nothing detracts from projecting an air of confidence like undermining yourself. 

Nix apologetic language like “I’m sorry, I may be completely off base here.” Tentative language may be appropriate during a brainstorming session, for example, but not when you’re trying to be perceived as decisive and an expert.

Take a deep breathe. Imagine yourself at the end of the day telling your friends how great your presentation went. You’ve got this.

Pro tip: Record yourself speaking and review it. Make changes as needed in advance so you feel confident the day of.

Projecting Confidence

Here are 7 quick tips that create a perception of trust and credibility when speaking online...

LOCATION

It’s important that you are as close as possible to your router. This will minimize any image freezing or sound issues during the presentation. In addition, try to be in a quiet space.

Pro tip: Please do NOT sit in a chair that swivels or rolls!

BACKGROUND

Depending on what type of computer you have, you may be unable to use a virtual background.

If that’s the case, it’s important to also choose an area where your background is not too busy (ex. in front of a solid wall).

If you choose to use your home as the background, remember that each item represents who you are and how you are perceived.

CLOTHING

Try to wear solid colors, as small, repeating patterns might not look great on camera. Bright colors and jewel tones really stand out.

Remember to try on your outfit sitting down. It can look very different than standing in front of a full length mirror.

Pro tip: Never wear a white shirt. It reflects the light and washes you out.

FRAMING THE VIDEO

Elevate your laptop so that you are centered on the screen. Check you background view onscreen beforehand.

Pro tip: Have water in a glass versus a bottle so you don’t don’t have to open and close throughout.

EYELINE

It’s common for us to look at the people on our screens or look at ourselves while talking into a computer or laptop. Try to look directly into the camera when you are presenting. This way your audience feels you are looking at them and connect with you.

AUDIO

Before you begin, make sure it’s quiet and turn off anything that could make noise. This means the even the air conditioner, dishwasher, music, electronics, etc. Make sure that all electronics are on “do not disturb” so they don’t make noise during the presentation.

LIGHTING

Shadows are not a good look, nor do they add to your credibility. Avoid sitting with your back to a window or being backlit by a lamp. When possible, take video calls with a window and lamp in front of you.

The natural light makes a world of difference. Take a few minutes to adjust your lighting so you do not have shadows on your face.

Or going virtual?

As an event planner, the most relevant question right now is how to adjust your timeline for an event during the pandemic. Whether you choose to postpone or create a virtual experience, people need something to look forward to and a reason to celebrate. Milestones will still happen and when they do, here is some advice.

CONSULT

YOUR TEAM

Communicate with your venue and vendors immediately.  If you have a planner, now is the time to lean on them even more. Review your contracts and look for the verbiage “Force Majeure”, “Act of G-d”, or “Unforeseen Circumstances”.  This will let you know the specific policy as it applies to payments and cancellation.  Keep in mind, your venue and vendors are navigating through this difficult situation too. 

RESCHEDULING OR GOING VIRTUAL

According to a April 2020 survey of more than 2,000 U.S. couples by The Knot, among couples whose weddings are impacted by the spread of COVID-19, 93% are postponing and only 7% are cancelling outright. Many vendors are working with clients to find a new event date and waiving rescheduling fees. As dates fill up, consider choosing a less-traditional day of the week. Ask your vendors if you can get a lower rate for a mid-week event. Vendors often have different pricing for less-popular dates.

LET YOUR GUESTS KNOW

This is where going digital is recommended. It is the fastest and most efficient way to let your guests know about the new date.  As soon as you’ve secured a new date, share that in a personal email or electronic evite.  Try to design something consistent with your original invite and include as much information as you can - flights, accommodations, etc. 

CELEBRATE YOUR

ORIGINAL DATE

Friends of mine felt keeping their original date was most important and we decided to create an intimate zoom wedding. Others decided to postpone until 2021, yet on the original wedding date, they had decided to look at all the photos of their courtship and share gratitudes for each year they were together. A small ritual to acknowledge the date can mean a lot. Reach out to me if you want to co-create your personal ritual.

Why It’s Important to Look Good online

Looking good on a video call isn’t all about vanity (or at least it shouldn’t be). We’re not talking about dressing to the nines or ordering professional-grade studio lights on Amazon. However, it is important to appear professional when meeting with your colleagues, even if it’s through a screen.

Putting at least a little bit of effort into how you present yourself portrays a positive image to your teammates. It shows you care about your meetings and aren’t just going through the motions while working from home.

Plus, little self-care rituals like getting dressed and combing your hair for a Zoom meeting can have a significant impact on your mood. Considering many people are feeling isolated since implementing social distancing, any self-esteem boost is more than welcome.

Additionally, there are technical aspects of video calls to consider. Poor lighting can make it hard to see you, lowering the overall quality of the meeting. Activity or clutter in the background could cause distractions that derail your conference and lower your team’s productivity.

Dress in Business Casual Clothing

First things first – business casual is the new normal. If you’re wearing a suit while working from home, feel free to hang it up in the back of your closet for the foreseeable future. Even if your office did require you to wear a suit every day, rules are generally relaxing across the board now.

If you’re looking to impress your boss via Zoom, go for a sober button-down shirt or blouse. Depending on the climate where you live, polos or sweaters may also be acceptable. Stick to solid colors and neutrals as much as possible, as loud prints could be distracting.

Fortunately, it’s hard to go wrong when it comes to pants and skirts. However, it’s wise to at least wear jeans, even though you’re probably going to be sitting down for your Zoom meetings. You never know when you’ll have to get up to grab a report or other materials, and you don’t want to get caught in your sweatpants.

Position Your Camera for the Best Angle

Since you watch video calls on your laptop’s screen, it can be easy to prioritize the angle of your display and overlook that of your web camera. However, you don’t want to leave your colleges staring at your hairline or your chin for the duration of your meeting.

To put it simply, you want to avoid odd angles. You shouldn’t need to incline your head up or down too much to look directly at your camera.

However, if you’re using a standard table or desk, your laptop likely sits below your head. If you only have to tilt it back slightly, this setup can still work. To play it safe, we recommend lifting up your laptop a bit, so its camera is on eye-level with you. A monitor stand or a few books should do the trick.

If you’re using Zoom on your mobile device, the same general rules apply. Ideally, you want your camera to be eye-level or slightly higher. It can be difficult to hold your smartphone at this angle for extended periods of time, so consider investing in a tripod if you don’t have a laptop with a web camera.

Make Sure Your Background Isn’t Distracting

Last but not least, you need to make sure the area behind you during your Zoom call isn’t too distracting. As far as tips go, this one is pretty simple. A plain wall or even a subtle piece of artwork makes for the best backdrop.

However, many of us don’t have dedicated spaces we can use to join Zoom meetings with pristine, distraction-free backgrounds. If that’s the case, here are a few ways you can improve your call’s setting:

Clean up any messes, such as piles of laundry, toys, or dishes.

Send children and pets to another room to minimize activity and sound in the background of your call.

Avoid sitting in front of bookcases or other ‘busy’ backdrops with lots of objects than could be distracting.

Fortunately, Zoom includes backgrounds you can use if finding a distraction-free zone in your house is too difficult.

Looking good on Zoom comes down to four simple factors:

Everyone feels self-conscious about the way they look on camera. Keep that in mind during your next virtual meeting, and don’t worry too much about what your team thinks about your looks. With that in mind, there’s plenty you can do to appear more professional online. That way, you’ll feel less nervous when it’s your turn to speak up:

Dressing appropriately in business casual clothing.

Finding a spot with flattering light.

Positioning your camera for the best angle.

Making sure your background isn’t distracting.

Do you have any questions about how to look good on Zoom? Shoot me a note and get in touch.

Here’s how to pivot your wedding planning (based on where you are in the process) so you can stay on track while staying safe.

In this time of coronavirus, you may be seeing the word “pivot” used quite often in reference to businesses that are changing their strategies to adapt to the current situation (a catering company that can’t work events cooking up family meals for delivery, for example). You might also be experiencing a pivot of sorts related to your wedding planning. Perhaps you’re taking a pause from planning to focus on work or family issues, or you’re trying to figure out what you can accomplish during this time of social distancing. While in-person meetings with vendors (including tastings, attire fittings, hair and makeup trials, etc.) are out for the time being, there are other wedding-planning activities you can focus on while at home.

Planning Stage: Just getting started

Focus on: Gathering inspiration, creating a guest list, and “touring” venues.

With a few exceptions, you can actually accomplish many preliminary wedding planning tasks from home. Work with your partner (and if they’re contributing financially to your wedding, your parents) to figure out a budget and create your guest list. You can also start to browse venues—virtually! Many of the venues listed on WeddingWire include 3D tours so you can “visit” your favorite spaces without leaving your couch. Depending on the venue, you may have to wait a bit to actually book, but at least you’ll have a narrowed-down list. And pulling together an inspiration board on Pinterest is a great way to spend some downtime. 

Planning Stage: You’ve set a date, but not much else.

Focus on: Researching vendors, and booking when possible, starting your registry, and creating your wedding website. 

One of the most important parts of wedding planning is building your vendor team. Start the process by scheduling virtual meetings to interview your top picks. Setup a meeting with me to find recommended vendors that have a great reputation. While you may miss out on meeting potential vendors in person, it’s totally possible to book pros virtually. You’ll also want to start your wedding registry, which can be done entirely online, and create your wedding website to keep your guests in the know about your event. 

Planning Stage: Secured Vendors

Focus on: Creative ways you can work with your team. 

Many of the tasks that you’ll need to take care of after hiring your vendors are usually handled in person. These may include cake and catering tastings, hair and makeup trials, attire shopping, choosing stationery, taking engagement photos, and more.

However, vendors are finding ways to “meet” with their clients virtually. From scheduling conversations with your officiant over Zoom to planning a pickup tasting, having your florist provide photos of potential arrangements to having your stationer share options over FaceTime or scheduling a virtual appointment with a local dress salon, there are lots of ways to check items off your wedding checklist while social distancing.

Planning Stage: You’re a few months away from your wedding. 

Focus on: The Details

If you’ve nailed down most of the major aspects of your big day, now’s the time to start thinking about details and tying up any loose ends. That might mean ordering and mailing your invitations, brainstorming and executing on favor ideas, working with your music pros (virtually, of course) to create your wedding playlist, writing your vows, and figuring out your seating chart. This is also a good time to catch up on thank-you notes and make sure your wedding website is up to date.

New Territory

Remember, the coronavirus pandemic is new territory for everyone and the standard wedding checklist may need to be thrown out the window. Look to your vendors to come up with creative solutions to planning issues that may arise due to social distancing—and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If circumstances leave you unable to find time to plan, you may want to consider hiring a planner like myself to lift the burden off of your shoulders. 

* Remember, the coronavirus pandemic is new territory for everyone and the standard wedding checklist may need to be thrown out the window. Look to your vendors to come up with creative solutions to planning issues that may arise due to social distancing—and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If circumstances leave you unable to find time to plan, you may want to consider hiring a planner like myself to lift the burden off of your shoulders. 

Check my Highlights on Instagram @Lysa_nyc for more tips

Dreams

are still coming true and there are many reasons to celebrate these days. Being in quarantine will not stop us from celebrating our milestones! We may not be able to gather in person, but we will connect and make memories together. Here are a few tips on how to mark your milestones and really gather virtually.

1. YOUR SPACE: Take some time to select what room you want to host in and where you want to set up your phone and computer.  You can rearrange furniture and consider looking around your home for other lighting or decorative items.  Have your electronics charged and have a plug close by so you don’t run into any technical glitches. Test your wi-fi and make sure your zoom calls are clear. Maybe even consider a fun zoom background!

2. GUEST LIST: Like any good gathering, the guest list is so important.  Think of  who is important to this milestone and send them an invite. Too many guests can get confusing on a call-in, so try and keep the number to who really needs to be there.  A personal email or colorful Evite are both great ways to let guests know you want them to join this celebration. Another idea if to reach out to guests before by sending them something small - a candle,  twinkle lights or a mini table-scape in a ‘party box’ so it builds excitement and gives your guests something to use the day of the event.

3. A DRESS CODE: Since everyone is embracing leisure wear during this time, you can make it a bit more themed by calling for festive pajama party attire or ask everyone to wear your favorite color.  This takes the pressure off but allows guests to tinker with their existing outfits. Why not escape from the leisure suits we’ve all been sporting?  Break out something sparkly, a fancy dress, anything bright and festive!

4. DECOR: Surrounding yourself with festive things will definitely put you in a better mood.  Color also lifts your spirits -  reach for anything bold printed and bright.  Use a curtain or tablecloth as a backdrop for your set up.  Light candles to set some ambiance (and look more flattering on camera).

5. THE MENU: Have your favorite snacks out if it’s meal time. You can share a recipe with guests for a signature cocktail and a few snacks that only have a handful of ingredients.  A classic Negroni paired with some cheese and crackers is a great option. I also love a spicy margarita paired with some chips and dip.

6. The MUSIC: Similar to lighting, music is essential to set the vibe. We are in luck right now, since all of the best DJs are currently hosting live sets and playlists through their Spotify.  

Check my Highlights on Instagram @Lysa_nyc for more tips