Celebrity Event Management 101: Everything You Need to Know

Celebrity event management is a lucrative industry…for those who are lucky or hard-working enough to become a part of it.

Have you toyed with the idea of throwing a celebrity event? Then it’s a good idea to do some market research and understand what it means to be a celebrity event manager.

We’ve done the heavy lifting for you in this article, where we…

• Look at what a celebrity event manager does
• How they’re different from regular event managers
• How you can become one (if you so desire)
• Where you can hire celebrity event management companies

What’s the role of a celebrity event management company?

The job of a celebrity event manager can best be described as event management on steroids. It’s everything event organisers are used to, but much bigger and much more expensive.

As with a regular event manager, a celebrity event manager has to…

• Communicate with a wide range of people
• Handle marketing and publicity
• Organise logistics
• Negotiate with venues and vendors
• Manage security and risk assessment
• Make sure everything is done with the strictest confidentiality

So on the face of it, the “celebrity” qualifier doesn’t seem to add much to the job description…or does it?

Celebrity event management vs. “regular” event management

Managing a celebrity and organising their event does not seem that much different from dealing with mere mortals.

There are, however, a few key differences to be aware of when you deal with high-profile clients that are used to having the spotlight on them at all times.

The general consensus among people who’ve worked with celebrity clients boils down to these five points:

• It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the celebrity lifestyle. Don’t do it.
• Manage your clients’ expectations extra carefully. They’re used to getting what they want.
• Don’t steal the spotlight by asking for public endorsements. It makes you look desperate.
• Avoid gossiping about your clients. It breaks trust and is bad for business.
• Don’t cut your prices to get the clients. They can afford it and will make you work for it.

Popular celebrity event managers

Much of the work celebrity event managers do relate to the many award shows their clients attend. But they also deal with extravagant weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations.

We can identify key differences between celebrity event management and “regular” event management by looking at some of the top celebrity event planners.

1. Mindy Weiss

Mindy Weiss has organised many corporate events but is known as one of the top celebrity wedding planners in the world. Her clients include Fergie, Ellen Degeneres, and Gwen Stefani.

2. Colin Cowie

Colin Cowie is a celebrity event manager that specialises in decoration. He is a regular presenter on the Today Show and has worked with Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey.

3. Sharon Sacks

Sharon Shacks is another famous celebrity event planner who has worked with the likes of George Clooney and Kanye West.

4. Yifat Oren & Stefanie Cove

Oren and Cove run the celebrity event management company Party Slate that is known for creating gilded tarts and flying orchids. They’ve worked for Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman.

5. Marcy Blum

Marcy Blum specialises in flower decorations and exotic locations. She’s been featured in the Architectural Digest magazine and has worked for the likes of Kevin Spacey and LeBron James.

How to become a celebrity event manager

Due to the high standards celebrities expect from their event managers, it can seem like an impossible mission to get a foot in the door to celebrity event management.

You will need a lot of experience working with premium clients. And you will definitely need to network a lot so you know the right people who can introduce you to celebrities.

There are other ways that can help move you in the right direction, however. You could volunteer for events that involve celebrities, such as award shows and sports events.

At the very least, the experience you gain from such volunteer opportunities looks good on your CV. But you may even find yourself in front of your future celebrity clients. You can also look into event management courses that specialise in celebrity events.

Tip: Look at job sites that list volunteer opportunities for celebrity events you can apply for. 

How to find a celebrity event management company

Do you want to organise a celebrity event, but becoming a celebrity event manager is not your cup of tea? Then you’ll need to enlist the services of an established professional in the field.

Let’s have a look at some of the most well-known celebrity event management companies on the international scene. It’s worth noting that these companies naturally know what to charge for their work.

1. Bassett Events

Bassett Events has an impressive track record organising fundraisers, weddings, and private parties. Their clients include none other than Snoop Dogg, who’s hired them to plan his events.

2. MKG Marketing

MKG Marketing is a company that specialises in private events for celebrities like Janet Jackson and Jessica Simpson. They’ve also worked on product launches for companies like Ray-Ban.

3. David Tutera

Behind the name David Tutera is a large team that organises celebrity weddings. Tutera himself is an award-winning designer of wedding dresses and even hosts his own TV show.

4. A Perfect Event

A Perfect Event is the company of celebrity event manager Debi Lilly, who runs a boutique that sells floral decorations. She’s worked with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and brands like Luis Vuitton.

5. Rafanelli Events

Rafanelli Events is one of the more prolific celebrity event management companies on our list. They organise over 100 events every year, for the likes of the Clintons and the Obamas.

6. Quintessentially Events

Quintessentially Events is an international celebrity event management company. They’ve established themselves as a market leader in weddings, corporate, and private events since 2005.

7. Wonderland

Wonderland describe themselves as a creative-led experiential event management company. They specialise in everything from travel and technology to luxury and retail events.

8. Eventive Marketing

Eventive Marketing falls into the category of blue chip corporate event management companies. Rather than individual celebrities, they work with brands like HBO and T-Mobile.

Can you afford it?

There are plenty of celebrity event managers out there for you to hire if you want to get some famous people to your next event.

The question is how much of a budget you have to work with. The ones we’ve described are celebrities in their own right. And their clients are happy to shower them with cash for their services.

What you can do is try to get your foot in the proverbial door of celebrity events. One way is to volunteer for existing events where you know certain celebrities will be involved.

Failing that, you can always research the people and companies we’ve covered in this article. See which ideas you can steal and imitate, even if you’re working with a small budget.

Do you have any experience with celebrity events? Drop us a comment below and share your experiences!