Event Planning Tips, From the Experts, Student/Graduate Features, Wedding Planning Tips
A Student Showcase Critique by Candice Coppola
If you’ve never had the chance to take a look through QC Event School’s Student Showcase, you should take a moment to see what your peers are capable of! The Showcase is an opportunity for QC students to display their best work, and it’s also a chance for them to gather feedback to help them grow as new professionals. This week, QC Event School tutor and event and wedding planner Candice Coppola chose three outstanding submissions to respond to from our Student Showcase. Getting feedback from industry professionals like Candice is helpful for these students moving forward because it lets them know where their strengths lie and where they might try to improve. Reading Candice’s feedback will also be helpful for you! Take a look at these critiques and consider how they might apply to your own work as well!
Ashley Engelbrecht: Blush and Gold Wedding
See the full showcase here.
Candice says:
I love romantic weddings with classic elements, and I really love the details that Ashley put together working with her clients on this summer garden wedding. A highlight in this showcase is the tablescape; I liked that Ashley used both high and low centerpieces, especially in a room with high ceilings. When working in a room with a lot of vertical space, it’s important to bridge that gap in your tablescape design. Ashley went even further and introduced beautiful white modern candelabras that provide a clean look. I also love the gold mercury glass vases, the floral pattern on the napkins, and the clean white chivari chairs that tie it all together. One area that I have suggestions for is the dessert display. Be mindful, when possible, of where in a room you place these beautifully artistic tablescapes. Visually, they work best up against a wall or clean backdrop. You may not always have that option, and perhaps Ashley did not, but a simple fix is creating a backdrop for your dessert display to block out any unsightly elements in the background. You can create one of these with linen, paper, and a variety of other textiles. Fantastic work overall, Ashley!
Gaynor Richter: Outdoor Wedding
See the full showcase here.
Candice says:
What a beautiful outdoor dinner party! I immediately love the tablescapes and lighting Gaynor used for this event. The tables are well organized and I love the rustic California feel of this design. I especially enjoy the black pots of succulents, the woven branch “orbs”, and the bursts of yellow flowers. The small details, like the “cootie catchers”, are very nostalgic and fun. Gaynor also used café bulb string lighting over the table, which gives an ambient glow as the sun sets. This is nice and decorative, but it’s also lighting that serves a purpose so guests can enjoy their meal outside. Well done!
Lori Kimber: Cowgirl Party
See the full showcase here.
Candice says:
What an adorable affair! Lori did a fantastic job in designing this cowgirl themed birthday party. I especially love the outfits guests wore and the incredible dessert display. The color story is beautiful, the display so perfectly merchandised and symmetrical. The details that really catch my eye are the little cowboy hat chocolates, the lasso rope on the cake, the toasted marshmallows, and the overall rustic display. It is all very sweet and leaves me wanting to see all the other details of the event, like the invitations, the games, and other elements that Lori designed. Beautifully done, Lori!
Check out the Student Showcase!
Even if you’re not quite ready to submit your own work, the Student Showcase is still a great resource for you! Looking at the ideas, themes, elements, and details in your peers’ work will help you see what other planners are doing successfully and which ideas are common or unconventional. The great work displayed in the Showcase might even inspire you to try something new! Learning from your peers is a great way to improve your own skill. Take Candice’s feedback to these three talented students and think about how her critiques and praise might be applicable to your own work!
