Hey, loves!
I am super excited to be writing this blog post! It was a blast being able to host my very first event as a blogger with my blogger bff, Janine of Bell Sleeves and Bellinis, and I of course wanted to share my experience with all of you. If you're looking to host your first event or you're just curious to know the behind the scenes, you're in the right place!
So first things first, you need a venue! I was super fortunate enough to have been contacted by Poppy Clothing, a local Houston boutique. Emily, the manager, was a dream to work with, and made the entire event a breeze! So, I was lucky enough to have the boutique contact me, but what if you're starting from zero? Ask around! Start with local boutiques, and do your research on new ones in your area. A lot of small business owners are looking to grow get more exposure, and us bloggers are one of the best ways for them to get exposure via social media. If you're a Houston blogger, start by asking Poppy Clothing! They host events all the time, even if you're not a blogger at no cost at all!
Second step -- you've got the venue, now what about entertainment? This was a tough one for me, because it required getting out there and asking different vendors if they'd like to be sponsors. I was so in my head about doing this, because I was so afraid of being turned down. But guess what? That's exactly the worst thing that can happen -- you get turned down. Big deal? Not really! You just have to move on to the next and try again in the future! So I knew I wanted everyone to have a chance to not only network, but also have some fun! I thought a Photo Booth would be the perfect option, so I started doing some research. When people say hashtags make the world of a difference, they aren't lying! I started off by searching #houstonphotobooth and was super fortunate to find Houston Flashy Photo Booth. I contacted the owner, Manuel, and he agreed to sponsor the event in exchange to having his flyers passed out at the event and a couple of posts. Everyone LOVED the Photo Booth, and I really think this was what helped our event stand out from others as well as it gave the company some exposure.
Third thing is the food! I got in touch with my favorite baker EVER, Abril, from Oh My Sweets. She does at-home baking, and has the BEST cakes in the east side of town. I definitely recommend checking her page out, because her pastries are just perfect. If you've purchased from somewhere before several times, they will automatically know who you are and how much you love their service. It was a no-brainer to ask her to be a sponsor, and when she agreed to it I was super ecstatic! Everyone was obsessed with the cupcakes and cookies she made, which was a huge plus. As for appetizers, Janine and I couldn't seem to find anyone to sponsor, which is totally ok! We agreed to split the cost of a couple Hors d'oeuvres and we ended up only spending $30 each, which is all that we spent out of pocket.
Fourth step -- getting people to come out! This was probably the part that gave me most anxiety! I was so paranoid that no one would show up, and how embarrassing would that be?! I was again super lucky with this step! I was able to co-host my event with my blogger bff, Janine, from Bell Sleeves and Bellinis. I was ecstatic to find out that she had also been asked if she would like to host an event with Poppy Clothing, and we agreed to share our event. Having the two of us inviting our friends, family, and fellow blogger babes really helped get our RSVP's up. I do advise that you send out individual invitation to girls who you know live in Houston, so that it is a more personal approach. I know when I see a post about an event on my feed I sometimes scroll past it, but when someone personally contacts me, I make all the effort to join them!
Fifth thing is having someone there to capture awesome pictures! Janine was able to get in contact with an awesome photographer, Kristian. He was nice enough to join us at a very short moments notice, and was the one who captured these amazing photographs! Everyone was super thankful for him, and it was great having him run back and forth to take pictures of all the action. A huge shout out to him, and you should totally follow him on Insta here!
Sixth step -- Have fun!! When your event finally comes around, try your best to not stress about it and take the time to connect with everyone who shows up! These events are the perfect opportunity to network with fellow bloggers and friends. Who knows? Maybe you will meet vendors who are willing to sponsor your next event, or in my case make tons of new blogger friends!
Overall, I can confidently say that my first event as a blogger was a huge success! It was so great to meet everyone, and it's an amazing feeling knowing that there are people out there who actually take the time to support your blog and Instagram page. For me, it's super hard to put myself out there, but getting out of my comfort zone has only opened up doors and given me great opportunities.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my blog posts, and thank you SO much to those of you who were able to come out to my event. It was truly a blast!
XOXO,
Vannesa
Venue: Poppy Clothing | Photo Booth: Houston Flashy Photo Booth | Pastries: Oh My Sweets | Co-host: Bell Sleeves and Bellinis | Giveaway Sponsor: Xaibe Boutique