Welcome to The Blair D.C. Project, Blair Guilfoile's weekly blog about her experience being a fall intern for BRAVO!. We love our intern blogs and hope you enjoy following Blair!
Week 11
November 9 - November 13, 2015
The holiday season arrives early at BRAVO! I sit here, writing this blog post, surrounded by lights and decorations with a Spotify holiday playlist playing on full blast. Yes, I know Thanksgiving is over a week away, but if you ask me it’s never too early spread a joy and excitement around the office.
They say the holiday season is about giving to others. I’d like to take that a step further by saying the Christmas season is about taking care of others. It’s the man wearing a red apron outside the grocery store ringing a Salvation Army bell. It’s when your friend invites you into their home, because it’s your first Thanksgiving away from your own. It’s shoveling your neighbor’s driveway because you know they cannot do it themselves. I think the event industry embodies this spirit in a lot of ways.
At BRAVO! we talk a lot about how we provide more than just events—we provide live experiences. But we aren’t just in the event business, we are a part of the hospitality business. We take care of people. It’s about going beyond just producing an elegant gala or an energizing walk, but creating an experience where individuals, whether they are the honoree or the plus one, are recognized and feel special. It might be as simple as getting an extra plate for a table, or helping someone find their misplaced wallet. These gestures may be small, but they have the ability to make the night special. There are thousands of stage and linen options. There are endless amounts of catering choices. But there might only be a few moments where you can really make an impact on someone. And if you aren’t present and paying attention enough to notice those small details, you just might miss those moments. Just as the holidays are less about the gifts and more about the people who give and receive them, these productions are less about the event itself, and more about the individuals who experience them.