GUEST BLOG by Zaid Arriola

A Little Sugar Goes a Long Way
By Zaid Arriola

My mother always told me: “When you are a guest at someone’s home, always be polite, kind and helpful. And always leave everything as you found it or better.” This stayed with me throughout the years and has come in handy not only when I am a guest at a dinner party but also when working in a hotel. Because really, working in a venue is like coming in somebody’s home.

My mother’s advice came back to me as I produced an event at the Miramonte Resort and Spa during the annual meeting of Allergan’s Dermatology division. This program consisted of three events -- a Tuscan welcome reception, an awards dinner off property and a bohemian night. The series ran very smoothly thanks to a great crew, the hospitality of the Miramonte and a collaborative spirit.

A few months prior to the event I went on a site inspection with the client. We met with the National Sales Manager, Fred Rios, and the Director of Catering and Conference Services, Alex White. We all created concepts and went over the event step-by-step from the menu to the transportation, rooming, entertainment and even the branding.

The Miramonte pool area in final stages of setup.

After years of working in venues, I’ve found it is always helpful to share all the information on the items I am providing – power usage, floor plans, style pages, time lines, contact sheets and agendas. This allows the venue to know all the items being provided as well as every detail on the making.

I worked closely with Alex. She was extremely helpful and together we were able to enhance all aspects of the event. If I needed an extra table, to rearrange furniture or simply get a bucket of ice to keep refreshments cold for the crew, she was always willing to lend a hand.

What an incredible view!

Roger Brown, the Special Events Director, was enthusiastic and enjoyed combining our props with food. Together we created a great food presentation that became an artistic display of flavors. One of my favorites was the use of wine barrels as tables for a wine tasting. A larger barrel topped with flowers, surrounded by grape vines, grape leaves and grapes created an interactive floral centerpiece on the buffet. A great collaboration.

The cabanas designed for the Bohemian themed event.

To make the final night happen, the Bohemian look by the pool, we worked together for three days and truly got in sync at the same pace, a dream come true for a producer. What always helps is to share the vision of the end result of the project with the crew. We provided style pages, work orders and a layout of the event.

I love the mixture of textiles, color and seating choices here.

At the end of the event the client was extremely happy, the Miramonte is now a new friend of AOO Events and the new business possibilities are endless. Remember, mother is always right!

Zaid Arriola is an Event Producer with AOO Events. zarriola@aooevents.com