The 3rd Annual FIERCE Woman Celebration & Why Hiring Professional Event Planners Was the BEST De
I founded The FIERCE Woman Foundation with a mission to promote, encourage, and facilitate female solidarity and empowerment. FIERCE is an acronym that stands for FEMALES, INSPIRING, EMPOWERING, RECOGNIZING, & CULTIVATING EVOLUTION (F.I.E.R.C.E), the evolution of herself and other women. In a time where most women are conditioned to compete against one another and tear each other down, The FIERCE Woman is focused on uplifting and building each other up. The FIERCE Woman is focused, determined, and knows that there is no competition when you’re doing what you have been uniquely gifted to do. Everything that I do with this organization is centered on uniting women so that we indeed can be stronger together.
In 2015 I held the very 1st FIERCE Woman awards ceremony because the organization wanted to acknowledge and celebrate women doing extraordinary things in business and their communities. There are many of us within our communities making huge differences and the FIERCE Woman of the Year award is a small token of acknowledgment for work that many times goes unnoticed. This past weekend I along with over 40+ women celebrated the 3rd anniversary of The FIERCE Woman and honored four amazing women doing extraordinary things in business and their communities.
To say that the event turned out beautifully is an understatement. From the minute I arrived and stepped foot into The Galleria at the Mott Haven Bar I was floored. The attention to detail was impeccable. From the beautiful leafy wall with The FIERCE Woman logo (to go with our garden theme) that welcomed our guests at the entrance to the gorgeous backdrop that adorned the stage, to the gorgeous table settings and center pieces, no detail was overlooked. I could not have done a better job had I done it myself and in past years I did.
This year, unlike prior years, I had the assistance of professional event planners Golden Event by Kairy and Yina LLC. Giving them creative control and the freedom to do what they wanted was the best decision I made. My only caveat was to keep me posted on what they were doing and if they needed my input or assistance to give me a call. Not only was I extremely pleased with the outcome, I also did not have to concern myself with any of the details or specifics that one usually encounters when attempting to transform a space. From the seating arrangements, to the floral arrangements, to the backdrops, place settings and centerpieces everything and I mean EVERYTHING was handled by my event planners. I had to do nothing but show up and look fierce!
It was the first time ever that I did not feel stressed, overwhelmed, or worried. I'd worked with Yina in the past and I was already familiar with her dedicated and tireless work ethic. This woman is about her business and I know when she's at the helm, things will be taken care of. For example, she made sure we had a photographer/videographer for the event, she was also able to broker a deal with local vendor Mixed Greens Events to sponsor our beautiful leafy wall which was the backdrop for many of our photos and the table centerpieces. The night before the event she was at The Galleria prepping and setting up and making sure that everything looked beautiful. The drapery and lights that hanged from the ceilings to the walls added a magical/whimsical feel to the room. There were so many elements that just added elegance to the space and I have Yina to thank for that.
While I have worked with Yina in the past, Kairy I had never worked with. I decided to take a chance on the young event planner (she's 22 years old) and I am so happy I did. For someone as young as she is, she has the commitment and dedication of a seasoned professional. From our very first telephone conversation Kairy was confident, focused, and clear about her vision for the event. The only thing greater than her drive is her execution. Everything turned out flawless and my guests couldn't stop raving about how beautiful the room looked. The collaboration between her and Yina was like a match made in event planning heaven and I was extremely happy with the end results.
Not having to worry about the details involved when transforming a space allowed me to focus on other things and it was a huge weight off my shoulder. As a result of the success of this event Kairy and I have agreed that she will be the exclusive event planner for all future FIERCE Woman events. Because if it ain't broke why fix it? Loyalty means a lot to me and when someone goes above and beyond for me (when they don't have to) and delivers with results beyond my expectations why would I ever need to hire another event planner? The answer is simple. I don't.
If you are ever in need of an event planner I highly recommend both Golden Events and Yina LLC. It will be by far the best money you will ever spend and your guests will be talking about your event for weeks. That kind of marketing and publicity is worth every dollar spent on the event planner. Sometimes investing in your brand is necessary. You just have to know what's worth it and what isn't and this is definitely worth it!
Desserts were donated by Cake Pops by Keyla