While school is in session and students are stressing about what the semester brings, there are two event planners who transformed bands and weddings into a dream. Students studying event plannings at AU are starting to engage in practicums and internships to prepare for the professional world. People like Heidi Vickers and Grace Preboy are two examples of practicing what they are learning in the classroom.
Vickers is a junior studying public relations and event planning major with a double major in dance. Vickers started learning about wedding planning through an internship during the summer of 2023 at Twin Gables in Michigan. Vickers was responsible for their social media communication plan while attending and organizing content. Now Vickers is flying solo planning her first wedding through a couple that she developed a close relationship with while interning virtually from home last summer.
“I got into planning this wedding because I was originally friends with the groom,” commented Vickers. “The more I hung out with the couple I also grew close to the bride. I always told the groom that if he proposed to the bride, Emily, before I graduated college I would plan their wedding because I can use it for my practicum. After he proposed and I became their wedding planner, she also then asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding.”
She stated that one of the many obstacles that she currently is facing is communication between the couple. Event planning can be a lot of work and can be very stressful when there is lack of communication.
With hard work, research, organization and consistent communication, Vickers has found ways around miscommunications or disagreements while planning weddings. She added that planning her first wedding for close friends is exciting because she is “still learning and they will be more forgiving.”
Senior Grace Preboy, a musical theatre major with an event planning minor, also says that communication is a major obstacle when it comes to planning an event. Preboy independently planned concerts for rock artists for different communities . Overall, she has planned concerts for two years and has successfully executed five concerts during her time.
“The biggest issue of them all was figuring out who was available to play in the band,” said Preboy. “A few of the original members were out of town for the summer so I had to then find replacements for the members we had lost. Thankfully I was able to find some very talented individuals that fit right in!”
Preboy stated that she planned concerts for the band Rist Wash with opening bands Napalm Sundae and Foot News. Both of the bands are located in Chicago, Illinois.
While event planning can have a number of challenges, it can be rewarding to see a vision come to life beyond the concepts on paper. Despite the hardships they may face, both Vickers and Preboy are showing that they are capable because of their education at Anderson University.
Reagan Conkling is a junior from St. James, Missouri, majoring in public relations. Reagan is an associate with Fifth Street Communications®, a student-run public relations agency at Anderson University.