The Guide to Essential Event Planning Terms – Part II
Based on our experience gained from working with over 4,000 events, we know all you event planners out there have a lot on your hands… Not only are you planning an entire event, you also have to stay current with ever-changing event lingo. Being fluent in the language of tech, food, room design, and every other little piece of an event that can come into play can be quite a challenge. So first off: huge props to event planners!
Since we know it can be a challenge staying up-to-date with event lingo, enjoy our second reference guide to event planning terms (you can see our first post of the series here).
-
Agenda: A plan of items to be considered, decided, or accomplished during a meeting or event. Doesn’t always include a time schedule.
-
Arena: A type of facility that has a big main floor that is surrounded by seats in a sloping/modified oval shape (steeper than the typical theater). The sight lines are generally designed for large events the size of sporting arenas.
-
Back of the House: Refers to the staff-only areas (as opposed to the front of the house).
-
Barrier-Free: The absence of obstacles in order to allow handicapped persons to move freely to areas within the event space.
-
BEO (Banquet Event Order): Provides details to personnel who are concerned with specific food and beverage function or room set-up.
-
Break-Out Rooms: Rooms that tend to be smaller and are designed to accommodate break-out sessions.
-
Captain: The supervisor of the servers or person in charge of the banquet service.
-
Citywide Event: Requires the use of a larger convention center/event complex and, typically multiple hotels within the city.
-
Concurrent Sessions: Several sessions that are scheduled simultaneously (sometimes focusing on different themes or subjects)
-
Contractor: An organization or individual who provides services to a meeting or trade show (and/or its exhibitors). Contractors can be “Official” or “Independent,” but the term generally refers to a specialty contractor or a general service contractor.
-
Downstage: Closest to the audience; the front of the stage
-
ESG (Event Specifications Guide): The term for a comprehensive document that outlines all of the requirements and instructions for an event, usually authored by the event planner (and shared with vendors to communicate expectations).
-
Front Projection: Using a projector or other technology placed within or behind the audience, the frontward projection of an image onto a surface/light reflecting screen.
-
Function Book: Diary or log that is used to document the assignment of function space.
-
Head Count: The actual number of attendees at a function.
-
Interactive Exhibits: An exhibit that engages attendees who interact directly with the display components, simulations, or multi-media elements.
-
(MC) Master of Ceremonies/Emcee: The person/personality who presides over or hosts the program.
-
Moderator: The person who presides over forums and panel discussions.
-
On-Site Registration: Attendees sign up for the event on the day of (or at the site of) the event.
-
Open Seating: The scenarios in which 1) guests can sit anywhere, 2) Extra tables are placed but not fully set so they can be prepared quickly in the case of extra guests.
-
Pacing: The rate of activity (within the schedule or within an activity). Makes for a realistic balance that accounts for travel time, social events, rest, etc.
-
RFP (Request for Proposals): A document that stipulates what services the organization wants from an outside contractor and requests a bid to perform such services.
-
Run-Through: An entire rehearsal that includes all the elements of event production, with everything from presentations and music performances to audio-visual and technical aspects.
-
Sightlines: The actual (or virtual) lines in the venue that describe what parts of a set are visible from a given audience member’s point of view.
-
Speaker Ready Room: The area set aside for speakers to meet, relax, prepare, or test their A/V prior to delivering a presentation.
-
Technical Director: The person who calls the cues from the control room.
We love event professionals. To prove it, we’ve also put together a free white paper on event app promotion to make life a little easier for all of you (click the button below)!