…Maid of Honor that is.

This is my third year in a row as a bridesmaid (27 dresses, anyone?) but this particular year is different, because I’ve been promoted to Maid of Honor. Laugh if you will, but the new title certainly feels like a promotion because of the added responsibility. In the past, I was mostly in charge of assisting and showing up to the wedding-related festivities.

But as the Maid of Honor, I’m in charge of heading those activities. Bridal shower? My job. Bachelorette party? Yep, that’s my territory too. My best friend/the bride (who is coincidentally also named Lauren) is getting married May 8. So I threw her a lingerie shower on Saturday. Throughout the planning process, I picked up on a few things that absolutely transfer over into the world of PR.

1. You can never be over-prepared. Remember when your mom used to pack sweaters, swim suits, socks and flip flops all on the same trip because “you never know” what you might need? I used to roll my eyes and take pride in my small duffle bag. Less to carry. Less to unpack. Well, my lame packing jobs were exactly the reason my mom needed to over-pack. She was picking up the slack. And because of that, I never had to do without. Well, that lesson is a blessing when you have to throw a party. It’s so easy to forget about utensils for all that food you bought or prizes for the games you’ve organized. I’ll admit my life is probably too consumed by lists, but they really are life savers. Whether you are throwing a bridal shower or a press conference, a well organized list with the minute-by-minute breakdown is just what you need to keep everything on track. And seriously, account for everything — even the things that seem unlikely.
2. Teamwork makes all the difference. I’m the first to confess I hate when professors assign group projects. Somehow, no one ever seems to be on the same page and slackers make the process a living nightmare. But in the real world, you just can’t always do it alone. As a Maid of Honor who is still in school and living off internship pay, I don’t have a huge budget to allocate toward bridal showers. But hey, my best friend is getting married and I was prepared to do whatever it took to make sure she had the best party ever. That’s when the team comes in handy. In my case, my partner in crime was the bride’s mother, who was more than happy to help with food purchases and preparations. The need for solid teamwork in PR is no different. If you think you can do it all by yourself, try analyzing an RFP, researching, writing a proposal, winning the contract, researching some more, crafting a communication plan, conducting media relations and organizing key events completely and utterly alone. Best of luck to you.
3. Added value is underrated. When you’re on a tight budget and timeline, you really begin to appreciate the little things. Buy one get one free deals are the best. And that mother-of-the-bride who is willing to meet with you and figure out what needs to be done and how she can help…? Yeah, she’s awesome. In PR, there’s added value everywhere. Clients often get charged for only a portion of the work done on their behalf. Think about all that research, brainstorming, writing, and tweeting your interns are doing. Most likely, their time isn’t billed. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t working their hardest to make a difference. And interns, think about the added value of real world experience you are acquiring while you’re fulfilling course requirements. Don’t take the “free” things for granted because someone, somewhere, is always paying for them.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the shower was perfect. Everyone loved the games and food, and most importantly, the bride had a blast!

So what do you all think? Are there are other important PR lessons to be learned from throwing parties or other special events?