Wedding Superhero – Arvin Vincoy
It’s the day of your wedding. The florist is running two hours late. Your future mother-in-law still doesn’t like the linen you chose for the tables. Your best friend/bridesmaid is holding back tears because she facebooked her ex boyfriend after the rehearsal dinner, and feels more lonely than ever.
Who can you turn to??? Who is going to be there to make sure everything runs the way it’s supposed to, so that you and your groom start your life together on the right track???
Many people in the event industry have a name for this person. Some call him or her “Day of Coordinator.” Some simply refer to them as “Planner.” At Waterford Banquets our champion goes by the name ARVIN! We are proud to have been working with Arvin since 2008 when he took over the Events Director position. Swooping in to save the day is just one of his many talents! When planning your event at the Waterford Banquet, Arvin will be your main point of contact. He ensures that your vision comes to life in the pre-planning stage as well as the day of. Arvin took some time out of his packed schedule as an event superhero to talk about his background in the industry, and some of his most memorable moments.
What are some of your responsibilities at the Waterford?
As the Events Director I am the person that ensures the events run smoothly. I am known to be a bit of a perfectionist, so I always want the people throwing the function to feel that their celebration or meeting was the best! As a result, I solve problems ranging from technical issues, to coordinating all the vendors, to making sure that everyone is on the same page and where they are supposed to be. In a way, I am part traffic controller, part orchestra conductor, and many parts counselor.
What did you do before you worked at Waterford Banquets?
Prior to working at Waterford I was at India House from 1998-2004. I ran their banquet hall at the Schaumburg location. Then I had the opportunity to to be part of opening a new restaurant in Oakbrook Il. It was an exciting time dealing with all the challenges of opening and running a new facility. I did that from 2004-2006. As amazing as that was, I decided to take a year off in 2006 to focus more on my family and personal life. However, sitting still is not something I do well. I need action in my life! That’s why events are such a perfect fit. Fortunately, by the time that I realized my world was too “stress free” the position at Waterford Banquets opened up, and I jumped on it! What is your favorite part of working on events It’s a dream job for me to be able to use my creativity and imagination on the design elements of the event. Everybody wants their celebration to look the way it does in their head. There are many logistical and technical challenges when putting on a wedding, charity event, prom, or corporate function. I love sitting with the client and truly listening to their story. It’s so important for me to understand exactly what they see in their mind. This helps me better articulate the concepts to my crew when we are working to bring that vision to life.
What was the funniest thing that happened at one of the events you were working on?
Somebody brought a live chicken to a party while the appetizers were being served. You can imagine the guests reaction to that one. Finally, have you ever experienced a wedding “disaster” like the ones you see on t.v.? I am proud to say that throughout my 20 years in the industry I have never had a disaster like the ones you see on television. I guess we are lucky that we’ve never had runaway brides, or someone pushing over the cake by accident. However, 15 years ago I did have something that could’ve potentially been a big issue. It was a few hours before the wedding, and I was doing my rounds making sure that everyone was where they were supposed to be. When I went to check on the bride in her suite I found her sobbing uncontrollably. My first thought was, “Oh no! What did the groom do?” Fortunately, the groom was not guilty this time. What had happened was the florist they had hired went on vacation and completely forgot about the wedding. Instantly, I went to “perfectionist event director” mode, and called every florist I knew. In less than 2 hours I had 60 flower arrangements at our facility and the bride was as happy as could be. It ended up being one of the most beautiful weddings ever!
Having an ally on your team is crucial when planning and producing an event. To set up a time to meet with Arvin to learn more about how he can make your party, meeting, and/or special day that much more amazing feel free to contact him at 630-279-0270 or email him at Arvin@waterfordbanquet.com
Arvin Vincoy
Banquet Manager at
Clarion Inn & Waterford Conference Center