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Event Planner

Events: Plan It San Diego, San Diego, CA
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Do you want to be an Event Planner?

Are you an organized, people-oriented person with good management and communication skills who can remain calm under pressure? Do you enjoy helping people celebrate special occasions and understand what makes for lifetime memories? Then put on your “running shoes”, get out your clip board and prepare to learn what it takes to become an event planner on a VocationVacation® with Rachel Peniche, owner of Plan It San Diego.

Sometimes what you think you want to be when you grow up doesn’t turn out to be what you want at all. Such was the case with Rachel Peniche. Rachel went off to college to study chemistry; ended up getting a degree in government; then realized what she really wanted to do was event planning.

“During college I was always planning social functions,” remembers Rachel. “Then in 2000, I got the opportunity to help coordinate the celebrity and VIP arrangements for the Governor Gray Davis Committee at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.” That did it. “I knew this was what I wanted to do.” Rachel reconnected with a friend who was a wedding planner nearing retirement and went to work with her learning the ropes of the event business.

“She was a great mentor who showed me the in’s and out’s of the business and the importance of being a good “juggler,” laughs Rachel. During this time, Rachel also completed the Event Management Program at the University of San Diego and the Meeting Management & Special Events Planner Program at the University of California, San Diego.

Nine months later, Rachel took over the business, renamed it Plan It San Diego and expanded the menu of events to include corporate, political and charity events as well as bar/bat mitzvahs and, of course, weddings and other special occasions. In addition to running a successful business, Rachel also teaches Event Management Courses at the University of San Diego in their Event Management Certificate Program and at San Diego State University in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) undergraduate degree program, and works part-time as the events coordinator at Vista Hill, a non-profit organization focused on mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. She also sits on the board of the International Special Event
Society (ISES).

Rachel is a busy lady so good time management skills are a necessity to get the job done and maintain her sanity. “My schedule is ever changing so I need to be flexible, organized and a good problem solver,” she says. Setting client expectations early is also extremely important. “You need to clearly communicate with the client where the responsibilities lie – what you can do, what they can do and what is outside of anyone’s control – i.e. weather conditions.”

The life of an event planner can produce many challenges that present opportunities to be creative, innovative and fast thinking. At a culturally and geographically challenging wedding in Mexico, Rachel literally gave the bride the “clothes off her back.” “When we realized my dress was more appropriate for the bride than the one she was wearing, we switched,” remembers Rachel. When an auctioneer at a non-profit fundraiser was losing the crowd, Rachel stepped to the podium. She took over the microphone, “winged it” and turned what could have been a disaster into a successful fundraiser.

Rachel has been very successful in her career as an event planner whose experience spans a wide variety of events. If you are interested in becoming an event planner, Rachel can introduce you to event planning that encompasses many disciplines - a great opportunity to find what might be a match for you in this fun and exciting business.

While on your Event Planner VocationVacations® career mentorship with Rachel Peniche at Plan It San Diego, activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Meet with top industry professionals (i.e.: florists, bakers, event designers, caterers, photographers
  • Attend client meetings and/or events (choose type of event: wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, gala, fashion show, corporate event, social event (anniversary or birthday celebration)
  • Perform SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of an event
  • Walk through the steps of planning and producing an event from start to finish including:
  • Theme development
  • Site selection
  • Budget creation
  • Vendor selection (i.e.: florist, bakers, event designers, caterers, photographers)
  • Timeline production
  • Staffing
  • Event layout
  • Take a site tour or at least one event facility of choice (i.e.: museum, hotel, night club, historic venue)
  • Hands-on experience by assembling event related items (i.e.: invitations, favors, centerpieces)
  • Attend a 1 – 4 hour event planning class taught by Rachel Peniche (subject to availability)
  • Hear “war” stories and highlights of Rachel’s 10+ year career over a fabulous meal
The Event Planner VocationVacations® career mentorship with Rachel Peniche at Plan It San Diego:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a Event Planner
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post- VocationVacations career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job coming to reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: All year based on mentor's availability

Price: $1049 Per Person

Book This Career Mentorship



Suggested Accommodations

Mission Bay Hyatt

The Dana On Mission Bay
(Not included in the price of your VocationVacations® dream job holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® dream job holiday:

Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:
Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.