Learn how to create and coordinate successful special events. Develop skills, find resources and gain confidence to plan and produce any size or type of event. This course reveals proven tips, tools, techniques, and procedures used by experts and master event planners to help you avoid embarrassing and costly planning errors or production mistakes.

You'll discover how to select the right suppliers for food, decorations, entertainment, and you'll learn how to effectively employ them within your own budgetary constraints. You'll get easy access to event industry information compiled by and for professional event planners. We'll even point you in the right direction to meet other event and meeting planners and to join a professional association or industry group. You'll be so excited with your newly gained confidence and expertise that you'll want to start planning your next event even before this course is over.

---

Recommended Courses:

Students who enrolled in Wow, What a Great Event! were also interested in the following courses:

Secrets of the Caterer

Get Paid to Travel

A to Z Grant Writing

Introduction to Nonprofit Management

Luscious, Low-Fat, Lightning-Quick Meals

Marketing Your Nonprofit

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

No matter what you need or hope to accomplish, you'll inevitably need to plan it first. How many times can you recall being in a quandary and needing some direction? You'll get that direction after you read this first lesson! Today, we'll lay out a step-by-step approach for event planning that's simple, straightforward, and works every time.

Friday - Lesson 02

You're surrounded by themes in your daily life. If you're a fashionista who follows all the latest fashion trends, there's likely a theme to your seasonal wardrobe. When you watch the home improvement shows on cable television, you learn how to create a theme that dominates your home decor. If you garden, you know that the selection and arrangement of your flowers, shrubs, statuary, and outdoor furniture will result in a theme. In this lesson, you'll learn when to use and when to avoid a theme at your events. Then we'll discuss how to bring your theme to life using your all of your senses. We'll conclude the lesson by looking at two theme examples to help spark your own creativity.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

Today, you'll find out why there's a lot more to selecting a site than booking your neighborhood hotel or banquet hall. Location, location, and location are the three key words everyone uses when talking about any kind of real estate. An event site is a unique type of real estate and an important part your event's success. In this lesson, we'll categorize various types of event sites and look at some criteria that will ultimately help you make your site selection.

Friday - Lesson 04

Now that you know which site you'll use for your event, it's time to get out your pencil and paper and start planning how you'll use the space. In today's lesson, you'll learn which site diagrams you'll need, how to develop a room layout, and which sketches you'll want to request or create yourself. I'll teach you how to walk through your site and make observations, noting everything that will be a potential help or hindrance to you, your guests, and your event.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Have a snack and a beverage at your side while you read this lesson! Today's extensive discussion about the selection and serving of food and beverages will likely spur your appetite. It may also help you recall memorable meals that you've enjoyed in the past, or help you conjure up ideas about fancy foods that you'll want to feature at your next party. If that's not enough, links in this lesson's supplementary material will really tempt you with colorful pictures and extensive recipes of delectable food and drink. I'm sure you'll refer to this lesson and its resources long after you've finished the course!

Friday - Lesson 06

Entertainment is a key component of most any event. There are many potential resources to go to for entertainment, but you have to know where to look. This lesson is chock-full of valuable entertainment source information for novice event planners and experienced professionals alike. After you finish reading the lesson, be sure to check out the extensive list of links in the supplementary material.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Developing a decorating theme for your event can help you free your inhibitions and let your creative juices flow. If anything provides a limitation, it's usually the budget. But even then, you can beg, borrow, or buy at a discount to make your big ideas come to life! I'll show you how in this lesson. We'll also pay special attention to color and special lighting that will make your events eye-popping. This lesson may end up being your favorite in the course because it's just so much fun to decorate a space for a party or an event.

Friday - Lesson 08

Today, we'll examine corporate sponsorships, which are proliferating and are an important means of covering the major costs of many events, maybe even some of yours. If you're not a fundraising professional, don't think that this lesson isn't for you. While we'll discuss donations and grants, we'll also talk about a lot more.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

Ever worry that you'll go through all the trouble of throwing a grand event but no one attends? If you follow the advice you'll read in this lesson, you can almost ensure that you'll avoid that problem. In this lesson, we'll look at all the different modes of promoting your event, including word-of-mouth, print, electronic media, and media relations.

Friday - Lesson 10

Few of us can handle all the little details of our events completely alone. You'll almost always need some help—sometimes quite a lot of help. But, as you'll discover in this lesson, you can hire anything from a small team to a large committee to help you with your own event. After we talk about who these people are and how they can assist you, you'll gain some insight into how to get the most out of their help, and you'll learn how to avoid the worst problems in personnel matters.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Evaluating your events soon after they're completed is a great way to learn from your mistakes. How better to visualize the best way to proceed with your future events? In this lesson, you'll learn what to look at and who to consult as you do your own examination and evaluation. We'll also discuss surveys and focus groups.

Friday - Lesson 12

If you truly enjoy creating special events, you'll want to continue your education—formally or informally—and widen your circle of professional colleagues once you complete this course. In this lesson, you'll learn many ways that you can do both!

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Cynthia Grzelak.

As an independent public relations and marketing consultant, Cynthia Grzelak has created and coordinated hundreds of events ranging from small meetings to large and highly public corporate and charity galas. Her clients include commercial businesses, nonprofit organizations and industry associations. Prior to starting her consulting business in 1986, Cynthia began creating special events while she was a marketing executive for several financial institutions and a fundraising director for a major health care system. She has published her own newsletter, Event Ideas, and is a frequent speaker on the topic of event planning. People want to hear what she has to say about events because she lends creative insight, devises comprehensive plans, invents innovative strategies, communicates with excitement, effectively channels resources of time, money and talent, and reliably produces results.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).

Student Reviews:

"Again, my huge thanks for all the valuable information you've given us in this course. Your course has and will help us improve the events we hold at the cooking school I own."

"Although I signed up for the course half-heartedly due to a new job assignment, I found it to be inspiring and fun. It certainly changed my outlook on planning. The course was relevant, informative and kept me interested. Thank you!."

"Cynthia - A public word of thanks to you for your insights, resources and instruction of this course. The material was easy to understand and up-to-date. Thank you!"

"Cynthia did an awesome job teaching this course. I have been in event planning for nearly nine years and was amazed at how much I learned. She really covers all of the components, from beginning to end. The discussion areas were very valuable. Not only did we learn from the instructor, we learned from each other as well. I would highly recommend this course, no matter what your skill level in event management."

"Cynthia Grzelak did a superb job instructing this course. There was a flow from one lesson to the next. Each lesson was supported with leads on additional materials substantiating the lesson. The assignments were pertinent to the materials in each lesson and were never burdensome; always enjoyable! This course provided an excellent introduction to the field of event planning and for me not only introduced me to new ideas, but reinforced skills I was already implementing."

"Cynthia-I just wanted to let you know how pleased I was to find such personal replies to my posts. You are doing a terrific job of teaching this class. Thanks for all the helpful hints we are learning and for the additional time you spend in further "coaching" us through the discussion areas."

"Cynthia, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your wonderful ideas and information on this exciting industry. My husband is currently completing an accelerated program for Golf Management and we have been swapping information from our courses! I think that we are going in the right direction towards our goals. Your course has helped point me towards the next step. I have started making contacts with organizations for volunteer work. I will be concentrating on that area for a little while and then I will begin working on my certification. Once again, thank you so much, this has been an enjoyable experience for me. Take care and good luck in all you do!"

"Cynthia I just want to express my appreciation for the excellent way you presented the on-line course, "Wow What A Great Event!" It's truly rare these days to find someone that goes to such great lengths to entail a course objectives. Your success has shown me as well as others, I'm sure that hard work, determination and fun are values that are rewarded when you put your best foot forward. Thank you for your wisdom and the wonderful gift you share with others. You have an incredible talent. Again, thank you for the exciting course and the enthusiasm you exhibited."

"Cynthia, it was/is with sincere pleasure that I took this course. You did an excellent job of keeping us motivated and informed and I look forward to the next class you have to offer. Although I've had my share of experience with Event Planning, I truly hope to use more of the knowledge and insight that you gave us to venture once again in owning my own business or to work with a production team that will enhance my thrill of this work. Thank you once again."

"Cynthia, I wanted to share that I have learned tons of very valuable information to assist me in planning our upcoming fundraising event that will also aid me in all event planning projects to come. When I was appointed chairperson of our annual event I felt overwhelmed and under qualified for the task. Now I am proceeding with confidence in the knowledge that I have learned the "right" questions to ask to enable me to make good decisions regarding all areas of event planning. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!"

"Cynthia, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for an informative and valuable course. The materials, links and text will be useful to me in the months and years to come. The lessons were well written. I gained knowledge but more than that it was a boost to my ego. I discovered that I knew more than I was giving myself credit for. I can face this profession with a stronger self confidence. For me it was a path of self discovery, as well as a learning experience."

"Cynthia, Six weeks already! Seems like the course began only yesterday. With the final exam completed, I want to thank you for answering my questions, providing great links, and also providing enjoyable course material. This can be (and is) a great career choice - though it can be daunting at times. Best wishes and continued success. Thank you again."

"Cynthia's knowledge, teaching style, course layout and the way she handled each student's questions and comments made this on-line course seem very personable. Her verbal illustrations were terrific -- it was easy to envision what she was saying. I would definitely take another one of Cynthia's courses (if she teaches any others) and highly recommend this one."

"Cynthia, thanks for a great 6 weeks. This is a terrific course, and you have been very helpful. I've really enjoyed reading your comments after completing each lesson. All I can say is that I'd love to take more classes with you as the teacher! You are great, and I learned a lot that I've already starting implementing in the Girl Scout events that I'm responsible for! Thanks!"

"Cynthia, thank you for your excellent instruction and participation in the discussion areas. Both are greatly appreciated! While I have some event experience, this course really helped me add some structure and recording methods as well as boosting my confidence. Thanks again for a great course!"

"Cynthia, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. It is very clear you are passionate about Event Planning. I can't wait for our Learning Center to open so I can apply what I have learned. After taking this course, I have been invited to help plan, set up and run demonstration sessions at a trade show in July with an event planner for some experience. I can't wait. Thanks again."

"Cynthia was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject matter. I've been trying to learn as much as possible about the world of nonprofits, and I learned a great deal about successful event planning in this course. I would definitely take another course with this instructor!"

"Dear Cynthia, I greatly appreciate the time and effort that you have put into writing/teaching this course. I found all the information to be most helpful and am excited to put into practice much of what I have learned. Best wishes to you in all your future endeavors."

"Excellent Course!! Cynthia has a wealth of knowledge to share and does so in a manner that keeps her students motivated and interested."

"Excellent course. I learned a lot and feel that I am now ready to start my own business as an event planner. The lessons are just the right length (not too long!) and the material is something that you will have with you forever. Thank you so much!"

"Excellent course. Went beyond all my expectations. Good job Cynthia. You made a great effort to educate us and provided resources we can use after the class is over. Thank you."

"Excellent program and very qualified teacher. Very much an asset to the entire curriculum. She has great insights, and the ability to communicate, excitement, visualization, and feelings to her writings. I very much enjoyed the course. Thank you."

"Hi Cynthia, I just finished my final exam. I just want to tell you that I have learned so much from your class and I look forward to putting what I learned to use. My goal is to start my own business. I was planning a 70th birthday party for my stepdad and I got to see the guest reactions on the decor, the food, the atmosphere and the overall party. I got rave reviews, your course helped me along the way, so I guess I already put it to use....Thanks a lot!"

"Hi Cynthia, Like a lot of other people in this course, I wanted you to know how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. I too was a little apprehensive about joining an online course but your course has been amazing. You have provided us with so much information and information that I will be able to go back over, time and time again for future reference. I also want to say thank you for always thinking of websites to help me as I am from Australia. I know the majority of your students are from the States, so I really appreciate the effort. I will be telling my friends about this events course. Good luck for the future everyone and thanks again Cynthia!"

"I absolutely enjoyed this class. I have done fund raisers for political events and each year they improved. Now I am working with a non-for-profit and hope to make the difficult job of fundraising a bit easier. Thank you!"

"I am a member of the "Old School" and I came into this 'online course', kicking and screaming all the way! I am very pleased to say, "Cynthia, you got it going on!" I thank my daughter for pushing me to take online classes and I want to really thank Cynthia for proving that it was the best thing I could have done! Cynthia was exceptional and she made you want to rush home and get to the lessons and see what was next! I would definitely recommend her class for first time users and those with experience. Thank you Cynthia!"

"I am a new event planner and this course was very helpful. It is important for me to be the best I can be and part of that is to continue learning from qualified professionals. Cynthia proved week after week she is qualified and a true professional. She answered every question with the sweet spirit of a teacher that desires her students to learn and was willing to give of her personal knowledge to make that happen. In this competitive world, the mentoring spirit is often lost but not with her. Bravo Cynthia!"

"I am just completely overwhelmed (in a very positive way) with the information that was provided throughout this course. I cannot express how beneficial this class was to me. I felt as though I had stepped backstage of a magic show and was able to see how all the tricks were performed. I look forward to taking the knowledge I have obtained in this class and using it to advance my career in the event planning industry."

"I am part of a visionary committee at my church and we have sponsored two gospel concerts, we are planning another in the fall of 2005 and planning a women's conference in April 2005. I have had the opportunity to deal with a speaker's bureau and manager of a gospel singer for each event. With each event I have learned valuable lessons in the dos and don'ts and what I should have done after the fact. This is a great course and the information learned is invaluable. I should have taken this class a year ago. I will be of more value to my church in planning future events."

"I am so glad I took this course! It has not only helped me in planning my wedding for next year, I know it will be of use for myself and co owner of our company! Thank you!"

"I am totally satisfied. I loved every minute of the class."

"I checked out quite a few of the web-sites and since I'm getting married I really enjoyed the information about the bridal consultants. The different ideas from each site will be very useful now and for future events. Thanks for the wonderful resources you have provided throughout the weeks and thanks for a fabulous course-I've never had so much fun."

"I enjoyed the class very much. It helped me to think on a whole new realm of event planning. I saw how I could have had greater success in events I had in the past. So many areas were covered that I hadn't even thought about."

"I enjoyed the course. It was very timely since I am currently planning my daughter's wedding. I was able to put some of this knowledge to practical use almost immediately."

"I enjoyed this class very much! This course covered every aspect of event planning. The lessons were fun to read and easy to understand. The assignments provided many useful tips and ideas. I also appreciated the instructor's willingness to answer any questions, and her enthusiasm throughout the course."

"I feel this course provides a wealth of valuable information to be used when planning events whether they are large or small. Cynthia is an awesome instructor who is not only knowledgeable about event planning, but who also freely shares her knowledge with her students. This is a very good course."

"I found the class to be a wealth of information. The assignments were fun and very informative and the supplementary material kept me busy for hours. For newcomers to the field,like me, the material gave me a place to start and helped me realize just how big this field is and how many different directions you can go. Because of my very busy schedule (this course, another course, a full time and a part time job) I didn't get to participate the way I would have liked in the discussion area. I really wanted to, but I just couldn't find the time. However, I did read every posting in the discussion area. This course has given me not only the information I needed, but also the motivation and inspiration I was looking for. The material was well written, and I fully understood everything, (as if I were a pro in the field.) I was impressed with the way you (our instructor) answered all the questions in such a timely manner, it made it seem like we were in a classroom with an instructor right there. I truly enjoyed this course and I hope there will be more to come. I want to say, WOW WHAT A GREAT COURSE and thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you :)"

"I found the instructor to be extremely informative and helpful. She shares tips that others are not willing to divulge."

"I found the instructor to be very detailed and precise with all of her information. The assignments were interesting and I enjoyed learning from her real life experiences - good and bad! She kept me interested and hooked to the very end of the course."

"I found this course interesting but more enjoyable. It added to the knowledge I already had, and provided lots of extra hints and tips!The Instructor's examples of events she had planned also helped the understanding and appreciation of how many things need to be considered. I thoroughly enjoyed my six weeks! Thanks!"

"I found this course very interesting- and opportune. I had just lost my job and had taken a career workshop/abilities test and event planner was one of the suggested fields. Since I enjoy planning fundraisers and different events for our library, I was excited about this opportunity to learn more of what this field involves and encompasses. Whew! What a lot to consider! Some aspects seem a bit overwhelming, but I know if you take things one step at a time they are less intimidating and much more do-able. Thanks for all the information. I know it will be very helpful and useful for the organizational events I am involved with. Thanks!"

"I had been playing with the idea of starting an event planning company, for quite some time. After looking at the other online degree programs out there, I decided to start with this online class to get my feet wet, and to find out in which areas I needed to become more knowledgeable, without having to commit to full degree program. This class, combined with my work experience, has given me the confidence and information needed to continue toward my goal of starting my event planning company, which will focus on sporting events. I truly enjoyed this experience and I look forward to taking more classes on-line."

"I have been a volunteer event planner for almost three decades. It has been of great help to learn how to do things the right way, versus trial and error. I thoroughly enjoyed this course!"

"I have enjoyed this class so much. I am planning a career change and now I feel more secure in my decision. I have learned so much in these past 6 weeks and I wish it didn't have to end. I am going to be busy using my new found knowledge volunteering on a gala committee, planning/hosting bridal shower, and 25th anniversary party. Wow! I better get to work! This is a great class. Thanks so much!"

"I have finally finished copying and pasting the discussion area info to a Word doc and am ready to take the final. Thank you for all the wonderful information you provided at every stage of the class. I appreciate that you kept the information broad enough to include all kinds of event planners, and still got specific with things you knew would pertain to certain students. You are well informed on all aspects and a wonderful teacher. The additional websites were helpful, though I couldn't always get to them right away. But you did a good job of describing what the site were about so I could tell if it was something I would want to spend 5 minutes on or 30 minutes. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about event planning. Thank you for your time and for being available every day."

"I have helped plan numerous events over the years and thought I had substantial event-planning knowledge. But I was amazed at the amount of new information I learned from this class. I highly recommend it to anyone who will be planning events, professionally or personally."

"I have really enjoyed this class & have learned a lot that will help me when I need to plan a function for organizations I am involved in. Thanks again & I would love to take any other classes you might offer."

"I have taken many online courses, but this is definitely one of the finest! Thank you!!"

"I have truly enjoyed this course. I feel that the information taught in this course has been very valuable. It was great that the major points were explained in detail and examples were short but to the point. I have learned so much to help me further my event planning career. Thank you Cynthia for a wonderful course."

"I highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in learning about the area of event planning. The course material is presented logically, clearly and reader-friendly. The instructor's writing style is very enjoyable and her enthusiasm for the topic is evident. She uses humor and encouragement to motivate us. She has a wealth of information to offer. Her level of participation in the discussion area was really wonderful! I felt this instructor has a special talent that reaches across the page. Her knowledge and enthusiasm is infectious! Not only did I learn a lot from this class, but I feel more positive now about pursuing a career in event planning."

"I highly recommend this course to anyone who plans special events. I have received such useful information and can end the course feeling accomplished and prepared to enter the field with a great understanding and skill.The instructor responses were always timely and helpful. Thanks for this oportunity to learn."

"I learned more in this online class than I did in my graduate level courses in both event planning and nonprofit management. The breadth and depth of this class has been much more than I expected. I have a large notebook of resources, websites and targeted lessons to refer to again and again. I'm a happy camper!"

"I learned so much! Thank you! I am actively using your ideas and my education to improve my favorite fundraiser. Instead of doing a lot of the homework in general, I used the assignments to better my real world situation."

"I loved taking this class. The info is valuable and fun. Excellent instructor, fun to read. I learned a lot."

"I loved this course! I have no experience at all in event planning. As a beginner in the PR field I now feel confident to start testing out what I have learned from this course. I especially enjoyed everybody's tips, suggestions and recommendations. I can't wait to have my first official event. I recommend this course to anyone interested in event planning, it is very informative and enlightening."

"I'm very happy I chose this course! It was very useful and helpful. The teacher is amazing, very experienced and fast to answer our questions. I was impressed with her knowledge about events…Thank you very much, it was the best course online I've ever taken."

"Instructor and course met and exceeded my expectations! Especially enjoyed the added course materials provided. Highly recommend this instructor."

"I really enjoyed sitting down at my computer each week to see what new information would be presented."

""I really enjoyed taking this course. I have been thinking about starting my own party planning business and this course has given me a lot of information and knowledge to get started. I especially like the supplementary material. I give this course a thumbs up:)"

"I really enjoyed the course as well as learned a lot. Cynthia gave me the confidence I needed to go through with the events that I plan for my job! Thanks for everything! I will be telling everyone I know that this class is worth their time."

"I really enjoyed the course. It was everything I hoped for and more. I felt that the instructor not only wanted to make sure we learned the material but also wanted to assist us in our event planning goals."

"I really enjoyed this class. It gave me a better understanding of event planning. The price was fair and the accesibility of the course at any time was excellent. All of my questions were answered and done so within a day. I loved being to give my opinion in the discussion area and getting ideas from the other students. I feel like I really learned something."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this class. I decided to take this class based upon my love of event planning. I work in another occupation and volunteer a great deal and find great reward in event planning. This class has taken my skills to the next level. Thank you."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this class! I was impressed with the organization of the presented material and found it to be well matched with the process in which I learn. The instructor, Cynthia, gave excellent first hand accounts of her own experience which I found very valuable. I have managed events over the course of my career but had never been formally trained in doing so. This course allowed me to learn a number of new and better ways to do things! I looked forward to each new lesson. In addition, the supplementary material and web sites recommended by Cynthia will certainly be most helpful in the future! I am very pleased with the experience I have had with this course and would certainly recommend it to others! Thank you!"

"I took this course because I wanted to gain some insight on planning some small events. This class gave me so much more. The instructor is obviously very energetic, knowledgeable and provided a wealth of information. I have suggested this class to several people. It was fun and I can assure you that whenever I attend any event, I will be taking notes. Thanks for a great class."

"I truly enjoyed this course. I have taken other event planning courses and this is one of the best."

"It was a lot of information, and presented in a very easily understandable way!! Cynthia has a great writing style, combining facts with illustrative examples. She was very active with the discussions, and had extremely helpful and interesting recommended resources/websites!"

"I've taken several online courses in the last year and this by far was my best experience with an online class. The lessons were interesting, good assignments and the instructor gave additional valuable information in the discussion area. I wasn't able to spend as much time on assignments or the discussions as I would have liked but still feel I got a great deal out of this course."

"I want to thank you for sharing your expertise with us and for giving us encouragement. When I read about some of your experiences it seems a bit daunting. I will be tackling much smaller events- but who knows what the future will hold. Again, thanks. I can't believe the course is already over! I have made a copy of everything and have all the websites bookmarked. I'm sure I'll be referring to these resources again and again."

"I was highly impressed by the instructor. Her course studies are very informative, organized, interesting and stimulating. She filled the discussion area with more insights and tips and would go the extra mile to answer the students questions. I have and will recommend this course to others."

"I would like to thank Cynthia for doing a wonderful job...this course is what I needed to review and re-evaluate a future career in events planning."

"Lots of useful web links assignments fun and linked with new websites instructor kept an interesting and supportive tone to her responses or questions in discussion area. This was my first online course and am encouraged to try more.""

"My hat is off to you Cynthia for a great experience. Your presentation of materials was in small but manageable chunks and included sufficient detail for my needs. I applaud you for a job well done! Thanks for your quick responses to my questions."

"Our instructor was amazing. Her knowledge of her field was excellent and even better than that, her ability to teach was even more excellent. I find a lot of knowledgeable people cannot teach but Cynthia was over the top. She was well organized, the lessons were well planned and well written and her interaction was very timely, to the point and very enjoyable. She has a great gift of handling people. Our course was very well thought out. The lessons were planned just right for our learning. The discussion areas were great and the full download of the lesson was the best for me, as I could print out the lesson and read it later and keep it for reference. For my first on-line instruction, I would say that I hit the jackpot in having this instructor and this lesson. I thank you so much for the opportunity to take classes where I was not able to take lessons before."

"Super class. Absolutely fabulous class. So professionally conducted, wealth of information, lots of resources, etc. If you're involved in events--anything from children's parties to elegant galas, this course is for you. Cynthia's professional background includes such a breadth of event experience. There's no stone left unturned. She has analyzed each facet of an event to assist from the word GO. Her energy level left me breathless. If I had one wish, it would be to bring our on-line class together to throw an event as a class project. Don't wait one minute more because being in Wow, What a Great Event is an event in itself!"

"Taking this course has shown me how to truly have a great event for the non-profit organization I am involved with. Thank you."

"Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us. I truly enjoyed the last six weeks and got a ton of useful information. I am now more ready to put together a party for the instructors I work with and just can't wait to see what they think of it."

"Thanks. Cynthia! I truly have a grasp of what to expect planning events from start to evaluation. You have given me tools to build strong events that change lives."

"Thanks for a very interesting class. I learned a lot about event planning that I can put to good use both personally and when I do fundraising events."

"Thank you, Cynthia, for all the wealth of information you have shared with us during this six weeks. I have downloaded and printed all of the information and I have a 3" binder jammed full. I know I will be referring to it for years to come. I can already tell a difference in my volunteering. I did a Valentine party and no one wanted to leave! We had it at a restaurant and stayed until almost closing time. It was wonderful! Thank you again. I never received so many compliments on an event before."

"Thank you Cynthia! I really enjoyed this class it has helped a lot. I am sorry I didn't participate more in discussion but partly because of this class I received a job as an event design assistant. I am putting to use things from the class on a daily basis."

"Thank you for a positive online experience! I appreciated your quick and helpful responses. The discussion area was very informative and the online resources will be beneficial in helping my clients. Great job.....thank you for sharing your knowledge, passion and excitement as a event planner!"

"Thank you for a wonderful course. I will miss my weekly lessons. This class has been so informative and timely as my partner and I have just started our event planning business. You have answered so many of our questions and made us feel more confident in our abilities. Like so many others this was my first time at an online course. I can honestly say it will not be my last. I will highly recommend this course to others. Thank you again."

"Thank you for this course! While I'm already doing a lot of this it’s helped to provide a lot of resources and I'll be revamping the way I'm looking at things and I can't wait to start my next event from scratch to put some of your ideas and processes in to practice."

"Thank you so much Cynthia for all the wonderful help. I have learned so much from your course and am now getting ready to go out and use my new found knowledge in the workforce. Thank you."

"Thank you so much for all your time. Everything you provided in your lessons was so helpful. It really made me stop and think. Some of it I had already thought about, but the lessons really helped my mind think through things more. The fact that I could do the lessons at anytime, was very helpful. I am hoping that this class will lead me to a career in event planning. Thanks to this class I think that I can do that now. Thank you so much for all the information and all the time you have put into this class and answering all of my questions. I greatly appreciate everything you've done."

"Thank You so much for this wonderful opportunity. I have truly enjoyed every week of the course. The material presented was simple to understand and visualize not to mention the many reference sites that will become quite useful in months to come. As I begin to establish my business, this course will be the prerequisite for my friends entering the business with me that are so excited about becoming wedding coordinators and event planners."

""Thank you so much for your helpful and most generous response to my original question regarding my job search. Cynthia, I appreciate your writing style and willingness to offer information. You certainly are the hostess with the mostess!!"

"Thank You to all my classmates for their questions, information and input. Thank you to Cynthia for a Great Course! You're terrific. This course was informative and fun. I have learned so much. Since the time I started this course, I have been working as an intern on a few events and overseen a few of my own. There a few events in the works and I have been able to put into practice so much that I have learned from this class. I have made a binder of all of the class lessons, discussions and quizzes so that I can refer to it and I am sure that I am going to need to. I am looking forward enthusiastically to many many future events, from special family events (which I have lots of new ideas) to all those events that I will be responsible for with my career. Thank you all!!!!"

"Thank you very much for your course. I actually run my own Wedding and Event Planning company and have found this course to be of great use!!! I am a certified wedding consultant and have been planning events since 1997, but wanted to make sure I was on the right track (as well as scout for a cost-effective course for new staff!) Thank you again for putting together such a fantastic course. All the best to everyone in the class, as well."

"The course was extremely helpful. I'm sorry that it's finished. I'll miss checking in, learning new material, and seeing the discussions."

"The lessons were great. I loved the way the instructor summarized each lesson and got you geared up for what was to come. EXCELLENT! Money well invested."

"There was a lot of useful information in this class. I'm a caterer but in these times of tight budgets am asked to help with many parts of events. This info will be so much help thanks."

"The teaching was basic enough for the novice (like me) to understand, and yet informative enough for a novice to implement without too much difficulty. Thank you."

"This class was exactly what I was hoping for! The instructor was very engaging and her writing style was fun and upbeat. The websites and comments provided are an absolute goldmine of information. Thanks!"

"This class was extremely interesting. I learned a lot from it. It will help me in my work. The instructor's knowledge was immeasurable. I was anxious for each new class to be released. Thank you for offering this class."

"This class was just what I needed to really get excited about event planning! It will be very beneficial to my future and has gotten me on the right track to a career in the business!"

"This class was very interesting. It was extremely helpful to me as a wedding planner and working with school and community events! We were given a lot of material in which I have already put into use. Cynthia, It has been a pleasure having you as my instructor. You are a great motivator!!"

"This course held many valuable things, even if you aren't planning a BIG event!"

"This course is wonderful. So much is learned because of the structure, the word choice, the explanations and definitions, and the writing style."

"This course was absolutely the best I've ever taken with regards to content, subject matter, format and delivery of the subject. I wish I had taken it prior to the two major events my church sponsored this past year. I sure do plan to apply every aspect of this course to our next event."

"This course was an invaluable learning experience. The instructor is truly an expert in the field. Her examples drawn from her own work and list of resources made this course much richer than just learning the process and steps of event planning. I highly recommend this course for anyone - from those planning their own wedding to individuals interested in professional event planning. Though, be warned - you will never be just an "attendee" at an event again! It is a sure thing you will be observing and critiquing and improving it in your own mind."

"This course was extremely enjoyable with the right amount of reading to do each week. I looked forward to logging in to the classroom for the lessons and assignments. I love that Cynthia addressed issues we might, and often, overlook when planning events. I am looking very forward to using my new knowledge for fundraising events this October. I would love to take another class by Cynthia!"

"This course was great. I recommend it to anyone even if they only plan parties for their children or PTO. It is a lot of great information."

"This course was WELL worth the money. I would have paid several hundred to a thousand -- or more for this course. The information & insight provided was simply amazing. The instructor's writing style was extremely easy and enjoyable to follow along with. She kept my interest-level high, and always looking forward to the next lesson!"

"This instructor was very appropriate to teach this on-line class. You could tell she was an expert in her field. Her information was not only very helpful, but felt cutting edge. Thank you for finding a quality person to enlighten us all."

"This is a great course! It gives you the inside knowledge about being an event planner, especially if you want to make a career change. It was very informative and helpful!"

"This is a great course. The instructor gives a lot of good and extra information. It's definitely worth it. Excellent information to help with a fundraiser, retirement ceremony, a private party, and more."

"This is and was a wonderful and very informative course to take."

"This is a terrific course on event planning, even for those who have experience in event planning. You will learn more than you think possible in six weeks. The instructor is very knowledgeable and has tons of references to internet sites, books, and real life examples. The discussions provide answers to your specific questions and offer many other resources that are not covered in the text material. In addition, discussion information from previous courses are inserted by Cynthia when appropriate. Cynthia is a great instructor!"

"This is the first online course I have ever enrolled in. Lucky me, I picked a WINNER!! "Wow, What A Great Event" was an extraordinary and exhilarating experience!"

"This was a fun and informative class and I looked forward to the learning opportunities in each of the lessons. It was very beneficial to me in my current position. Cynthia was an excellent instructor, knowledgeable, helpful and her responses to questions were very detailed and complete. A thoroughly enjoyable experience! Thank You!!"

"This was a great introduction to the online learning experience. The instructor gets my vote as the event planner poster child! This class is awesome including the content provided, the length of time to absorb it and the detailed responses in the discussion area. I will be checking in periodically to determine if this instructor has a new class to offer."

"This was an excellent course and I have in fact already recommended it to several people. Cynthia gave great answers to questions and provided a wealth of information that I did not dream would be a part of a non-credit class. I feel well on my way to making the right steps into becoming an event planner!"

"This was a terrific course. I did not expect so much information in this type of course and was delighted over how much was given to us. Cynthia was a terrific instructor. Not only was the course material useful & full of great info, but in the discussion areas she often gave more information & suggestions & supplemental information!"

"This was a very informative course. I actually recommended this to my sister and she will be taking the course in march. Thank you for everything that you taught me. I can't wait to start planning my events. Thanks again!"

"This was a very interesting and thorough introduction to event planning. Cynthia really kept my interest and provided me with a WEALTH of practical information!"

"This was a very well done course. Although I did know some of the areas that had been discussed it was nice to have the refresher and there was still always good ideas to take away. Thanks you very much for a great course."

"This was a wonderful course! The information was pertinent to the theme and very insightful. The instructor's enthusiasm made you look forward to every lesson. This class piqued my interest and I will pursue elements of it in my future plans. The only drawback was that we are not able to meet the instructor face-to-face to thank her for a job well done."

"This was my first on-line course. Although I do prefer a classroom setting, due to my busy family and work life, this classroom format was ideal. I found Cynthia to be an enthusiastic and professional instructed who provides great insight into the world of event planning. I also liked how she adds comments about her personal experiences to bring the course to life. This course has been and will continue to be an asset for me as an Executive Assistant who will never be an Event Planner but must perform key aspects of such a role on a regular basis. Thanks for a great course!"

"This was my first online course. I am 56 yrs. old and a working mother, etc. It was exactly what I was looking for and more than I could ever expect. It was useful! I am going to attempt to start my own business with no one else's backing. I know I will have to start small, but am looking forward to the adventure of it all."

"This was my first online course – I wasn't sure what to expect, but I must say that I was completely satisfied. The amount of information provided in the course was amazing. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter, and very forthcoming with answers and advice. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in event planning."

"Very useful and valuable information in a format that was understandable and has given me the confidence to tackle my first fundraising event."

"What a wonderful and informative experience! I had to give a seminar at a university and used the terminology and knowledge I gained from this course when speaking. It allowed me to feel more confident and comfortable in front of a room full of people. I actually received a phone call from a colleague stating how impressed they were and felt compelled to write down everything I had to say, especially all of the web sites. I owe it all to this course. Thank you!"

"While this course was online, I found the instructor, Cynthia, very engaging and encouraging. She seems to really know her stuff and her teaching style is very good. I felt this course was very comprehensive and a good starter course for anyone interested in event planning. This course has given me a lot to think about and I feel it has helped me a lot. Cynthia told me not to hesitate to try something new, and I can do it if I try. I really appreciated her words of encouragement and what she has taught me."

"Wow, what a great course - I have been able to put many aspects of this course to good use already! By using the information I have learned in this course, my non-profit will have a great event to raise funds for our summer kids programs. All the information I have received has made me more enthusiastic about the opportunities that have been opened up for me. And by the way, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT COURSE!"

"Wow, What a Great Event is a terrific class that prepares one for the ability to pull off a spectacular small gathering or a large scale event. Students are given a tremendous amount of supplemental information to help a new to event planning individual or even a seasoned veteran. Cynthia's writing style is easy to understand, flows nicely and keeps you interested. This is a great class!"