For meeting planners, finding a source that can help manage logistics throughout the planning process can be pivotal for success—whether that’s a full-service venue, comprehensive event-planning company, or an in-the-know destination marketing organization. These one-stop shops make decision-making easier than ever, removing the need for planners to search for just the right venue, caterer, speaker, group activity, or hotel on their own.
“Our main objective is to provide high-quality event experiences that feel completely hassle-free to our clients,” says Cassie Moore, co-owner of Every Moment Events, an event-planning company in Spokane, Washington. “Offering a one-stop-shop experience to our clients is so important for us to achieve this. Our full-service planning packages ensure that we can handle all [vendor bookings] using our personal experience and knowledge. We absolutely know who to suggest for all budgets or other requirements.”
Such an approach gives meetings and events a sense of ease from one step to the next. Not only does it help alleviate stress for the planners themselves, but it also provides attendees with a seamless experience where all they need to worry about is showing up. Often, the kind of venues that fall into this one-stop-shop category are expansive convention centers, which provide everything from meeting spaces to in-house caterers under one roof—and the Northwest has many of these. However, sometimes such a large venue isn’t conducive with the needs of every group, or of ones that might prefer to gather beyond the traditional four walls of a boardroom.
That’s not to say that planners should opt out of considering these centers for their meetings—in fact, they can check out the story beginning on page 11 that dives deep into the Northwest’s top convention and conference centers and how they best support successful events. And for this article, Northwest Meetings + Events rounded up additional venues and turnkey companies that provide the same level of well-rounded service, in-depth know-ledge, and standout facilities all in one place.
An All-Inclusive Approach
Finding a venue where all aspects of the event experience are available in one place notably simplifies the planning process. In Big Sky Country, The Ranch at Rock Creek is a Forbes Five-Star property set on 6,600 acres in Philipsburg, Montana, about an hour and a half south of Missoula. Here, planners will find everything they need to plan and execute meetings amid the scenic landscapes of the Flint Creek Range of the Rocky Mountains.
“Blending Western heritage with modern luxury, the ranch offers 31 unique accommodations, all-inclusive farm-to-table dining, and more than 40 year-round activities, from horseback riding and fly-fishing to skiing and wellness experiences,” says Jaclyn Payne, director of sales and marketing at the ranch. “Attendees enjoy seamless luxury, authentic adventure, and unforgettable connection in a pristine wilderness setting.”
To start, the venue options at the ranch are abundant and diverse. The Buckle Barn spans 5,000 square feet and accommodates up to 125 eventgoers. Here, groups dine in the rustic Great Hall, which is framed by reclaimed barn wood, and then flow out onto an outdoor lawn for evening cocktails. The Tack Room is adorned with saddles and bridles that reflect the equine roots of the venue as a working ranch, and it best accommodates postmeeting social hours or whiskey tastings of up to 40 people. Additional venues include the Blue Canteen, The Den, Silver Dollar Saloon, and the Granite Lodge. Some are available
year-round while others are open seasonally.
Audiovisual and standard decor are included in event-rental fees, as well as team-building activities on-site, such as paintball, scavenger hunts, and ropes courses, among others. Many of the group programs combine physical engagement, problem-solving, and social interaction to improve team dynamics, Payne notes.
“The ranch’s all-inclusive model transforms events into effortless, immersive, and memorable [group] experiences,” she adds. “It eliminates stress for planners, delights attendees with luxury [activities], and ensures every touchpoint—from accommodations to adventures—supports the event’s goals.”
Such objectives are reflected in a similar fashion at Block 41 in Seattle, a venue in the city’s Belltown neighborhood just north of downtown. “We offer a lot of amenities within our rental price that many places would charge extra for,” says Don Boshears, general manager at Block 41. These include things like furniture, tables and chairs, on-site audiovisual tech support, customizable lighting, a green room, and loading area with garage doors. “Catering companies and vendors love that,” Boshears notes of the latter. “It’s really easy.” While Block 41 has a list of Seattle caterers for planners to select from, the venue also has on-site prep kitchens should clients wish to prepare and serve their own event fare.
Block 41 has 14,000 square feet of function space spanning two levels. Upstairs is the 5,310-square-foot Bert & Tot Ballroom, connected to an outdoor courtyard featuring the venue’s striking mural: “Seattle” painted on the wall and filled with artistic depictions of notable city landmarks, sports teams, and attractions. On the lower level is The Ewing Theater, which planners might want to split in two via a retractable wall to create a second
room called the Musings Gallery. The full theater space accommodates up to 259 attendees standing.
The names of these spaces at Block 41 point to the venue’s intriguing history—the first recorded business housed in the building was the Ice Delivery Co. in 1927. The company was managed by Albert L. Ewing, who often went by Bert. His wife’s name was Tot, hence the name of the Bert & Tot Ballroom. “He was a trailblazer in his time,” says Boshears. “He was the first in Seattle to offer profit-sharing to his employees. He also was a prolific poet—he would type [his verses] on the backs of invoices and on scraps of paper.” Ewing’s grandson eventually published a book of Ewing’s poetry titled, “Musings of an Iceman,” inspiring the Musings Gallery name.
“The majority of our business comes from corporate and nonprofit galas,” Boshears adds. “Most of the large tech companies have done events here, [and] we have a long list of nonprofit galas that come [here] year after year. … Those are the markets we excel in, because of the ease of planning [we provide] and all the included amenities.”
Destination Know-How
When it comes to selecting the right place for an event, planners often source community insight from convention and visitors bureaus and destination marketing organizations. From there, the on-staff professionals can help planners source and select nearly every element of an event, from the right venue and appropriate hotel to the best vendors and recommended team activities. Such destination know-how can be seen at Travel Portland in Oregon, the city’s destination marketing organization.
“My team focuses on attracting conventions, conferences, and large groups to the city,” says Desiree Everett, vice president of sales and services at Travel Portland. “That includes not only marketing Portland as a meeting destination, but also supporting those groups once they arrive to make sure their experience runs smoothly.” Travel Portland’s convention sales team is the first point of contact for planners, connecting them with venues, hotels, and other event partners, and the team also offers tours of the city for clients to get a feel for the area. Once a meeting is booked, Travel Portland’s convention services team steps up to assist with site visits, boosting attendance, and supplying event-promotional materials, among other services.
“In short, Travel Portland acts as a true partner throughout the process, helping planners deliver exceptional events while ensuring attendees leave with a memorable Portland experience,” says Everett. “Our strength comes from our commitment to collaboration. We don’t just bring an event to our city—we bring it to life. We often hear from planners that our dedicated and hands-on approach makes all the difference.”
Such expertise was on display during the National Education Association’s annual Representative Assembly held in July at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The event brought together nearly 7,000 educators from across the country. “[It was] our largest convention to date,” says Everett. “And it was a true showcase of our team’s resources and collaborative spirit. … Our convention services team worked hand-in-hand with area partners and the National Education Association planning team to ensure everything ran efficiently, from logistics and programming to citywide support.”
Similar organizations to Travel Portland exist across the Northwest to help planners organize gatherings in hundreds of destinations, from Visit Boise in Idaho and Destination Missoula in Montana to Visit Tacoma-Pierce County in Washington.
The Planning Experts
Another option for planners to consider when looking for support is an area planning company, which are often run by folks who also have in-depth destination knowledge and will provide event assistance from beginning to end. For this article, Northwest Meetings + Events spoke with two notable companies that can do just that: Bright Ideas Event Agency in Richmond, British Columbia, and Every Moment Events of Spokane, Washington.
“We offer everything from A to Z in planning events,” says Sharon Bonner, founder and CEO of Bright Ideas Event Agency. “Finding the venue, sourcing vendors, designing the event strategy, measuring return-on-investment (ROI), adding a theme, planning the attendee experience, and debriefing and postevent review.”
Such thorough and reliable event assistance can be the key to success by providing a sense of continuity throughout an event, each detail being handled with care and strong communication. “At Bright Ideas, we partner with clients and take our collaboration very seriously,” says Bonner. “We’re not just planning an event—we’re creating experiences designed to increase ROI while ensuring every goal and objective is achieved.”
This course of action was put in gear with one of Bright Ideas’ clients, EcoWaste, a Richmond-based recycling and waste-services company centered on diverting waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and converting waste into new materials. “EcoWaste has hosted its community Open House on-site [at the landfill facility] for the past 10 years, and has engaged us to help elevate and expand the event,” Bonner explains, referencing this year’s gathering held in September. “We introduced fresh strategies to boost audience engagement with hands-on activities, educational product booths, and guided tours that brought attendees directly into the heart of their business. The result? Attendance doubled, and feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
Efficiency is also a priority for Cassie Moore, who co-owns Every Moment Events with Carrie Ybarra. “We are here to make your special event run as smoothly as possible,” says Moore. “From start to finish, we work to make each moment matter—our team can help as little or as much as your event requires, and we offer a variety of packages for coordination and planning.”
At Every Moment Events, the process typically begins with an initial meeting to gather ideas and discuss the location of the event. Then the team will share a detailed visual proposal of decor ideas with pricing options, after which the client will choose, and an invoice is finalized. The Every Moment Events team then handles all event preparation and setup, assists with vendor coordination, and takes care of cleanup and takedown.
“Our team is made up of innovative [experts] who take your vision and turn it into reality,” Moore says. “With years of experience, we don’t back down from a challenge, and we make the planning process simple with all of your event needs in one place.”
block41.com
brightideasevents.com
destinationmissoula.org
everymomentevents.com
theranchatrockcreek.com
travelportland.com
visitboise.com
visitpiercecounty.com
