LaJoy Event Design

LaJoy Event Design embodies classy, refined, timeless and unforgettable events management services. Are you looking for a way to design a high quality conference with limited resources? Or perhaps you’re a bride and groom seeking an events professional who will help you think through various wedding day details? Maybe, you’re an events planner who needs support in identifying sites in a city where you haven’t hosted an event in before?

Whatever your needs are, LaJoy Event Design can service you.

At LaJoy Event Design, we believe that “Excellence is in the Details” and that our biggest strengths also serve as our guiding principles. LaJoy is committed to providing:

A strong, responsive client-driven orientation, emphasizing high quality and exceptional value
An outstanding commitment to client satisfaction
An understanding of the client environment while working proactively and strategically to meet its needs
A commitment to continuous quality improvement

At LaJoy, each events professional is ultimately responsible for ensuring that their work meets the highest standards of excellence and fulfills all client expectations.

When you’ve been to a LaJoy Event you and your guests know.

Drawing on events management experiences in over 15 different states, working within the Hilton, Marriott, Starwood, Intercontinental, Fairmont and other hotelier brands and servicing conferences with over 2200 attendees, clients can feel confident when they select LaJoy Event Design as their conference & meetings management firm.

Specifically, clients can secure LaJoy Event Design to provide the following services within the Moments with LaJoy a la carte services:
- Budget Consultation
- Creative catering consultations
- Event Marketing
- Event site identification including the facilitation of site visits
- Event contract negotiation and review
- Exhibit Hall Management
- On-site event execution
- Registration Management
- Request for Proposal (RFP) management for speakers
- Volunteer recruitment and management
- Travel Bookings
For clients who seek a more comprehensive service, LaJoy Event Design is pleased to provide its services within the Priority & Preferred Conference Management Packages. To learn more about these packages click on the tabs on the right of the page. Clients should feel free to contact LaJoy Event Design directly to discuss the pricing for these packages or create a package that better suits their needs.
The Priority Conference Management Package is designed for companies seeking a comprehensive, in-house Events Management department. This package is best utilized by organizations requiring assistance with multiple events servicing 100 or more attendees.

With this package, LaJoy clients will receive the following:

Staff Model
- Minimum of two Event Coordinators dedicated for the duration of the project
- One part-time Project Manager focused exclusively on all event-related reports and timeline management
- Minimum of two on-site Registration Staff
Optional Staff

(Additional fee outside of the package is required)
1. LaJoy Graphic Designer
2. LaJoy Preferred Photographer
3. LaJoy Preferred Florist
In support of these events, LaJoy Event Coordinators will:
- Analyze event evaluations
- Arrange meetings to assist the leadership and other key stakeholders in determining the purpose, audience and desired outcomes of the meeting
- Build, monitor and manage event registration site as well as generate any registration reports required
- Develop three event budgets outlining all event-related expenses for the company’s selection. Fiscal management will also include:
- Coordinate post-conference debrief for all parties as identified by the client
- Coordinate with the client’s graphic design/marketing team or LaJoy Preferred Graphic Designer to ensure creative design of all event-related marketing materials such as program book, attendee bags and banners
- Develop a detailed timeline to manage the event, including pre- post-conference
- Develop, recruit and manage volunteers
- Facilitate all event-related staff or subcommittee meetings for the client
- Manage all event-related vendors to client’s satisfaction
- Manage all event speakers (once selected and approved by the client)
- Manage all venue-related logistics, including but not limited to: audio visual, banquet event orders (BEOs), meeting space specifications, rooming list and pre-conference meetings
- Manage any special events as well as destination management elements associated with the conference
- Once the conference purpose is identified, conduct research, develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) and make recommendations as to when and where the meeting should be held
- Once desired location is identified, negotiate contract to client’s satisfaction
- - Comparison of budgets from similar meetings to gauge spending
  - Consultation with the company's accounting office or financial officer on formatting the budget to be compatible with internal accounting systems
  - Creation of a balance sheet listing expenses for all functional areas of your meeting
  - Reporting on budget to actual expenses to the company’s satisfaction
- Recommend and manage on-site event evaluations
- Train and manage all on-site logistical staff of the conference
The Preferred Conference Management Package is designed for companies with fewer event management needs. This package offers all of the services of the Priority Conference Management package while providing less professional staff. Specifically, this package includes one Senior Event Coordinator managing all needs of the project with two on-site Events Assistants to ensure the client’s event runs seamlessly.

Clients, who recognize that they need an Event Coordinator in a specific area, may hire LaJoy within the Moments with LaJoy a la carte services. The following services are individually priced and can be grouped together to fit the company’s needs.
- Budget development and reporting
- Facilitation of event planning meetings
- Hotel/venue contraction negotiation
- Project timeline development and reporting
- Registration site development, management and reporting
- Thirty days to on-site events management

LaJoy Event Design is pleased to offer the following three wedding packages. We will help ensure that your wedding reflects who you are – whether your style is traditional and classic or modern and adventurous – and create a wedding that fits you. LaJoy appreciates that every couple is different, and couples are encouraged to select one of these options to ensure all of their needs are met to the highest expectations.

Make your wedding extra special and consider one of the below services. Couples should contact LaJoy to discuss pricing.

LaJoy is happy to:
- Address and send out wedding invitations
- Arrange transportation for the wedding party and guests
- Assist with booking accommodations for out-of-town guests
- Assist with planning wedding showers
- Coordinate an engagement party
- Plan a rehearsal dinner/party
- Prepare a unique ceremony and vows
- Purchase gifts for the wedding party
- Send out thank-you cards
- Track RSVPs
Make your wedding a truly memorable experience by selecting the Harry Winston Wedding Planning Package. As the name implies, this option offers the highest level of service from start to finish. LaJoy will oversee all of the details necessary to make your wedding dreams come true.

With the Harry Winston Wedding Planning Package, LaJoy will:

Rehearsal
- Attend and direct (coordinated with officiant) at the rehearsal (up to two hours)
- Collect of all wedding items at rehearsal to be set up on the wedding day, such as candles, photographs, guest books, wedding favors, toasting glasses, serving sets, programs, seating cards, table numbers, etc.
- Consult with bride and groom to learn more about the couple’s dream wedding and determine the wedding flow
- Prepare a rehearsal and wedding day itinerary
Wedding Day
- Arrange grand entrance
- Assist photographer to get the pictures you want, making sure family members are available and in place for the photographer
- Assist with handing out wedding flowers pinning on corsages, boutonnieres, etc.
- Attend to overseeing and directing the ceremony and reception (up to 8 hours)
- Check that transportation is running on time
- Collect guest books, cameras, personal items, etc. to be delivered to pre-arranged spot
- Confirm all vendors receive final payments as needed
- Confirm wedding day arrangements with vendors
- Coordinate the collection of gifts received at wedding to be delivered to pre-arranged spot
- Ensure reception and ceremony areas are set up as planned
- Handle any catering problems that may arise
- Provide a stress-free day for the bride and groom
- Provide wedding day emergency kit
- Ready wedding party to walk down the aisle. This includes making sure flowers are correctly held, timing is perfect, wedding dress train is straight and more.
- Receive deliveries and greet vendors
The Cartier Wedding Planning Package offers a stress-free environment with no detail over looked. This package is ideal for the couple that would like the details taken care of while still being hands on in planning their wedding.

With the Cartier Wedding Planning Package, LaJoy will:
- Assist with ceremony planning
- Assist with choosing of wedding attire and accessories, accompaniment to fittings if desired
- Assist with color scheme, theme and style of the wedding selections
- Assist with invitation selection and tracking RSVPs
- Assist with preparing a budget
- Assist with site tours, selection and booking of ceremony and reception venues
- Consult with vendors the month of the wedding
- Coordinate with vendors to ensure services/products are provided in a timely manner
- Help with finding, negotiating and booking suitable vendors
- Hold a minimum of three planning meetings between clients and planner
- Prepare a schedule/timeline and checklists
- Prepare timelines the month of the wedding
- Prepare vendor itineraries
- Provide a list of preferred vendors
- Provide initial complimentary consultation with the bride and groom as well as unlimited phone and e-mail availability
- Provide ongoing updates and consultation with clients about vendors’ services/products
- Review of all details with client, the month of wedding and the week prior to the wedding
- Schedule appointments and accompany clients to vendor meetings
- Walkthrough with client at selected sites of the wedding
This package is perfect for the couple that has started planning, selected a venue and other major items for their wedding but needs help to complete the process. The Tiffany Wedding Planning Package covers all the unfinished details the couple needs assistance with and helps make the couples’ vision a reality.

With The Tiffany Wedding Planning Package, LaJoy will:
- Assist with ceremony and reception planning
- Assist with invitation selection and tracking RSVPs
- Consult with vendors the month of the wedding
- Coordinate with vendors to ensure services/products are provided in a timely manner
- Prepare timelines for the month of the wedding
- Prepare vendor itineraries
- Provide initial complimentary consultation with the bride and groom
- Provide ongoing updates and consultation with clients about vendors’ services/products
- Reviews of all details
- Schedule appointments and accompany clients to vendor meetings
- Walk through with client at the selected sites for the wedding/reception

"I have had the pleasure of working with Melva Jones for the past two years in my capacity as President of the Board of Directors of NCCNHR—the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care. Melva served as the conference planner for our 2007 and 2008 Annual Meetings which drew more than 300 participants from around the country to Crystal City, Virginia in 2007 and Indianapolis in 2008. During these Annual Meetings, we offered concurrent intensive sessions, plenary sessions, concurrent workshops, social events and meals, and a variety of other activities over several days. Because NCCNHR has a very small staff, we simply could not have pulled off these major events without Melva’s invaluable assistance, unshakable calm, persistent good cheer, and flawless organizational skills. She was a lifesaver for us and became a valued partner and friend in our efforts to ensure our Annual Meetings went off without a hitch and that the participants had a superb experience.

Melva has terrific interpersonal skills. She is always smiling and she has a warm, upbeat personality. She clearly loves people and is interested in ensuring that all their needs are met. No matter how many times plans change or complications arise, Melva remains polite and reassuring and manages to address quickly and competently whatever issue has arisen. She is equally capable dealing with meals and travel arrangements, audio visual needs for speakers and events, conference logistics, registration, and the myriad miscellaneous details that arise in events like ours.

Because Melva has excellent experience in planning diverse events, she was a terrific sounding board as we developed our Annual Meetings. She is a fine resource for information about possible conference sites, budgets, and creative ways to meet our needs. Moreover, Melva quickly understood our organization’s culture and priorities and helped us ensure that our Annual Meeting achieved all our goals on our extremely limited budget.

Melva is extremely well-organized. She plans events carefully and well, establishes excellent relationships with hotel staff, and ensures everyone is clear about their responsibilities. She roamed the halls of our Annual Meetings, clipboard and cell phone in hand, ensuring that every detail for every session and event was under control and patiently answering endless questions from participants, speakers, and staff as she went along.

Working with Melva has truly been a joy both because of her warmth and upbeat nature and her dependability. We look forward to working with her again this year and know she will continue to go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure our 2009 Annual Meeting is another great success."

-Alison E. Hirschel Past President
NCCNHR Board of Directors

"Melva was absolutely invaluable to us during our wedding planning process! Melva definitely helped us maintain the joy & fun in the planning, especially for a process that's too frequently deemed tedious & stressful. From the beginning of the planning process, Melva continually provided guidance and expertise as we worked through challenging decisions. She was always attentive to our requests and compassionate when we got frustrated or overwhelmed. After we outlined our wedding plan, Melva kept us on schedule and helped managed our vendor relationships.

On 'The Day' Melva coordinated everything down to the minute and worked diligently behind the scenes to make sure everything went smoothly. We couldn't plan for every possible contingency, but thanks to Melva we truly enjoyed our wedding day, rather than stressing about details. We are truly indebted to her for making our dream wedding a reality!"

-Dr. Yerodin Sekou & Mrs. Traci Bermiss

"If there is such a thing as a 5-Star Even Planner, Ms. Jones is definitely the rule!
I can guarantee you that you will not find the words to describe the superb service that Ms. Jones delivers. I engaged Ms. Jones to coordinate and plan a graduation celebration for my husband. I wanted to do something very special for my husband since he always thinks of everyone else but ask little in return. Unfortunately, I was operating with a very meager budget. Ms. Jones told me not to worry. She stated that she would work with my budget and it would be a great event. From the moment I engaged Ms. Jones until the closing of our event, I felt that I was working with a person that was just as invested as I was in my husband’s celebration. Not a single detail of our event was left undone or unnoticed. Even though I am sure that I was operating on a shoestring budget, I had an event that would make the Queen of England stop and take notice. Talk about great customer service! Anyone that, like me, thought that customer service died in the 20th century hasn't worked with Ms. Jones. It is Ms. Jones’ personal goal to make sure you have everything you need and try her hardest to satisfy you in every way possible! She really went above and beyond what you'd expect from any business, regardless of what you are paying. I highly recommend Ms. Jones and will be engaging her services for all my future events. Thanks for an outstanding event!"

-Robyn Scates & Family

"I have known Ms. Melva Jones for three years in the capacity of an event planner for our Washington, DC based association--The National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care (NCCNHR - formerly National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform).

In this capacity, Ms. Jones was accessible to clients, prompt and responsive to clients' enquiries from far and near, either by mail, telephone, or in person.

The flow of events and activities prior to, and during each annual conference were professionally executed.

I will gladly recommend her services to any client."

-Victor Orija, Delaware State Long-Term Care Ombudsman,
Delaware DHSS/Div of Services for Aging & People with Physical Disabilities

"Everything that Melva does she does with intelligence, passion, commitment, professionalism and class. She approaches every event with the careful planning of a general embarking on a complex campaign. She knows that each detail – from the layout of the room to the make-up of the menu and the look of the book…"

"I have never seen anyone juggle all the 'balls' of making a conference run smoothly like you do."

"Melva's calm, positive attitude was nothing short of amazing at times. Melva was extremely helpful and kind! Melva is a doll - she was helpful but also fun, and she genuinely likes what she is doing. Almost a week has gone by since the retreat. I have thought about you many times, each time my amazement renewed as I remembered the graceful manner in which you managed everything. You truly are gifted in making what you touch work seamlessly and appear as smooth as silk…"

"If you haven't met Melva Jones, meet her and keep your eye on her, she is going places and taking us with her. How do I know? I saw her jump in the fire with the DC event and she is doing it again with Admin Summit. Now With 12 days to our event, a huge shout-out goes to Melva…for making it happen with the command of a 4-star general, the precision of a neurosurgeon, and the class of a 1930s movie star."

"Working with Melva on an annual event over the past several years has been a delightful experience. She is detail oriented, flexible, and focused on making the event a personalized occasion. She has an incredible connection with the event hosts and their guests. In the moments of panic, she can be the calming influence; in the moments of celebration, she has the brightest smile. I want her on my team every year!"

-Eileen Bennet

"Almost a week has gone by since the retreat. I have thought about you many times, each time my amazement renewed as I remembered the graceful manner in which you managed everything. You truly are gifted in making what you touch work seamlessly and appear as smooth as silk… "

Nia King-Rubie, Senior Event Coordinator

Nia holds a degree in hospitality management from Howard University. She has worked on numerous events including the Howard University School of Business Anniversary Gala and the renowned Homecoming. Previously, Nia worked in Events Services at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where she coordinated a number of events, in particular the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference that serviced 20,000 guests, including dignitaries such as President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. While at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Nia also worked to coordinate the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Centennial Boule, which was attended by 70,000 guests - the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest seated indoor dinner. Nia is known for her ability to identify simple solutions for event needs; she has a stringent yet friendly project management style and a willingness to work non-traditional hours. Nia often goes above and beyond for clients; whatever the event needs; she will do it.

Julia A. Scrivens, Senior Project Manager

Julia has more than a decade of sales, account/project management and customer service experience. In her role at LaJoy, she establishes and forecasts project management systems, manages functional teams and sub-committees and provides support and direction overall project scope. Julia also manages and supports the overall strategic direction of the company’s existing client portfolio. Prior to coming to LaJoy, Julia was the Program Manager for The Executive Leadership Council’s Institute for Leadership Development & Research, which conducts groundbreaking research on corporate diversity and business issues and provides leadership development programs to prepare senior African American executives and high potential/seasoned managers for executive officer positions. Additionally, she serves on the board of directors for H.O.M.E.S. Academy, a non-profit organization providing life skills training to the mentally disable. She is also an advisory board member for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a Master’s degree in education with a concentration in workplace training and organizational development. Julia is a native of Chicago, and lived in the Atlanta metropolitan area for nine years before relocating with her husband Anthony to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Julie Cipriani, Graphic Designer

Julie, a graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology, began her professional career as a graphic designer in Philadelphia working for a few, marketing and design firms. Looking for a more inspiring challenge, she then worked with a playground manufacturer developing and designing a program called Custom Graphics, which inspire imaginary play on the playground. She has worked with a variety of organizations serving our youth, including KaBOOM!, College Summit and Reading is Fundamental. Julie continues to enthusiastically reach out to communities through her design and marketing skills.