I’ve watched a lot of events fall apart.
Not the dramatic, venue-caught-fire kind of falling apart. Its the slow, quiet kind. The kind where the buffet line backs up because someone put the salad dressing three feet away from the salad. The kind where guests are standing around confused because nobody told the servers what time to open the bars. The kind where the host, who spent months planning and thousands of dollars, ends up running around fixing things instead of enjoying their own celebration.
I’ve seen it from the inside. Luxury hotels. Corporate galas. Events range from weddings for 50 guests to conferences for 2,000 attendees. I’ve been the one in the back making sure the food hits the right temperature, the staff knows where to stand, and the timeline doesn’t collapse. I’ve worked with teams who understood that service is a craft, and I’ve cleaned up after teams who thought showing up was enough.
And here’s what I realized along the way: there’s a gap.
The Gap Nobody Talks About
There are people who throw events. And there are people who execute events. The difference is everything.
Most people planning an event, whether it’s a backyard wedding, a corporate lunch, or a family reunion at the park, don’t know what they don’t know. They think about the food, the decorations, and the playlist. But they don’t think about the flow. The timing. The logistics play a crucial role in distinguishing “that was beautiful” from “that was a mess.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are service professionals who’ve never been taught the craft. They know how to carry a tray but not how to read a room. They know how to show up, but not how to anticipate. They’ve never learned steps of service, techniques, or how to bring their personality into the work without losing professionalism.
That’s the gap I’m here to close.
Why “The Art in Service”?
Because I believe service is an art.
Not in a precious, pretentious way. In a real way. Every person who serves, whether you’re a banquet captain, a caterer, or a host in your home, brings something unique to the table. Your personality. Your instincts. You have a unique way of making people feel seen and cared for.
That’s not something you can fake. But it is something you can develop.
I started The Art in Service because I wanted to bridge the gap between what events could be and what they usually are. I wanted to train service professionals who understand that this work requires skill, not just availability. And I wanted to help hosts, DIY planners, couples, nonprofits, and small businesses get access to the insider knowledge that makes events run smoothly.
Because here’s what I believe: every event deserves the same level of attention, detail, and professionalism.
It doesn’t matter if your budget is $500 or $50,000. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bar mitzvah, a quinceañera, or a backyard barbecue. It doesn’t matter what your guests look like or where they come from. Everyone deserves to feel welcomed. Everyone deserves service that’s thoughtful, prepared, and kind.
That’s not negotiable for me.
Who This Blog Is For
This blog is for:
Hosts and DIY planners — If you’re throwing an event at your home, a park, a rented venue, anywhere — and you want it to feel organized and intentional, not chaotic and stressful, you’re in the right place.
Service professionals — If you’re a server, bartender, or coordinator who wants to level up, understand the why behind the work, and build a real career in this industry, I’m talking to you.
Anyone curious about how events actually work — The behind-the-scenes stuff. The logistics. The things that go wrong and how to prevent them.
I’m going to share what I’ve learned, the real stuff, not the sanitized version. I will share the mistakes I’ve witnessed and experienced. I will discuss the shortcuts that can backfire and the small details that can make a significant impact.
What You Can Expect From Me
The real deal.
I’m not going to sugarcoat things to make them sound nicer. If something is a bad idea, I’ll tell you. If there’s a better way to do it, I’ll show you. I’ve spent too many years watching events go sideways because someone was too polite to say “that’s not going to work.”
I’m going to discuss the uncomfortable stuff: the gaps in our industry, the lack of training, and the assumptions people make that set them up to fail. Because this has to stop. People think they know when there’s actually a more professional, more strategic, more thoughtful way to do things.
Even if it’s just a dinner party at your house. Even if it’s a small gathering at a park. It doesn’t have to be unorganized. It doesn’t have to be stressful. There’s a way to do this well — and I’m going to show you how.
Welcome to The Art in Service.
Let’s get to work.
Ready to go deeper? Get the Free Buffet Setup Checklist, a one-page guide to setting up event food service the right way.