http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/rss/feedsChristine DiCarlo is a leading event producer. While Boston is home and her primary residence, DiCarlo's CD Events Co has designed and produced events not only in Boston but also in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, Phoenix, Seattle & Washington DC. Ms. DiCarlo's client list is diverse and represented by a blueSun, 28 Jun 2026 07:42:38 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/its-about-timehttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/its-about-time Want to know what scares me? Not AI, but people blindly trusting it. Because AI is a little like that overly confident vendor who promises everything is "absolutely handled." Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't. And you don't find out until much later. AI can be brilliant. It can also be hilariously wrong. The problem is it delivers both answers with exactly the same confidence. Just recently I asked Chad to make me a graphic using two photos and some copy I wrote. It was gorgeous, but when we put on our readers and looked closer, we saw the faces in the photos were completely different people! Same color hair, some clothing, but different freaking faces! Which means experience still matters. Judgment still matters. Double and triple checking still matters. Time management still matters. And asking "Are we 100% sure about that?" remains one of the most valuable skills in business. But guess what? We (the event peeps) have seen this before. Every few years, we're told some new technology is going to change everything. Social media Apps Virtual events Hybrid events (my god I despised those!) QR codes The truth is technology evolves. The fundamentals don't. People still want connection. People still want experiences. People still want to gather, learn, celebrate, network, and be inspired. Events are, and always will be, about humans. These days, I don't see AI as competition. I see it as support. It handles the repetitive tasks so I can focus on the work that actually moves the needle: The strategy The creativity The relationships The experience The moments So no, I'm not worried that AI is coming for my job. Now I am kind of excited. Because if AI wants to take over speaker bios, agenda drafts, timelines, workplans, meeting summaries, and the 47th revision of a Run of Show? Please. Be my guest. I'll be over here doing what event professionals do best: creating experiences, solving problems, making magic happen, and carrying an emergency phone charger that somehow saves the day every single time. Event jobs aren't being replaced. They're being upgraded. And honestly. . . it's about time. Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:16:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/my-new-assistant-chad-gpthttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/my-new-assistant-chad-gpt It seems like everyone is talking about AI. And when this talk started, I'll admit it, my first thought wasn't "Wow, this is exciting." It was more along the lines of: "Well, now robots have finally come for the event industry." As someone who's spent years producing events, managing timelines, navigating last-minute changes, calming stressed clients, and somehow locating a missing podium five minutes before doors open, I was skeptical. Because if you've ever worked in events, you know one thing: Nothing ever goes exactly according to plan. And honestly - that's half the job. The other half is pretending everything is under control while internally freaking out and calculating seven backup plans and wondering if you've remembered to eat today. Event Producers Are Basically Professional Problem Solvers People think event production is so glamorous and its all about pretty tables and color palettes. Ha bless their hearts. It's actually about logistics, diplomacy, project management, psychology, crisis response, negotiation, and occasionally therapy sessions for executivrs or keynote speakers. I've had speakers miss flights. I've had AV fail. I've had weather decide to become the main character. I've had clients call me with an "easy little change" three days before an event that somehow required rebuilding an entire program and stage. And through all of it, the secret ingredient has never been technology. It's been people. Experience. Instinct. Relationships. And an alarming ability to function under pressure. Then I Started Using AI... And I had a moment. Not a "the future is here" moment. More of a "wait... you can make my life easier?" moment. Because it turns out AI isn't particularly good at producing events. But it IS shockingly good at helping produce events. Need a first draft of a sponsor email? Done. Need twenty new theme ideas because the first nineteen sound terrible? Done. Need social media captions, attendee communications, speaker questions, event descriptions, marketing copy, post-event surveys, thank-you notes, and a meeting summary from the call you barely remember attending? Done. Done. Done. Done. It's like hiring an assistant who never sleeps, never gets annoyed, isn't cuter or younger than you and doesn't charge overtime. And remember AI Doesn't Know What Happens Behind the Curtain AI can write a run of show. It cannot run the show. AI can create a speaker briefing document. It cannot look a nervous speaker in the eye and say, "You've got this." AI can generate an event timeline. It cannot walk into a ballroom and instantly notice that the room feels off because there are not enough seats at each table. AI can suggest a floorplan. It cannot convince a hotel CSM we need to move that registration desk right now. There is a magic that happens in live events - its called human magic. It's the energy in a room. The relationships. The creativity. The ability to read people and solve problems befure anyone even realizes there is a problem. That's not something you automate. So relax my fellow producers, we still got this. I am going to use my slower summer months to learn more about how to use it effectively and enthusiastically. Of course there are dangers and mistrust (more on that in my next post) but again it comes down to US and always reading between the lines (or prompts). See you all in a week - me and Chad are going to build a workplan. Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:10:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/the-start-of-summerhttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/the-start-of-summer There is something about the arrival of June that always feels like a reset. The pace slows, the days get longer, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the calendar isn't dictating my every moment. For me, this summer begins with a needed break from events. After a busy stretch, I have a few months without anything on the schedule. While I love the energy, excitement, and connections that come with event season, I'm embracing this pause. It's an opportunity to relax, regroup, and recharge before the fall madness arrives. Come September, it feels like there will be an event nearly every week, so I'm determined to make the most of this lazy season. We've been on the South Fork for more than three weeks now, and surprisingly, I'm already feeling a little sad about leaving at the end of the month. This place has quickly become an oasis, a welcome escape from the constant motion of everyday life. The slower mornings, the never ending farm stands and the simple beauty of summer out here have a way of reminding you what matters. Plus we have a new adventure to tend to. We have been working on the yard, fixing up the front porch and back deck and doing lots of planting. Owning a home here has been a dream, but like any dream, it comes with realities like always having to fix something and new expenses that come with homeownership in the Hamptons. Thank goodness for renters. Remind me I said that, when I am in the city heat in late July! But as June unfolds, there is plenty to look forward to. Summer friends reuniting, more travel on the horizon, including time in Portugal with dear friends, along with other adventures yet to come. We love to travel anytime of year, but there is something special about reconnecting with people and places that have a summer vibe and have become part of our story over the years. Another summer outing I'm particularly excited about is spending the Fourth of July at home in Boston. It will be the first time in years that we're there for the holiday, and this year's celebration is a milestone. There is something about being a Bostonian in Boston for Independence Day, and I'm looking forward to experiencing it again. For now, though, I'm trying not to rush ahead. Summer has only just begun and we have a few more weeks here. There are still plenty of sunsets to watch, long dinners to enjoy, houseguests to entertain, beaches to visit, and memories to make before we get back on that ferry to the city. Ask me again at the end of June, when the temperatures have climbed a little higher and the reality of leaving the South Fork is closer. I'm sure I'll have a few more thoughts to share. What are some of your favorite summer memories and plans for the coming months? Would love to hear show you all enjoy the warmer months. Cheers all - here's to the start of summer.Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:52:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/its-been-a-minutehttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/its-been-a-minute It's Been a Minute...Actually, it's been years. Almost ten. Yikes. And for reasons I can't fully explain, I've decided to challenge myself to do something creative just for me every week. Between planning events, managing clients, putting out fires, and keeping all the balls in the air, carving out time for creativity often ends up at the bottom of the list. So here we are.I have been thinking of my blog a lot lately and it feels like the perfect outlet, a place to share ideas, express thoughts, tell stories, and hopefully spark some conversations and collaborations along the way. A lot has happened since my last post. And by "a lot," I mean there was a global pandemic and AI seems to be taking over the world. Beyond that, there have been countless events, amazing clients, memorable trips (bless!), unexpected adventures, and enough lessons learned to fill several books. Professionally, my workload seems to have tripled. The funny thing is, I'm actually much pickier these days about the events and clients I take on. Experience has a way of teaching you what energizes you, what drains you, and where you can make the biggest impact. Personally, there have been challenges too - some anticipated, some not. The kind that stretch you, humble you, and ultimately help you grow. While I wouldn't necessarily volunteer to repeat all of them, I can honestly say they've shaped who I am today. One thing that has not changed - I am a planner. So my plan for this space is simple: each week (ish) I'll tackle topics that inspire me, challenge me, make me laugh, or keep me up at night. Expect stories from the event world, travel adventures, lessons learned, behind-the-scenes moments, business insights, personal reflections, and probably a few unexpected detours along the way. Most importantly, I want this to be useful and interesting for you. If you enjoy what you read, please share it with others. If you have suggestions, questions, or topics you'd like me to cover, I'd love to hear from you. Some of the best conversations start with a simple idea. So, wish me luck. Here's to showing up, creating something new, and seeing where it leads. See you next week. CD (That's me.) Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:59:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/event-modehttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/event-modeEvent Mode is a state of mind. It is when you are a couple of days, a week or even a month out from an event and all you can do is focus on getting through and making it a success. It is when you double and triple check the flight itineraries, the ground transportation, the menus, the scheduled activities, the vendor installation schedules, the hotel resumes, the Banquet Event Orders (BEO) and the staffing plans. It is when you do your job and everyone else's because you become a control freak, or in my case, more of a control freak. It is when you neglect your own well being and then wake up, look in the mirror and the realize you need to make a few beauty appointments and fast. It is when you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about some little detail and writing it down so you don't forget it the next day. Or worst yet, waking up in the middle of the night convinced you have completely missed a scheduled Committee Meeting and then actually get up, rush to get dressed and try to catch some of the meeting. This just happened to me this week and when I finally calmed down and looked at my phone it was only 3:37AM and the meeting was the next day! Event mode is how they describe one of us when we are in this state. It becomes an all encompassing excuse for our behavior. "Oh don't mind her, she is in event mode." It is when the work life balance becomes extremely difficult. My husband and friends have dealt with me and this for years now. It is when you try your hardest to smile, to be polite and to appear interested in the conversation someone is trying to have with you while truly you are looking over their shoulder at the lighting that is being installed incorrectly or the sound tech who missed a cue. There is no time for tolerance, please and thank you's or trying to calmly explain things. It's just get it done. Minus the bags under my eyes, half chewed finger nails and tired looking skin, I actually love event mode. Event mode is exciting and challenging. It's a head spinning rush and a whirlwind of activity. And it's a way of life. Event mode is what makes me good. Please and thank you. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 07:34:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/sunday-vibehttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/sunday-vibe It’s late Sunday afternoon and I am on a flight back to Boston wishing I had a couple more days to enjoy the beach having just spent four great ones in Boca Raton, FL. It was two days of work for an upcoming annual Board Meeting we are producing later this spring and two days of sun and fun with my husband who accompanied me on this trip. I am one of those people who works hard and plays hard too. It is really only in the past few months, that I have truly been able to shut off over the weekend or when I am on vacation. My mind just keeps going and I dream about my events, wake up thinking about things I need to do, or in my most crazy of times, I wake up in a panic that I don’t have enough time to accomplish all I need to or that I forgot some detail. I don’t but the mind plays tricks sometimes. My mood also almost automatically shifts on late Sunday afternoons. Sure we have Sunday Fundays and I have been known to stretch out a weekend here and there (especially in July and August) but for whatever reason that weekly Sunday night vibe is always a bummer. Even today while sitting on the beach, I started thinking about my week – how much catch up work I will have after being away, how many weeks I have left until my next big event (two) and what I need to do to prepare for my next work trip which happens to be in a few days (NYC bound on Thursday). I realize now there is no use fighting these feelings – it’s just the nature of who I am and what I do. I think whether you love your job or not, many people suffer these very same feelings on a weekly basis. But I can trick my mind too. I have been trying some new things to help me combat the start of the weekly grind and that have also helped me better prepare for my week and even look forward to my workload. See my list below and try incorporating one or two next week. You might just start to embrace your Sunday vibe too. Make a plan to meet someone professionally or socially to start your week – this can be a weekly staff meeting to set expectations, grabbing a coffee with a colleague to share ideas or just meeting up with a friend after work for a glass of wine Do something for yourself early in the week - get a manicure, indulge in a home spa night, make a bunch of healthy meal options that you can enjoy the whole week Do a little retail therapy – while your face mask is drying, check out your favorite on line shopping sites and treat yourself to something new for the approaching season or score that coat that you have been eyeing that’s now on sale at 75% off Make a list of all you need to get done that week – I have work plans for all my events, but I also write daily to do lists of everything I need to get done on any given day. Combine your professional tasks with your personal errands - being able to check off a bunch will give you immediate gratification. And sometimes when you list things on paper, they are not as daunting. Check them off one by one, you will be surprised how much you will get done. I am going to draft my week’s plan now and then turn off my computer and sleep for a bit. Sure my list might be long, but it will be organized and in one place – just typing that made me feel a whole lot better. Bring it Monday. Sun, 19 Feb 2017 17:30:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/the-show-must-go-onhttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/the-show-must-go-on Last night's Grammy Awards inspired this post, although I really did not watch the whole show. I tend to focus on what everyone is wearing to these shindigs and on any live performances rather than the actual awards. Plus in this case, I knew this year would be all about the two queens. As we know, you can rewatch just about every minute and relive just about every detail the next day on social media. . . whether they are good or bad minutes and details. Last night there were quite a few faux pas - Adele's restart, Metallica's frontman not having a microphone, Laverne Cox not even introducing Metallica and more. In an event producers world, the missteps are what we lose sleep over and that can ruin a reputation. As I tell my interns, it is how you handle these missteps that matters. I have been producing events for years and could write a book on all the things that have gone wrong that have now become funny stories. The featured photo here is a colleague and me working a recent charity dinner in NYC. It was a very high profile event with a long celebrity attendee list and swarms of security and press. Staff, of course, is expected to behave a certain way - skip to the above photo again. First, I don't even know how we found time to gather for a "girls photos" and then I leaned back onto the table of perfectly stacked wine glasses. . . hundreds and hundreds of them. Hence the face. Nothing happened and we got this shot. There have been plenty of other events where "situations" have arisen. At one charity golf event, I had to call an ambulance to the course 4 times (the last time was for a golfer who had flipped his golf cart). At another, this one a charity dinner, I had the fire alarm go off 3 times in less than 2 hours. During one weekend long series of sporting events, we lost an intern (as in she could not be found for two days and my other staff elected not to tell me). This same event, I had a guest tackle a vacuum cleaner in the elevator. . . you're getting the picture? More recently at a late night event in NYC, a piece of necessary AV equipment was lost in the packaging and not recovered until 10 minutes before show time. The hits keep coming, at another charity event the hotel mistook all our live auction items for trash (we found them), and even most recently, my 2016 Christmas dinner here at Casa DiCarlo brought some surprise guests - the Boston Fire Department, who had to come to our rescue for after an over zealous merlot jus smoked up the kitchen. Mistakes happen and my list goes on and on and on. Now, in some cases the audience is going to know there is a problem - last night Adele stopping and restarting (gloriously might I add) was a big clue. Also from last night, we couldn't hear Metallica's James Hetfield, another big clue, but rest assured, my guests definitely heard the smoke alarm in our home at Christmas!!! My solution always remains the same. If you stay calm and focus on how to fix the problem, as opposed to what went wrong, your event will still appear seamless to the audience and you will have succeeded. After all, the show must go on. Mon, 13 Feb 2017 18:02:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/snowed-inhttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/snowed-inEarlier this week, I was working at a client's office and we were talking about the nearing blizzard and how great it would be to have a snow day and to work from home. I was fully engaged in the conversation and adding that I was excited to work in the comfort of my favorite Monrow camo sweats. The conversation continued for a bit before I realized I could basically do that every day if i really wanted. I work from home. I gave up my cushy office and address in Copley Square a few years back when I confirmed I spent more time on the road then I did in my office. One year in fact I spent 91 nights in NYC alone. To this day, my job takes me on the road on average about twice a month. My meetings are mostly in a clients office or on site at a host venue and my work can be done anyplace I have internet. When I am in Boston, I cherish being at home. And I find more people telecommunting whenever possible. The workplace has really shifted due to advanced technology, the emphasis on having a work-life balance and all the wellness stories out there stressing how we need to reduce well, stress. Don't get me wrong, I still look forward to getting dressed for my day and picking my latest and greatest outfits for my trips. And truth be told, I'd also love to have a super curated sleek office again one day and hope that just maybe the launch of CD Events Co will fuel (and fund!) that desire, but for now I am very content to be snowed in. Fri, 10 Feb 2017 07:26:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/cd-events-cohttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/cd-events-co To rebrand or not to rebrand, that was the question. Rebranding is a major decision for any company. It can mean thousands of expenses, weeks or even months of stalled projects and many sleepless nights. So now you know how I spent my time from December 26th to today. But it can also mean a fresh spin on an old idea, a reenergized way of thinking, increased visibility and a new motivation that stems from within. And with that, I am happy to introduce you to CD Events Co. It's time for Front Row to take a back seat. I am proud of my work and what I have accomplished as Front Row. That name originated when I was in grad school and sat in the front row of class every day. A small shift in perspective from my undergrad days at Boston College, but lets just say my social and party skills at BC and my studious ways at Emerson both fueled the start of my company. And I grew it and its reputation ever since. If you look at my events and list of clients, you will find they are pretty high profile. They are a big deal, not me. I am a boutique agency that delivers big. And when I deliver, I stand behind it. You can say I put my name on it. Combine that with the fact that just about all my clients (and many of my friends) call me CD and voila - CD Events Co. makes sense. I love what I do. I mean, I truly love what I do: the benefits are the people I work with or have met and the amazing experiences. Don't get me wrong, event production is not all fun and games. In fact, I cringe when people say this and don't fully understand all that it entails. Yes, I plan some fantastic parties, but I am not a party planner. I also decided it was time to kick it up a notch or two (or ten in my case) with a blog to give me another creative outlet. Hopefully, you will find inspiration for everything from what to wear and helpful tips to event style and design ideas. "CD That's Me" will now be a real life digest of my events, my projects and all the things that matter in my world. My life is one big event after another. CD That's Me! Wed, 01 Feb 2017 09:13:00 -0700http://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/internhttp://www.cdeventsco.com/blog/post/internFront Row Associates is currently accepting resumes for an intern position for the Spring/Summer 2017 season. Please forward resume to info@cdeventsco.comTue, 24 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700