Operative Plasters’ & Cement Masons’ International Association 125th Anniversary
Vendors:
Venue - Effingham Event Center
Photographer - Mackenzie Zimmerman Photography
Caterer - Nelson’s Catering
Flowers - CU Flowerhouse by A. Hunt Design
Comedian - Dale Jones Comedian
Linen and Uplighting Rental - Elegant Events
Lit Letters Rental - Alpha Lit
Graphic Design (for posterboards) - Maria Ludeke
Design and Printing (for invitations, nametags, and program) - MinuteMan Press
Jeff reached out to me back in mid December to meet about the Operative Plasters’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) 125th anniversary happening in April. He was completely lost as to how to plan such a celebration. This was WAY out of his scope of work! I love it because it’s what we are here for! He found 618 EVENTS via a web search. So encouraging to know my SEO is working some.
When I first meet with event clients for an initial consultation, I of course explain my services and then I am mostly seeking information about what they want and details regarding their event thus far. Date, venue, guest count, budget, ideals and dreams for the overall event, etc. This helps me to put together an accurate quote for my services. Jeff mentioned there could be around 300 guests attending and he told me their event budget. I took more notes and asked my questions. At the end of the consultation, I mentioned to Jeff that I didn’t think realistically this event could be planned and executed for that many guests with their budget amount. He asked what I thought was a realistic budget and I proposed putting together an estimate that he could take to the board to present and ask for permission to increase the event budget. It was, after all, for the 125th anniversary which is a BIG deal.
So I put together a list of items I thought would fit this event well (venue rental cost, catering, dessert, and bar estimates, decor ideas with cost ideas, etc). He actually already had the venue and entertainment booked. This was going to be hosted at Effingham Event Center because the Local serves workers from all over Central and Southern Illinois which made Effingham a great central meeting point. He had also already hired the comedian, Dale Jones.
Jeff and I met again for me to go over the proposed budget and he promised to get back with me regarding the budget and hiring me for my services. When we met to discuss the estimated budget, I also gave him a more in depth look as to what the cost for quote for my services included.
As promised, Jeff reached back out after meeting with the board to tell me he’d love to hire me and the new budget is approved! I honestly couldn’t believe it. I was so excited! I typically don’t take on events more than an hour away from Champaign (where I’m located) however April is typically a very slow event month and I’ll also be on maternity leave during the busiest time of year (fall) so I wanted to have some things in 2026 to work on still.
I got to work immediately with invitations since April was quickly approaching and we needed to have time for guests to receive their mailed invitation and RSVP in time.
As is typical with my corporate clients, we set up a weekly meeting time. This cuts down on so many emails back and forth with questions and maximizes our time planning. It’s also handy to have the meeting set for the same day and time each week. I did laugh because typically my corporate meetings last an hour, but Jeff was so trusting that he basically agreed to everything I suggested and didn’t have many questions so our meetings typically lasted 15 minutes. We always met virtually so it was a straight up 15 minute meeting. Right to business! Efficient!
The second biggest piece was catering. I have never done an event down in Effingham so I started by calling the venue, Effingham Event Center, to ask for their recommendations for several different areas (catering, rentals, florals). I knew the delivery fee for Champaign vendors would be higher to drive all the way down there. But at the same time, I prefer to use vendors I know and trust will do a wonderful job. Anyway, I tried all the caterers that the venue recommended but they either weren’t available or didn’t fit what we were looking for for this event.
I have worked with Nelson’s Catering some and am always so pleased with their service and food quality. I reached out and Cailey on their team was so excellent to work with! I gave her an idea of menu options and she immediately suggested a tasting at the OPCMIA office. I thought that was a great idea so Jeff and his team could taste the food before committing. Cailey was a wonderful hostess and the food was delicious! Jeff immediately decided to hire them and nailed down the menu that afternoon.
Decorations for this event was something I was really excited about. I didn’t want anything too fru-fru for this crowd as it didn’t fit the vibe or attendees. I wanted things that were classy and a nod toward the cement and plaster industry. Thank goodness I have Jackie on my team because I am NOT a DIY girlie at all- you do not WANT me to DIY anything for you. However Jackie is the complete opposite. She loves all DIY and is very talented. I sent the event details her way, my ideas for centerpieces and stage decor, and gave her creative freedom. She NAILED it! She had the idea to create cement inspired trays for the long tables and put candles in vases down the trays.
I worked with CU Flowerhouse to have floral centerpieces made in their plaster inspired compotes. I wanted to ensure to have cement and plaster elements incorporated into the evening.
I did learn several things while working with Jeff for this event. Jackie and I first had the idea to use layered cement blocks on the tables however Jeff pointed out that cement blocks are more of a masonry used item while their Local is pouring concrete for sidewalks, curbs, parking lots, etc. I had no idea!
For the stage, Chat GPT actually created me an awesome set up that I drew inspiration from. I had Jackie create cement pillars that would go on either side of the giant Alpha Lit letters that read “125 YEARS.” I was also very excited about that part too! It was going to be a WOW moment.
I had the idea to somehow showcase the years of history since we were, after all, celebrating 125 years. I met a lady at the park one day who mentioned she’s a local graphic designer. We got to chatting and I shared about this event I’m working on. She seemed totally interested so I emailed her the ideas and pictures and she designed four really awesome poster boards that showcased some important aspects of history for the Local. Attendees could peruse the boards throughout the evening at their leisure.
The Effingham Event Center banquet room is a blank slate which can be nice for clients as they can do whatever they want in the space and really make it theres. However, I wanted to “juge” it up so I rented up lighting for the entire perimeter of the room from Elegant Events here in Champaign. I also wanted this event to feel very classy and elevated without being over-the-top for the attendees. I rented floor length ivory linens for the tables and since the Local’s logo is blue I rented alternating colors of blue for the napkins.
Instead of using all round tables, I broke up the layout by using a mix of long banquet tables and round tables. This adds interest to the room without drawing attention to even why it looks better.
The day of the event arrived and I spent the afternoon setting up ALL the candles and fun things I brought to set up (all the DIY cement pieces Jackie made). The room looked spectacular!
Cocktail hour started at 4:30pm and the guests were eager for the celebration! I couldn’t believe how many showed up at 4pm. Jeff gave a short welcome to get everyone’s attention and signal the official start of the evening. Then a few awards were given out. It was such a special time of recognition!
Dinner buffet was a HIT. I heard such positive feedback! After all the guests finished up their meal, dessert was set out and the comedy show began. Based on the laughter and crowd participating, Dale Jones was thoroughly enjoyed.
I know everyone felt honored to be celebrated and celebrate what they’ve been a part of over the years. It was a very special evening and I was honored, as always, to play a role!
On a side note, I had to rent a U Haul to transport all the items to and from this event. I really enjoyed riding so high up in the 9ft rental van. :D
