The beginning of every new relationship is exciting and fast-paced, and this can especially be the case when you are dating an event organiser. In the early days of getting to know each other, it can be helpful to be prepared for the various quirks or habits that your partner may display!

To assist you in familiarising yourself with this – or if you are the event organiser half of the relationship and want to help your partner understand – we identify 6 things you should be prepared for when in a relationship with an event manager. For further understanding of the event organiser psyche, join the chat over on event industry forum EventTribe.

1. They never turn off their phone

An event manager’s smartphone seems like a natural extension of their arm. It is where all the important phone numbers, to-do lists, e-mails, calendars, and schedules are saved and it is checked constantly.

Get used to that flash of bright light illuminating the bedroom when the phone goes off in the middle of the night and to conversations and movie nights being occasionally interrupted.

A good event manager is good at what they do because they are constantly working and it is not worth taking it personally when they exit a dinner date to take a work-related call.

2. It’s hard for them to switch to a lower gear

Forbes magazine recently placed the role of an event manager at number 5 in the top 10 most stressful jobs. The event manager shares the top spots with the likes of firefighters, soldiers, pilots, and taxi drivers. It is no wonder, then, that they find it hard to switch to a lower gear and relax.

With adrenaline constantly pumping and their default set to action mode, they find it hard to let loose and relax when at home, during their free time, or when on holiday.

For anyone looking to help their partners relax in their daily lives, encourage them to read our 6 tips for avoiding burn-out. It will equip them with all they need to know to keep going during a busy event period, from what to drink instead of coffee to when they should eat breakfast.

3. They want to be in control of everything at all times

Event managers aren’t all naturally bossy or dominant but, as part of their job, they want to have everything under control at all times. While they may be unaware of the negative impact this may have on a relationship, you sometimes have to surrender (temporarily, hopefully!) to sharing your daily life with a control freak. There simply is no other way!

4. A party becomes a difficult relationship test

Going to a private event with your event manager partner can be a difficult test for your relationship. While they may be able (eventually) to turn off their phone for the evening, they find it much harder to switch off the button inside their head.

This leads to a constant evaluation of the event, from criticism to admiration. If the former prevails and your partner doesn’t feel inspired, criticism can range from scrutinising the guest-list process (“When I see how they control who comes in, it makes me what to grab the clipboard and do it myself!”) to critiquing the food (“These canapes leave a lot to be desired”).

In this situation, it is best to agree with everything they say. You don’t want to be left arguing with the catering trends expert about the declining popularity of spring rolls, do you?

5. Your household runs like clockwork

If you have overcome the biggest hurdles and now share a home with this event professional, the time has come to reap the rewards.

The primary responsibility of an event manager is to organise. From program cycles, deliveries and construction works to artists, huge teams and service providers, your partner can be in charge of multiple moving parts and it is their responsibility to keep it all together.

Organising a household, therefore, seems like child’s play in comparison. They will juggle the coordination of boiler breakdowns, flooded kitchens and joint bank account set-ups with ease. They make life easier, that’s a promise.

6. Special case: The Wedding Planner

If your partner happens to be an event organiser who specialises in weddings, it is good to be prepared for the fact that he/she may no longer enjoy the giddy heights of romance.

In the same way that those who work in fast food often no longer have an appetite for it, wedding planners can grow weary of romance. Their workday is full of white roses, teary speeches and crooning wedding bands so try to be understanding when they don’t light candles at dinner every evening and waltz across the kitchen with you.

Conclusion

Every event manager is different and while they can be distracted at parties, glued to their phones and lacking in the romance department at times, they are also creative, thoroughly organised and lots of fun! We think that everyone needs one in their life…just make sure you keep these six tips to hand!