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About me, Rachel Elizabeth Perry
Hi everyone! This is going to be rather long, but it’s worth it (:
My event planning journey started in 2013 while working at a country club here, in my hometown, of Wake Forest, North Carolina. The joy that event planning brought to me led me to eventually change my major at East Carolina University from psychology, as an aspiring child psychiatrist, to hospitality management, with a love in concentrating in conventions and SPECIAL EVENTS.
While studying at ECU, I spent 3 additional summers working at Hasentree Country Club, where my passion of private clubs began. My first summer, in 2013, I just needed a summer job before starting off my freshman year in college. This job as an Activity Leader was THE best summer job I could have asked for. Showing up to at work to play with kids all day long, getting camp supplies prepared for weeks of fun, and then basically being a camp counselor to some of the coolest little kids I have ever met, who wouldn’t want to do this all day?
Skip ahead to summer of 2014. Of course, I asked to continue working as an Activity Leader while being home for the summer. This year I knew the ropes, and we had some new activity leaders that I had the pleasure of somewhat training. I also was blessed with one of the best boss lady’s that I could have had, Paige. She was a recent graduate of ECU, also previously working at the club, and now she was taking on a huge role not only at the club, but in my changing of career choice. Since this was my second summer I had more responsibility which ended up being the BEST job... Planning the summer camps. Not only did I get to hang out with, some of the best kids again, but I was also a main component in making sure that their summer was filled with water games, science experiments, cooking lessons, animal facts, I could go on and on…
And this was when I was starting to think that maybe being a psychiatrist was not the path I really wanted to take.
Fast forward to the summer of 2015. Yes, by now I was a hospitality management student and loving every second of it. It definitely did not hurt that the classes were much, much easier, or maybe I just genuinely enjoyed them, or maybe it was a bit of both (: Again, I reached out to Paige and asked her if I could use my 200-hour event internship at the club. She joyfully accepted my request and I became the Event Intern.
Being the Event Intern, I was responsible for event inquiries regarding pool events. So that summer was filled with birthday pool parties. From coordinating dates, food and beverage, to party games and activities, we definitely threw some of the best birthdays. Planning the summer camps was also on my agenda. I was able to plan many more, with more freedom. It was the most ideal internship I could have asked for going into my junior year as a hospitality management student. Before the summer came to a close I discussed with Paige some internship options for the next summer. She told me about this amazing internship she did previously in the Outer Banks at Koru Village...
So when summer 2016 came around, I was living in the Outer Banks as the Wedding and Events Intern at Koru Village. I was so excited, especially because I knew a familiar face, . One of my sorority sisters, Remy, was working there as the Wedding and Venue Coordinator. This opportunity was so fun. ! I was able to assist in day of wedding coordination, weekly club events, and numerous summer concerts. My event experience grew tremendously while being a part of this private beach club.
Summer of 2017, my last summer before graduating college. And surprise, surprise, I made my way back to Hasentree. This time around I was very fortunate in working with the new Food and Beverage Manager at the time,and he gave me a ton of responsibility, which I loved. I mainly worked at the pool cafe making sure everything ran smoothly, keeping inventory full, and gaining managerial experience. I also was able to be a part of the planning aspect of the largest golf event at the club, Men’s Member Guest. There was so much planning that was involved from food, alcohol, vendors, decor, and more alcohol. It was such a fun event, I would work it every year if I could! Another learning experience I had this summer was working directly with the General Manager. We set up a private home dinner for one of the members who had a James Beard Award winning chef cooking at her home. And we had to redo the table MULTIPLE times because the number of guests continued changing. I definitely became a professional table setter that day. My passion and skill level for event planning grew a tremendous amount during that summer and I am forever grateful for everyone at the club who made that happen.
My last but certainly not least event coordinating position before graduation continued for my Aunt and Uncle (: If you live in Wake Forest, I hope you have heard of Crossroads Corn Maze. I was blessed to be given such a huge role in their company, and we are in the process of getting the corn maze ready for THIS FALL! From marketing, vendor coordination, and birthday party planning, I made sure that I did everything I possibly could to make their first year a success. And here we are at year 2 so I would say it went very well!
When December of 2017 came to a close, I ended the year receiving the best Christmas present I could have gotten, my Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management with a concentration in Conventions and Special Events and a minor in Business Administration from East Carolina University. I also took with me the experience of being Philanthropy Director of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. All of these opportunities led me to accepting the role of Event Manager/ Member Communications at Treyburn Country Club. I am proud to say that since starting in January I have planned countless number of private events as well as 7 weddings THIS YEAR. It is a huge accomplishment for myself and the club.
Although I am loving my time here at Treyburn, I know that I can do more and share my talent with so many people. So here I am letting you in on a part of my event planning journey so that you will let me be a part of your special day!
