Median pay: $35,900
% who say their job is stressful: 75%
Planning a major event or party is a ton of work, and can easily turn into a real circus if you don't hire a pro to pull it all together.
"My colleague was throwing a circus-themed event, and one hour before the event started, Peanut the elephant died in the ballroom," said Anne Giapapas, a special events coordinator in San Luis Obispo, Calif. "Without time to move the elephant, they threw a tarp over Peanut and made it look like a circus tent. No one even knew what was underneath during the event."
But the elephant in the room may be the least of a special events coordinator's troubles. Juggling vendors, collecting payments, shepherding guests and taking on bridezillas is just another day at the office.
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