06/11/2026
It's 10 p.m., and another Gala is in the books.
To the guests, it looked like a smooth, polished evening. For the team, it marked the end of a process that started months ago and culminated in a day that began at 8 a.m. The attendees are gone, the lights are dimmed, but there are still chairs to stack, banners to roll, and boxes to haul. That part doesn't make the highlight reel, but it's just as much the gala as the speeches on stage.
Pick a Date (Easier Said Than Done)
The first challenge is always setting the date. On paper, it sounds simple. In practice, it's more like playing Tetris, where the right block only falls after a lot of twists and turns. Eventually, the pieces fit, the date is set, and the countdown begins.
Calls, Creativity, and Controlled Chaos
With the date locked in, the Teams calls start. At first, it's just a handful of us. Then more... and more. By the end, the calls become a mini event: someone can't make it, the internet freezes, someone forgets to unmute, and at least one dog is barking in the background (usually mine). Herding cats is likely easier, but week by week, the calls become more focused and productive.
Then the creative side kicks in. The Save the Date goes out first, deceptively simple for the effort behind it. Then come the website, promotional materials, banners, programs, and video production, a story unto itself. By the time the final cuts are done, we can recite them by heart. And still, someone asks for one last-minute edit.
Meanwhile, logistics pile up quietly. Auction items are gathered and displayed so they look like treasures. The seating chart becomes a puzzle where every move creates three new problems. Not glamorous, but without it, there's no event to attend.
Reality Gets in the Way
The room never feels quite the same twice. The stage is too big, then too small. Auction items that looked fine in a spreadsheet need rearranging. A table suddenly blocks the flow. A banner tilts just enough to drive the detail-oriented among us crazy. Sometimes it's stressful, but it's always satisfying when everything clicks into place.
The Illusion of Effortlessness
Doors open at 5 p.m. To guests, it's seamless. Behind the scenes, the team is whispering cues and making quiet fixes that hopefully go unnoticed. If the audience never sees the adjustments, that's the measure of success.
By the time the last banner is rolled and the chairs are stacked, it's been a thirteen-hour day layered on months of work. Guests leave remembering the camaraderie and polish. The team leaves tired, proud, and already thinking about next year. A gala isn't just one night.
Stressful? Absolutely. Humorous? More often than you would think. Worth it? Every single time.
