She learned how to create and collaborate with creative people and then transitioned into social events once she wanted to settle down and have a family. A line producer is the person on site at a film shoot who is in charge of putting together the film project. They work hand-in-hand with the director and put together all of the details. This taught her to learn what everyone does and how to have humility, and in stepping back and letting others take over. 

Then, Rosemary discusses that the timeline is imperative and she wants to know her team’s input in advance and not the day of. She encourages people to speak up and to read the timeline. It took a while to find people that were like-minded and willing to go the extra mile, but now her clients expect a certain level in her events. Clients are paying for her to deliver and if you don’t, then you will get fired. You need to confidently sit across the table and know that you know what you’re talking about. You need to have the skills, artistry and knowledge to get to this level of wedding and event planning. She chooses quality and quantity with her work. To have the right amount of experience for this level, Rosemary suggests having five years of experience to understand how the business works and to build relationships with other quality people. She also says you can tell if someone is not ready for the high level based on the way they edited their work and presented it as a whole, along with their awareness of what is happening on the other side of things. She shares a story of a photographer that had a shot with her for an event and did amazing, and was then booked the next month for her team. 

Next, Rosemary talks about how she intentionally treats her team with kindness and has humility during events. She says to be mindful of the small things for them, like if someone is vegan and she advocates for her team. For example, she aims to get everyone their own room on a project and to extend that to everyone on the team. She wants them to know that being humans matters and that she will work as hard as they work. She values her team and appreciates them, and shows them that by giving them snacks on the job and staying in the trenches with them until they are all finished for the night. Finally, Rosemary shares that to her, the most important thing in the business to work on is the quality of your work and evaluating if you see work that looks like yours. She says it doesn’t happen overnight, but to be patient and be ready for your moment. 

Timestamps:

0:30 – Introduction of today’s guest, Rosemary Hattenbach. 

3:31 – What’s a line producer? 

22:59 – What is the right amount of experience to get into this industry? 

25:12 – How can you tell if someone is not ready for that level? 

30:32 – What are the intentional ways you and your team bring humility and kindness to events?

41:20 – What is the most important thing in the business to work on? 

46:03 – Thanks to Rosemary for joining us today.

Bio:

Rosemary Hattenbach is founder & creative director of Rosemary Events, a California based boutique event planning firm specializing in high touch custom weddings at destinations around the world. 

Beginning her career in film production turned out to be the perfect training ground for what turned out to be her true calling as a wedding planner. Rosemary still draws on the skills, work ethic, and collaborative spirit from her previous role in film, though the context of her work has evolved. She approaches producing a wedding as she did each project in film, starting with a search for the perfect location and a building thoughtful experiences with a hand selected team of culinary artists, designers, and entertainers who share her unwavering belief in the power of collective creativity. Together, they curate events that hit all the right notes. Each moment is intentionally choreographed, with sight, sound, and emotion harmonizing to unfold with effortless grace.

An extrovert at heart, when she’s not orchestrating world-class events, she’s savoring life with her husband and two sons. She splits her time between her hometown of Los Angeles and her home in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. True to her California roots, she is happiest soaking up the sun with her toes in the sand or sharing an al fresco meal with friends.

Learn more about Rosemary Events and give her a follow on Instagram here.