Inside the Mind of a NYC Luxury Event Planner
Cameron Forbes talks turning visions into legendary events, the inspiration behind Forbes Functions, her dream venue, and more!
Just two years ago, Cameron Forbes jumped into what would quickly become the journey of a lifetime - creating Forbes Functions. It all began out of a simple act of friendship by volunteering to plan a birthday dinner for her friend Emma.
That initial summer spent organizing events for free for friends and family quickly evolved into a full-fledged business. Now, she’s planning beautiful events for private clients, her favorite brands, and content creators.
Starting this venture at 23 presented its challenges, but it also introduced her to a world of lifelong friends, an incredible community, and the thrill of building a dream team.
Meet Cameron.
Your journey includes experience in public relations and a love for design. What was the pivotal moment that made you decide to start your own event planning company, Forbes Functions?
CF: “I've always loved event planning and entertaining - it's in my blood! Both my mother and grandmother are incredible hostesses, and every event was treated like a special occasion in my home. After working in public relations during college, I started my career in NYC in experience design. However, I missed the creative energy and relationship-building I found in my PR experiences and decided to start Forbes Functions as a side hustle.
“The pivotal moment was actually my best friend Emma's birthday - she asked me to plan a birthday dinner for her, complete with a custom tablescape and private chef. I realized that night I could do this for a living and started Forbes Functions the same week!”
What would you say are the top three elements that make an event truly unforgettable?
CF: “1. Customization—I think the number one thing anyone can do to make their event feel more special is to bring in custom event elements. These can be as small as personalized matchbooks for guests or as big as a custom-built bar! Having these bespoke aspects at an event always helps make it unique.
2. Seating Chart - I greatly support planning a seating chart in advance! Especially at events where guests may not know each other, like bridal showers or large dinner parties, having a seating chart planned out guarantees your guests will feel comfortable and enjoy themselves.
3. Activations/Interactive Elements—Having an activity or fun activation that guests can interact with onsite is a great way to ensure attendees stay entertained. Whether it's something inexpensive, like a DIY charm bracelet station or bloom bar, or something more complex, like having an embroiderer or calligrapher at the event, providing engaging activations for guests will make an event truly unforgettable. There's nothing like a beautiful party favor to help your friends and family remember the night forever!”
What type of event do you find most challenging and rewarding to plan, and why?
CF: “I love planning brand events! Having a company come to me and ask me to bring their story to life is such a challenging and rewarding task. Coming up with ways to integrate a new product into an event, from a pajama launch to a new eyeshadow shade, allows me to flex my creative muscles. I also love seeing guest reactions at these events - often, the attendees are influencers, so I get to enjoy watching all of the content come to life!”
How do you stay inspired and continuously come up with fresh, creative ideas for your events, especially given the fast pace and high expectations of the New York City market?
CF: “I have so many sources of inspiration! Since I have a team of seven lovely ladies I work with, there's always someone around to bounce ideas off of. Furthermore, sites like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram allow me to find endless inspiration. Whether pulling from Pinterest to build a client proposal or just scrolling through TikTok on my lunch break, these platforms always give me new ideas. I also take a lot of inspiration from more traditional pieces of media - both films and TV shows often help me come up with novel creative concepts.”
Imagine you have an unlimited budget and access to any venue in the world for a fashion brand's launch party —where would the event be?
CF: “The Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah. I've been fortunate enough to stay at this resort with my family, and I think it would serve as a stunning backdrop for any event. For a fashion brand's launch party, there are so many different potential photo moments - from the iconic pool to the hotel suites themselves!”
What advice would you give to someone looking to host an event for the first time?
CF: “Plan, plan, plan! Don't wait until the last minute to send out invitations, book your venue, or confirm any vendors. Planning your event well in advance will not only give you more options as far as vendor and venue pricing and availability, but it will also make it easier to enjoy the hosting experience.
My advice is to start planning your event at least eight weeks out from the big day - this will give you plenty of time to find the perfect location and event elements and guarantee your potential guests don't have any conflicts.”
Be sure to follow Forbes Functions (@forbesfunctions) on Instagram and TikTok.
Follow Cameron on Instagram: @forbescontentfactory.