Susan Zackin has been in the party planning business for over 30 years. She got her start in Palm Beach, designing large scale events and charity galas at places like The Breakers and Mar a Lago. But when opportunity arose and her kids got older, she decided to return to her roots in her hometown of New Orleans. She is the founder and owner of both Z Event Company, a full-service event planning & production firm, and Sparkle & Swag, a multi-location curated party favor and balloon boutique. With all of this to manage, I still managed to track her down to learn more.
How did the retail Sparkle & Swag shop go from an idea to a real brick and mortar business? During the Covid pandemic no one was throwing big parties. We (Z Event) had to pivot in a way that made sense, so we started selling DIY party kits for people to assemble at home. Pretty soon, most folks realized that making a balloon arch or designing a themed tablescape was not as quick and easy as they had thought it would be. So, we began assisting with small projects along those lines via Sparkle and Swag. I then converted our office on Metairie Road to a retail store to complement these efforts by offering supplies like themed partyware on an elevated level, (all things party and balloons!) and then followed that up with a location in the lower garden district a couple of years later.
Can we host a party at Sparkle & Swag? Yes! We are not only a one stop party supply shop (from “pick up” balloon bouquets & garlands to birthday candles and cards) we also have an event space at our uptown location called the Tap Room. We have done everything from Build A Bear type kid’s parties, to team building corporate workshops. We do not require a catering minimum, and are right next to Dickie Brennan’s Commissary, which is a no-brainer if you don’t have any culinary ideas in mind.
What are some crazy things you’ve seen as a party planner over the years? At a Gala, in the very beginning of my career, a client requested live goldfish in a bowl as the centerpiece for each table. Well, goldfish aren’t the most resilient animals, so you can imagine the damage control that we ended up dealing with. I also have a fabulous client who every few years will just say, “help me pick a place somewhere (in the world)” and throw my party there! I’ve had many really fun clients over the years and lots of great memories.
What are some common event planning mistakes? Many consumers have no idea of what it costs to entertain. They come up with a budget and have not done the research to support the numbers. Every party can be great, but it has to make sense within your budget. Sometimes, you have to be open to making changes like having a smaller guest count or using a different venue to make your vision come to life.
What’s new for the holidays? In the Sparkle & Swag shop, we’re carrying some unexpected, fun (not just green & red) holiday decor this year. We’ve got a safari themed Christmas vignette set up in the shop, complete with adorable animal ornaments. We have quite a bit of blue and white Chinoiserie and “Pinkmas” themed accoutrements for those who want a break from the traditional holiday color palette. I also love our tabletop trees! We have many different versions of these and also our nutcrackers in a number of different sizes.
You can visit Sparkle & Swag locations at: 508 Metairie Road and 634 Orange Street, Suite B or online at sparkleandswag.com. For help planning an event, head to: zeventco.com.
