Skip to content
414-223-4380
[email protected]
trimarq logo
  • Home
  • Work
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
Video Events

Get to Know the Banquet Captain

November 3, 2011  by Betsy Johnson

A few years back we produced an event at a large San Antonio hotel. This property had been around for a number of years and had an established banquet and catering team. During the site visit, I made a point to ask the name of the banquet captain who would be working our event. This is a practice that I have found to be invaluable over the years. The conference service manager and sales reps may think they are in charge, but banquet captains, especially good ones, are the people who can make (or not make!) things happen on-site.

A beautiful banquet

After some poking around, I learned that Wanda was assigned to be the captain for our event and I proceeded to review some of the basic requirements of our show with her. Since banquet teams rarely work more than a few weeks ahead, the purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship and provide an opportunity for Wanda to see that our team was professional and would be easy to work with.

The meeting with Wanda went great and 2 months later when we arrived at the hotel, I was fully prepared to greet Wanda and get the load-in started. Unfortunately, the banquet captain who met us in the ballroom was not the Wanda I had met 2 months earlier. It seems that there were two captains named Wanda, and the hotel had mistakenly introduced me to the wrong one. This woman seemed very nice, but I wanted “My Wanda”. And as silly as that phrase was, I politely asked the conference service manager (CSM) if we could work with the Wanda I had met on my site visit.

The CSM made the change and the entire show went flawlessly, but every time I walked into the sales office or asked if the banquet captain could stop into the ballroom, the staff would always reply, “Oh, you want your Wanda.”  This phrase became a running joke between our staff throughout the show

We have since returned to the property for other shows, but sadly “My Wanda” has moved on to other opportunities

We have since returned to the property for other shows, but sadly “My Wanda” has moved on to other opportunities

While most production companies come into properties prepared, there are some companies who “wing it,” and those are the shows that give banquet staff all of their gray hairs. A few minutes with the banquet captain is time well spent and pays huge dividends on site.

–Jim

Posted in Event ProductionTagged banquet, banquet captain, business theatre, conference service manager, event production, theater, tri-marq, trimarq

Post navigation

Previous: The Importance of Proper Preparation
Next: Question Authority
Tri Marq vimeo Tri Marq youtube Tri Marq facebook Tri Marq linkedin

Blog

  • The Benefits of Video for Social Media Marketing
  • Make Your Events Stretch Beyond the Stage | On-Site Content Production
  • Meet the Staff | Shane Hoeft
  • Clarity in Motion | The Power of Animated Explainer Videos
  • Meet the Staff | Betsy Johnson

Contact

Headquarters:

507 S. 2nd Street, Suite 145
Milwaukee, WI 53204

+1 (414) 223-4380
[email protected]

Instagram

Video is one of the strongest tools any marketer c Video is one of the strongest tools any marketer can have in their arsenal, yet some still haven't been able to take advantage of its potential because they don't know where to start. There's never been a better time to start using video as a social media marketing tool, learn why in our latest blog, link in bio!
We’re thrilled to share this BTS from a great sh We’re thrilled to share this BTS from a great shoot day at the Al McGuire Center with Marquette Men's Basketball. The players, coach, spirit squad, and Iggy put in the work and brought the energy last weekend, and now it's our turn. Our creative team is already hard at work developing this season’s intro video and headshots. Catch the video at their home tipoff on Nov 3rd! #MUBB #WeAreMarquette #trimarq #videoproduction
We're excited to share our latest reel that brings We're excited to share our latest reel that brings together some of our favorite recent projects, showcasing the expertise, creativity, and top-notch production that go into every Tri-Marq video.

From creative conception to scripting, to location shooting, to the magic touches of post-production, we’ve been busy bringing our clients' stories to life.

#trimarq #videoproduction #highlightreel
Tri-Marq doesn’t just produce events—we reinve Tri-Marq doesn’t just produce events—we reinvent them. When an established client embraces our ideas, we’re all in. Each year, our team collaborates with Marquette University to transform the Monaghan Ballroom into something spectacular for some of their most anticipated celebrations. Our mission? Turn a familiar space into something unforgettable. So, we went bold yet sophisticated while staying mindful of the bottom line for this year’s Founders Society event. Tri-Marq Technical Director, Tom Hillmeyer designed the room using dual-layered drape: simple, yet striking, and completely transformative for this intimate gathering. A new atmosphere that turned a familiar space into a show-stopping experience.
With fall right around the corner, busy season for With fall right around the corner, busy season for our event production team is heating up! When you're looking to the future, consider Tri-Marq your expert event production partners. 

#eventproduction #trimarq #milwaukeeevents #clienttestimonial
Your corporate event may only span a few days, but Your corporate event may only span a few days, but with on-site event content creation, the impact your event has can carry on for weeks, months, or even years to come. Read more about the great impact on-site content creation can have at your next event in our latest blog, link in bio!

Copyright © 2025 All rights reserved. Tri-Marq, LLC