Event Planning Jobs in Atlanta: How to Break Into the Industry and Build Your Career

Atlanta’s busy calendar of conventions, concerts, corporate meetings, and festivals makes it one of the Southeast’s most active cities for event planning. If you’re searching for event planning jobs in Atlanta, you’re looking at a field with a wide range of roles—from hotel-based coordinators to freelance wedding planners and large convention project managers.

This guide walks through where the jobs are, what skills you need, who hires in Atlanta, typical pay ranges, and practical steps to start or advance an event planning career locally.

Why Atlanta Is a Strong City for Event Planning Careers

Atlanta is a major business, travel, and entertainment hub, which means a steady flow of events year-round:

• Corporate conferences and meetings in Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead
• Conventions and trade shows at the Georgia World Congress Center and other venues
• Film, TV, and entertainment events tied to the local production scene
• Sports events around Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, and college campuses
• Weddings and social events across metro Atlanta, from city hotels to suburban venues
• Nonprofit galas and community events in and around the city

For job seekers, this translates into opportunities across hotels, venues, corporations, agencies, nonprofits, universities, and city facilities.

Common Types of Event Planning Jobs in Atlanta

You’ll see a variety of titles on job boards and company websites. Many involve similar core skills—coordination, communication, organization—but in different settings.

Corporate & Business Event Roles

These jobs are often based at companies with offices in Atlanta or at professional services firms that host client events.

Typical titles:

• Event Coordinator / Event Specialist
• Meeting Planner
• Corporate Event Manager
• Marketing & Events Coordinator
• Trade Show Coordinator

What you might do:

• Plan internal meetings, sales kickoffs, and client events
• Coordinate venues in Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, or near Perimeter
• Work with hotels and caterers for multi-day conferences
• Manage registration, communications, and on-site logistics

You’ll often find these roles in mid-sized and large corporations with Atlanta offices, including tech, finance, healthcare, and logistics companies clustered around Midtown, Buckhead, and the Perimeter area.

Hotel, Conference Center, and Venue Positions

Atlanta’s hospitality scene is a major employer for event planning professionals. Roles here are often more operations- and sales-focused.

Common titles:

• Event Sales Manager / Group Sales Manager
• Catering Sales Manager
• Conference Services Manager
• Banquet/Event Coordinator
• Venue Coordinator

You’ll find these jobs at:

• Major Downtown hotels near Centennial Olympic Park
• Midtown and Buckhead hotels that host corporate meetings and weddings
• Larger conference and event centers across metro Atlanta

Work typically includes:

• Selling event space and packages
• Coordinating room setups, catering, and AV with in-house teams
• Acting as the main contact for corporate groups, weddings, and social events

Weddings & Social Event Planning

If you’re drawn to personal celebrations and creative details, Atlanta has a strong market for:

• Wedding planners
• Social event planners (birthdays, showers, bar/bat mitzvahs, anniversaries)
• Day-of coordinators

In this space, you may:

• Work as an independent planner serving couples across the metro area
• Join a planning firm as an assistant or associate planner
• Coordinate with popular wedding venues inside the city and suburbs

Many people start in social events part-time or on weekends, often while holding another job, then grow into full-time planning as their client base expands.

Nonprofit & Community Event Roles

Atlanta has a large number of nonprofits, cultural institutions, and community organizations that host:

• Annual fundraising galas
• Charity runs and walks
• Museum or arts events
• Community festivals

Typical titles:

• Development & Events Coordinator
• Special Events Manager
• Volunteer & Events Coordinator
• Community Engagement & Events Specialist

These roles often blend event planning, fundraising, and community outreach and may be a good fit if you’re mission-driven.

Agency, Production, and Experiential Event Roles

Some Atlanta-based agencies focus on:

• Large-scale brand activations
• Experiential marketing events
• Corporate incentive trips and national roadshows

Titles you may see:

• Event Producer / Associate Producer
• Account Coordinator – Events
• Experiential Marketing Coordinator
• Project Manager – Events

This type of work tends to be fast-paced and project-based, sometimes involving travel and longer hours during event seasons.

Entry-Level Paths: Getting Started in Atlanta Event Planning

If you’re new to the field, you likely won’t start as a senior planner—but there are several realistic entry points in Atlanta.

Common Entry-Level or Early-Career Roles

• Event Assistant / Event Intern
• Hotel Banquet Server or Captain
• Venue Event Staff or Coordinator Assistant
• Marketing or Communications Assistant with event responsibilities
• Campus event coordinator roles at Atlanta-area colleges

These positions build key experience in:

• On-site setup and breakdown
• Vendor coordination
• Guest management and registration
• Time management in live-event environments

Helpful Local Education & Training Options

You don’t always need a specific degree to work in events, but the following can help:

• Degrees in Hospitality, Marketing, Communications, or Public Relations at Atlanta-area colleges and universities
• Local continuing education or certificate programs in hospitality and event management
• Professional certifications such as CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) or CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) after you gain some experience

Atlanta’s colleges and universities often have student event committees and campus organizations—these can be valuable first experiences to reference when applying for jobs.

Skills Atlanta Employers Look For in Event Planners

Across job types, Atlanta employers tend to value:

• Organization and multitasking: juggling venues, vendors, and timelines
• Communication skills: clear, professional emails and calls with clients, hotels, and vendors
• Calm under pressure: events rarely go exactly as planned; staying composed is essential
• Local knowledge: familiarity with Atlanta neighborhoods, traffic patterns, and major venues
• Vendor coordination: working with caterers, rental companies, AV providers, and security
• Basic budgeting: tracking costs, creating simple event budgets, and staying within limits
• Tech comfort: using event management platforms, spreadsheets, and virtual meeting tools

For roles connected to conventions and association meetings, familiarity with Downtown convention hotels and the Georgia World Congress Center area is often useful.

Typical Employers and Where Jobs Are Based

While individual employers change over time, event planning roles in Atlanta tend to cluster in certain industries and areas.

Where Jobs Commonly Cluster

Where to Look for Event Planning Jobs in Atlanta

You’ll usually find event planning jobs in Atlanta listed in several places:

• General job boards with filters for “Atlanta, GA” and keywords like “event coordinator,” “meeting planner,” or “catering manager”
• Company and hotel career pages when you know the organization you’re targeting
• Staffing agencies that place people in hospitality and events
• Local university job boards and alumni networks for entry-level roles
• Professional association job boards focused on meetings and events

When searching, try variations like:

• “Event planning jobs Atlanta”
• “Event coordinator Atlanta GA”
• “Meeting planner Atlanta”
• “Catering sales manager Atlanta”
• “Special events coordinator Atlanta”

Including specific neighborhoods (e.g., “Midtown” or “Buckhead”) can sometimes surface more targeted roles.

Networking and Local Involvement: Standing Out in Atlanta

Event planning is a relationship-driven industry, and Atlanta’s professional community is active and connected.

Ways to Build Local Connections

• Attend industry networking events, mixers, and education sessions held around the city
• Volunteer at local festivals, conferences, and charity events
• Join professional associations with Atlanta chapters focused on:
  • Meetings and conventions
  • Hospitality and tourism
  • Weddings and social events
• Connect with venue managers, hotel sales teams, and caterers to learn where freelance or part-time help is needed

Volunteering, especially at recurring events, is one of the fastest ways to gain practical experience and referrals in the Atlanta market.

Work Environment and Schedules in Atlanta Event Jobs

Event planning jobs in Atlanta can look very different depending on the employer.

Office-Based vs. On-Site Work

• Corporate planners may spend more time in offices around Midtown, Buckhead, or the Perimeter, with peak travel during major events.
• Hotel and venue-based planners are typically on-site much of the time, walking event spaces and overseeing setups.
• Independent planners and freelancers may work from home or coworking spaces, with on-site days at venues spread across the metro area.

Hours and Busy Seasons

You can expect:

• Evening and weekend work, especially for weddings and social events
• Longer days around major conventions, festivals, and galas
• Busy periods tied to:
  • Spring and fall wedding seasons
  • Major convention months at the Georgia World Congress Center
  • Holiday party season, especially for corporate events

Being flexible during Atlanta’s key event seasons is often essential for advancement and higher-profile projects.

Typical Pay Ranges and Career Growth

Specific salaries depend on employer size, experience level, and role, but in the Atlanta area:

• Entry-level event assistants and coordinators often start in a modest, early-career salary range, sometimes with hourly pay in hotels or venues.
• Corporate event specialists and hotel event managers tend to earn higher pay, with additional bonus or commission potential for sales-focused roles.
• Senior planners, agency producers, and directors of events generally move into higher salary tiers, especially with significant experience and large-event responsibility.
• Independent planners (especially in weddings and social events) set their own fees, which can vary widely based on reputation, services, and volume of clients.

Career growth paths may include:

• Moving from administrative or assistant roles into lead planner or manager positions
• Shifting from onsite hotel work into corporate planning or agency production
• Specializing in a niche, such as medical conferences, tech events, or luxury weddings

Practical Steps to Land an Event Planning Job in Atlanta

If you’re ready to pursue event planning roles in Atlanta, a focused approach helps:

1. Clarify your target segment
   Decide whether you are most interested in:

   • Corporate and association meetings
   • Hotels and venue-based planning
   • Weddings and social events
   • Nonprofit and community events
   • Experiential and brand activations

2. Build a locally relevant résumé

   • Highlight any Atlanta-based experience: volunteering at events, internships, or hospitality jobs
   • Emphasize organizational, customer service, and communication skills
   • List any campus or community events you helped plan or staff

3. Gain on-the-ground experience

   • Apply for entry-level hotel, venue, or catering roles that interact with events
   • Volunteer at recurring Atlanta events, races, or festivals to build a track record
   • Offer structured help to small organizations or community groups hosting events

4. Learn the local venue landscape

   • Familiarize yourself with major Atlanta event districts: Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, and key suburban areas
   • Understand basic considerations like traffic patterns, parking, and MARTA access, which matter a lot in local event logistics

5. Stay organized and responsive in applications

   • Tailor your cover letter and résumé to each role
   • Respond quickly to interview requests and follow up professionally
   • Be prepared to discuss how you handle last-minute changes, tight timelines, and demanding clients

Is Event Planning in Atlanta Right for You?

Event planning in Atlanta can be energizing and rewarding for people who:

• Enjoy fast-paced, people-focused work
• Don’t mind nontraditional hours
• Like coordinating details and solving problems in real time
• Are comfortable navigating a busy city with varied venues and neighborhoods

If that sounds like you, Atlanta offers a wide range of event planning jobs, from hotel-based roles Downtown to corporate planning in Buckhead and creative agency work in Midtown and beyond. With targeted experience, strong local connections, and a clear focus, you can build a long-term career in the city’s event industry.