Anthony Navarro has been working professionally in the events field for over 13 years. He began his career working inhotels. While he was attending DePaul University he acquired a job in the catering sales office as an assistant. Soon afterhiring, Anthony was promoted to a full time sales representative where his responsibility lied in obtaining corporate andsocial clients. He was named top sales person in the catering office and had successfully obtained and maintainedcorporate client connections as well as continued to grow the social event business including birthday parties, anniversaries, religious celebrations, and weddings. After being successful in the catering department in the hotel, he was transferred to he was transfer to the restaurant inside the hotel to do the same.
An opportunity had arisen for Anthony in a different side of the event planning world at this time with a National TrainingSchool for Hospitality Professionals. Anthony had decided to take the position with the company as the lead instructor ofthe Chicago location. He was responsible for teaching the curriculum but was also brought on and instructed to teachbeyond the base skills. He was teaching the students the modern ways of bartending and service based on his experienceand the high expectation that was demanded by most restaurant owners, caterers, and hotel supervisors. Not only did Anthony increase the enrollment for the school, his students gave him high praise and were able to obtain jobs in theirdesired field with the elevated skill sets. Moreover, this is where Anthony felt the most at home. Being in a classroom,helping those accelerate and learn a skill that they wanted to have to begin their careers in hospitality.
After leaving the school, yet for another major opportunity to work at one of Chicago’s top ten restaurants, Anthony learned yet another accelerated level of service, skill, and expectation. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, it was not long before he decided to begin an Event Planning Company as that is what he is most passionate about.
Anthony has worked tirelessly to build Liven It Up Events to where it is today. He was able to do so with the knowledge and skills he learned throughout his career. What began as a company that planned house parties and retail store events, Liven It Up now has 6 other planners that produce large scale weddings, corporate, and social events. In total, every year, the company produces an average of 90 events a year. Liven It Up Events has been awarded multiple times and just to name a few, Liven It Up was named The Best on Yelp!, The Best of The Knot, and Bride’s Choice on Wedding Wire. One of the weddings produced won the competition reality TV Show on TLC, Four Weddings. Anthony also had one of his weddings featured in Martha Stuart Weddings. And to his surprise, Anthony was named Chicago’s Biz Bash, Social Event Planner of the Year!
Anthony continues to accelerate within the event industry and continues to grow and challenge his own skills with new clients, bigger venues, and more grand ideas. Nothing seems to be impossible if he puts his mind to it.
Humanitarian, Talk Show Host, Coach, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur
Beyond planning events, Anthony has taken his knowledge and use the resources and community to create change in the world through organizations, a talk show platform, coaching programs, writing books, speaking to it and inspiring young entrepreneurs.
Humanitarian – STAND UP for Equality
Anthony is the co-founder of the organization called, STAND UP for Equality, STAND UP invites business professionals from all walks of life to participate on it’s platform, by organizing their associations, corporations and work teams, to take a stand for equality. Through video and other creative forms of communication STAND UP educates, enlightens, and illuminates. Anthony works to help create virtual projects and live events to showcase the support of equality.
TV Talk Show Host – The Wedding Planners
Anthony is one of the co-hosts and the co-creators of “The Wedding Planners”. “The Wedding Planners” is a web-based talk show with a cast of three real life wedding planners with three different styles of planning! They get together for every show and talk about all things wedding and so much more. There are all kinds of decisions that go into making a wedding dream come to life! To watch full episodes of The Wedding Planners, Click Here!
Coach – Making Money with Your Wedding Business
“Anthony has developed a coaching program for Wedding & Event Planning Professionals. His process is based on a real life, successful blue print for how he built his own, multi-award winning wedding and event planning company, Liven It Up Events. Anthony’s comprehensive program for entrepreneurs breaking into the wedding planning industry or revitalizing their established business is proven to create success!
Anthony has taken his knowledge that he has learned over the years and complied it into two books. The first one is a collaborative effort with wedding professionals from across the country. His second book, The Business of Being a Wedding Planner was his first book on his own that aims to teach the next generation of wedding planners his secrets to his own success.
“The Business of Being A Wedding Planner, How to Build a Lucrative Wedding Planning Business By Designing The Most Incredible Weddings for Your Clients” , 2014
Speaker – Live Seminars on All Things Weddings
Anthony has developed live sessions where he works with both couples planning their wedding as well as wedding and professionals find success in their passion for their work. To learn more about Anthony’s live workshops are for couples planning their wedding and for wedding professionals just getting started in the world of wedding planning and those who are looking to take their businesses to the next level.
Entrepreneurial Spirit through Anthony’s Awards
To name some of the awards Anthony has received over the years.
- Best of the Knot Award Winner 2010
- Wedding Wire Rated 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- Wedding Wire Rated 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- Best Gay Friendly Business 2011
- 2010/2011 Talk of the Town Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction
- 2011, Best in Region, Talk of the Town Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction
- 2011 Little Black Book Member, Style Me Pretty
- 2011 Biz Bash Reader’s Choice Awards, Social Event Planner of the Year
- 2011 Feature on Martha Stewart Weddings
- 2012 Winner on TLC’s Four Weddings
- 2012 Best of Yelp!
- 2014 Room 1520’s Bride’s Choice Design Winner
- 2014 Named #1 Wedding Planner by Bouquet Catcher According to Yelp!
- 2014 Wish Upon a Wedding Shining Star Award Recipient
- 2015 Best of Chicago Awards – Chicago Business Recognition
- 2015 City Beat News for Excellence in Customer Service
- 2016 Named 20 Best Wedding Planners named by Expertise
- 2017/2016/2015/2014/2013 Couple’s Choice Award, Wedding Wire
- 2017/2016 Best Wedding Planner of Borrowed & Blue
- 2017 Most Valuable Vendor in Chicago of Borrowed & Blue
- 2017 Top Rated Planner by ZankYou
- 2017 Expertise Best Wedding Planners in Chicago
- 2017 American Excellence Award
- 2017 “People Love Us on Yelp” Award