EverythingYouNeedforaPerfectEvent

Inspiration

As someone who’s planned countless events—from weddings to corporate galas—I saw how fragmented the process was: jumping between vendor directories, spreadsheets for budgets, and messy email threads for quotes. I wanted to build a single platform that streamlines every step, making event planning less stressful and more intuitive for both organizers and vendors across North America and Europe.

What it does

This event vendor marketplace is a one-stop solution for event planning: browse categorized vendors, send bulk quote requests, negotiate with vendors, build event timelines, track budgets with real-time alerts, coordinate day-of schedules, and leave verified reviews post-event. Vendors manage profiles and quote requests, while admins oversee verification—all with a polished, animated UI designed for Western event planning needs.

How we built it

We started with core user flows (vendor discovery, quote requests, budget tracking) and mapped UI/UX per Western design standards. Frontend: React + Next.js with Tailwind CSS for responsive, animated components (scroll-triggered animations, hover effects). Backend: Node.js/Express + MongoDB for data storage. Integrated OSS Google Login for SSO, React Drag-and-Drop for timelines, and PDFKit for quote exports. AWS S3 handles media storage for vendor portfolios.

Challenges we ran into

• Syncing real-time budget calculations with animated progress bars (fixed with debounced state updates)
• Ensuring smooth carousel/scroll animations across desktop/mobile (optimized with lazy loading)
• Validating quote request logic (e.g., one accepted quote per service category) (resolved with role-based business rule checks)
• Making drag-and-drop timeline builder mobile-friendly (redesigned touch targets and animation easing)

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• A seamless, visually immersive UI that feels premium (critical for Western market expectations)
• Robust quote negotiation flow that works for both customers and vendors
• Real-time budget alerts that prevent overspending (a top pain point for event planners)
• Fully responsive design that performs flawlessly on all device sizes
• Verified review system that builds trust between users and vendors

What we learned

• Western users prioritize visual polish and intuitive UX—animations and microinteractions aren’t just "nice to have" but essential
• Business logic for quote requests/verification needs strict guardrails (e.g., preventing duplicate accepted quotes)
• Mobile-first design is non-negotiable, even for enterprise-focused B2B features (e.g., vendor dashboards)
• SSO implementation with OSS tools requires careful compliance with Western privacy standards

What's next for this project

• Add calendar sync (Google/Outlook) for event timeline coordination
• Launch premium vendor listing tiers for increased visibility
• Integrate multi-language support for broader European reach
• Build real-time push notifications for quote updates
• Add AI-powered vendor recommendations (based on event type/location)
• Introduce in-platform invoicing for streamlined payment tracking

Built With

• amazon-web-services
• axios
• pdfkit
• react-drag-and-drop
• vercel