Corporate destination dinner on a Southern California coastal terrace at sunset

SoCal Event Company

Your conference brought you to Southern California. We'll take care of what happens next.

We plan the client dinner, the team celebration, and the reception, so your people can stay focused on the show floor.

Southern California planning for corporate teams, executive groups, and private celebrations.

What we plan

Experiences We Create.

From client receptions and private dinners to team celebrations, kickoffs and curated local outings, we plan the events that happen beyond the conference floor.

Hosting your top clients?

Private dinners, cocktail receptions and memorable evenings designed to bring you closer to the clients and partners who matter.

Bringing the whole team?

From post-conference celebrations to team dinners and outings, we create opportunities for your people to reconnect away from the meeting room.

Launching something new?

Bring your people together before, during or after the conference for a kickoff, strategy session, or company gathering.

Want to see more of Southern California?

From La Jolla coves to Temecula wine country and the desert, we build outings around your group.

The SoCal Event Co Experience

From first brief to final detail.

01

Discover

We clarify the event goals, audience, timing, budget, and constraints.

02

Design

We shape the concept, venue direction, guest flow, and planning priorities.

03

Detail

We coordinate vendors, timelines, budgets, logistics, and stakeholder decisions.

04

Deliver

We manage the event day so your team can stay focused on guests and outcomes.

Selected Work

Selected experiences.

Representative of the settings, formats, and guest counts we plan across San Diego plus Southern California.

  • Cocktails and rosé on a marble bar at a golden hour sunset reception

    Client Appreciation

    Sunset Reception

    La Jolla

    75 Guests

  • Rooftop cocktail reception overlooking the San Diego skyline at dusk

    Conference Week

    Rooftop Cocktail Event

    Downtown San Diego

    30 Guests

  • Candlelit private dinner table with sage runner and white florals at dusk in Coronado

    Team Celebration

    Private Dinner

    Coronado

    25 Guests

  • Candlelit reception in a high-ceilinged loft hall with globe chandeliers, taper candles and sheer drapery

    Partner Event

    Candlelit Reception

    San Diego

    120 Guests

Why Clients Hire Us

What you can expect.

  • 01One accountable planning partner
  • 02A fixed budget you approve up front, with no surprise invoices
  • 03Venues and vendors we've already worked with
  • 04Calm on-site execution

Why Us

Why Us.

Why not just use the hotel?

Hotels plan events in their own rooms. We find the right room anywhere in the city, often somewhere your clients haven't been.

Why not a big DMC?

No minimums, no hand-offs, and we specialize in the evenings around your conference, not whole programs.

Why not plan it yourselves?

You're the host. We handle the venues, vendors, timing and details, so your team can spend the evening with your clients instead of with a checklist.

Testimonials

Kind words.

It was such a pleasure working with you on the Women in Measurement event. You were organized, communicative, and wonderful to collaborate with throughout the planning process. Your attention to detail and ability to keep everything moving smoothly made the experience seamless from our side as the catering team. We truly appreciated having you as our event partner and would love the opportunity to work together again!

Emily Part

Senior Catering Sales & Events Manager, Made by Meg Hospitality

I’ve been lucky enough to work with Cicek Svensson on ATP conferences and numerous PopTopiks events, and I can honestly say event planning is a perfect fit for her. Cicek is incredibly organized, meticulous, smart, and hardworking. She thinks about the details that others miss and brings structure and calm to all the moving pieces that go into a successful event. I would happily work with her on an event again and am thrilled to see her turn these talents into a business of her own.

Liberty Munson

Director of Psychometrics, Microsoft Global Skilling

The success of Women in Measurement's 2026 Networking Reception at NCME in Los Angeles was due in large part to Cicek Svensson's outstanding leadership and commitment. She guided the event from concept to completion, managing countless details with remarkable care and professionalism. Her willingness to contribute wherever needed, combined with her exceptional sense of style and class, helped create an experience that reflected the high standards and welcoming spirit of our organization. It's a night we will never forget, thanks to Cicek!

Elizabeth Kiebel, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Women in Measurement

I had the pleasure of working with Cicek for several years at Comms Multilingual, where we attended and coordinated numerous international conferences, industry events, and client meetings together. Cicek has a natural talent for bringing people together, combining exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail with a warm, personable approach that puts everyone at ease. She is professional, dependable, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Above all, her ability to build genuine, lasting relationships makes her a pleasure to work with. I have no doubt she will bring the same energy, care, and commitment to every event she organizes through SoCal Event Co and I recommend her highly.

Sue Orchard

President & CEO, Comms Multilingual

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Cicek on several projects, and she has impressed me every time. She is exceptionally strong in stakeholder management – calm, structured and clear in her communication, and always able to align different perspectives and keep everyone informed and engaged. Cicek is highly professional and genuinely service-oriented; she consistently goes the extra mile to understand needs and deliver solutions that work in practice. She is reliable, detail-focused and someone you can truly count on to follow through. I would happily work with Cicek again and can warmly recommend her for any role in event planning or consulting where professionalism, coordination and strong client relationships are key.

Henric Bruvik

CEO, Aon Assessment Nordics

If there is one person I would wholeheartedly trust to turn an ambitious idea into an exceptional experience, it is Cicek. Having worked with her for several years, including our collaboration on PopTopiks, I have consistently admired her ability to bring structure to complexity, anticipate challenges, and execute every detail with precision. Her professionalism, creativity, and genuine enthusiasm make her an absolute pleasure to work with. What sets Cicek apart is her sense of ownership and unwavering commitment to excellence. She doesn't simply organize events. She creates memorable experiences while making the entire process feel effortless. I am delighted to see her bring these exceptional qualities to SoCal Event and would recommend her without hesitation.

Trushant Mehta

CEO, OpenEyes Technologies

I have had the pleasure of working with her on several professional events and initiatives, including ATP, virtual conferences (e.g., Remote Proctoring), and PopTopiks. Throughout these collaborations, I have consistently been impressed by her exceptional organizational skills, professionalism, and attention to detail, as well as the thoughtfulness and genuine care she brings to her work and to the people she collaborates with. One of her most distinguishing qualities is her exceptional listening skills. She takes the time to understand others' perspectives, expectations, and needs rather than moving forward with preconceived ideas or solutions. This thoughtful approach helps her notice important details, anticipate potential challenges, and develop solutions that meet the objectives of everyone involved. She makes people feel heard and understood, which, in my experience, is an invaluable quality when coordinating complex projects and events involving multiple stakeholders.

In my experience, this combination of thoughtfulness, exceptional listening skills, creativity, practical judgment, and the ability to execute effectively is uncommon. I have genuinely valued our collaborations and would recommend her without hesitation to anyone seeking an event planning professional who brings care, intelligence, and a personal commitment to excellence to her work.

Dr. Manfred (Manny) Straehle

Founder and President, Assessment, Education, and Research Experts (AERE)

Cicek is the kind of partner who makes everyone around her better. She combines deep customer success and partnership experience with real warmth and sharp judgment. She earns trust quickly, keeps it, and always delivers. She also retains the rare ability to understand what customers and partners actually need, and to turn that insight into long-term results. A pleasure to work with, always!

Andrew Strait

Sr. Certification and Learning Content Program Manager, Adobe

Cicek asked me if I would be willing to write a testimonial. I’m not sure she realizes the impact she’s had. When I first hired Cicek, I knew of her, but I didn’t really know her. To be honest, she intimidated me more than I’d like to admit. She was a familiar face in the industry, poised, well-respected, and trusted by people whose opinions I valued. Over nearly eight years of working together, I came to know her confidence, competence, and compassion firsthand. The trust we built, and her willingness to challenge me and have difficult conversations, ultimately made me a better leader.

When I had the opportunity to restructure my team, I was convinced that Cicek was the right person to design, build, and oversee our newly created account management function. She went on to become solely responsible for managing more than 70% of the company’s annual revenue through renewals and upsells. You don’t achieve renewal rates above 90% without being exceptionally organized, self-motivated, and detail-oriented.

I never had to worry about Cicek’s work. She is process-oriented, reliable, and persistent. She knows what she doesn’t know and never pretends otherwise. She communicates clearly, follows through, and takes ownership of her responsibilities.

Cicek is an exceptional professional, a compassionate human being, and someone who holds herself to the highest standards, both personally and professionally.

Trust her. Empower her. She will deliver.

Benjamin Hunter

Former VP of Sales, Caveon

About

A boutique studio, built for detail.

SoCal Event Co is a boutique corporate event planning studio based in San Diego. We design and manage client events, team gatherings, company kickoffs, receptions, and private dinners for organizations coming together in Southern California.

We keep our footprint deliberately small, typically 20 to 250 guests, so every event receives personal attention, clear budgets and timelines, and one dedicated planning partner from the first conversation through the final guest departure. We also welcome more intimate gatherings and would be happy to discuss your vision, regardless of the size of your event.

Meet the Founder

Cicek Svensson, Founder of SoCal Event Co

Cicek Svensson, Founder

Cicek brings 18+ years of experience in client relationships, business development, and international events and conferences. Having worked with organizations across the U.S. and internationally, she brings a thoughtful, highly organized approach to creating experiences where people can connect, build relationships, and enjoy being together.

A glimpse into founder Cicek Svensson’s experience in conferences, public speaking, and building meaningful relationships, reflecting the passion for bringing people together that inspired SoCal Event Co.

Contact

Tell us about your conference week.

Share the conference, the dates, and a rough guest count. We'll come back with ideas and a ballpark budget.

We reply within one business day. No cost to scope your event.

Book Consultation