Meet Alannah Anderson of Southern Exchange Ballrooms in Downtown

As I previously mentioned, my natural enthusiasm for a wide range of subjects made me feel confused and unsure of myself. Changing my major a total of 3 times definitely felt like bumps, and I think anyone who has been in that position would agree. You’re sitting there watching, what feels like, everyone else around you being confident and assured of themselves while most of your college credits become null-and-void as you change the focus of your degree. Remaining positive and feeling certain that you’re making the right decision for yourself is difficult; these feelings will test you. There were absolutely moments that I felt as though I should just give up and stick to my initial course because it would be easier, especially while hearing from others that “you just need to graduate” because in the long-run “it wouldn’t matter the degree you graduated with.”

Looking back now, I am genuinely proud of myself for not listening to that advice. You have to realize that people will always want to insert their opinions. Even if you initially make a decision with absolute certainty, these opinions weigh on you – making you waver and question yourself. And, while it’s important in every aspect of your life to consider contrasting opinions, always focus on what you know about yourself at your core and what you know will ultimately make you the happiest – especially when it comes to your life-long career.

We’d love to hear more about your company.
Southern Exchange Ballrooms is truly such an intriguing and exceptionally diverse company, best described as where “Rich History Meets Modern Elegance.”

Located within the old Macy’s building downtown Atlanta, we’re constantly striving to reinvent this incredible space while also paying homage to the building’s exquisite history. We house 6 distinct venues within our building, totaling about 100,000 square feet of event space that hosts everything from weddings to corporate events, other social celebrations and even productions.

In addition to restoring a truly magical space into a building that will continue to create everlasting memories, we’re constantly working towards establishing an environment that fosters the same level of fascination and awe as this building initially founded. Which is why we are so thrilled to announce the addition of Rich Rosendale and Brian Worley to our team this year – founding both our in-house catering (Rosendale Events) and in-house design (B. Worley Productions) divisions, joining our already established AV team, SEAV.

Rich joins us as one of only 67 current Certified Master Chefs in the U.S. whose knowledge and skill led him to competing in the world’s most prestigious culinary competition, the Bocuse d’Or; while Brian joins us from the west coast as a true event visionary – having designed everything from Emmy’s parties, celebrity weddings and even a polo match for the Royals.

We’re proud to say that, with these additions, our staff of experts is able to manage every part of your event from location, layout and design, catering, audio-visual and day-of operations.

All-in-all, our mission is to excite and amaze our clients by creating celebrations beyond imagination. We deliver excellence through meticulous pre-planning, professional expertise and a high commitment to outstanding customer service.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Absolutely! One of the reasons I was so excited to make the move to Atlanta was precisely for this reason. Whether you’re looking to fulfill your Public Relations career goals or if you’re looking to explore the event industry (which I can also speak to working for an event venue), Atlanta is filled with opportunities and people who are prepared to help you transition into reaching your career goals. My biggest piece of advice would be to not be scared! Push away all of your worries and inhibitions, focus on your career motivations and put yourself out there.