An Event Planner’s Checklist for Success

Putting together an amazing event is a lot of pressure — the venue has to be perfect, music just right, and the food tasty. However, even though you want your function to be the talk of the town, it’s okay to breathe. Take some time to write down the details, and work from there.

Using an event planner checklist can help you stay organized while also keeping you sane. Some of the top planners in the business follow an event planning outline, so you’re not amateur if you choose to use one. If you need a little help with how to get started, check out this list below for more information. 

1. Start Planning Ahead of Time

There’s no event planning timeline that works for every function. However, it’s smart to start as soon as possible. You want to give yourself the time needed to get everything together so you’re not in a panic a couple of weeks before the event starts.

If the function is in six months, you might not have to start making calls right away, but you should definitely get your event planning checklist together. Successfully organizing a function takes time!

2. Write Down Your Objectives and Goals

One of the most important aspects of your event planner checklist is the goals and objectives. If you don’t know the direction you want to go in, it’s easy to get lost.

Take time to ask yourself questions such as how many guests should be invited? Will be this be an upscale event? Should there be a dress code?

Once you the answers to those types of questions, you’ll know how to proceed.

3. Create a Budget

The next step on your event planning outline should be to create a budget. Calculating your funds is the foundation of organizing any shindig. You need to know how much you’re working with and make a priority list beginning with the things that require the largest amount of money and working your way down to the lowest.

You don’t want to hire a caterer and book a venue, only to discover that you’re already over budget! Also, try to remember the little things too. Don’t focus on the big purchases and find that you forgot the cost of flowers, balloons, banners, and other smaller, but equally important, items.

4. Pick a Location

After you’ve set a budget, pick a location. Since you’ve already decided what type of event you’re having, finding a venue should be fairly easy.

However, there are certain details that you should pay attention to, so you can make sure all of your bases are covered. For instance, if you have an event that will be held outside, then you will need to get a porta potty rental and maybe some tents. 

5. Choose a Theme

Now that you’ve done the groundwork, it’s time to start the fun stuff. Choosing a theme will help you decide on colors, decorations, games, and even the invitation design. It’s an essential part of your event planning checklist because it’s the “meat” of everything.

The theme determines the overall outcome of the festivities and even plays a part in the entertainment that you choose. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning for yourself or a client, this is a crucial part of pulling off an exceptional soiree.

6. Pick Your Sponsors

Depending on the kind of event you’re planning, it might be a good idea to partner with sponsors. Write out a list of your ideal sponsorships and decide if you all would make a good match. Take some time to research sponsors who’ve partnered with events similar to yours. Once that’s done, start making calls!

7. Promote the Event

Once your event has started to come together, it’s time to start promoting it. Get your flyers together, post about it on social media, and send out paper invites. If you want to bring lots of attention to it, you can also use other tactics like promo videos and blog posts. 

Offering an early bird discount is another great tool to get people on board if you’re selling tickets to the event.

8. Double Check the Details

After everything on the event planner checklist is done, do a final round of checks. Call the venue to make sure things are still good, confirm the menu with the caterer, reach back out the photographer. These calls will help you make sure everything is in order before the big day.

9. Send Out Reminders

Everyone has busy lives, and while your event is amazing and exciting, some people might forget about it. So, to make sure no one mixes up the dates or simply doesn’t remember, send reminders to the attendees, sponsors, vendors, and other guests.

Basically, everyone involved with the event should get one. You don’t want to hound people, but it’s a good idea to send out three reminders; the first one a month before, then a week before, and lastly two days before the function. 

Event Planner Checklist: Planning Like a Pro

Coordinating an amazing event isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s so much that goes into organizing all of the details, and everyone doesn’t have the chops to do it.

So, pat yourself on the back for taking on such a large endeavor. It takes a superhero to successfully pull it all off.

Using an event planner checklist is pretty much mandatory because it holds the key to every aspect of the event. Therefore, you should have a paper and an electronic checklist. This ensures that you have more than one copy, it provides convenience, and it helps you crush it!

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