The First 3 Steps to An Event Planners Checklist

Importance of Checklists

To be a successful event planner, it is essential to have a checklist for each one of your events. It could be a wedding, birthday, bridal shower, baby shower, holiday party, corporate event, etc. There are so many events out there, and the key to making them flow and turn out spectacular is to have a list of what you need to accomplish.

Of course, this list could go on for a while and is very personal to each event planner. I have learned that three main things should always be on your checklist from the many events I have done. They are as simple as the night's guest list, venue, and layout. Let's dive deeper into each one of these topics to learn why they are essential.

First and Foremost: Location and Guests

When meeting with your client it is important to know where, when, and how many guests they will be inviting. This will help you understand the limits as well as the benefits of the locations. Say you are planning a wedding. In some cases the venue will provide a huge chunk of the necessities for a wedding. At times tables, chairs, a kitchen, linens, centerpieces, arches, and many other appliances will be included. Now the opposite can be said as well. There are also many venues that will not include any or only a few of these things.

That is why it is so important to first find out where the event will be. Once you know where it is you can call or go and visit the venue to see what is all included. This will help you know what you will need to get inorder to plan the event. Knowing how many guests and when it will start and end is also very important.

This will help you navigate how many chairs, food, silvaware, and even invitations you will need. This should be one of your top items on the checklist.

Don't Forget About Vendors!

As an event planner it is your job to organize and connect with all the needs of your client. This could be the caterer for food or drinks, the photographer, videographer, florist, DJ, and anything else your client might want. I have seen all kinds of vendors such as a photobooth, bouncehouse, snowcone bar, and many more. With this world ever changing there are so many new ideas out there that may appeal to your client.

Some other forms of vendors that you may not think of is chairs, linens, and tables. Like stated above not ever venue has these perks. Meaning that you will have to reach out and rent them.

Adding these vendors and essential parts of making your event happen to your checklist will make your planning a lot easier. Keep in contact with them and make sure they have everything they need to make the event amazing. It is important to reach out and show your appreciation to your vendors. This will make working with them easier as well as help you network for future events.

The Layout of the Evening

You should always find out how your client would like their event to play out. Since we have already talked about weddings I'll use that for an example. When would they like the ceremony? Do they want a luncheon and if so what time? Do they want to dance before cutting the cake or the other way around? There are so many questions that you will need to ask in order to organize the layout of the event.

It is smart to make a separate checklist for set up and take down. As well as a layout and agenda for the activities happening during the event. This will help you stay on track and will make the event flow much better than if you didn't have it.

These are only a few of the many important things that should be on your checklist. You should also consider the event budget, decorations, handouts, as well as other important details. To plan a successful event it is always important to have checklists.