The event planning checklist
Most event problems trace back to something that should have been done weeks earlier. This checklist is organized by timeline, so at any point you know what to lock next, from the first booking through to the day of. Within each stage, group your own tasks by workstream too (venue and logistics, program and content, guests, catering, production and AV, marketing, budget and vendors) so each team only scans the rows that are theirs, and do not let the lines everyone forgets slip: a confirmed catering headcount deadline, a backup for your single point of failure, signage and wayfinding, and who tears down and returns rentals after everyone leaves.
The Event70 Team · 3 min read
- 1
8 to 12 weeks out: lock the foundations
Confirm the date, venue and headcount. Set the budget and the goal of the event. Lock the agenda and any speakers or talent, and send save-the-dates so people hold the date.
- 2
4 to 6 weeks out: invitations and vendors
Send invitations and open RSVPs. Confirm catering, AV and rentals. Sign vendor contracts and record deposits against your budget. Start building the run of show.
- 3
1 to 2 weeks out: confirm everything
Chase outstanding RSVPs and finalize the catering headcount. Confirm dietary needs, signage, name badges and the floor plan. Brief AV and share the run of show with the team.
- 4
The week of: tech check and rehearsal
Run a full tech check and a rehearsal against the clock. Print signage and badges. Confirm load-in and load-out times, and brief volunteers on their day-of roles.
- 5
Day of: run the show
Put the run of show live in the room and have one person own the clock. Track the current cue and what is next, and keep a short list of what you can cut if you slip.
See it in Event70
RSVPs
- JAJordan Avery+2confirmed
- SPSam Patel+1confirmed
- RCRobin Cho+1pending
- DNDevi Nair0declined
Event70 turns this into a working plan: a live run of show, an assignable checklist, RSVPs, a budget and the day-of, all on one event.
How to write a run of show
A run of show is the minute-by-minute script that runs your event. Here is how to build one that holds up on the day, step by step, with a free template.
Read 7 stepsHow to budget for an event
How to build an event budget that survives contact with reality: the line items to include, tracking estimated vs actual, and where costs quietly hide.
Read 7 stepsCorporate event planning guide
A corporate event planning guide for all-hands, product launches and client events: plan the program, run the day on time and prove it worked.
Read