Event Planning Timeline

Whether you’re a professional event planner or putting together a private party, one thing is for sure — the task ahead isn’t easy. Case in point: On CareerCast’s list of 2019’s most stressful jobs, event coordinator ranked sixth. With so many moving parts involved, it’s no easy feat to put a gathering together.

One of the toughest parts of event planning is figuring out when to do what. You need to have specific pieces in place before you can move on with other details. For instance, without a venue, you won’t know the number of guests able to fit within the space. And, without that number, you’ll have no idea how many tables and chairs to rent for everyone.

We’re not telling you this to stress you out. Instead, we want to make the timing of your planning a whole lot easier. So, we’ve created this timeline to help you prep for your next big event. If you’re here a year ahead of the date, you’re right on time — let’s get started.

12 Months in Advance

If you’re a year away from your big event, you’re thinking about big-picture ideas for how it’ll come together. First and foremost, you will want to crystallize your goals for your gathering, as well as its purpose. You will need to know this information if you plan to market your event — why would someone want to come?

Other important details to iron out now include where you’ll hold your event. Select a venue with ample space for the number of people you want to invite. Check out the parking situation so you know the location’s convenient for your guests, too.

Selecting the venue means you’ll have to choose a date for your event. Now’s the time to figure out your budget, marketing plan and event agenda. Divvy up responsibilities to the members of your planning team. And, if you want to have a speaker at your event, start researching who’s available — you’d be surprised at how quickly competing events will snatch up in-demand speakers.

Nine Months in Advance

Now, you’re three-fourths of a year away from your event. By now, you’ve accomplished all of the above, so it’s time to move into the detailed parts of the planning process. Now, it’s time to nail down the vendors you’ll use to bring your vision to life. Hire a speaker if you haven’t already.

Event promotion via email and social media should start now, too. To help your quest to rope in guests, share videos of previous events. These can be huge selling points for viewers — once they see what you’ve done in the past, they’re more inclined to pay for a similar experience.

You might also want to enlist the help of an event-planning app to simplify this time and the months ahead. A slew of helpful apps exist that’ll create your to-do lists, arrange guest seating, sell tickets and more.

Six Months in Advance

We’re halfway there now! And, at six months, things start to get real for you and the rest of the event planning team. By now, you’ve confirmed your speaker(s). You can also open up ticket sales — carry on with your marketing campaign to bring in as many guests as possible.

If you’re planning to host an expo, you’ll need to take a few extra steps at this stage in the game. You will need to find the right exhibitors for your event and lay the event space out so they all have room. Hire security to patrol on the day of the expo, too.

Three Months in Advance

The big pieces are in place — now we’re going to hone in on the final details to perfect your event. You might need to hire a few more vendors to beautify your venue, such as florists. If the space doesn’t come with a caterer, find someone to cook for your event, too.

Next, round up biographies for all the people who will be speaking at your event. Guests will want to know who’s speaking — and, more importantly, why they should care what they have to say. Finally, make sure you don’t need any licenses or permits to hold your event. Get to know the venue better by studying the emergency plan and updating it to fit your particular event, if necessary.

One Month in Advance

You’re close to the finish line now. When you’re one month away from the event, you should take time to confirm everything you’ve booked. With a month’s worth of time, you have time to fix any mistakes or misunderstandings. Reach out to the vendors, caterers, speakers, presenters and anyone else who’s involved to make sure they’re clear on the date of your event.

Now’s the time to draw up an event timeline, too. This information will be helpful when you confirm the details with everyone involved — you can tell them precisely when to arrive. Proofread and print any paper materials you’ll share on the day of.

On the Day

You made it! Today’s all about making sure everything’s running smoothly. Double-check you have all of the materials you need for the event. Once those are in place, you only have to help by going where people need you most. Point vendors and guests to their spots and jump in when your teammates need assistance. You can also livestream the event — this makes great marketing for your next event, so it’s worth considering.

Once It’s Over

Event planning doesn’t end with the event. You should take time to reflect on what you accomplished to improve your efforts next year. Did you stick to your budget? What did the team think? What can you do better next time?

Be sure to reach out to donors, volunteers, speakers, presenters and anyone else who helped. Send them thank-you notes for their contributions. And be sure to capture the highlights and share them via social media — again, it makes great marketing for the next event you plan!

Obviously, all this takes a lot of time — a year, to be precise. It can be stressful, too. But now you have a timeline that can help guide you through the steps. You’re not in it alone, and, better yet, your efforts will be worth the struggle. You’ll have pulled off a successful event that’s was a valuable experience for you and everyone in attendance. And, by the time it’s over, you’ll have enough free time to start thinking about next year’s gathering.