GUIDE

Event Planning Checklist: From 12 Weeks Out to the Day After

Plan an event backwards from the date. Twelve weeks out, fix the goal, budget, guest count, date and venue. Eight weeks out, book the caterer and other vendors. Six weeks out, send invitations. Two weeks out, confirm the final headcount with the caterer. The week of, write the run of show and confirm every vendor. Below is that checklist week by week, with catering quantities for 20 or more guests, staffing ratios, a starting budget split and the 15 things that most often get forgotten.

Last updated: November 2026

An event planning checklist is a list of every task needed to run an event, ordered by how far ahead of the date each one has to be done: the decisions that limit everything else (budget, guest count, date, venue) first, then vendors, invitations, food, the run of show and the follow-up. Most planners work to a 12-week timeline for a party or company event of 20 to 200 people, longer for weddings and conferences.

Why plan backwards from the date

A few decisions limit all the others. The budget sets the guest count, the guest count sets the venue, and the venue and date decide which caterers and entertainers are free. Make those four decisions first, in that order, and the rest of the list gets easier.

Vendors have lead times. Popular venues and caterers book up weeks or months ahead for Friday and Saturday nights, and December is the busiest month for company parties. Caterers usually want a final headcount 7 to 14 days before the event. Working backwards from the date tells you when each booking has to be made.

The checklist keeps the work shared. Give every line an owner. The most common failure in small events isn't a missing task; it's a task everyone assumed someone else had done.

The timeline below suits a party, company event or community gathering of about 20 to 200 people. Add time for a wedding (often a year) or a conference (six months or more). Still choosing what kind of party it is? Start with 56 party theme ideas.

15 things that most often get forgotten

Every one of these has caught out a host. Add them to your checklist now.

  1. A contingency line in the budget

    Set aside about 10% for the things that go up: extra guests, delivery fees, a last-minute rental.

  2. Dietary needs and allergies

    Ask on the RSVP form, pass the list to the caterer, and label every dish on the table.

  3. A wet-weather plan

    For anything outdoors: a tent booked on hold, or an indoor room. Decide the call time (e.g. 48 hours before).

  4. Power and extension cords

    Check where the outlets are for the DJ, the coffee urn and the screen. Bring two long extension cords and tape to cover them.

  5. Accessibility

    Step-free access, seating for anyone who can't stand for long, and an accessible toilet. Ask the venue, don't assume.

  6. Somewhere for coats and bags

    A rail, a spare room or a coat check. In winter this decides how crowded the entrance gets.

  7. Parking and directions

    Put the parking information and the entrance (not just the address) in the invitation.

  8. Ice

    Planners commonly allow 1 to 2 pounds of ice per guest, more on a hot day or if you're chilling drinks in tubs.

  9. Water

    Jugs on tables or a water station, separate from the bar. People drink more than you expect.

  10. A plan for photos

    Decide how guests will share photos before the night, not after: a shared album link, or a live photo wall on a screen that guests post to by scanning a QR code, so the room sees the photos during the event and you keep them all afterwards.

  11. Someone to greet people

    One person at the door for the first hour: names, coats, where the drinks are. It sets the tone.

  12. The run of show, shared

    A one-page timeline with times, who does what, and every vendor's phone number, sent to everyone working the event.

  13. Speeches with time limits

    Ask speakers in advance and give each one a limit, often 3 to 5 minutes.

  14. Cleanup and rubbish removal

    Who stays at the end, what the venue expects, and where the rubbish goes. Check if the venue charges for cleaning.

  15. Thank-yous

    To vendors, helpers and guests, within a week. And write down what you'd change, while you remember.

Catering for a party of 20 or more

Order for the confirmed headcount, plus a small margin. Most caterers ask for the final number 7 to 14 days ahead, charge per head, and many have a minimum headcount or minimum spend. Confirm the number you'll pay for, and whether guests who don't show up still count.

These are planners' rules of thumb, not a caterer's quote. Your caterer will adjust them for the menu and the crowd:

  • Appetisers before a meal: about 4 to 6 pieces per person for the first hour.
  • Appetisers as the whole meal: about 10 to 15 pieces per person over two to three hours, with some heavier items.
  • Main course: about 6 to 8 ounces of cooked protein per adult, plus two or three sides.
  • Drinks: about two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per hour after that, plus water and soft drinks.
  • Ice: 1 to 2 pounds per guest.
  • Dessert: one to two pieces per person; less if there's a cake.

Staffing. A common ratio is about one server for every 20 to 25 guests at a buffet, one for every 10 to 12 at a plated dinner, and one bartender for every 50 to 75 guests. Ask your caterer what their quote includes: setup, service, cleanup and rentals (plates, glasses, linens) are often separate lines.

Buffet or plated? A buffet suits mingling and mixed diets and needs fewer staff; a plated meal suits speeches and a fixed seating plan. For a party in a home, a drop-off buffet with disposable serving trays is usually the cheapest option for 20 to 40 guests.

A starting budget split

There's no standard split, but this is a common place to start for a party or company event, before you adjust for what matters to you:

  • Venue and food and drink: about half of the budget, often more.
  • Entertainment, music and AV: about 10 to 15%.
  • Décor, flowers and rentals: about 10%.
  • Invitations, signage, gifts and favours: about 5 to 10%.
  • Contingency: about 10%, kept back until the last week.

Spend on food before décor. People remember whether they ate well and whether they had a good time with the people there, not the centrepieces.

The event planning checklist, week by week

Give each line an owner and a date. Shorten the timeline for a small party, and lengthen it for a wedding or a conference.

  1. 1

    12 weeks out: goal, budget, guest count, date

    Write one sentence on what the event is for (celebrate, thank, launch, raise money). Set the total budget and the rough guest count. Pick two or three possible dates, checking holidays and other events your guests will be at.

  2. 2

    10–12 weeks out: book the venue

    Visit two or three venues. Ask about capacity, what's included (tables, chairs, AV, staff), catering rules (in-house only or outside caterers), the end time, accessibility, the deposit and the cancellation terms. Book, and get it in writing.

  3. 3

    8–10 weeks out: book the key vendors

    Caterer, photographer, DJ or band, rentals, and any entertainment. Get quotes from at least two of each where you can. Send a save-the-date if guests need to travel.

  4. 4

    6–8 weeks out: send invitations

    Include the date, start and end times, the address and entrance, parking, the dress code, the RSVP date and a question about dietary needs. Set up an RSVP list you can share with co-hosts.

  5. 5

    4–6 weeks out: menu, décor and the programme

    Do a tasting if the caterer offers one and fix the menu. Order décor, signage and any printed items. Decide the programme: welcome, food, speeches, activities, and how guests will share photos (a shared album or a live photo wall on the screen). Ask speakers now.

  6. 6

    2–3 weeks out: final headcount and seating

    Chase the missing RSVPs. Give the caterer the final number and the dietary list. Make the seating plan if there is one. Confirm the rentals and the delivery times.

  7. 7

    1 week out: run of show and confirmations

    Write a one-page run of show (times, owners, vendor phone numbers) and send it to everyone working the event. Confirm every vendor's arrival time. Pay outstanding deposits. Check the weather and make the wet-weather call if needed.

  8. 8

    The day before: set up and test

    Collect anything you're bringing, pack an emergency kit (tape, scissors, pens, chargers, first aid, stain remover), and set up whatever the venue allows. Test the screen, sound and microphone, and post a test photo if you're running a photo wall.

  9. 9

    On the day: run it, don't do it

    Arrive early for vendor arrivals. Hand jobs out (greeting, food, speeches, cleanup) so the host is free to talk to guests. Keep the run of show on your phone and stick to the end time.

  10. 10

    The day after: thanks and follow-up

    Pay final invoices, return rentals, send thank-yous to vendors and helpers, share the photos with guests, and write down three things you'd change for next time.

Common event planning mistakes

  • ✗Booking the venue before fixing the budget and guest count. The room decides everything else. Get the number first.
  • ✗Ignoring what the quote doesn't include. Service charges, delivery, setup, rentals, cleaning and tax can add a large share on top of the headline per-head price. Ask for an itemised quote.
  • ✗No owner for each task. 'We'll sort the music' means nobody sorts the music. Put a name next to every line.
  • ✗Planning for the RSVPs you hope for. Free events lose some guests on the night; paid and seated events lose fewer. Order food for the confirmed number, not the invite list.
  • ✗A programme with no slack. Speeches run long and food comes out late. Leave 15 minutes of buffer in the run of show.
  • ✗Chasing photos for weeks afterwards. Decide before the event how guests will share them. A live wall collects them during the event; the free plan shows 5 posts at a time and keeps the first 30, and for a bigger event you can unlock this wall once for $14.99 or use Premium ($10.99/month) to keep every post.

How far ahead to plan, by event type

Rules of thumb. Add time in December and on Saturdays in wedding season.

Event Start planning Send invitations Final headcount to caterer
House party (20–40 guests) 3–4 weeks 2–3 weeks before 2–3 days before, for a drop-off order
Milestone birthday or anniversary 2–3 months 6–8 weeks before 7–14 days before
Company holiday party 2–3 months (venues go early in December) 4–6 weeks before 7–14 days before
Community event or fundraiser 3–6 months 6–8 weeks before 7–14 days before
Wedding 9–18 months 6–8 weeks before (save-the-dates 6–12 months) 7–14 days before
Conference 6–12 months Registration open 3–6 months before As the venue contract says

Frequently asked questions

What should be on an event planning checklist?

An event planning checklist should cover, in order: the goal, budget, guest count and date (12 weeks out); the venue (10–12 weeks); caterer and other vendors (8–10 weeks); invitations (6–8 weeks); menu, décor and programme (4–6 weeks); final headcount and seating (2–3 weeks); run of show and vendor confirmations (1 week); setup and testing (the day before); and thank-yous and follow-up (the day after).

How far in advance should you plan an event?

As a rule of thumb, about 12 weeks for a party or company event of 20 to 200 people, two to three months for a milestone birthday, three to six months for a community event or fundraiser, six to twelve months for a conference and nine to eighteen months for a wedding. Book the venue first, because it limits everything else.

How much food do you need for a party of 20?

As a planner's rule of thumb: for a meal, about 6 to 8 ounces of cooked protein per adult (about 7.5 to 10 pounds for 20 people) plus two or three sides; for appetisers only, about 10 to 15 pieces per person (200 to 300 pieces). Add about two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per hour after, and 20 to 40 pounds of ice. Your caterer will adjust for the menu.

How many servers do you need for a catered event?

A common ratio is one server for every 20 to 25 guests at a buffet, one for every 10 to 12 guests at a plated dinner, and one bartender for every 50 to 75 guests. Ask the caterer what their quote includes, since setup, cleanup and rentals are often extra.

How should I split an event budget?

A common starting point is about half for the venue and food and drink, 10 to 15% for entertainment and AV, about 10% for décor and rentals, 5 to 10% for invitations, signage and favours, and about 10% held back as contingency. Adjust to what matters most for your event.

When does the caterer need the final headcount?

Usually 7 to 14 days before the event, though it varies by caterer and is set in the contract. After that date, you're typically charged for the confirmed number even if fewer people come.

How do I collect photos from guests after an event?

Plan it before the event. Either share an album link in the invitation, or run a live photo wall: guests scan a QR code on a screen and post photos from their phone's browser (no app, no account), the room sees them during the event, and you download them all afterwards.

One line off the checklist: the photos

Create a free wall, put it on the screen, and guests' photos collect in one place during the event.

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