How To Plan an Event, According to Real Event Professionals

How to Successfully Plan an Event, Step by Step

The art of event planning is so much more than just throwing parties—it's about creating memorable experiences, building trust, and making a lasting impact on attendees. Every event is an opportunity to exceed guests' expectations and, if applicable, raise brand awareness. Whether you're new to event planning or just need a refresher, our guide to event planning outlines the steps you'll need to follow to pull off a successful event. Additionally, our team of professional event planners and designers at B Floral have shared their unique insights into how they plan events every day.

Define goals and objectives.

As you begin to plan your event, start asking yourself questions – and write down the answers! The first question you should ask yourself is this: "Why am I holding this event?" Be specific in your answer. The more you can flesh out the purpose of your event, the more clear your event's message will be. Your goals will guide the rest of the event planning process, everything from the guest list to the time of day of the event. Alyssa, Event Logistics Assistant at B Floral Design & Production, says: "Although events should be fun, they should also do serious work for you! Whether you're a public relations business, a recently engaged person, or an up-and-coming brand, you should always set clear goals and objectives upfront before spending a single dollar. Are you trying to increase sales and conversion? Are you trying to drive the conversation on social for your clients? Or maybe you're just trying to bring your wedding Pinterest board from high school to life? Always begin planning with your desired outcome in mind so that all the decisions you're making when putting together your event maximize your opportunity of achieving (and exceeding!) all expectations!"

Decide if you need an event planner's help.

The next step in this event planning checklist will make a significant difference in the level of time, attention, and work that you’ll need to put into your event. High-production events take lots of effort and planning. More attendees mean more guest management concerns, vendor coordination, and day-of responsibilities. Consider the logistics and whether you can manage the event planning process yourself. If anything seems beyond your abilities or time commitment, it might be time to loop in a professional planning business to plan the event.

Set your budget.

It's important to decide early in the planning process what your investment in the event can be. Every event budget, however, needs built-in flexibility. It's a good rule of thumb to expect to exceed your budget by five to ten percent. Callie, Senior Event Design Manager at B Floral Design & Production, says, "Setting and following a budget is often one of the hardest parts of planning an event because there are so many pieces to factor in. I always recommend starting this process by connecting with potential venues and vendors to see what they would recommend setting aside to achieve the vision/goals you've set for the event. Once you've assembled all of these pieces, you can determine a realistic total budget and how it should be allocated. This step will also give you an initial gut check on if your current plan is realistic/achievable or if you need to pivot."

Select your venue and date.

Selecting the right venue for your event depends on many factors, including the goals and objectives you hope to accomplish by hosting it. The flow of your event will influence how the space is used and is important to keep in mind as you research and tour spaces. Is a stage necessary? Will a kitchen be required on-site? The sooner you book your venue, the more likely you'll be to get your preferred date for your event.

Create a detailed plan.

Create a comprehensive project timeline that maps out every essential task and deadline leading up to your event.  Include key milestones for securing vendors, submitting permit applications or insurance forms, finalizing the program, designing marketing materials, and managing logistics. Plan to refer back to your project timeline frequently as your planning progresses! Kacey, Lead Event Design Manager at B Floral Design & Production, says, “This step encompasses everything from color scheme to entertainment! A manageable first step to creating your plan is to imagine the event starting when guests arrive all the way through when they leave, making notes as you go about priorities that come to mind. Do you want the entrance to make a big splash and be easy to find? Note signage and décor to come back to. Is it key to you that everyone get to know each other during cocktail hour? Make sure to ask for batched cocktails for a speedy line and utilize high tops without stools to encourage people to mingle. Starting with a short list of what matters most will help keep things in focus.”

Build your team.

If you've hired a professional event planner, you're already a step ahead on this! Both your internal team (think: check-in staff) and external team (think: a furniture rental vendor) need to be hired and briefed far in advance to ensure your event goes off without a hitch. Remember, at your event, you'll likely be pulled in a million directions, so securing staffing for every step is highly recommended. Kacey, Lead Event Design Manager at B Floral Design & Production, says, “With your game plan for the event in place, you’ll decide which vendors are needed. There are many options for everything from graphic design & stationary to catering, so do some online window shopping and reach out to a few of each category to learn about their services and availability on your date. The more information you give them, the better they will be able to quote, so don’t hold back!”

Promote your event.

Next, it’s time to develop (and execute!) a comprehensive marketing strategy to get the word out about your event to the right folks. Utilize a mix of channels, including email marketing, social media, industry publications, and targeted advertising, to reach your ideal audience. Emphasize both the unique value proposition of your event and its relevance to your target attendees to successfully convert them from interested to registered.

Manage logistics.

Coordinating logistics involves a myriad of behind-the-scenes arrangements that, when managed effectively, will come together at the event seamlessly. Details like delivery times, attendee parking, event technology, and security are just a few of the logistical elements of most events that should be planned ahead of time. Minute elements might end up playing a very important role in your event; for example, outlet availability. Will you need to run extension cords through areas where guests will gather? Details like this can create very stressful situations the day of, so thoughtfully mapping out every logistic is imperative before the event date.  Alicia, Event Logistics Assistant at B Floral Design & Production, says, “You’ve dealt with the why; now, logistics will tackle the who, what, when, and where! Each piece of your event puzzle (florist, catering, AV, rentals entertainment, etc.) should be staggered based on priorities and venue restrictions to make for a seamless set up and breakdown process. The riskiest pieces should have the widest amount of wiggle room in the timing. Rental furniture companies typically have a lot of jobs packed into their day and much more room for error, get them in as early as you can! Clear communication to everyone is the best defense.”

Execute your event.

The key to executing an event seamlessly is a well-coordinated plan. If you've been following these steps, you should be in good shape! On-site, we recommend that you utilize real-time communication tools to keep your team in sync and handle any unexpected challenges efficiently. Remember to provide clear instructions to all staff and vendors to maintain a smooth flow throughout the event. Thanks to your meticulous preparation and planning, the event should go off without a hitch. Colin, Event Design Manager at B Floral Design & Production, says, “All the steps up to this point have set you up for success. Curve balls can happen at any moment and throw a wrench in what was planned, so remember to stay calm, assess the situations at hand as they arise, and be ready to think on your toes to problem solve.”

Review your event.

Remember the event goals you laid out at the start? Post-event, it's crucial to evaluate the event's success against those initial objectives. Determine if the event achieved its desired outcomes, such as brand awareness, fundraising goals, attendee engagement, or other key metrics. Liv, Event Design Manager at B Floral Design & Production, says, “Reviewing an event after execution is crucial for continuous improvement. It allows organizers to identify what worked well and areas that need enhancement, ensuring future events are even more successful. Additionally, gathering feedback from attendees helps tailor future experiences to better meet their needs and expectations.”

Top Tips for Event Planning

A quick hit list of our team’s recommendations for planning a great event.

·      Start planning as early as possible.

·      Over-communicate with your team and all event stakeholders.

·      When creating your day-of timeline, build in extra time everywhere in case of delays.

·      Be flexible and understanding of adjustments.