Summary
- Lock budget, date, venue and headcount before anything else.
- Hold back a 10% contingency and do not spend it in planning.
- Catering and venue together take 50–70% of most budgets.
- A one-page run sheet with names and numbers runs the day.
- Confirm every supplier's arrival time in writing the week before.
Quick answer
Work backwards from the date. Lock budget, date, venue and headcount first — every other decision depends on those four, and changing them later is what blows budgets.
Typical budget split
| Item | Share of budget |
|---|---|
| Venue and hire | 25–35% |
| Catering and drinks | 25–40% |
| Staff | 5–15% |
| Entertainment / speakers / AV | 10–20% |
| Photography and video | 5–10% |
| Decor, flowers, print | 5–15% |
| Contingency | 10% |
Always hold the contingency back. Something always costs more than quoted.
Timeline
6–12 months out
3–6 months out
1–2 months out
1–2 weeks out
Day before and day of
The run sheet
One page, one line per event, with time, what happens, who is responsible and their phone number. Share it with every supplier and key staff member. It is the single most useful document on the day.
Contingencies to plan for
Summary
Lock budget, date, venue and headcount first, hold back 10% contingency, and put everything on a one-page run sheet with names and phone numbers. Events fail on logistics, not on ideas.
Frequently asked questions
event planning
checklist
venue
suppliers