Planning an event requires obsessive devotion to deadlines. We asked event pros for their tips on timelines, from securing the venue to making a marketing plan, to ensure you’re not scrambling at the last minute.
Determine the event theme. The theme should be finalized six months out, so you can begin outreach and confirmations of vendors, recommends Alyssa Rossetti of River Roast in Chicago. “It is important to create a plan based on event trends, location, and style of service. We host an event called Joy to July that we invite local meeting planners to promote our holiday packages and offerings, and our planning begins in January so we can coordinate linens, floral and decor, the band, and other partnerships. If we wait any longer, top vendors will be booked up.”