Event Planning Checklist

Planning an event can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of moving parts, tight deadlines, and the ever-present fear of forgetting something crucial. This checklist breaks the entire process down into manageable phases, from the earliest planning stages right through to what happens after the last guest leaves. Whether you are organising a 50-person comedy night, a 500-capacity gig, or a 5,000-person festival, the fundamentals are the same.

12+ Months Before the Event

The earliest phase is about defining your vision and locking in the big decisions that everything else depends on.

• Define your concept — What kind of event is this? Who is your target audience? What is the experience you want to create? A clear concept guides every decision that follows.
• Set your budget — Work out your total budget and break it into categories: venue, talent, production (sound, lighting), marketing, staffing, insurance, and contingency (always keep 10-15% in reserve for unexpected costs).
• Research venues — Use UK Venue Guide to find venues that match your capacity, location, and budget requirements. Shortlist 3-5 options and visit them in person.
• Book your venue — Once you have found the right space, secure it with a deposit. Popular venues book up fast — especially for weekend dates. Read the contract carefully and understand the cancellation terms.
• Check licensing requirements — Does your venue have the right licences for your event? You may need a Premises Licence, a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), or both. TENs are required if the venue is not already licensed for the type of event you are running, and must be submitted at least 10 working days before the event (though 28 days is safer).
• Set your date — Avoid clashes with bank holidays (travel disruption), major sporting events (competing attention), and school holidays (if your audience is families) unless these work in your favour.

6 to 12 Months Before

With the venue locked in, this phase is about confirming your programme and building the infrastructure around it.

• Confirm artists, speakers, or performers — Send offers, negotiate fees, and get contracts signed. For music events, confirm technical riders (what equipment the artist requires) early so you can budget for production.
• Set up ticketing — Choose your ticketing platform and build your event page. Tickts charges zero booking fees and zero commission — your ticket buyers pay face value and you keep 100% of the revenue. This makes a material difference to your bottom line.
• Plan your marketing strategy — Define your channels (social media, email, press, posters, word of mouth), create a content calendar, and design your event branding. If you are running paid ads, set your budget now.
• Book suppliers — Sound and lighting companies, caterers, bar providers, security firms, photographers, and videographers. Get at least two quotes for each and book early — good suppliers are in demand.
• Arrange event insurance — Public liability insurance is essential (most venues require a minimum of £5m cover). Cancellation insurance is worth considering for larger events. Policies start from around £50 for small events.

3 to 6 Months Before

Ticket sales should be live and your marketing machine should be running. This phase is about building momentum.

• Launch ticket sales — Consider an early-bird pricing tier to drive initial sales and create social proof. Share the ticket link across all your channels on launch day.
• Begin the marketing push — Start regular social media posts, send email newsletters, distribute posters and flyers in relevant locations, and reach out to local press and blogs for coverage.
• Confirm the running order — Finalise set times, stage allocations, changeover times, and any special requirements. Build in buffer time — things always take longer than expected.
• Notify the local authority if needed — For larger outdoor events or events in unusual locations, you may need to notify the local council's Safety Advisory Group (SAG). They do not grant permission but can raise objections, so engage with them early.
• Create a risk assessment — Required for any event with employees or volunteers, and good practice regardless. Cover fire safety, crowd management, first aid, severe weather, and equipment safety.
• Plan accessibility — Ensure your event is accessible to disabled attendees. This includes physical access, accessible viewing areas, hearing loops, BSL interpreters if needed, and clear information on your event page about what provisions are available.

1 to 3 Months Before

The detail phase. Everything should be confirmed and documented.

• Chase ticket sales — If sales are behind target, increase marketing spend, add new promotional angles, or introduce a last-chance pricing tier. Most events see a spike in sales in the final 2-4 weeks.
• Confirm all technical requirements — Finalise the production spec with your sound and lighting suppliers. Confirm power requirements with the venue. Arrange any additional equipment hires.
• Create the event-day schedule — A minute-by-minute running order for the entire day, from load-in to load-out. Include contact numbers for all key people. Distribute to everyone involved.
• Brief volunteers and staff — If you are using volunteers, hold a briefing session. Cover roles, responsibilities, emergency procedures, and who to contact with problems.
• Arrange first aid — For events over 500 capacity, you should have qualified first aiders on site. For smaller events, a well-stocked first aid kit and someone who knows how to use it is the minimum.

1 to 4 Weeks Before

Final preparations. Everything should be locked down with no major decisions left to make.

• Final venue walkthrough — Visit the venue one last time. Confirm layout, access points, emergency exits, and any venue-specific rules. Walk through the event from the audience's perspective.
• Print materials — Laminates, wristbands, signage, set lists, running orders, and any other physical materials.
• Test your ticketing and scanning — Do a dry run of your ticket scanning setup. Make sure your scanning devices are charged, the app is working, and your door staff know how to use it. With Tickts, the scanning app works offline too — but test it anyway.
• Send reminders to ticket holders — An email 7 days before and another 1-2 days before with essential information: venue address, doors time, what to bring, parking, and any restrictions.
• Confirm final numbers with caterers and bar — Give your final headcount to caterers, bar providers, and the venue.
• Check the weather forecast — For outdoor or partially outdoor events, start monitoring the forecast and activate your contingency plans if needed.

Event Day

The big day. If your preparation has been thorough, today should run on autopilot. Here is a typical event-day structure:

• Load-in — Arrive early. Oversee equipment load-in, set construction, and technical setup. Make sure everything is where it should be.
• Sound check — Allow enough time for all performers to sound check. This is non-negotiable for music events — rushing it leads to poor sound quality during the show.
• Team briefing — 30 minutes before doors, gather your team for a final briefing. Run through the schedule, emergency procedures, and any last-minute changes.
• Doors open — Station staff at the entrance for ticket scanning, security checks, and welcoming guests. First impressions matter.
• During the event — Stay mobile. Monitor crowd levels, check in with your team, resolve issues quickly, and enjoy the show when you can.
• Close-out — After the last guest leaves, oversee load-out, settle any outstanding payments with the venue, and secure the space. Take photos of the venue's condition for your records.

After the Event

The event is over, but your work is not quite done. The post-event phase is where you learn, grow, and set up the next one.

• Collect feedback — Send a short survey to attendees within 48 hours while the experience is fresh. Ask what worked, what did not, and what they would like to see next time. Social media comments and reviews are valuable too.
• Reconcile your finances — Total up all income (ticket sales, bar revenue, merchandise) and expenses (venue, suppliers, marketing, staffing). Calculate your profit or loss and compare against your budget.
• Thank your suppliers and partners — A quick email or message goes a long way. Good relationships with venues, suppliers, and performers make future events easier to organise.
• Share content — Post photos, videos, and highlights on social media. Tag performers and the venue. This promotes future events and builds your brand.
• Plan the next one — If the event was a success, start planning the follow-up while momentum is high. Announce the next date early to lock in your audience.

Essential Tools for UK Event Organisers

These three tools will cover the fundamentals of event organisation:

• Ticketing — Tickts — Zero fees for buyers and sellers. Simple setup, QR code scanning, real-time sales dashboard, and instant payouts.
• Venue finding — UK Venue Guide — Browse 9,762 venues across the UK by type, city, and county. Free to use.
• Fee comparison — ticketingfees.co.uk — Compare ticketing platform fees side-by-side to understand exactly what each platform charges.

Browse Venues

Ready to find the perfect venue for your event? Search our directory of venues across the UK.