We have all experienced it. That sinking feeling on event day when someone turns to you and says, “Did anyone remember the lanyards?” … The lanyards! Of course! Cue the chaos.

It is incredibly easy to miss a key detail that can turn your event on its head – turning an amazing event into a logistical nightmare. Thats why our team at Fruitbowl have provided you with the best event planning checklist – to help you cover all your bases.

This guide covers every stage of your event planning basics whether your event is a festival, a conference, or a brand activation. Planning your next event? Simply [download a printable version of the checklist here] – and ensure you’ve started off your event strong.

• Key milestones from the start of your planning to event day 

• Actionable event planning tips to avoid common pitfalls 

• A timeline designed for Australian events (including council and permit timing) 

• Post-event steps to ensure nothing is left unfinished 

Phase 1: Pre-Planning (6–12 Months Out) 

This is where your event vision takes shape. The decision to run an event will spark so many smaller questions – so ensure that you lay the groundwork with clarity and confidence.

What is your event and who is it for? Is it a celebration? A fundraiser? A networking opportunity? Start with clear goals and desired outcomes.

Make sure you define your event audience – who would you like to attend? And how many people? The rest of your choices will be influenced by this, from marketing to venue.

Everyone’s favourite part to avoid – you have to create a budget. It can be simple – but ensure you forecast expenses for venue, AV, catering, staff, marketing, and contingencies.

Ensure you understand your income sources as well, is your event free or ticketed? Will you partner with businesses and sponsors? Is there a government grant you may be eligible for? If so – what are the application timelines and requirements?

Your date may sound small – but it is crucial to your events success. Don’t just open up your personal calendar and pick any old date. Check industry calendars and local event clashes. Consider weather, public holidays, and permit timelines.

What day of the week will be most effective for your event? Will a clash with Saturday morning kids sports stop the Mums from attending your market? Will a Sunday late night be effective for potential clients to attend your activation if they’re working Monday morning?

Make sure you’re making informed choices with clear justifications at every turn.

There are many aspects to consider when it comes to venues. What are your requirements? Think accessibility, capacity, style, parking, and weather contingencies.

Site visits are essential. It is ideal to organise a time to see your site in person prior to locking it in – photos can be deceiving especially to size and shape of a space.

Start reaching out to AV teams, caterers, photographers, and event managers (like Fruitbowl!) as early as possible. Getting in early can save you stress and costs. This can also help you get a clear idea of what you’ll need in terms of budget.

Consider your suppliers’ experience, ethics and charges. Do they align with you? Your suppliers can quickly become long term partners – and choosing the right ones can make or break your event.

 

“Effective event management blends creativity with logistics. It’s not just about putting on a show—it’s about creating an experience that aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience. By following these steps and staying adaptable, you’ll be equipped to deliver events that are not only well-executed but also genuinely impactful.”

Phase 2: Planning & Locking In (3–6 Months Out)

Now that your plan is in place – it’s time to bring that plan to life and begin locking it down.

Confirm venue & Lock in key suppliers

Lock your venue in with a deposit and start liaising with the venue coordinator. Read your contracts carefully and understand what you’re entitled to – and your obligations.

AV, catering, entertainment, staging, décor—book early and get agreements in writing. It is worth locking in meetings and calls and potentially even site visits with these teams in the lead up, to ensure everyone’s aligned to your vision and on the same page.

Your marketing will make or break your event. Ensure your branding is strong visually from the get-go – create vision boards and engage a graphic designer or utilise tools such as Canva to create something perfect on your own.

Lay out a clear event description you can use for marketing to external media partners and create a strong social media schedule to back your event. Consider where your attendees are looking for their next event – are they on Facebook? Instagram? Will they spot flyers in local cafes? Will they see an email – or a post from a local influencer? Use these questions to inform your plan.

Sponsorship outreach is a crucial part of successful event management because it not only helps cover costs but also adds value, credibility, and reach to your event.

Consider what brands whose goals align with your audience and event purpose – relevance is everything.

Craft a clear, tailored pitch that highlights the mutual benefits, showing exactly how sponsoring your event helps them meet their objectives, whether that’s brand awareness, community goodwill, or lead generation. And get networking!

Complete your event risk management plan. Work with council and authorities on permits, licenses, and insurance. When it comes to risk assessment and permits, the how is all about being thorough, proactive, and collaborative.

Before going into this event ask yourself – have you considered all possible risks? Maybe somethings wrong with the weather, crowd safety, technical failures, or food safety? Ensure your Risk Assessment addresses everything.

Work closely with a Risk and Safety officer (like at Fruitbowl) to ensure your event is compliant. This means understanding what specific permits, licenses, and approvals are required for your type of event — for example, public event permits, liquor licenses, road closures, traffic management, food vendor registrations, or amplified sound approvals.

Reach out early to councils for permits, as approval timelines can vary, and maintain open communication with council officers to ensure your applications are complete and compliant.

An event production schedule (aka your run sheet) is the ultimate guide that keeps your event running like a well-oiled machine. Think of it as your event game plan. Map out every moment you can think of – when are our marquees arriving? What time does the speech start? When is catering delivered? What time does the music need to stop?

Why’s it so important? Because even the most creative, exciting event needs structure to amaze and impress! A great run sheet ensures everyone is on the same page, avoids last-minute panics, and ensures your guests experience a smooth, unforgettable event. If you start developing this now, you will have the most extensive guide possible.

Phase 3: Final Prep (1–2 Months Out)

It’s time – your event is almost here. This is when we pull everything together and ensure every last minute detail that pops up is handled with precision and care. This is what we have been planning for!

Ensure you carefully track numbers and prepare your guest list if this is required for your event. How many tickets have you sold? Will you have enough space, chairs, tables?

If it’s an open event – you can often use your marketing stats to balance how many people you believe will come.

Confirm roles, responsibilities, uniforms, and briefing sessions. We highly recommend sending information in writing to everyone involved on the team, so communication is clear and easy to check.

Consider how your team will communicate on the day – Radios? Whatsapp? A groupchat?

Design and print event collateral

Remember at the beginning when we mentioned the lanyards? Do not forget the lanyards!

Signage, name badges, programs, directional signage—don’t leave these to the last minute. Start printing early and have team discussions on signage that may be required.

Schedule your social media

Prep and schedule posts, stories, and event-day content to keep the momentum going online throughout your event. Is this someone’s job on the day? Make sure you have someone ready to do live communications, respond to messages and keep up to date online on the day.

Phase 4: Event Day

It’s go time – the moment you’ve been waiting for. Stay calm, stay flexible and remember all your planning.

Use a detailed bump-in plan. Ensure signage is clear, spaces are safe, and suppliers are setting up where they need to be.

Ensure staff are briefed, signage is visible, and attendees are welcomed smoothly. This is your event’s first impression – so make sure it’s strong and seamless.

Stick to the run sheet

Have a printed and digital copy handy. Everyone, from supplier to team member, should be aligned on when things are happening. Don’t be afraid to check in and follow up if you’re unsure of how things are moving in a certain area.

Troubleshoot calmly

Something will go wrong, it’s the nature of the events beast. Stay calm, delegate, and be prepared to think on your toes, there is always a solution, and the most important thing is your attendees’ experience at this point.

Phase 5: Post-Event

The event doesn’t end on event day. To ensure a successful and well-rounded event, your post-event wrap up is just as important. Don’t stop now!

Stick to timelines and leave the venue as you found it. Thank your crew and take notes and feedback as they come.

What worked? What didn’t? Document learnings while it’s still fresh. We recommend doing a team debrief with 48 hours of the event if possible.

Thank you’s and Wrap Up’s

Sponsors, suppliers, speakers, volunteers – show appreciation and keep relationships strong. Nothing is more important that your long standing relationships in the event space.

Collect attendee feedback

Use surveys and social media to gather feedback. It’s gold for improving future events. We recommend using a platform such as Jotform, Google Forms etc to collect feedback in one clear place and make feedback easy and accessible for attendees to give.

Reconcile your budget

Finalise expenses, review supplier invoices, and track actuals vs estimates. Don’t be afraid to speak up if something seems different to what you expected.

Create a post-event report

Share successes, insights, and photos with stakeholders. This will be crucial, especially for events hoping to be held annually – as this will house all the notes for improvements to come back bigger and better each year.

 

Need Help Planning Your Next Event? 

Fruitbowl Event Agency are Australia’s trusted event specialists. From large-scale conferences to high-impact outdoor events, we know how to deliver unique, boundary pushing experiences with seamless execution  

Contact us today if you’d like help planning your next event—from concept to bump out.