The Best Party Planning Checklist You Need to Follow

Why use a checklist when planning a party?

Planning a party doesn’t need to be a stress-inducing experience causing sleepless nights of anxiety dreams. With the best checklist for party planning in your toolkit, you can breathe easy and focus more on what you do best—host events that attendees love (and enjoy your party as much as your guests).

Our free party planning checklist helps you and your team get results with the following:

• Ensuring that every “to-do” or actionable task, regardless of how small, recorded in a spreadsheet or paper helps to establish a sequence or timeline to achieve your planning goals and execute your party ideas.

• Staying organized, disciplined, and aligned with the roadmap—from picking the right event date and venue all the way to check-in and registration.

• Capturing every detail from A through Z and avoiding the likelihood that anything gets lost in the process.

Every checklist for party planning is different depending on the size, scope, theme, venue, etc. To best determine what you will need to factor into your unique party planning checklist, we suggest considering the big picture first. Then, as you move forward, drilling down into each of the details.

Here are some additional questions to help get you started in the initial phase of developing your winning strategy:

• How many people are estimated to be included on the invite list?

• What type of venue will be in play to accommodate that number of guests?

• What price range are you envisioning for tickets?

• How early will you need to book the talent (entertainment, chef, bartender)? Are these people in high demand and/or short supply in your area?

• Will the party also incorporate a virtual component for those that cannot attend in person?

What a party planning checklist should include

To ensure that your party reaches its full potential, you’ll be expected to successfully bring a vision from your client to fruition through a little creativity, a little imagination, and a lot of hard work and perseverance.

Party plans can be formatted to best meet your unique needs and comfort with different platforms. These can include a printable party planning checklist, a Google doc party planning checklist, or a Microsoft Excel party planning checklist.

Here’s a snapshot of the essential action items that can be included in your checklist for party planning:

• Meeting with clients to establish and refine realistic goals and objectives
• Selecting a theme
• Developing an initial budget
• Prospecting and selecting a venue
• Negotiating venue contracts
• Hiring outside vendors and negotiating vendor contracts
• Determining the food and beverage menu options
• Hiring food and beverage services and any required support staff (bartenders, waiters, etc)
• Hiring the talent (entertainment, speakers, etc)
• Coordinating transportation, parking, valet services, etc.
• Creating and sending invitations
• Managing attendee responses, special requests, etc.
• Serving as the event manager on-site, as the primary point of contact

Party checklist for big parties

Developing a large party checklist can be intimidating. Getting started early on developing your list of actionable items can help relieve some of the stress or anxiety. How early really depends on the scale and purpose/theme of the party, yet we would suggest initiating your workflow 6 months in advance.

If you’re planning a larger party, we can help get you started on your path to success. Here’s what your large party checklist should include:

3-6 months before the party:

• Scope out options for the date and time of your party. The earlier, the better, as some popular venues can be booked out 6-12 months in advance
• Determine a sensible budget based on data, not emotion. Use value-based pricing to help determine the right ticket price, which will cover our costs and deliver a profit, as well
• Book the event venue that fits your budget and meets your unique requirements
• Hire your party talent/entertainment and food and beverage service providers
• Start building out your invitation list. It’s okay to invite more people than capacity allows, as no-shows are consistently around 15-20%

1-3 months before the party:

• Choose a theme that attracts and engages your target audience
• Create a unique party design aesthetic that fits your theme and resonates with your attendees
• Send out your invitations and/or RSVPs
• Plan the activities that bring your party planning ideas to fruition and secure any required supplies
• Hire support staff, as needed
• Secure your party check-in, registration, ticketing, and guest services software solutions
• Launch your promotional campaigns to get the word out and create buzz
• Tour your party venue to ensure it provides what you will need, especially critical resources like parking and handicap access for your guests

Party checklist for dinner parties

Here is a step-by-step guide to planning dinner parties that your guests will love (and you will actually get to partake in):

1 month up to 1 week before the party:

• Scope out various options for the date and time of your party and choose one based on feedback regarding availability of your guests
• Choose a theme for the dinner
• Plan out your menu and cooking schedule
• Determine a sensible budget based on number of guests and courses
• Create a unique party design aesthetic that fits your theme
• Send out your invitations
• Hire your support staff and food and beverage service providers, if needed
• Confirm your rental equipment, such as additional chairs or tables, if needed
• Create a final shopping list that includes everything you may need
• Plan out your parking or valet service, assuming every guest drives their own vehicle
• Double check all of the minor details and supplies, from place cards to toilet paper…and everything in between

Organizing a bachelor party on a budget

Of all the organizer’s duties, coming up with great ideas for a bachelor party that won’t break the bank is one of the most challenging.

You are the one everyone is going to look to create an unforgettable weekend, while at the same time, ensuring that this event is affordable for every guest. Because not everyone has the same level of discretionary income for a back-to-back VIP bottle service experience in the hottest clubs. You don’t want to see anyone unable to attend due to the financial commitment being required of them.

To help keep the budget under control and within reason for all attendees, you can incorporate some of the following activities on one of the two nights:

• A fun make-your-own meal with an easy trip to the grocery store

• Skip the bar or club and make your own drinks

• Set up a card game and save yourself the inevitable gambling losses at the tables

Party planned: check.

As you and your teamwork through the process of creating and executing a party planning checklist, you’ll discover additional tasks specific to your party.

Make sure that you save your party planning checklist spreadsheet as a template for the next party you will plan. It’s a work in progress or living document that will be refined with each party you plan and host. Before you know it, you’ll become a subject matter expert in your space.

Bonus points

Eventbrite’s planning guides contain inspirational templates, tools, and seamless integrations for party planners like you, which eliminates the guesswork.

Start saving valuable time and free yourself to do what you do best: Host unforgettable live experiences and be the life of the party!

For a deeper dive into how to plan and throw a party, you can download Eventbrite’s free printable party planning checklist kit.