6 Common Event Planning Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to planning an event, it’s important to make a list and check it twice. There are a ton of fun creative checklist items involved in creating a special event experience for your guests, but it’s important to keep the less glamorous event logistics in mind too. Ignoring or overlooking details that may seem small can end up creating unexpected chaos on the big day. 

After putting together a fabulous event, you don’t want to get caught off guard by avoidable mistakes or unexpected hiccups. Here are 6 commonly forgotten event planning to-dos to ensure your next event runs smoothly:

1. Parking

Always be sure to keep in mind the parking situation when planning your big event. Perhaps there’s plenty of street parking when you visit the venue in the afternoon, but that may not be the case in the evening. Consider hiring a valet service if you aren’t working in a venue that has ample dedicated parking. 

Even if you do hire valet, make sure they have a plan for where they’ll be parking cars (this seems obvious, but you’d be surprised). Ensure they have access to a nearby lot with spaces dedicated to your guests’ cars and enough people staffed to keep things moving along quickly. We also recommend researching events in the neighborhood that evening, just in case Beyonce is playing down the street or there’s a convention in town on the same night. There’s nothing worse than a crowd of guests who arrive grumpy after circling the block for ages!

2. Permits & Insurance

No matter the event, we always recommend getting liquid liability event insurance to protect yourself in the event of an emergency or unexpected challenge. You’ll also want to be sure you have the proper permits in place, especially if your event is outside on city property. For example, if you’re hosting an event on Chicago lakefront, you’ll need a special event permit from the city. Fierce recommends using EventHelper.com to easily secure the coverage you need. (Or hire us, and we’ll handle this for you!)

3. Garbage

You remembered the plates, napkins, and toothpicks, but where does all the trash go? If you’re throwing a party at home, make sure to have plenty of trash bins around your event space as well as easy access to new trash bags for when the time comes. The easier it is for your guests to get to the trash cans, the less trash there will be left around behind them.

If you’re throwing a party at an event space, it’s important to consider what the venue rules are for garbage. Some venues have strict recycling rules, which is important to consider in advance. Keep in mind that most full service catering companies will handle trash disposal for you. If you need help securing your catering team, Fierce Productions has a deep rolodex of catering partners to connect you with.

4. Load in / load out 

Throwing an event often requires you to bring lots of stuff, from the food to chairs, to the flowers, to your personal details like card boxes, table numbers, family pictures and decor. Make sure you know all the details of how to get that stuff into the building and into your event space. We recommend coordinating time slots for your vendors to ensure a smooth load in and load out process. If you hire professional vendors they will know what questions to ask like “how big is the elevator?” Friends or family won’t know to ask these questions and may show up on the day of the event with the DIY backdrop you made in your garage and find that it doesn’t fit in the elevator or door.

Make sure to check your venue’s contract to see what times you can enter your event space. Some venues will let you have access early in the day but most venues only give you 2-3 hours of set up the day of your event. Hiring professionals vendors and a planner will ensure that everything gets set up on time and that you actually enjoy your day instead of worrying about whether your sister delivered your cake on time. 

5. Signage

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the decor and forget all about the practical elements that need to be incorporated. Consider in advance what kind of informational or directional signage would be helpful for your event - don’t get stuck writing a ‘gifts’ or ‘take a selfie and paste it in our guestbook’ or ‘Wifi Password is..’ sign by hand. 

Ask if your venue has signs that they have used before. If not, websites like Zola or Etsy have great templates you can use or custom options. These custom options are limited so working with a business that is specifically focused on stationery is the best way to bring out your special vision. Your planner can help you find a great vendor to bring your vision to life!

6. Emergency Kit

There are lots of possible emergencies that could come up during your event that you won’t be able to plan for or prevent, so it’s important that you plan for what you can control. Given that, here is a list of emergency items you should always have on hand. Fierce Productions always comes prepared with a fully stocked emergency kit: 

• Phone chargers, portable

• First aid kit

• Tape (every kind you can imagine)

• Scissors

• Pain reliever

• Wine key

• Fashion tape 

• Tampons

• Floral tape and pins 

• Lint roller

• Bobby pins

• Stain remover 

• Tissues

• Pens/Markers

• And more!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the little details, Fierce Productions is here for you! We’ll handle all the details big and small, so you can enjoy the party too. Book a free consultation by filling out our contact form or call us at 872-588-1542 to learn more!