Corporate Event Planning Checklist, with a Run of Show Template
Launches, client dinners, conferences and awards nights all follow the same backbone. What to do, in what order, and the one document that holds the day together.
By Sharonelle, Founder & Events Director
· 4 min read
1. Write the brief
Most corporate events go wrong because nobody wrote down what success looks like. Agree these with stakeholders before booking anything:
- Objective: launch a product, thank clients, reward a team, share results
- Audience: who's coming, and what they expect
- Numbers: invited, and expected to attend
- Date and time, with alternatives
- Budget, and what it has to cover
- Sign-off: who approves the venue, menu, branding and guest list
- Brand requirements, and anything that must not happen
2. Work back from the date
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 3 to 6 months before | Brief agreed, budget set, venue shortlisted and booked |
| 2 to 4 months before | Catering, AV and production, décor and entertainment booked; save-the-dates sent |
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Invitations and registration open; speakers and presenters confirmed |
| 4 weeks before | Menu finalised, dietary requirements collected, branding and signage signed off |
| 2 weeks before | Run of show drafted and shared; supplier arrival times confirmed |
| 1 week before | Final numbers, seating plan, name badges and guest list; site visit or walkthrough |
| On the day | Setup, rehearsal, delivery, clear-down |
| Within a week after | Supplier invoices, guest follow-up and debrief |
Christmas parties and summer events book up fast, so venues for December are often secured in spring or summer.
3. Choose the venue
- Capacity for your format: seated dinner, theatre-style or standing reception
- Location and transport links for your guests
- AV and technical facilities, and whether you can bring your own
- Catering rules: in-house only, approved list, or your own caterer
- Access times for setup and the latest finish
- Accessibility for every guest
- Minimum spend, hire fees and what's included
If you'd like help finding and negotiating a venue, see venue finding.
4. Book and brief suppliers
- Catering and drinks: format, menu, dietary needs and service style. See our corporate catering guide
- AV and production: sound, screens, lighting, staging, presenter support
- Décor and branding: signage, step-and-repeat, table design
- Entertainment: hosts, music, performers
- Photography and video, if you'll use content afterwards
- Staffing: registration, cloakroom, security
Give every supplier the same brief and the same contact person, and get quotes in writing with what's included.
5. Manage guests
- Invitations with clear date, time, address, dress code and how to RSVP
- Registration that collects dietary needs and accessibility requirements
- Reminders a week and a day before
- Name badges, seating plans and a guest list at the door
- A plan for VIPs and speakers: arrival, greeting and where they sit
6. Build the run of show
The run of show is the minute-by-minute plan for the day. Every supplier should work from the same version. A simple template:
| Time | What happens | Where | Who's responsible | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | Supplier access and setup begins | Main room | Event manager | Loading bay booked |
| 16:30 | AV and lighting check, presenter rehearsal | Stage | AV lead | Slides final by 15:00 |
| 18:00 | Staff briefing | Back of house | Event manager | Dietary list shared |
| 18:30 | Guests arrive, drinks and canapés | Reception area | Front of house | Registration desk open |
| 19:30 | Guests seated, welcome from host | Main room | Host | Doors closed for welcome |
| 19:40 | Starter served | Main room | Catering lead | |
| 20:30 | Awards, part one | Stage | Host and AV | Service paused |
| 21:00 | Main course served | Main room | Catering lead | |
| 22:00 | Awards, part two, then dessert | Stage | Host | |
| 22:30 | Bar and music | Main room | DJ and bar | |
| 00:00 | Event ends, clear-down | All | Event manager | Venue curfew 00:30 |
7. On the day, and after
- One event manager in charge, with every supplier's mobile number
- A walkthrough before guests arrive
- A contingency plan for late speakers, AV failure, weather and lower or higher numbers
- A debrief within a week: what worked, what didn't, and final costs against budget
If you'd rather hand it over, Nelle plans and runs corporate events across London and the Home Counties, with complete discretion, from the brief to the debrief.
Questions answered
How far in advance should you plan a corporate event?
Two to four months for most events, longer for large conferences and awards nights. Christmas party venues are often booked in spring or summer.
What is a run of show?
A minute-by-minute plan of the event day, showing what happens, where, and who's responsible. Every supplier works from the same version, so timings stay in step.
What should a corporate event brief include?
The objective, audience, numbers, date, budget, who signs off decisions, brand requirements, and anything that must not happen.