An event-day checklist should confirm the venue, vendors, programme, guest list and team responsibilities before guests arrive. Each task needs an owner and a way to report a problem. The working checklist below is for the planner running the day, including the gate and guest side. It starts where the longer planning checklist ends.
Use it for a wedding reception, birthday or another private event, then remove tasks that do not apply. Agree venue safety arrangements with the people responsible; this delivery list does not replace them.
Before the team leaves for the venue
- Confirm the lead planner, deputy and contact number for each workstream.
- Share the current programme and version date.
- Confirm vendor arrival, setup and collection times against the vendor checklist.
- Check who holds the current guest list and who can approve additions.
- Confirm that scan devices, chargers and agreed connectivity arrangements are ready.
- Give each team member their role, reporting line and shift or work period.
A screenshot sent last night is not automatically the current plan. Tell the team where the approved version lives and who issues changes.
Before setup is signed off
| Area | Check | Owner to name |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | Agreed rooms and access available; venue contact identified | Venue liaison |
| Decor and furniture | Table labels and agreed layout match the seating plan | Setup lead |
| Catering | Service plan and agreed count confirmed with the caterer | Catering liaison |
| Sound and programme | MC, DJ or band have the current sequence and cues | Programme lead |
| Photography | Priority moments and contact route agreed | Media liaison |
| Guest reception | Door and seating roles allocated | Head usher |
| Access | Agreed check-in process tested with a test record | Gate lead |
| Exceptions | Named person available to decide unresolved cases | Lead planner |
Mark an item complete only after the responsible person confirms it. “The vendor should be on the way” belongs in the unresolved column.
Brief the door and ushering team
Explain the difference between checking access and showing guests to seats. Decide who does each job and how an exception leaves the queue for a decision.
Give the team the current seating plan, readable table labels and the contact who can approve changes. Tell them what to do with an unlisted name, an extra companion, a disputed table or a guest who cannot find their invitation.
Use a test record to check the scanning process before arrivals. Do not assume offline operation or multiple-device behaviour without testing the setup you will actually use. Agree a fallback with the client and venue in advance.
While the event is running
- Keep one person receiving vendor questions so the client is not the help desk.
- Track programme changes with the MC and relevant vendor lead.
- Record guest changes through the authorised owner.
- Watch the flow between the gate, seating and service areas; involve the venue's responsible staff where needed.
- Keep unresolved issues with an owner and next action.
- Record additional client requests before agreeing the extra work or spend.
If the programme moves, update everyone affected. A new time known only to the planner can still leave the caterer or photographer working from the old one.
Before the team closes the job
Confirm vendor collection, venue handover and any agreed equipment checks with the relevant owners. Record outstanding invoices, missing items and client decisions. Do not mark the whole job settled because the guests have gone home.
Prepare a short client update: attendance information available, what was delivered and what remains open. Send an event feedback form when appropriate, then assign a date for the financial close-out.
Put permissions behind the plan
On Comtev, door staff can receive scan-only access, while planners manage the guest work and client visibility separately. Invitations and QR passes connect to the event's guest list, and the client uses a private link. See how it works and how to run a team with boundaries.
The checklist is still owned by the planner. Software helps keep records and roles organised; people confirm that the room and team are ready.
FAQs
What should be on an event-day checklist?
Include team contacts, programme version, vendor arrivals, room setup, catering, guest reception, access checks, seating, exception handling and close-out actions. Name an owner for each area.
Who handles guests not on the list?
Assign a named exception owner before arrivals. Door staff should use the agreed escalation route rather than independently adding guests or changing access.
Is this the same as a wedding planning checklist?
No. A full planning checklist covers the weeks and months before the event. This one covers delivery readiness, team handover, arrivals and close-out on the day.