After 250 events a year, we've seen every way a good plan can wobble. Most pitfalls share one root cause: timings agreed too late. Here are the three we fix most often — and how to avoid them from the start.
1. The vanishing setup window
Suppliers stacked in the same hour, the venue running late, guests arriving to a half-built room. The fix is boring and effective: a single run-sheet with load-in times agreed two weeks out, and one person — your coordinator — empowered to resequence on the day.
2. The headcount drift
Final numbers arriving 48 hours before, or twenty extra chairs needed at dessert. Build a 5% buffer into catering and seating from the beginning, and set one RSVP deadline that actually means something. We confirm final counts seven days out and flex within the buffer free of charge.
3. The weather gamble
Outdoor ceremonies without a plan B are the bravest decision in events. Book the marquee or covered backup at the same time as the venue — not the week before, when prices double and availability halves.
Avoid all three at once: hire a coordinator and hand over the worrying.