Ever been in charge of a big event where everyone and their cousin seems to have an opinion on how things should go? Planning an event by committee sounds nice in theory, but in practice, it can turn into a real headache—we’ve seen it all.
You’ve got twenty committee members in pre-production meetings, all chiming in, no one quite sure who’s in charge of what. Next thing you know, on the big day, someone from the client’s team is asking the AV folks for changes on the fly, and we’re scrambling to figure out if they’re even allowed to make that call.
In this post, we’ll break down some tried-and-true ways to keep things under control: designating clear roles, setting up one go-to decision-maker, and giving vendors the green light to stick to the plan even when last-minute requests come in. With a little structure, you can turn that committee chaos into a smooth, well-oiled operation—it makes all the difference.
Let's be real: committees are great for bringing in ideas, but when it comes to execution? They can make a mess of things. When you've got a crowd of committee members—some of who barely know each other—all weighing in on every little decision, it's no wonder things go sideways. The first step is to narrow down who actually has a say and get clear on their roles. It'll save everyone's sanity.
That's not to say that event committees have no place in planning. They are particularly valuable for feedback and for brainstorming ideas. Ten people will always come up with more possibilities than one person. For that same reason, it's better to leave final decisions for events in the hands of one person, for one person can only make one decision at a time. Use committee meetings to plan things far in advance, such as the program event theme, rather than making crucial last-minute decisions.
Want to make life easier for everyone? Start with a simple contact list. Break it down by department or responsibility, and make sure it's clear who's in charge of what. This goes for everyone, from the client team to the vendors—AV, decor, the whole crew. This list should be your go-to so that when decisions need to be made, there's no scrambling to figure out who to ask.
One way to take care of this is to start by making a list of the most critical tasks and problems that need to be taken care of. For each of them, you should know exactly who is responsible.
This one is key. You need one main event coordinator (yes, just one!) to funnel all the big decisions through. Otherwise, you're going to end up with ten different people giving ten different directions, and trust us, that doesn't end well. Having a single decision-maker cuts down on mixed messages and gives everyone a clear line of authority. This is your 'go-to' person who can give a final yes or no without a dozen people weighing in.
The key word here, though, is "big" decisions. While it's great to have a point person to keep things moving, you also don't want to bog them down with a lot of small details. If every team and committee member has their own precisely delineated role, they can take care of their responsibilities independently. When big picture items are unclear, or the way that different aspects of the event need to work together, that's when you should consult your point person.
Once the event kicks off, things can happen fast. If someone from the client team pops over to the tech table with a last-minute demand, you don't want your AV team wondering if they should follow it or not. That's why it's crucial to have a pecking order and make sure everyone knows it. Do a quick briefing before the event—remind the whole crew who's responsible for what, and let your vendors know they can punch back on changes that don't fit the plan unless the right people approve it.
Clients sometimes need last-minute changes, but you should have a clear idea of how last minute is acceptable. We get slide edits or walk-in music requests up to the moment the house lights dim; and sometimes in the middle of the presentation! When communication is clearly conveyed between the correct people, the team knows how to handle it.
Your vendors are pros, but they need backup from you to keep things on track. Let them know it's okay to double-check last-minute requests or say no to things that go against the original plan. Give them the authority to do their jobs without having to guess if the latest request is legit or just someone stepping out of line. A little clarity goes a long way toward a smooth event.
Your event hinges on the people running it. They are the ones who make the magic happen, after all. But if the people are disorganized, the whole thing runs into chaos.
Fortunately, events are not like whole countries. They are typically limited in time and space and include a fixed schedule of activities. This means that they need not be as democratic, and in fact a high degree of authority can ensure that things run as planned.
Be sure to nail down who is in charge, pick a point person to keep things moving, set ground rules for on-site authority, and empower your vendors to stick to the plan, no matter what.