Introduction to Event Planning

Ant ScottSocieties Officer

Introduction & Context

• An Event Planning Pack must be completed for any and every event/social where there is some element of financial (selling tickets), reputational (external speakers) or physical (breathing fire) risk.

• Events cannot go ahead, and expenditure will not be permitted on events that have not been passed through this process.

• I ran on a manifesto to cut bureaucracy, so this process may be simplified by the time you go through it.

Event Planning Packs• Event Planning Packs can be found here.

• You must complete all forms in the pack (usually 3-4 of them).

• Completed packs should be submitted to Indy.Sanghera@warwicksu.com and saved in a “Handover folder” on your computer to pass to next year’s exec.

• Once submitted, Indy will call you in for a meeting with the Event Planning Committee where questions will be asked and the pack may be approved.

Documents within the Pack

• Planning Pack

• Financial Planner

• Event Ticketing Form

• External Guest Speaker Form (where appropriate)

• Tech Hire Request Form (where appropriate)

• Trip Registration Form (where appropriate)

The Planning Pack• Basic details required for the front page

• If you lack information for any of the fields, email

Indy.Sanghera@warwicksu.com before submitting

• For some packs there will be a checklist on the

second page. Follow this through step-by-step

and you can’t go wrong!

• Risk Assessment is the most important part.

The Financial Planner• The bit with all the numbers!

• Take notes!

The Financial Planner• Does the event break even at 65%?

• Is sponsorship money confirmed?

• Are society funds acceptable for no. of attendees?

• Is there a minimum number? Golden question!

• Can you cut costs? o Student band performing (Big Band)?

o Cheaper menu

o Don’t print tickets

o Reduce decorations budget

The Financial Planner• Is travel included as a fixed cost? (It’s not a variable cost).

• Have you set aside enough money to publicise the event?

• Have you factored in security/stewarding costs?

• What are the “other entertainments”?

• No gift for the organisers!

• Maximum of half bottle of wine per person for balls

• Good practice to include a contingency in the budget

The Financial Planner• Have you run the event before?

• What was attendance like last year?

• If you have increased capacity, then how has

attendance been at your other events this year?

• Does the date clash with any other big events?o Can check this in the Resources Room

• Finally; is the ticket price acceptable for what you

are providing?

Event Ticketing Form• Needs to be completed where tickets are being sold on

the SU website.

• Create the Event beforehand using the Admin Tools.

• NEED account name and codeo Contact Indy.Sanghera@warwicksu.com if you don’t know them

• Include any special requests (do you want purchasers to

give their dietary requirements upon purchase? etc.).

• Return to vas.stylianos@warwicksu.com

• 5 days before sale date!

Other Forms• Other Forms in the pack are straight forward.

• Any questions on the process, contact Indy.Sanghera@warwicksu.com

Other tipsQuotes• It is important to obtain quotes for all aspects of the event and to

include them in the pack.• BUT you must not make any financial commitments.

VAT• When getting quotes, don’t forget to find out if your quote includes

VAT.

Contracts• It is also important that you do not sign any contracts before

your event has been approved, and certainly don’t pay any deposits.

• If the Event Planning Committee hasn’t signed off your event, you could end up personally liable for the costs because you signed!

Other tipsDeadlines• Balls – Week 8 of Term One • Tours – Week 8 of Term One (or a whole term

before)• Trips – 4 weeks before• Summits, Festivals and Forums – Week 8 of Term

One (or a whole term before).

• The Event Planning Committee meet on Tuesdays 2pm-3:30pm and Wednesdays 10am-11am

Introduction to Event Planning

End of session

Note down and questions you may have now, and we’ll have time to go through them during the last session.