Developing a Timeline
An event timeline charts the progression of the tasks leading up to the event. Things that need to be tracked include the staff's arrival time, the production team's arrival time, and prep time for the kitchen. The event timeline can also refer to the sequence of events during the event itself. This would include the arrival time for guests, the timing of the courses, and the entertainment's start time.
Fact
Buffing a table is an industry term referring to polishing silver and glassware. Buffing is usually done once the table is set up to avoid fingerprints and to ensure all items are free of debris.
Timeline of Occurrences Before the Event
As the event planner you may decide to draft two timelines, one for setup, one for the event itself. Following is an example of a timeline for an event setup.
1 P.M. — BOH to arrive for setup of kitchen. BOH begins prepping menu.
4 P.M. — Rental dropoff.
4:30 P.M. — Stage and lighting team arrive.
4:45 P.M. — FOH staff arrives. Servers 1 and 2: table setup. Servers 3 and 4: linen setup. Severs 4 and 5: glasses and flatware. Bartenders to set up bar. All servers buff tables upon setup.
5 P.M. — Band arrives.
5:30 P.M. — Florist arrives with centerpieces.
5:45 P.M. — Baker arrives with cake.
6 P.M. — Band rehearsal.
6 P.M. — Completion of production. Room is completely set.
6:15 P.M. — Staff meeting.
7 P.M. — Guests arrive.
Event Timeline
The event timeline is an itinerary of the event itself. A copy of the event timeline should be discussed in advance with the client in case she would like to make changes. The event timeline should be drafted and confirmed at least one week prior to the event.
7 P.M. — Guests arrive. Servers greet guests with champagne. Band is playing.
7:15 P.M. — Hors d'oeuvres are passed.
8 P.M. — Guests are seated for dinner.
8:15 P.M. — First course is served.
8:45 P.M. — Entrée is served.
9:15 P.M. — Dessert buffet is set for self service.
9:30 P.M. — Dancing begins.
9:45 P.M. — Tables are cleared. Rentals are organized for next day pickup.
10:30 P.M. — Host needs microphone for toast.
11:30 P.M. — Favor bags are brought out and passed around.
Midnight — Band stops playing. Event ends.
By drafting a timeline for the event, you are organizing the arrival times of all your vendors. Staggering vendor arrival times organizes the use of the loading zone and relieves any parking pressure. This is especially true when working in the city where parking can be problematic.
Alert
List all vendors and staff cell phone numbers on the setup timeline. This way you will have each person's phone number in case someone is running late. Have one person be solely responsible for checking in vendors and staff if you cannot be present. This person can be an event assistant or a member of the staff.
Having a timeline allows you to keep track of when your vendors and staff arrive. The timeline will ensure all staff knows each assigned job and when tasks need to be completed. Lastly, a timeline will cue each department, from the lighting technician to the chef, as to when the next occurrence will happen in the event. This allows each department to be on mark a few minutes ahead of schedule.
