What to Send an Event Planner: Your First-Enquiry Checklist
September 23, 2026 · 3 min read · The Maple Events Team
Use this first-enquiry checklist to brief an event planner: date, venue, guests, budget, priorities, and the planning support you need.
Send your event type, preferred date, location, approximate guest count, budget, and the support you need. Include anything already booked and identify the person who can approve decisions. You can begin even if some details are still undecided.
Explain the occasion and the people attending
Start with what you are celebrating or trying to achieve. For a private event, describe the guest of honour and the atmosphere you want. For a company event, explain the audience and the purpose of the gathering.
Add the approximate guest count, age mix where relevant, and any access or dietary considerations already known. You do not need to send a full guest list for an initial enquiry.
Share the date and location flexibility
Give a confirmed date if you have one, or a short range if you are flexible. State whether the venue is booked, being shortlisted, or still undecided. Include the preferred area and any reason the location matters.
For an event across Guelph, Wellington County, or Waterloo Region, mention whether guests or suppliers will move between locations. Travel and access can affect both the schedule and the coordination work.
Say what the budget covers
State whether your number is the entire event budget or only the amount set aside for planning, décor, or coordination. Mention major costs already committed, such as a venue deposit or catering booking.
If you are unsure, say so. A useful first discussion can identify which choices need estimates before you set a final budget. Avoid describing a budget as fixed while leaving its scope unclear.
List what is booked and what still needs an owner
Make two short lists. The first contains confirmed arrangements; the second contains tasks you need help with. A planner can then see whether you need full planning, supplier coordination, décor, or support on the day.
For existing bookings, share the supplier name, service, contact, and key deadline when appropriate. Do not send payment details or unnecessary personal information through an initial contact form.
Choose a small set of useful references
A few images or links with short notes are easier to interpret than an unfiltered folder. Explain the colours, mood, layout, or detail you like. Say what you do not want as well.
If several people will approve the design or spending, identify one contact who can gather their feedback. This keeps decisions consistent and helps everyone know when a choice is final.
Copy this simple brief
Occasion and objective: [what we are planning]. Date or date range: [preferred timing]. Location: [venue or area]. Guests: [approximate count]. Budget: [amount and what it includes]. Already booked: [confirmed suppliers]. Support needed: [tasks]. Priorities: [the three things that matter most].
Use that outline in your enquiry to The Maple Events. We can start with the information you have and discuss the next decisions together. You do not need a finished plan before you ask for help.
Questions before you book
What if I do not know my budget yet?
Say that in your enquiry and share your priorities and guest count. The initial discussion can help identify what needs pricing.
Should I attach contracts to the first message?
Start with a summary of the bookings. Share relevant agreements later through a suitable channel when the planning scope requires them.
Turn the plan into a celebration.
Share your date, location, guest count, and the tasks you need help with.
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