Having an event schedule is an integral part of any event planning process. The type of events that go off without a hitch and keep guests talking about the night months later are the ones that are well planned and transparent. Whether you are planning a bachelor or bachelorette party, a corporate retreat, wedding weekend, or a three-day festival bender with your friends, Guestboard is here to help take the stress and guesswork out of the planning process.
Guestboard is a free, customizable event platform and communication tool designed with groups in mind. Some of the top reasons to use Guestboard for your next event schedule include:
- Capability to plan single day or multi-day events
- Intuitive, easy to use interface
- Manage attendees in one place
- Centralized platform keeps everyone in the know
- Additional built-in widgets make planning even easier
Why You Need an Event Schedule
Think back to some of the best events you have attended in the past—whether it was a conference or a festival or a long wedding weekend. Despite having entirely different purposes, chances are, what made these events so great is that you knew exactly where to be, and when you should be there. Imagine showing up to a music festival without any idea of what time certain bands are playing and on what stage. Or receiving a wedding invitation for an out of town wedding that only tells you to arrive at 6:00 PM. Wouldn’t you like to know when the actual ceremony starts? Or is 6:00 PM a welcome cocktail hour? Who knows? Your guess is as good as anyone else’s.
When people attend events, conferences, or weddings, they want to know the flow of the day. Nobody likes to wander around aimlessly, wondering if they are doing what they are supposed to be doing or worrying that they are missing something. It is important to remember that an event schedule isn’t just important for you as the planner—event schedules are important for everyone involved, most notably your guests. Do your guests a kindness by creating a well thought out event schedule that will seamlessly guide them through the day’s events.
When to Start Planning Your Event Schedule
The amount of time in advance you’ll need to create your event schedule depends on what type of event you are planning.
Large conventions and music festivals should be started a year in advance, but there is more flexibility when it comes to smaller events. Those smaller events such as a bachelor or bachelorette party, an annual girl’s weekend, or a camping trip can be planned 2-3 months in advance to allow time for brainstorming activities with the group as well as score the best deals on flights and accommodations.
If you are planning a wedding, you will need to create an event schedule early on in the planning process, likely soon after you’ve booked a venue and will need to start coordinating musicians, caterers, florists, etc. Because weddings require early planning, do your guests a favor by letting them know the order of events when you have it sorted out. If your wedding involves out of town guests, create an event schedule six months in advance so the guests can start coordinating their flights and travel time, as well as their accommodation.
How to Use Guestboard to Create Your Event Schedule
Guestboard utilizes a centralized platform that allows users to create a paperless event schedule, manage attendance, and share relevant details with the group before, during, and after the event. The platform is created with a sleek and minimalistic design that is so easy and intuitive to use that anyone involved will have no trouble whatsoever navigating.
To help with your event schedule, Guestboard offers an integrated scheduling widget that is perfect for planning out your event. It’s simple—navigate the schedule tab and tap on “add schedule item.” A new form will appear where you can enter the event title, i.e., cocktail hour, as well as the date and the time of the event. After the event is saved, it will appear on an easy to read timeline, where you can continue to add more events to the schedule.
Planning a long wedding weekend? Guestboard’s schedule allows you to not only create multiple events in one day, but over multiple days as well. Easily share the Friday evening details regarding the rehearsal dinner, let attendees know the plan of events for the wedding on Saturday, and organize and communicate plans for a post-wedding Sunday brunch. The multi-day scheduling widget works brilliantly for other event schedules as well, such as weekend conferences, music festivals, and corporate retreats.
Other Useful Widgets for Your Event
While nailing down an event schedule is the most likely the biggest hurdle to tackle during any sort of event planning, there are plenty of other useful widgets on Guestboard that can also help keep the planning process smooth sailing from start to finish.
After you’ve created your event schedule, you can view the guest list to see who else has RSVP’d and who you may need to re-contact. Your attendees can also use the messaging widget to create individualized threads to coordinate further details. Find a great flight deal? Easily share it with the group. Want to coordinate a carpool to and from the airport and the event? The messaging board allows all users to jump into the conversation—all in one handy and convenient place.
Another useful widget beyond the event schedule and integrated messaging is the checklist widget. If you’re planning an event with a group such as a weekend camping adventure or three-day music festival, you can create an interactive group checklist to ensure the group brings all the necessary items for the best experience. Instead of showing up with all spoons and no knives or all sleeping bags and no tents, the entire group will be on par from the very beginning.
No matter what type of event you have on the horizon, Guestboard is here to help. Ready to get started building your event schedule? Create your free event board.