If you’ve ever wrapped an event and thought, “Why did no one tell the AV team the MC was roaming?” or “How did catering not know about the VIP dietary requirements?” then this blog is for you.
Supplier issues rarely come down to bad suppliers (unless you haven’t done your due diligence in selecting them!). Most of the time, it’s a briefing problem.
Clear event supplier management isn’t glamorous. But it’s the difference between an event that runs smoothly and one that leaves the event planner with little to no hair left.
This is your no-nonsense guide to briefing suppliers properly and a practical event supplier management checklist you can actually use.
Why event supplier management matters more than people think
Events rely on people who don’t all work together every day. AV, catering, staging, florals, security, entertainers, venues, the list goes on! All separate businesses, all interpreting your event through their own lens.
Your job is to align them.
When suppliers aren’t briefed properly, you’ll see it fast:
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Conflicting bump-in times
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Missing equipment (“but I thought you were bringing that” moments)
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Awkward pauses in the run sheet
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Suppliers asking questions on the day that should’ve been answered weeks ago
And once you’re on-site, it’s too late to fix most of it without stress.
Good supplier management is proactive. It’s also a risk management tool, something we cover in more detail in our risk management blog.
The most common briefing mistake we see
Sending one generic email with an attachment and assuming everyone reads it the same way (or at all!).
They don’t.
Each supplier needs:
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Relevant information FOR THEM
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Context
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Clear expectations
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Confirmation that they understand their role
Briefing isn’t about volume. No one wants to receive 100 emails about the same event. It’s about clarity.
The event supplier management checklist (the essentials)
This checklist works whether you’re managing three suppliers or thirty.
1. Start with the big picture
Every supplier should understand:
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The purpose of the event
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The audience
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The tone (formal, relaxed, celebratory, corporate-but-not-boring)
If a supplier doesn’t understand why the event exists, they’ll make assumptions and assumptions cause problems.
One short paragraph is enough. But include it.
2. Define their scope. Precisely.
Be uncomfortably clear.
Instead of:
“AV to provide sound and screens”
Say:
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Number of microphones (handheld, lapel, backup)
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Who controls slides
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Whether videos have sound
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Who presses play and when
If something sits outside their scope, say so. Silence creates grey areas. Grey areas create tension. And this usually ends you back with that “but I thought you were doing that” conversation.
3. Lock in timings (and explain dependencies)
Suppliers don’t just need their timings. They need to know how they fit around everyone else.
Include:
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Bump-in and bump-out times (and make sure these have been thought through – AV can’t set up under a marquee that hasn’t been built yet!)
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Access restrictions (bridges, height restrictions, tight corners, stairs etc)
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Rehearsals or sound checks
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What happens if something runs late
This is where your run sheet becomes gold. If you haven’t already, our run sheet blog from last month breaks this down in detail.
And of course suppliers should receive the run sheet. Not just the client.
4. Name the decision-makers
On-the-day confusion usually sounds like:
“I thought someone else approved that.”
Avoid it by clearly stating:
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Who signs off changes
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Who suppliers report to on-site
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Who has final say if timing shifts
One point of contact. No guessing. It’s also important that you ask the supplier for their “Contact on the day” and their mobile number. Not only does this help you with who to call if something changes, it also tells the event manager who to contact on day for approvals.
5. Confirm logistics (don’t assume venues have it covered)
Never assume the venue has told suppliers everything.
Spell out:
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Loading dock access
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Lift sizes
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Power availability
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Storage areas
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Curfews and noise restrictions
You’d be surprised how many issues come down to “no one mentioned that”. Especially when it comes to access!
6. Document, then reconfirm
A proper briefing isn’t finished when you send the email.
It’s finished when:
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The supplier confirms receipt
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Questions are asked (this is a good sign)
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Details are reconfirmed closer to the event
We always recommend a final confirmation check-in 5–7 days out. Not to rehash everything just to make sure nothing has shifted and everyone understands what they need to do.
7. Build strong relationships
This one may possibly be the most important one of all! Do your research when investigating new suppliers and take the time to build a solid relationship with them. Over time you will get to know how they work and vice versa so it becomes clearer to you if there is something “out of the ordinary” you need them to be aware of. We have suppliers we have been working with for 10years (Kozi & Pinky Entertainment we’re talking about you!) and we value those relationships just as much as we value our client relationships.
We hold our supplier relationships in high regard and always try to ensure we respond even when the booking doesn’t go ahead. They took the time to quote you and no-one likes to be ghosted but this is a step that is often overlooked. Ensure you keep the lines of communication open and it will reward you in ways you don’t expect.
Why briefing is part of risk management
Poor supplier briefing increases risk. Full stop.
From safety concerns to reputational damage, unclear instructions leave too much to chance. That’s why supplier management should always be linked back to your broader event risk planning.
If something goes wrong, the question becomes:
“Was this foreseeable?”
Most of the time, it was. Events can take a lot of pre-planning and effort – it only takes one supplier not doing what they were asked to do to ruin it all!
The reality: event supplier management takes time
And attention.
And follow-up.
Which is exactly why it’s one of the first things to fall apart when teams are stretched, timelines are tight, or events are layered on top of already full workloads. That’s where experienced event management makes a measurable difference. Not just on the day, but weeks before anyone arrives on site.
Final thoughts
Good suppliers want to deliver well. They want clarity. They want to know they’re set up for success.
A strong event supplier management checklist doesn’t just protect your event. It improves relationships, reduces stress, and leads to better outcomes across the board.
And that’s something everyone wins from.
Need someone to manage your suppliers end-to-end? Let’s Chat.
