Most event problems are timing problems. The venue was booked too late, the branding arrived on the morning, nobody confirmed the generator. A checklist does not make an event good, but it stops the avoidable mistakes. This one is built for events in Kenya, with the local checks that generic lists leave out.
- Write a one-page brief before anything else: purpose, date, guests, budget, location.
- Lock the venue and the big suppliers first. Everything else depends on them.
- Build in Kenyan realities: rain seasons, traffic, licences and how suppliers get paid.
- Run a final walkthrough and a written run of show before the day.
Start with a one-page brief
Before you call a single venue, write down the answers to these. Share the page with everyone involved, including your boss and any planner you hire.
- Purpose: what should be different after the event? One sentence.
- Date: the preferred date and the acceptable alternatives.
- Guests: how many, who they are, and where they are travelling from.
- Budget: the total, and who approves spending.
- Format: conference, dinner, party, launch, team day.
- Must-haves and no-goes: things that are fixed, such as a speaker, a theme or a location.
If you are hiring help, this brief is what you send. It is also the quickest way to get comparable quotes. Our guide on choosing an event planner in Nairobi covers what to ask next.
The week-by-week checklist
These timings suit a corporate event of around 100 to 500 guests. Large conferences and December parties need more lead time. Small events can compress it.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12 weeks or more | Agree the brief and budget. Shortlist and visit venues. Decide whether to use a planner or production company. |
| 10 weeks | Book the venue and pay the deposit. Book the planner or production team. Hold the date with key speakers or guests. |
| 8 weeks | Book catering, sound and lighting, MC and entertainment. Agree the theme and design. Send save-the-dates. |
| 6 weeks | Confirm licences and approvals. Order branding, printing, trophies or gifts. Plan transport. |
| 4 weeks | Send formal invitations with registration. Draft the run of show. Confirm menus and dietary options. |
| 2 weeks | Chase RSVPs. Confirm numbers with the caterer and venue. Collect speaker presentations. Brief photographers and videographers. |
| 1 week | Final run of show. Seating plan. Supplier call sheet with names and phone numbers. Site walkthrough. |
| Day before | Load-in and build where possible. Technical rehearsal. Print guest lists and signage. |
One owner per line. Every item on the checklist should have one name next to it. “The team” is not an owner. When something slips, you need to know whose phone to ring.
Checks specific to Kenya
Weather
The long rains run roughly March to May and the short rains roughly October to December. Any outdoor element needs a covered fallback agreed with the venue in writing. A tent ordered on the morning of the event is expensive and often unavailable.
Traffic and timing
In Nairobi, an event that starts at 6pm on a weekday will see guests arriving well after. Build a buffer into the programme: drinks and networking first, formal content later. For early starts, serve breakfast and begin the first session after most people have arrived.
Licences and approvals
- Music: public performance of music is licensed through the collecting societies MCSK, KAMP and PRISK. Ask whether the venue already holds the licence.
- Venue and county: private, licensed venues usually handle their own approvals. Events on public land, street activity or large gatherings may need county approval. Ask early.
- Environment: for large outdoor events, check NEMA guidance on noise and waste.
- Alcohol: if you are selling drinks rather than serving them free, check licensing with the venue and county.
Guest data
Registration lists, phone numbers and photos of attendees are personal data under the Data Protection Act 2019. Say why you are collecting details, keep the list secure, and tell guests if they will be photographed or filmed.
Payments
Many suppliers in Kenya are paid by M-Pesa or bank transfer. Agree payment terms in writing, get receipts that show the supplier’s name, and avoid paying everything up front. Keep a running payment log next to the budget.
The day before and the day itself
The day before
- Confirm load-in times with every supplier by phone, not just message.
- Check the build: stage, screens, sound and lighting tested with real presentations and microphones.
- Walk the guest route from the gate to the seat. Check signage, lighting and toilets.
- Print the run of show, supplier call sheet and guest list. Phones die.
On the day
- One person runs the show from the run of show. Everyone else reports to them.
- Registration is open and staffed before the first guest arrives.
- Someone is responsible for VIPs and speakers: greeting, briefing, getting them to the stage on time.
- A backup plan is ready for rain, power and a missing speaker.
- Transport home is confirmed before the party starts.
After the event
- Pay suppliers on the agreed terms and close the budget against actual spend.
- Send thank-you messages to guests, speakers and partners within a few days.
- Share photos and video, with consent where needed.
- Hold a short debrief: what worked, what did not, and what to change next time. Write it down for whoever plans the next one.
If you are budgeting a planner’s time into this, our breakdown of how much event planners charge in Kenya explains the common fee models. For larger productions, see how to compare event management companies in Kenya.
Want someone to own the checklist?
Send us your brief. We will turn it into a plan with owners and dates, and run the event from load-in to the last guest leaving.
Quick answers
How far in advance should I start planning an event in Kenya?
For a corporate event of a few hundred guests, about three months is comfortable. For December parties and large conferences, start earlier.
What should I book first?
The venue, then the planner or production team, then catering and sound. Most other decisions depend on those.
Do I need a licence to play music at an event?
Public performance of music is licensed through MCSK, KAMP and PRISK. Many venues hold the licence already, so ask before you arrange your own.
What is a run of show?
A minute-by-minute script of the event that lists what happens, who is responsible and what cues are needed. Everyone on the team works from the same copy.
