Off-site event checklist: from booking to getting the glasses back

An off-site event goes without surprises when each phase has its own short list and one person responsible for it. Below are eight phases, from booking to follow-up, with items you can copy into your own template.

How to use it: every item is one action you can tick off. Each phase has a single owner, even if several people do the work.

Phase 1. Booking: what to lock in when the client confirms

A booking is confirmed when the client has approved the quote and paid the deposit, not when they say "yes, let's do it".

• [ ] Date, bar start and finish time
• [ ] Venue: address, name, venue manager's contact
• [ ] Estimated guest count (final number 5–7 days before)
• [ ] Format: all-inclusive per guest, pay per consumption, hourly bartender
• [ ] Package or menu outline
• [ ] Quote approved by the client in writing
• [ ] Deposit received (often 30–50%)
• [ ] Terms: overtime per hour, breakage and losses, cancellation
• [ ] Client contact and a second contact (coordinator, planner)
• [ ] Date blocked in the team calendar

For how to put together a quote that clients approve quickly, see How to write a catering quote.

Phase 2. Two weeks out: details and logistics

Two weeks out, close every question whose answer will not change before the day.

With the client:

• [ ] Final menu and number of drinks
• [ ] Alcohol-free options, special requests, allergies
• [ ] Day timeline: welcome drinks, dinner, speeches, cake, last orders
• [ ] Extras: champagne tower, coffee station, welcome wall, shots
• [ ] Who confirms the final guest count, and by when

With the venue:

• [ ] Bar position and counter size
• [ ] Power: sockets nearby, load capacity
• [ ] Water: where to fill and where to drain
• [ ] Ice: is there a freezer, or do we bring it
• [ ] Access, unloading, lift, setup access time
• [ ] Latest finish time and when equipment must be collected

Inside the team:

• [ ] Number of bartenders and barbacks worked out
• [ ] Shift offers sent with a reply deadline
• [ ] Any hired equipment needed (glassware, counters, fridges)

Phase 3. Two days out: team, purchasing, pick list

Two days out, everything should be confirmed and bought, except ice and fresh citrus.

• [ ] Final guest count received
• [ ] Every team member has reconfirmed their shift
• [ ] Briefing sent: address, timeline, menu, coordinator contact
• [ ] Drinks and mixer quantities updated for the final count
• [ ] Purchasing done, receipts kept
• [ ] Ice ordered (rule of thumb: 1–1.5 kg per guest in summer, 0.7–1 kg in winter)
• [ ] Citrus and garnishes ordered for the day or the day before
• [ ] Equipment pick list built from the menu and guest count
• [ ] Hired items confirmed, with a pickup time
• [ ] Transport confirmed, driver knows the departure time

For how to build the pick list, see How to stop losing glasses and equipment at events.

Phase 4. Loading: what to check before you leave

Load from the pick list and tick each item as it goes into the van, not by eye.

• [ ] Glassware by type, counted and recorded
• [ ] Bar tools: shakers, jiggers, strainers, bar spoons, knives, boards
• [ ] Counter, back bar, linen, decor
• [ ] Fridges, cool boxes, ice wells
• [ ] Drinks and mixers per the purchase list
• [ ] Syrups, prep, garnishes
• [ ] Consumables: napkins, straws, picks, gloves, bin bags, cloths
• [ ] Extension leads, adaptors, torch
• [ ] First aid kit, detergent, sponges
• [ ] Menu signs, business cards
• [ ] Photo of the loaded van

Phase 5. On site: setup and service

On site, the lead is responsible for the bar being ready 30 minutes before the first guest.

Setup:

• [ ] Arrive on time (2–3 hours before guests)
• [ ] Meet the coordinator, confirm bar position
• [ ] Counter built, power and water checked
• [ ] Ice in wells, reserve kept cold
• [ ] Prep done, garnishes cut
• [ ] Glasses laid out, backup under the counter
• [ ] Test serve of one cocktail
• [ ] Photo of the finished bar sent

During service:

• [ ] Welcome drink ready when guests arrive
• [ ] Barback checks ice and glasses every 15–20 minutes
• [ ] Lead checks the timeline with the coordinator
• [ ] Consumption recorded if billing is per consumption
• [ ] Last orders called per the client's timeline

For a full schedule of the day, see Event day timeline for bar and catering.

Phase 6. Closing the bar: what to do before you leave

Closing is not only "wash and pack" — it is your last chance to catch losses on site.

• [ ] Bar closed at the agreed time, actual time recorded
• [ ] Glasses collected from tables and the room
• [ ] Glasses counted by type, breakage recorded
• [ ] Leftover stock: unopened bottles counted, open ones noted
• [ ] Venue left as you found it
• [ ] Rubbish removed according to venue rules
• [ ] Coordinator signs off the space
• [ ] Photo after breakdown and of the packed crates

Phase 7. Return: warehouse and hired items

Return to the warehouse within 24 hours as a rule — after that, losses can no longer be traced.

• [ ] Equipment unloaded and counted against the pick list
• [ ] Shortages and breakage added to the report
• [ ] Glasses washed and back in their racks
• [ ] Hired items returned, return note signed
• [ ] Leftover stock to the warehouse or back to the client (if billed per consumption)
• [ ] Lead's report received: times, leftovers, breakage, incidents
• [ ] Team paid or added to the payroll sheet

Phase 8. Follow-up: final invoice and review

Follow-up turns one event into a returning client and referrals.

• [ ] Final invoice: overtime, breakage, extras — within 1–2 days
• [ ] Balance received
• [ ] 2–3 days later: a thank-you message to the client with bar photos
• [ ] Ask for a review (Google, Facebook, Instagram)
• [ ] Guests who asked about the bar added to your contacts
• [ ] Short team debrief: what went wrong, what to change
• [ ] Per-guest quantities adjusted for future quotes

How long does each phase take?

Rough figures for a wedding or corporate event of 80–120 guests:

How this works in Garnify

In Garnify, each event has one card: the quote, timeline, team, venue and warehouse pick list. Bartenders get their shifts in Telegram, and the return is checked against the same list the equipment left with, so the whole team works from one checklist.