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Events Manual
Events Manual
Suggested timelines
Always check for venue availability before you confirm other event arrangements.
Macquarie has a limited number of large venues and they are the most popular for events such as conferences, so be sure to book as early as possible for your event.
Suppliers and service providers have specific requirements on how far ahead you must book to hire their service or product.
*The actual timeframe you need to work with for each task will depend on the time of year, nature and size of your event. Also, be aware that some venues across Sydney have bookings more than 12 months in advance. Speakers in high demand will also require long lead times – you may need to make an initial enquiry with their agent(s). As a basic guide, refer to the following table:
Area |
Task |
Time before event |
Venue
|
Book a venue from the Central Booking Pool on campus |
10 days minimum. The earlier you book, the better the chances of securing your preferred venue |
Book a venue off campus or outside the central pool |
4 weeks to 6 months or more | |
Catering |
Book caterer | 2 to 4 weeks – much longer if you have a large or specialised event, eg gala dinner |
Audio visual / multimedia
|
Book audio visual/multimedia services from LTC |
3 weeks before the date of hire. Confirm in writing 2 weeks prior to the date of hire |
| Book audio visual from external provider | 2 weeks for basic AV, 4 weeks or longer if complicated AV required | |
Speakers |
Book speakers and organise their travel arrangements | 4 to 6 weeks - or much more if popular speaker(s) |
Campus services
|
Parking/security arrangements | 2 weeks minimum |
| Cleaning/service requests | 2 weeks minimum | |
| Special/additional cleaning | 2 days | |
| Campus photography | 1 week minimum | |
| Equipment | 2 weeks minimum | |
Invitations
|
Compiling guest lists | Can be very time consuming depending on the number of people involved. Allow 1-2 weeks minimum to compile and clean a list, longer if it needs to be approved by different people |
| Design and signoff | Minimum 1 week, longer if many people have to sign off | |
| Printing | Minimum 1 week, longer if specialised printing is required | |
| RSVP | Written invitations need 3 to 4 weeks for people to RSVP. Have an RSVP date 1 week before your event date |