Your event will only be as good as the vendors with whom you partner. If even one falls short, the entire event will suffer. Your guests will notice when a light fixture flickers or the chicken is overcooked. Event planners can protect their reputations by carefully vetting their partners. We’re here with the essential checklist of must-have qualities to help you build a network of reliable event partners as amazing as you are.
Client-Focused Service
An event partner is worth their weight in gold when they are as focused on the client as you are. Your event should be more than a transaction. Look for signs that the event vendor is emotionally invested in creating a special experience for the client.
A Trail of Happy Customers
Great event partners know how to deliver outstanding goods and services. And their reputation reflects their track record. Look for event partners with 5-star online reviews and testimonials on their webpage. But don’t stop there.
Talk to your network to find the best caterers, bakeries, and entertainment options in NYC. Don’t forget to read local magazines and news sources for profiles on NYC’s up-and-coming event partners.
Great Communication
Good communication is the glue that holds events together. The success of your event depends on a thousand moving pieces coming together. To achieve that kind of next-level coordination, you need event partners capable of communicating promptly and clearly.
A Stunning Portfolio
The most desirable event vendors have been around long enough to amass a diverse and impressive portfolio of work. Chances are that you’ll be familiar with an event partner long before you get a chance to collaborate with them. Their work will be on display at prestigious events across the city and will be showcased in the press and on social media.
Experience Within the Planner’s Niche
A wedding planner’s favorite cake artist will likely be different from, say, a corporate event planner’s fav bakery. Likewise, every type of event requires something different in terms of catering, entertainment, and lighting. So, when you’re compiling your list of go-to event partners, make sure you have several options for each type of event you plan.
Adaptable and Flexible
The bride calls you with exciting news. Her best friend from preschool can make it to the wedding, after all. The wedding is in two days, and the long-lost best friend is now vegan and has celiac disease. Can the caterer make a last-minute accommodation?
When you screen potential event partners for their flexibility, your clients can reminisce with their besties about eating glue and napping after recess without worry.
Contingency Planning and Safety Protocols
“Everything always goes perfectly and without a hitch” – said no event planner ever. Putting together the perfect NYC event often involves tall ladders, commercial ovens, complex electrical equipment, and a host of other hazards. Help keep everyone safe at your event by always verifying your event partners’ safety protocols. Also, ensure that your short list of event vendors have contingency plans in place for those times when staff call out or the A/V equipment malfunctions.
Certified and Fully Insured
Along those same lines, double-check your event partners’ certifications and insurances. The vendors with whom you work can potentially make you vulnerable to lawsuits or fines if they lack either insurance or certifications. Even worse, liability can fall on your client. So, don’t just take their word for it. Ask for proof of key certifications and insurance before you sign the contract.
Get in Touch With NYC’s Best Event Vendors at The Event Planner Expo
Event partners will make or break your next big event. And finding the best is always like looking for a needle in a haystack, unless you look at The Event Planner Expo 2026. There, you’ll find NYC’s best caterers, entertainment companies, and more. And the best part is that you’ll be able to connect and ask questions face-to-face.
Dates coming soon… stay tuned!
