Gala dinner or charity ball checklist: before, on the day and after

Book the venue and get the hire terms and any minimum numbers in writing.
Confirm the venue’s liquor licence covers your event.The rules
Check the prizes and ticket sales fit the Class 1 or 2 limits, and write down what the money is for.The rules
Write a one-page safety plan: hazards, who is in charge, first aid, what to do if it rains.
Arrange a first aider and a stocked first aid kit.
Arrange public liability insurance (venues and councils often ask for it).
Set a net target and work back to ticket numbers and sponsorship.
Secure a headline sponsor to cover fixed costs.
Book the venue with clear minimums and cancellation terms.
Sell corporate tables early.
Curate the auction: a few high-value live lots, more silent lots.
Book an experienced charity auctioneer.
Script the night: story, speaker, appeal, auction.

Brief the helpers: who does what, when, and where the cash box and first aid kit are.
Count the float with two people before you open, and write the total down.
First aider on site, and everyone knows where the kit is.
Collect payment from winners on the night.

Gala dinner or charity ball: checklist