In Broad Ripple, planners typically offer four core service types—full planning, partial planning, design & decor, and production & day-of coordination—each tailored to different needs and involvement levels. These packages cover everything from budget and venue selection to lighting, AV, and on-site management. Knowing how these categories differ makes it easier to match a planner’s offering to your event’s scale and how hands-on you want to be. Below are common service types and what clients usually receive, followed by a quick comparison for easy scanning.

This snapshot makes it clear how each package shifts responsibility and affects the final guest experience. Choosing the right category early prevents scope confusion when you compare proposals and quotes.

Each event type needs a distinct planning approach, and Broad Ripple planners map services to those needs with specific deliverables and workflows. Weddings commonly need full planning or day-of coordination, detailed timelines, officiant and vendor management, and a unified design across ceremony and reception spaces. Corporate events focus on branded staging, AV production, registration flows, and measurable outcomes like lead capture or attendee feedback. Private parties and nightlife events emphasize theme design, entertainment booking, permit navigation, and crowd flow. Planners show concrete examples—like a wedding day timeline with vendor arrival windows or a corporate run-of-show with speaker cues—to make deliverables easy to visualize.

Picking the right Broad Ripple planner comes down to matching neighborhood know-how and vendor relationships with your event goals and budget. Look for planners who demonstrate local experience, clear project management, and proven design and production skills—these qualities reduce risk and improve guest experience. The checklist below gives a quick, featured-snippet-ready summary of what matters most when evaluating planners. After the checklist, you’ll find tips for comparing proposals and confirming scope alignment.

Use this short checklist to vet planners efficiently.

This checklist helps you compare proposals using consistent standards. When a planner meets these points, they’re more likely to deliver on time and on budget.

Once you’ve identified these qualities, the next step is to ask direct questions that reveal how the planner performs under pressure and handles exceptions.

Targeted questions surface a planner’s process, fees, and problem-solving style before you sign an agreement. Ask about recent Broad Ripple events they’ve run, how they resolve vendor disputes, their backup plans for weather or technical failures, and which services are included vs. billed as pass-throughs. Request sample timelines and a detailed breakdown of deliverables so you can compare apples to apples across quotes. Strong answers show clear escalation paths, transparent billing, and examples of positive outcomes.