TLDR (Summary)
The best all-in-one CRM for event planners is Plutio ($19/month).
Plutio replaces the fragmented stack of CRM tools, scheduling apps, project boards for timelines, spreadsheets for budgets, and invoicing software. When the proposal gets signed, the event timeline is already created with vendor tasks, payment milestones, and a client portal.
Research shows that toggling between apps costs around ~9% of time, before counting hours spent setting up timelines and building payment schedules.
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What is all-in-one software for event planners?
All-in-one software for event planners combines client management, vendor coordination, timelines, budgets, and invoicing in one connected platform. Event planners manage the complete journey from first consultation through event day wrap-up without switching between apps.
How most event planners operate:
- Client management tools handle proposals and contracts but know nothing about vendors
- Timeline tools handle schedules but have limited invoicing
- Spreadsheets hold vendor tracking and budgets requiring manual updates
- File storage holds contracts and floor plans without project connection
Total cost: $90-150+/month on subscriptions that don't connect to each other.
The hidden cost of app switching
A Harvard Business Review study found knowledge workers lose 9% of productive time to context switching. For event planners with 15-20 active events, that translates to 200-400 hours a year on coordination instead of planning.
When vendor details, timelines, and budgets live in one place, you stop managing tools and actually plan events.
Why event planners need an all-in-one platform
Event Planners who grow beyond a handful of clients face a compounding problem: administrative overhead scales with every new engagement.
What works for 5 clients breaks down at 15. Each new client means another set of proposals, contracts, project timelines, invoices, and follow-ups, all managed across disconnected tools.
The context-switching cost
Every time you switch between apps, you lose focus. Research shows knowledge workers lose significant productive time to app-switching throughout the day. For event planners, this translates to billable hours spent on coordination instead of client work.
The tool fragmentation problem
When scheduling lives in one app, projects in another, invoicing in a third, and contracts in a fourth, nothing connects. Tracked time doesn't automatically appear on invoices. Signed contracts don't trigger project setup. You become the bridge between all your tools.
The scaling tipping point
Most event planners hit a threshold where the manual approach becomes the primary bottleneck to growth. Connected software lets you push past this ceiling by automating repetitive coordination tasks.
An all-in-one platform absorbs administrative work that would otherwise scale linearly with your client count.
Key features event planners need
The essential features for event planners connect client management with project delivery, billing, and communication in one platform.
What is the best way for event planners to create packages and proposals?
What happens when event planning proposals connect to everything?
You just had a great consultation call. The couple is excited about their fall wedding, and they want full planning services for 150 guests. But if you are using separate tools, this is where the momentum dies. You open Canva for a proposal, HelloSign for a contract, Stripe for a payment link, then manually create the event in Event coordination systems. By the time everything is set up, 24 hours have passed and another planner may have responded faster.
In Plutio, you send one document that contains everything:
- Service tier options: Displayed side by side. Full planning for couples who want you to handle every detail. Partial planning for those with a venue already booked. Day-of coordination for the DIY couple who just needs execution support.
- Add-ons: Destination coordination, rehearsal dinner planning, post-wedding brunch. Clients select what they want, and the total updates automatically.
- Guest count pricing: Your pricing tiers based on complexity. 50-100 guests, 100-200 guests, 200+ guests. Each tier clearly defined.
- Contract embedded: Scope boundaries, payment terms, cancellation policy. The client reads and signs in the same flow as accepting the proposal.
- Payment structure: 30% retainer at booking, 30% at vendor confirmation deadline, 40% two weeks before the event. Or full payment upfront with a discount. The client chooses and pays the first installment immediately.
When the couple accepts, Plutio creates their event project with all planning phases, sets their payment schedule based on milestones, and sends the vision questionnaire automatically.
Without this connection, the average event planner spends 30-45 minutes setting up each new event. With 20 weddings per year, that is 10-15 hours spent on setup instead of planning.
See how proposals automate project setup
How do event planners collect client vision and preferences without chasing responses?
What does questionnaire automation look like for event planners?
Two months before the wedding, you still do not have the vendor priority list or dietary restriction details. You sent the questionnaire six weeks ago. You sent a reminder three weeks ago. Now you are sending another email, feeling like a nag, while also coordinating three other events and meeting with a new lead this afternoon.
Event planners need specific information that clients do not always prioritize: vendor preferences, budget allocation by category, must-have moments, family dynamics that affect seating. Each piece is critical for a successful event, and chasing clients for it is exhausting.
In Plutio, vision questionnaires are built into the workflow:
- Auto-sent at the right time: The initial vision questionnaire sends automatically when the contract is signed. The detailed vendor preference questionnaire sends 4 months before the wedding. No manual steps needed.
- Conditional logic: If they booked full planning, they see questions about venue preferences. If they booked day-of coordination, they skip to execution details. Clients only answer what is relevant to their package.
- Deadlines with automatic reminders: Due 3 months before the event. Reminder at 6 weeks. Final reminder at 4 weeks. You are not chasing anyone.
- Vision board uploads: Clients can attach Pinterest boards, Instagram screenshots, and inspiration images directly to their questionnaire responses.
- Client portal access: Clients can update their responses as preferences change. When they decide they actually want blush instead of burgundy, they update it themselves and you see the change.
When you sit down to start vendor outreach for the couple, everything is in one place. The color palette is blush and gold. The must-have vendor is that specific photographer from their friend's wedding. The dietary restrictions include three vegetarians and one severe nut allergy. No hunting through email threads from three months ago.
See how forms connect to projects
How do event planners keep vendor details connected to events?
What does it look like when vendor coordination stays connected?
Three days before the wedding, the florist calls with a question about delivery time. What does their contract say about load-in? In a disconnected system, you scramble through emails, Google Drive, and Airtable trying to find the original agreement and the timeline you sent last month.
When vendor details live inside your event workflow, you can actually find them when you need them:
- Attached to the event project: When the florist calls about load-in time, you pull up the event and see all vendor details right there. Contract, contact info, delivery schedule, payment status.
- Status tracking that actually updates: Pending, Booked, Deposit Paid, Confirmed, Final Payment. Each vendor shows exactly where they stand without checking a separate spreadsheet.
- Contract attachments: The caterer's contract is attached to the caterer record. The venue contract is attached to the venue record. No digging through folders named "Wedding Vendors" with 47 files inside.
- Payment tracking: Deposit due dates, final payment deadlines, amounts paid versus outstanding. You see immediately if a vendor still needs their final payment.
- Notes and communication history: The conversation about substituting peonies for roses is attached to the florist record. Three months later, you remember why the flowers changed.
When you can actually find vendor details, you give real answers on the spot. When the florist asks about load-in, you check the event, see the timeline says 10am, and confirm immediately. No callback needed.
Event planners who cannot find their vendor details end up making guesses or promises they cannot keep. Over time, that damages vendor relationships and event outcomes.
How do event planners share timelines without sending endless email updates?
In Plutio, your clients log into their own portal where they can see the complete event timeline, track vendor confirmations, and see what is coming up next without emailing you to ask.
What does timeline sharing look like for event planners?
One week before a corporate gala, the venue calls to say load-in needs to shift from 10am to 11am due to another event running late. In a disconnected system, you update your Google Sheet timeline, email the client, email the caterer, email the florist, email the rental company, and hope nobody misses the message.
When timelines live in a connected system, you update once and everyone sees it:
- Timeline tasks with specific times: Florist arrives 11am. Caterer setup begins 12pm. Photographer arrives for detail shots 3pm. Guests arrive 6pm. First dance 8pm. Every moment mapped.
- Vendor assignments: Each timeline item shows who is responsible. The florist sees their arrival time. The caterer sees their setup window. No confusion about who does what when.
- Client portal visibility: The client checks their portal and sees the updated timeline immediately. No waiting for you to remember to send an email.
- Real-time updates: When load-in shifts to 11am, you change it once. Everyone with portal access sees the change. No email chain with people replying to outdated versions.
- Template timelines: Your standard wedding timeline, your corporate event timeline, your social gathering timeline. Clone and adjust for each new event instead of starting from scratch.
On event day, everyone has the same timeline. The caterer knows exactly when to arrive. The band knows exactly when to start. The client knows exactly when to expect the first dance. No "I thought you said 7pm" conversations.
Event planners who share timelines through static documents report constant confusion and last-minute corrections. When everyone accesses the same live timeline, those problems disappear.
See how project tracking keeps everything connected
The deciding factor for event planners is integration depth. Features that connect with each other eliminate duplicate effort across your workflow.
How much can event planners save by switching to Plutio?
Typical software costs
Event planners typically spend $90-150/month across client management, timeline tools, vendor tracking databases, and invoicing software.
Time costs
- Event setup: 30-45 minutes per event
- Vendor updates: 15-20 minutes per confirmation
- Budget reconciliation: 2-3 hours per event monthly
- Status requests: 3-5 hours monthly answering client questions
Conservative estimate: 6-10 hours per week on administration.
Plutio pricing
Plutio Core: $19/month. Plutio Pro: $49/month. Everything connected in one platform.
Save $500-1,300/year on subscriptions plus reclaim admin hours every week.
Why event planners choose Plutio over fragmented tools
When proposals, vendor tracking, timelines, and invoicing connect in one platform, the spreadsheet updates and budget reconciliation that eat into planning time drop away. Here is how Plutio connects the event workflow.
The Plutio difference
- Proposals → Event Projects: Client signs the proposal, and the event project creates automatically with all phases and budget lines
- Vendors → Tracked Contacts: Each vendor attaches to the event with status, contracts, and communication history
- Timelines → Client Portal: Clients access the shared timeline in their portal. Everyone sees the same information
- Milestones → Automatic Invoices: Complete a phase, and the milestone invoice drafts automatically
Event planners using Plutio replace the spreadsheet-and-email coordination layer with a connected workflow, freeing up time for client service and creative planning.
For detailed tool comparisons, see our comparison hub or alternatives pages.
How to set up Plutio for your event planner business
Setting up Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration, with immediate benefits for all clients from day one.
Step 1: Configure your brand (30 mins)
Upload your logo, set brand colors, and connect your custom domain if on the Max plan. Link your Stripe or PayPal account for payments. Set your business details for invoices.
Step 2: Build your templates (1-2 hours)
Create project and proposal templates for your most common services. Start with 2-3 core templates:
- Standard engagement: Your most common project type with milestones, tasks, and deliverables pre-configured.
- Quick project: A streamlined template for smaller, faster engagements.
- Retainer/recurring: Template for ongoing monthly clients with recurring tasks and billing.
Step 3: Connect integrations (20-30 mins)
Sync your Google Calendar or Outlook. Connect Stripe or PayPal for payments. Link QuickBooks or Xero if you use them. Test each connection before going live.
Step 4: Import existing clients (30 mins)
Export your client list from your current tool as CSV and import into Plutio. Map fields, verify data, then invite clients to their new portals.
Step 5: Test with one real project
Send your next proposal through Plutio. Let it create the project automatically, track time, and invoice the client. One real project will show you exactly where to refine your templates.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Over-customizing too early: Start minimal and refine based on actual use.
- Migrating everything at once: Focus on new clients first, migrate active ones second.
- Skipping the test project: One real engagement reveals more than hours of configuration.
Build templates for the 80% cases. Customize edge cases individually as they come up.
Organizing your event planner workflows
Structured organization is the difference between a business that scales smoothly and one that drowns in admin as it grows.
Organize by service type
- Core service: Your primary offering with detailed project templates and milestone tracking.
- Secondary services: Additional offerings with their own templates and pricing structures.
- Retainer work: Recurring engagements with automated billing and repeating task lists.
- One-off projects: Quick-turn engagements with streamlined templates.
Organize by client stage
- Prospect: Initial inquiry received, proposal being prepared.
- Active: Contract signed, project in progress.
- Delivered: Work complete, final invoice sent.
- Recurring: Ongoing relationship with scheduled touchpoints.
Template best practices
- Start with 3 templates maximum, expand as patterns emerge.
- Include task estimates so you can track actual vs. budgeted time.
- Build in review milestones where clients approve before you proceed.
- Add automation triggers: proposal signed → project created → client notified.
Consistent structures mean consistent delivery. Templates ensure every client gets the same quality regardless of how busy you are.
What does a client portal look like for event planning businesses?
In Plutio, your clients log into their own portal at youreventcompany.com (your custom domain, not a third-party URL) where they can see their event timeline, track vendor status, review the budget, and message you directly.
What can event planning clients see in their portal?
"Hey, has the caterer confirmed the final menu?" Your bride sent this email at 10pm because she is anxious about progress but does not know your vendor status. You see the message at 8am while meeting with another couple, check your Airtable and email, and reply two hours later. A 2-minute question stretched across 12 hours and interrupted your consultation.
When your clients access their portal, they see:
- Event timeline: "Vendor final confirmations: Complete. Final walkthrough: March 15. Event day: March 22." They know exactly where things stand without asking.
- Vendor status: Venue confirmed. Caterer confirmed. Florist deposit paid, final confirmation pending. Photographer confirmed. They can see which vendors are locked in.
- Budget overview: Total allocated, total committed, total paid. Category breakdowns so they understand where money is going.
- Documents: Floor plans, vendor contracts they need to see, seating charts, timeline PDFs for printing. All organized by category.
- Message thread: For quick questions that does not get buried in email or lost in text messages. The conversation history stays organized by event.
Event planners with client portals report fewer "what is happening with my wedding?" emails and more time actually coordinating vendors.
The portal is fully branded with your event planning company. Your logo, your colors, your domain. Clients see your brand at every interaction, not someone else's logo on someone else's software.
Without a client portal, clients experience your event planning through scattered emails, Google Doc links, and spreadsheet screenshots. The touchpoints are fragmented and generic. They remember the tools, not your brand.
How to migrate to Plutio
Migration typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend. The best time to switch is between projects rather than mid-delivery.
Step 1: Export from your current tools
Most tools provide CSV export. Export your client list, active project details, and any template content you want to recreate in Plutio.
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Don't try to replicate your old system exactly. Use this as an opportunity to build cleaner workflows. Focus on your 3 most common project types.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing (Stripe/PayPal), calendar sync (Google/Outlook), and accounting (QuickBooks/Xero). Test each one before going live.
Step 4: Import client data (30 mins)
Upload your client CSV. Map fields to Plutio's structure. Run a small test batch first to verify everything looks right.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new clients and projects immediately. Keep your old system running for in-progress work only. Don't try to migrate active projects mid-stream.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all in-progress work completes in the old system, cancel that subscription. Keep your exports as archives.
Common migration pitfalls
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and forward-looking workflows.
- Switching mid-project: Finish in-progress work on the old system.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works before relying on it.
Migration pays back in time saved on every future client interaction.
