Whether it is a conference, a community festival or a milestone birthday, the best event planners in Nelson take on venue sourcing, supplier bookings, catering, bar service, staffing and on-the-day coordination. Working with an event planner in Nelson also brings access to local vendor networks, liquor licensing know-how and the run sheets that keep a programme on time. Nelson Venues & Events and Premier Events Nelson are two of the operators covered below.
1Nelson Venues & Events
Nelson Venues & Events began more than ten years ago as a boutique venue management service and now specialises in event management across the Nelson region. Owner Shelley Haring runs the business alongside a team of event contractors, trusted suppliers and industry professionals, from volunteers and staff through to caterers, audio-visual technicians and accommodation providers. The business also owns and delivers two regional festivals, the NZ Cider Festival and Marchfest Craft Beer Festival.
Services
- Event management for corporate, community and private events
- Festival planning and delivery
- Venue sourcing and matching clients to a suitable space
- Venue marketing and handling of booking enquiries
- Coordination of caterers, audio-visual technicians, staff and accommodation
Highlights
- Founded over ten years ago as a boutique venue management service
- Owner and organiser of the NZ Cider Festival and the Marchfest Craft Beer Festival
- Led by Shelley Haring, a certified Duty Manager with festival bar operations and staff management experience
- Works through a standing network of event contractors, suppliers and industry professionals
Location & Contact
Name: Nelson Venues & Events
Address: Nelson
Website: nelsonvenues.co.nz
2Premier Events Nelson
Premier Events Nelson is a locally owned and operated event management company working across the Nelson and Tasman region on festivals, corporate functions, community gatherings and private celebrations. Jeremy Richards leads the operation, drawing on a network of chefs, bar managers, audio-visual technicians, photographers and designers. The team also takes on destination management for visiting groups, handling venues, accommodation, transport and timing.
Services
- Event planning and production, covering concept, design and coordination
- Event staffing and operations
- Catering and bar management
- Audio-visual and lighting
- Event branding and digital design for signage, promotional material and event websites
Highlights
- Locally owned and operated across the Nelson and Tasman region
- Destination management for visiting groups, including accommodation and transport
- Works with a trusted network of chefs, hospitality professionals, technicians and creative designers
Location & Contact
Name: Premier Events Nelson
Address: Nelson
Phone: 021 02600424
Website: premiereventsnelson.nz
3Elevated Events
Elevated Events is a Nelson event planning and management business founded in 2021 by Kara, working on festivals, community events, corporate functions and private celebrations. The support can be scoped as full event management or as targeted help with marketing, sponsorship or a single planning consultation. Kara can also be on site on the day to keep things running.
Services
- Full event management, including logistics, budgets and run sheets
- Venue sourcing and supplier booking
- Entertainment booking and ticketing management
- Event marketing plans and their execution
- Sponsorship strategy and partner relationships
Highlights
- Founded in 2021
- Over a decade of event experience spanning intimate gatherings through to festivals of 7,000 people
- Events worked on include TEDxNelson, the Havelock Mussel Festival, Multicultural Nelson Tasman and Tahuna Summer Sounds
- Experience across both public and private sectors, covering budgets, run sheets and health and safety
Location & Contact
Name: Elevated Events
Address: Nelson
Phone: 027 815 6487
Website: elevatedevents.co.nz
4OnCue
OnCue is a professional conference organiser and association management company based at Richmond, a short drive from central Nelson, and has been operating since 1995. The team takes on anything from complete management of an international conference to registration handling for a local event, working with clients across New Zealand and Australia. Alongside conferences it provides ongoing back office support for membership organisations.
Services
- Conference and event management
- Registration, abstract and speaker management
- Sponsor and exhibition management
- Association membership management, administration and financial management
- Social programmes, field trips and accommodation management
Highlights
- Operating since 1995
- Team skills spanning planning, association management, marketing, finance and technology
- On-site support during the conference itself, not just the planning phase
- Contactable on both New Zealand and Australian numbers, with clients in both countries
Location & Contact
Name: OnCue
Address: 2/12 John Wesley Lane, Richmond
Phone: 03 928 0620
Website: oncueconferences.com
5Em Events & Creation
Em Events & Creation was started in late 2023 by founder Emilie and covers event planning and styling across Nelson and Tasman, for weddings, birthdays, corporate events and family celebrations. Rather than fixed packages, the scope of each event is discussed first and then quoted. A full-service option covers venue booking, catering, entertainment and styling, with setup, pack down and on-site support through the event.
Services
- Event coordination, from venue selection through to vendor management
- Event styling and floor layout
- Food and beverage service, from buffets and canapes to fully catered meals
- Liquor licensing and management of alcohol service on the day
- Full-service package covering venue, catering, entertainment, decor, setup and pack down
Highlights
- Founded in late 2023 by Emilie
- Custom-made decorations, balloons, backdrops and florals alongside the planning work
- Access to selected venues for clients, including the Tasman Bay Cruising Club
Location & Contact
Name: Em Events & Creation
Address: Nelson
Phone: 027 722 7791
Website: emevents.nz
Event Planners in Nelson at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Nelson Venues & Events | Founded over ten years ago as a boutique venue management service |
| Premier Events Nelson | Locally owned and operated across the Nelson and Tasman region |
| Elevated Events | Founded in 2021 |
| OnCue | Operating since 1995 |
| Em Events & Creation | Founded in late 2023 by Emilie |
How to Choose the Right Event Planner in Nelson
- Match the planner to the type of event. A festival or conference needs logistics, ticketing and health and safety experience; a private party needs styling and vendor coordination.
- Check what level of involvement is on offer. Some planners will take the whole event from concept to pack down, others will build a run sheet and hand it back to you.
- Ask who will be on site on the day, and whether that person is the one you have been dealing with.
- Look at whether alcohol service, licensing and duty management are handled in-house, since that is where a lot of event admin sits.
- Ask about the local supplier network, because access to caterers, audio-visual technicians and venues at short notice is most of what a regional planner is being paid for.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nelson Event Planners
What does an event planner actually do?
An event planner scopes the event with you, then handles the parts that take time and local knowledge: sourcing a venue, booking suppliers, building a budget and a run sheet, coordinating catering and bar service, arranging staff, and managing setup and pack down. On the day they act as the point of contact for vendors so the host is not fielding questions during their own event.
How much do event planners in Nelson charge?
Most planners in the region quote per event rather than publishing fixed prices, because the work varies enormously between a 30 person dinner and a ticketed festival. Expect the quote to follow a scoping conversation about guest numbers, venue, catering and how much of the delivery you want handed over. Partial support, such as a vendor list and a run sheet, costs far less than full management with on-site delivery.
How far in advance should I book an event planner?
For a large conference or a festival, planners generally want a lead time measured in months, since venues, accommodation blocks and headline suppliers get booked out well ahead. For a smaller private event, a few months is usually workable, and some planners will take on on-the-day coordination at shorter notice. The busiest stretch in Nelson runs through summer and into the festival season, so earlier is better.
Which parts of Nelson and Tasman do these planners cover?
Coverage is regional rather than suburb by suburb. Planners based in the city centre routinely work out to Richmond, Mapua, Motueka and the wineries in between, and some also take work into Marlborough. If your venue is rural or remote, mention it early, because travel time affects setup, staffing and how late the pack down runs.
Do I need a special licence to serve alcohol at my event?
If alcohol is being sold at your event, a special licence is generally required, and the application goes to the district licensing committee through the council. Several planners handle the paperwork and supply a certified duty manager as part of their service. The requirements and forms are set out on Nelson City Council’s alcohol licensing pages.
What is a professional conference organiser?
A professional conference organiser, or PCO, is an event planner who specialises in conferences and association events. The work covers delegate registration, abstract and speaker management, sponsorship and exhibition sales, the social programme and accommodation, plus the financial reconciliation afterwards. Organisations running an annual conference often use the same PCO year after year.
Can I hire a planner for just the day of the event?
Yes. On-the-day coordination is a common arrangement for hosts who have done the planning themselves but do not want to be chasing suppliers while their guests arrive. The planner takes your existing bookings, builds or checks the run sheet, and manages arrivals, timings and pack down.
Who is responsible for health and safety at an event?
Responsibility sits with whoever is running the event, and it is not something a planner takes off your hands entirely. What a planner does bring is the paperwork and process: site plans, traffic and crowd management, supplier inductions and contingency plans for weather. Ask up front how health and safety is handled and who signs it off.
How We Chose the Best Event Planners in Nelson
Every business in this guide was found by searching for event planners in Nelson, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Nelson, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.