Let Duke Conference & Event Services (CES) be your one-stop shop for planning at Duke University. Our experienced team offers multiple services including planning, venue selection, logistics, and event production. We are available for quick tips or for in-depth event planning. Contact us today and let us make your next event a memorable one!

Here are the 5 main steps to successfully planning your event:

Step 1: Research Venue Options
Use the Explore Event Venues tab to find a venue that fits your event needs. When researching venue options, you'll want to keep in mind location, max capacities, and room setups. 

Step 2: Reserve Venue Date & Time
Once you've decided on the best venue for your event, you will want to use the Space Finder tool to reserve your date and time. If your desired date or time is unavailable, you might have to change your desired venue or date. 

Step 3: Hire Event Vendors
The best way to ensure a successful event is to surround yourself with the best vendors. This includes Caterers, Event Decor, Audio/Visual, Event Rentals, Entertainment, etc..

For Duke-approved Caterers, please use the Catering@Duke tab. 

For all other vendor recommendations, please reach out to the CES office. 

Step 4: CES Event Intake Form
Once you have reserved your event space, a CES team member will send you an intake form for your event. This form will ask the detailed questions about your event such as:

  • Who is the main Point of Contact?
  • How many attendees will you have?
  • Who is the caterer?
  • Will you have AV?
  • What type of room setup do you need?

All of these questions are specifically asked so that the CES team can provide you with the best event support. If the intake form is not filled out correctly or in a timely manner, it can lead to issues with the event.  Using the answers from your form, a CES team member will be able to build a room floor plan as well as provide a price estimate for your review. 

Step 5: Host Your Event
This is when all of your time and hard work pay off! Not only host your event, but enjoy it as well.