The financial side of events, finally explained.

What a Financial System Built for Event Planners Actually Looks Like

Part 10 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide We've spent nine posts walking through the specific financial frustrations that come with running an event planning business: the budget that never quite captures reality, the vendor payment chase, the invoice disputes, the sales tax

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me in Year One

Part 9 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide There's a version of this post that I could write as a tidy listicle. Ten financial tips for new event planners. Here's number one, here's number two. But that's

QuickBooks Wasn't Built for Event Planners

Part 8 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide At some point in the life of nearly every growing event planning business, someone — an accountant, a business-minded friend, a well-meaning article — suggests QuickBooks. And honestly, it makes sense to try it. QuickBooks is the

The Post-Event Financial Scramble

Part 7 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide The event is over. It went well. The client is happy, the vendors were great, and you went to bed that night with the specific satisfaction that only comes from pulling off something complicated and beautiful. You

When a Client Disputes Your Invoice

Part 6 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide You probably remember the first time it happened. A client — maybe a good one, someone you liked working with — pushed back on your invoice. Not a gentle clarifying question, but a real dispute. "This doesn'

Sales Tax for Event Planners Is a Nightmare (And Nobody Warned You)

Part 5 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide Nobody gets into event planning because they love tax code. You got into it because you love creating experiences — the logistics, the creativity, the moment when a room comes together exactly the way you imagined it. And

Sending Invoices That Actually Get Paid

Part 4 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide You've done the work. The event was beautiful. The client is thrilled. You send the invoice — and then you wait. A week passes. Then two. You send a gentle follow-up. You get a "

The Vendor Payment Chase

Part 3 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide Picture this: it's six weeks before the event and a vendor sends an email asking about "the second installment." You know there's a payment schedule. You remember agreeing to it. But

Why Your Event Budget Always Feels Wrong

Part 2 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide You've been in this business long enough to know that a budget is never really finished. It's a living document — something you're nursing from the first client conversation all the way

The Spreadsheet That Broke Me

Part 1 of 10 in the Event Planner's Financial Survival Guide There's a moment every event planner knows. You're three weeks out from a major corporate gala. Your client just asked for a budget update, a vendor owes you a revised proposal, and your

About Me

Hi, I'm Tony Triguero — software engineer, founder, and proud husband of a very talented event planner. I've been building custom software for over 20 years, and if there's one thing that's stayed true through all of it, it's that the

Coming soon

This is The Event Finance Guide, a brand new site by Tony Triguero that's just getting started. Things will be up and running here shortly, but you can subscribe in the meantime if you'd like to stay up to date and receive emails when new content