Organising a conference is one of those tasks that looks straightforward from a distance and reveals its true complexity about three weeks before the event. Venues, catering, AV, delegate communications, dietary requirements, timings — each piece is manageable on its own. Together, they need careful sequencing.

This guide walks you through the full process of planning a conference in Birmingham, from the first conversation with your stakeholders to the follow-up after delegates have gone home. There is a checklist at each stage, so you can track progress and make sure nothing slips.

Step 1: Write Your Brief (8–12 Weeks Before)

Every well-run conference starts with a clear brief. Before you speak to a single venue, get the following nailed down internally.

Your checklist:

• Confirm your event date (or a shortlist of dates)
• Agree on delegate numbers — be realistic, not optimistic
• Define the purpose: is this a training day, an AGM, a strategy session, a public-facing conference?
• Identify your must-haves: breakout rooms, hybrid/streaming capability, specific catering requirements
• Set your budget — including contingency of at least 10%
• Agree who has final sign-off on the venue and contract

A clear brief saves time at every subsequent stage. Venues can only give you accurate proposals when they understand what you actually need.

Step 2: Choose Your Venue (6–10 Weeks Before)

This is the most consequential decision you will make. The venue sets the tone for everything else — delegate experience, catering quality, AV reliability, and how much hand-holding your team will need on the day.

What to look for in a Birmingham conference venue:

• Central location with easy access to New Street, Snow Hill, and Moor Street stations
• Flexible room layouts to match your programme (theatre, cabaret, classroom, boardroom)
• Breakout spaces for smaller sessions or informal networking
• Catering provided in-house — not subcontracted or an afterthought
• A dedicated event coordinator, not just a booking system
• Transparent pricing with a clear day delegate package

Your checklist:

• Shortlist 2–3 venues and request written proposals
• Visit each venue in person, or take a virtual tour
• Confirm room capacities for your chosen layout (not just maximum headcount)
• Ask about AV — what is included, and is there on-site technical support?
• Check accessibility: lift access, accessible toilets, ground-floor options
• Review the cancellation policy before signing anything

If you are looking for a conference venue in Birmingham that ticks every one of those boxes, The Priory Rooms on Bull Street is worth moving to the top of your shortlist. Ten versatile meeting rooms — including the 210-capacity Main Meeting House — sit within a beautifully restored 1930s Quaker building, two minutes from Snow Hill and seven from New Street. The dedicated conference team manages everything from initial enquiry to on-the-day support. View rooms and packages here.

Step 3: Confirm the Logistics (4–6 Weeks Before)

Once the venue is booked, the real planning begins. This is the stage most conferences go wrong — not because of big decisions, but because of small details that get assumed rather than confirmed.

Your checklist:

• Send a save-the-date to delegates as soon as the venue is confirmed
• Build your running order — session by session, with timings and responsible speakers
• Confirm all catering: meal choices, dietary requirements, coffee break timings
• Arrange any external AV or technical equipment not provided by the venue
• Book accommodation for speakers or delegates travelling from outside Birmingham if needed
• Confirm delegate registration process — online form, attendance tracking, name badges
• Arrange travel information: parking, public transport directions, nearest stations
• Brief all speakers: timings, format, slide submission deadlines, AV requirements

Step 4: Communicate with Delegates (2–4 Weeks Before)

Clear delegate communications reduce no-shows, last-minute dietary surprises, and the inevitable stream of “where do I go?” messages on the morning of the event.

Your checklist:

• Send a full delegate information pack: venue address, arrival time, programme outline, parking and transport options
• Collect dietary requirements if not already done
• Share any pre-reading or pre-event materials
• Confirm final delegate numbers with the venue — most venues need this 5–7 days before
• Send a reminder email 48 hours before with a map and contact number for the day

Step 5: Run the Day

Even the best-planned conferences need someone actively managing them on the day. That person should not also be speaking or chairing sessions.

Your checklist:

• Arrive at the venue 60–90 minutes before delegates
• Do a full AV check: slides, microphones, video conferencing if hybrid
• Confirm catering timings with the venue team
• Brief any on-site staff or volunteers on their roles
• Have a printed running order and a backup plan for AV failure
• Keep a close eye on timings — sessions that overrun compress everything that follows

At The Priory Rooms, a dedicated event coordinator is on-site throughout your conference. They handle the venue side so that you can focus entirely on your delegates and programme — a distinction that matters more than it sounds when things inevitably shift on the day.

Step 6: Debrief and Follow Up (Within 1 Week After)

The conference is not over when the last delegate leaves. A proper debrief turns a one-off event into useful organisational learning, and timely follow-up keeps the momentum going with attendees.

Your checklist:

• Send a thank-you email to all delegates within 48 hours
• Share any recordings, slides, or post-event resources
• Send a short delegate feedback survey (3–5 questions maximum — keep it easy to complete)
• Hold an internal debrief with your team: what worked, what did not, what to change next time
• Review the budget: were you on track? Were any costs unexpected?
• Note your provisional date for next year while the experience is fresh

The Conference Planning Checklist: Summary

Why Birmingham — and Why The Priory Rooms

Birmingham is an ideal conference city. It sits at the centre of the national rail network, making it genuinely accessible from London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and everywhere between. With HS2’s Curzon Street terminus arriving in the coming years, that connectivity will only improve.

Within the city, The Priory Rooms offers something few conference venues can match: the right size, the right location, the right values, and a team that treats every event as if it is the only one they are running that week. Whether you are hosting 10 people in a focused strategy session or 210 delegates for a full-day conference, the combination of flexible rooms, fresh locally sourced catering, full AV support, and a tranquil atmosphere in the heart of the city centre is difficult to find anywhere else.

Ready to start planning? Contact the team at The Priory Rooms or call 0121 236 2317 to discuss your event requirements. Site visits are warmly welcomed — you can also explore the venue through our virtual tour before you visit.