How to Choose an Event Company in Singapore

Short answer: shortlist three to five companies that have run your kind of event at your size. Check they’re a live, registered business. Give them all the same written brief. Then compare the questions they ask and how clearly they itemise their proposals, not only the total. Before you sign, meet the person who will actually run your event on the day.

This guide walks through each step, with the questions to ask and the warning signs to look out for.

A note on “top 10 event companies” lists

Most “best event companies in Singapore” lists online are written by one of the companies on the list, and they tend to rank themselves first. We used to publish lists like that too, and we’ve taken them down. Use such lists to find names, not to decide. The steps below will tell you more than any ranking.

1. Know what you need before you ask

Companies can only quote accurately against a clear brief. Before you contact anyone, write down:

• The type of event, and what it’s for (thank staff, launch a product, train people, entertain clients)
• Date or date range, and how fixed it is
• Number of guests, and who they are
• Any venue you already have, or the kind of venue you want
• What has to happen in the programme: speeches, awards, performances, meals, activities
• Your budget range, and whether it includes the venue and food
• Who on your side makes decisions, and who signs off

Half a page is enough. The same brief goes to every company, so the proposals are comparable.

2. Build a shortlist

Good places to find names:

• Referrals. Ask colleagues at other companies who ran their last event, and whether they’d use them again.
• Venues. Venue event teams see many organisers at work, and can tell you who runs a smooth event in their space.
• The industry association. SACEOS, the Singapore association for the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and events industry, publishes a members directory.
• Portfolios. Look for events like yours, at your size.

When you read a portfolio, look for real photos from real events rather than stock images, specific details (guest numbers, venue, what the company actually did), and case studies that explain the brief and the result. Several events at a similar scale to yours tell you more than one famous name.

3. Do the basic checks

• Is it a live, registered business? Search the company name or UEN on ACRA’s Bizfile entity search. It shows whether the company is live and its registered address.
• What do they do themselves, and what do they subcontract? Most event companies bring in some partners, like AV, catering or performers. That’s normal. You want to know who is responsible if a partner lets you down.
• Insurance. Many venues ask event organisers and suppliers for public liability insurance. Ask whether they carry it.
• Permits. If your event may need a licence or approval, ask who applies for it and how early. See our guide to event permits and licences in Singapore.

4. Compare proposals side by side

Compare	What good looks like
Understanding of the brief	They play back your goal in their own words and ask questions you hadn’t thought of
Itemised costs	The fee is shown separately from event costs, and every line says whether it’s before or after service charge and GST
Programme	A draft run sheet with timings, not only a mood board
Staffing	How many of their people are on site, their roles, and from what time
AV and production	Specific items and quantities, not “AV package”
Contingency	What happens if it rains, a speaker is late, or the power trips
Terms	Payment schedule, cancellation terms and exclusions in writing

For how quotes are put together and the charges that catch people out, see how much it costs to hire an event company in Singapore.

5. Meet the people who’ll run the day

The person who pitches is not always the person on site. Ask who your day-to-day contact will be, who runs the event on the day, and how many other events they’re handling that week. You’ll work closely with this person for weeks, so it matters that you can reach them and that they give you straight answers.

Questions worth asking

1. What’s an event you’ve run that’s close to ours in size and format? What went wrong, and what did you do?
2. Who will be our contact, and who will run the event on the day?
3. Which parts do you do in-house, and which do you bring in?
4. How do you charge: fixed fee, percentage, or built into item prices?
5. What isn’t included in this quote?
6. When do we need to lock guest numbers, and what happens if they change?
7. What’s your plan if something fails on the day?
8. When will we see a run sheet, and when is the rehearsal?
9. What do you need from us, and by when?
10. Can we speak to a recent client?

Warning signs

• A price given before they’ve asked about your guests, venue or programme
• A single lump sum with no breakdown
• No written contract, or pressure to pay a large deposit immediately
• A portfolio of stock photos, or events that look nothing like yours
• Vague answers about who runs the day
• Promises that nothing can go wrong. Things always go wrong; good teams plan for it.

Common questions

How many companies should we ask to quote?

Three to five. Fewer and you can’t compare; more and you’ll spend your time reading proposals instead of deciding.

Should we choose a specialist or a full-service company?

If your event is mainly one thing, like a conference with heavy AV, a specialist can be a good fit. If it has many moving parts, like a venue, catering, a stage programme, entertainment and guest transport, one company coordinating everything is simpler, and you have one party responsible.

Is the cheapest quote a bad sign?

Not by itself. Check it covers the same things as the others. Cheaper quotes often have fewer staff on site, less AV or items left out.

How early should we start looking?

As soon as you know the date range and rough guest numbers. The venue usually decides the date, and good venues and teams book out early for year-end and around Chinese New Year.

Talk to us

If you’d like us on your shortlist, send us your brief and we’ll reply with our questions and a proposal. Contact us, or look through our event portfolio first.