The Final 5%: Why Events Are Like Building A House
People think events are built in the big moments.
The contract signed.
The venue selected.
The speakers confirmed.
The design approved.
But that’s just framing the house.
The real magic — and the real stress — happens at the end.
Building the Structure vs. Finishing the Details
When you build a house, months are spent on:
Foundation
Framing
Electrical
Plumbing
Roofing
It looks impressive. It feels substantial.
But the house isn’t ready to live in yet.
It’s the final details that make it livable:
Installing cabinet hardware
Hanging door handles
Painting closets
Mounting curtain rods
Removing the protective film from appliances
Adjusting doors that don’t quite close
Those things don’t make the highlight reel.
But skip them, and the house feels unfinished.
The Final Prep in Event Planning
Right now, we’re in that same stage.
The strategy is done.
The contracts are executed.
The design is set.
But here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:
Printing agendas (and re-printing after the last update)
Making signage
Creating tent cards
Updating the portal with final details
Reviewing BEOs line by line
Confirming vendor arrival times
Cross-checking load-in schedules
Walking through room setups
Reconfirming dietary restrictions
None of it is glamorous.
All of it is essential.
Why the Last 5% Matters So Much
Here’s what we’ve learned after years in this business:
The last 5% is what people remember.
Not the contract.
Not the spreadsheet.
Not the months of planning.
They remember:
The sign that clearly told them where to go
The agenda that made the day feel organized
The name tent that made someone feel seen
The room that felt seamless and intentional
That “effortless” feeling everyone loves?
It’s built on a mountain of tiny, deliberate decisions.
The Unseen Work Is the Real Work
In both construction and events, there’s a moment when you’re tired.
You’re 95% done.
You could probably stop.
But professionals don’t stop there.
They walk the space again.
They tighten the hinge.
They adjust the alignment.
They reprint the tent card with the corrected title.
Because excellence doesn’t happen in the big decisions.
It happens in the final details.
A Good Event Should Feel Like a Finished Home
When guests walk into a space, it shouldn’t feel “almost ready.”
It should feel complete.
Thought through.
Polished.
Intentional.
Like a home where the hardware matches, the doors close cleanly, and the lights are warm when you flip the switch.
That’s what we’re building in these final days before an event.
Not just a meeting.
A finished house.
Cheers,
Kelly