How Early Should We Order Printing for Events?

The answer is earlier than you think. Here's a practical timeline for ordering event print so nothing gets rushed and nothing gets forgotten.

6 to 8 Weeks Before: Large Format Signage

Banners, large corflute boards, pull-up banners, and any signage that requires design work. These need time for design, proofing, revision, and production. If you're ordering fabric banners or anything involving custom finishing, add an extra week.

4 to 6 Weeks Before: Apparel and Merchandise

Event tees, volunteer shirts, crew gear. These need size collection from your team, artwork finalisation, and production time. Allow a week for gathering sizes alone - people are slow to respond. Order enough spares in common sizes for last-minute additions.

3 to 4 Weeks Before: Standard Print

Programs, flyers, postcards, business cards, stickers. Standard turnaround for small-format print is typically 3 to 5 business days, but you want time for proofing and any revisions. Don't leave this to the last week.

2 to 3 Weeks Before: Small Signage

Corflute directional signs, table numbers, counter displays, QR code stands. These are quick to produce but often the last things people think about. Get them ordered while there's still comfortable turnaround time.

1 Week Before: Emergency Additions

This is rush territory. Most printers can turn around simple jobs in 1 to 2 business days, but it limits your options and may cost more. Read our turnaround guide for realistic timeframes.

The Rule

If you're not sure when to order, order now. Every extra day of lead time gives you more room for proofing, revisions, and delivery. Rush fees are a tax on poor planning. A five-minute conversation with your printer six weeks out can save hundreds of dollars and a lot of stress.

Send us your event date and we'll build a production schedule backwards from it.