10 Meeting Planning Surprises and How Planners Handled Them

Every planner has had his or her share of meeting disasters, and there’s a lot to learn from how they dealt with them. Maintaining a clear mind to determine the next steps and cultivating solid relationships with your supplier partners are the most crucial factors.

Here are 10 stories of real-life meeting surprises — along with strategies to keep them from happening again.

Surprise #1

A meeting was underway when the planner realized that the hotel was charging hot tea on consumption at $10 per tea bag and refusing to do gallons of hot water. 

Short-term solution: This ended up costing the planner much more than hot water by the gallon — the industry standard. However, since she was already contracted for another, larger meeting at the same hotel, she negotiated the cost for that down to $8 per tea bag. Then at the pre-con meeting, where members of hotel leadership were present, she brought the issue up again — and they immediately agreed to charge for water by the gallon.

Long-term action: It’s important to review specific language in your contract regarding coffee, tea, and soft drinks — three of the most conflict-ridden items in F&B.

Surprise #2

A planner was doing a walk-through of the meeting space, only to peer under a table and find a waiter there, asleep, in full uniform.

Short-term solution: The planner contacted her banquet manager.

Long-term action: Include in your contract that the hotel do sweeps of all the meeting room spaces before your event. 

Surprise #3

A celebrity speaker arrived on site, took one look at the ballroom, and refused to speak there, saying it didn’t match her aesthetic, and demanding a different venue.

Short-term solution: The planner diffused the threat by narrowing down what it was about the room that she didn’t like (the lighting, the stage, the backdrop?) and assuring her that they would make the changes.  

Long-term action: Include a clause in speaker contracts saying that the final stage set is at the organizer’s discretion.

Surprise #4

In addition to his standard fees plus travel and meals, a speaker suddenly asked the planner to also cover his plus-one's airfare, meals, and beverages, and both of their incidentals for a three-day meeting. 

Short-term solution: The planner drew a hard line by saying it wasn’t in her budget to accommodate the request. The speaker backed off, rather than lose the speaking opportunity altogether.

Long-term action: Add language to the speaker contract, stating that your organization will only pay for the speaker’s expenses; any additional expenses are his or her responsibility.

Surprise #5

The CEO changed his mind at the last minute and decided to arrive by helicopter.

Short-term solution: The planner communicated with his administrative assistant, made it happen, and arranged for a car from the landing site.

Long-term action: If the CEO or other top executives sometimes travel by helicopter, always check with their assistants in advance about how they plan to arrive at your event.  

Surprise #6

During the group's walk back from a restaurant luncheon across the convention center, the planner received a frantic call from a sponsor, reporting that the meeting space furniture, florals, and decor were being removed.

Short-term solution: The planner called the convention services manager, who had listed the incorrrect time to break down the room on his instructions to the decor company. They immediately began re-setting up the room and, meanwhile, the CSM set up a coffee station in the pre-function space. Soon, everything was back on  track.

Long-term action: Though it’s a step that few planners take because they don’t want to offend their CSMs, you can ask to double check their scheduling instructions for suppliers. 

Surprise #7

A meeting was taking place at a brand-new hotel, where  the meeting space, public areas, and guest rooms were finished, but not the kitchen. The decision was made to prepare the food for the lunch at a sister hotel across town, but the catering team forgot to bring coffee.

Short-term solution: The planner called several local coffee shops and ordered 10 carafes, which typically hold 12 8-oz. cups. The team split up to pick them up, and coffee was available within 20 minutes.

Long-term action: Make sure that coffee is perfect and plentiful every time. 

Surprise #8

A company decided to move forward with a meeting on the Southwest Coast of Florida four days after a hurricane hit further north. The storm had already weakened and moved up the coast, and everyone was able to make their flights — except for the keynote speaker, who was traveling from New York City.

Short-term solution: This speaker went above and beyond to fulfill her obligation. She ended up taking a train to Washington, D.C., flying to Fort Lauderdale (since there were no flights available to Fort Myers), and renting a car to drive three hours across the state to make it on time. The planner moved her slot from opening speaker to closing speaker, and shared the details of her journey during her introduction to the audience, who then gave her a standing ovation.

Long-term action: Work only with trusted speakers bureaus, and always seek out recommendations. Ask speakers to share an example of a meeting where things did not work out according to plan, and how they handled it.

Surprise #9

Canada Post went on strike at the end of 2025, and a boxload of pre-printed badges did not arrive on time.

Short-term solution: The planner was using an event management tool that allowed her to pull attendee info straight from the system and print the badges on a regular printer.

Long-term action: Shipping your printing jobs to a printer at or near the meeting location is a way to avoid stress about late or lost packages.

Surprise #10

The meeting space and kitchen were dark and empty at 10 a.m. when the planner arrived to set up for a lunch meeting scheduled for noon. 

Short-term solution: The planner peeked in the back hallway and saw that her meeting was incorrectly listed for the next day. She called her CSM, who assured her that she was aware of the situation (though she’s not sure that she was). Less than an hour later, staff started arriving, and the event still went off on time.

Long-term action: There will always be surprises, so treat your CSM and other partners with respect.