BEO Template
What does a BEO template look like, and how do you fill it in?
BEO stands for banquet event order. It is the one-page work order a venue or caterer uses to run a function. This guide gives you a BEO template to copy, a filled-in sample, and notes on each field.
For the full idea behind a BEO, read the banquet event order guide. Here the focus is the form itself: what to write in each line, and who has to sign it.
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BEO meaning in one minute
BEO means banquet event order. Some venues call it a catering event order. It lists everything the venue team must do for one function: times, headcount, menu, room setup, audio-visual, staff and charges.
One BEO covers one function, such as a dinner or a breakout lunch. A multi-day event has several. The venue usually writes it. You check it and sign it.
Read the concept guide
The banquet event order guide explains why BEOs exist and how venues use them.
Banquet event order guide
Copy-ready BEO template
Paste this into a document and fill in each line. Write "none" rather than leaving a line blank, so the venue knows you did not forget it.
Banquet event order (BEO) template
BANQUET EVENT ORDER BEO number: ____ Version: ____ Date issued: ____ EVENT DETAILS Event name: ____ Function name: ____ Function date: ____ Room or space: ____ Organizer contact (name, phone, email): ____ Venue contact (name, phone, email): ____ On-site contact on the day: ____ Contract or booking number: ____ TIMELINE Venue access / load-in: ____ Setup complete: ____ Doors open: ____ Program starts: ____ Food and drink service points: ____ Program ends: ____ Breakdown complete: ____ GUEST COUNTS Expected guests: ____ Guaranteed guests: ____ Guarantee due date: ____ Tables x seats per table: ____ Dietary meals (type and count): ____ MENU AND BEVERAGE Service style (plated, buffet, stations, passed): ____ Dishes: ____ Beverage package and bar rules: ____ Children or staff meals: ____ ROOM SETUP Layout: ____ Tables, chairs and linens: ____ Stage, dance floor, registration table: ____ Signage and positions: ____ Floor plan attached: yes / no AUDIO-VISUAL AND DECOR Microphones, screens, projector, lighting: ____ Supplied by (venue / organizer / vendor): ____ Decor, flowers, centerpieces: ____ STAFFING Servers, bartenders, captains, AV tech (number and start time): ____ Security or coat check: ____ CHARGES AND PAYMENT Food and beverage: ____ Room, equipment and labor: ____ Service charge and taxes: ____ Deposit paid and balance due date: ____ SPECIAL NOTES ____ APPROVAL Organizer name, signature, date: ____ Venue name, signature, date: ____ Payment authorized by: ____
A filled-in sample BEO
This sample uses made-up names and numbers. It shows the level of detail to aim for. Do not copy the figures. Replace every one with your own.
Sample BEO (fictional placeholders)
SAMPLE ONLY - FICTIONAL DETAILS BEO number: 001 Version: 2 Date issued: [date] Event name: Example Annual Awards Dinner Function: Awards dinner Function date: [date] Room: Grand Ballroom (example) Organizer contact: [Organizer name, phone, email] Venue contact: [Catering manager name, phone, email] On-site contact: [Event lead, mobile number] TIMELINE 2:00 pm Venue access and setup begins 5:00 pm Setup complete, sound check 6:00 pm Doors open, welcome drinks 6:45 pm Guests seated 7:00 pm Plated first course 7:45 pm Awards program 8:30 pm Dessert and coffee 9:30 pm Program ends 10:30 pm Breakdown complete GUEST COUNTS Expected: [number] Guaranteed: [number] due [date] Tables: round tables of 10 Dietary: [number] vegetarian, [number] gluten-free, [number] other (named on list) MENU AND BEVERAGE Style: plated, three courses, choice of two mains Beverage: welcome drink, wine with dinner, soft drinks and coffee Bar closes: 9:30 pm ROOM SETUP Round tables, white linens, head table on stage Registration table at entrance with two staff Stage, lectern and two handheld microphones AV AND DECOR Projector and screen, supplied by venue Centerpieces, supplied by organizer, delivered 3:00 pm STAFFING Servers: [number], from 5:30 pm; bartenders: [number], from 5:30 pm; AV tech: one, from 4:30 pm CHARGES As per contract plus revisions listed on version 2 NOTES Seat award winners at tables 1 to 3. Hold the main course for 10 minutes if the program runs late. APPROVAL Organizer: ______ Date: ____ Venue: ______ Date: ____
Field-by-field notes
Most mistakes come from a few fields. Check these first.
Version and date issued
Every revision gets a new number. When the BEO changes, everyone should work from the latest version only.
Timeline
Add clock times for each service point, not just start and end. The kitchen plans around them.
Run of show templateExpected and guaranteed counts
The guarantee is the number you pay for. Note its due date and who may change it.
Dietary meals
Give a type and a count. For allergies, name the guests or the tables so staff can find them.
Supplied by
For each item, say who brings it: venue, you or a vendor. Gaps here lead to missing microphones and late centerpieces.
Event logistics checklistCharges
Check that every line ties back to your contract. Ask what a service charge covers and when the balance is due.
Who signs off
A BEO usually needs two signatures: yours and the venue's. Add a third if someone else controls the budget.
| Role | What they check | Signs? |
|---|---|---|
| Event planner | Times, counts, menu, setup and AV against the plan | Yes |
| Budget holder | Charges against the contract and the budget | Yes, if different from planner |
| Venue catering or event manager | That the venue can deliver everything listed | Yes |
| Chef or kitchen lead | Menu, allergens and service times | Often reviews, may not sign |
| Speakers or AV vendor | Technical needs and arrival times | Review only |
When to ask for the BEO
Ask for the first draft early enough to fix problems. The suggested timing below is a planning guide. Your venue's terms come first.
Request a draft once the menu and room are set. Review it within a few days. Confirm the guaranteed count by the date in your contract. Ask for the final version a few days before the event, and bring a printed copy on the day.
Where Eventdex fits
A BEO is a document the venue produces. Eventdex's pages do not describe creating BEOs. Eventdex's pages do describe registration, seating and onsite check-in, which give you the headcount and dietary details to put on the form.
The Eventdex platform
Tools that feed the numbers on your BEO
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FAQ
BEO Template: common questions
What does BEO mean?
BEO means banquet event order. It is the document a venue or caterer uses to run one function. It lists times, guest counts, menu, setup, audio-visual needs, staff and charges.
Who writes a BEO?
The venue or caterer writes it, usually the catering or event manager. You review it, mark corrections and sign it. Always ask for a new version after any change.
Is a BEO the same as a catering event order?
In most venues, yes. The name varies, but the document does the same job. It is the order the kitchen, service and setup teams work from.
Can I use the sample BEO as is?
No. The sample uses made-up placeholders to show the level of detail. Replace every name, time and count with your own, and check each line against your venue contract.
Does Eventdex create BEOs?
Eventdex's pages do not describe creating BEOs, so write or request one from your venue. Eventdex's pages do describe registration, seating and check-in, which give you the numbers to put on it.
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