What you need for a seminar

A seminar needs more than chairs and a projector. You will need a clear registration setup, presentation backups, reliable audio-visual equipment, and enough tableware for every service. Coffee, water, lunch, and refreshments are easy to underestimate, especially when the program lasts all day. Use this list to check what must be bought, hired, collected, or tested before the venue opens. Quantities depend on attendance, but a few simple rules prevent the most common shortages.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Chairsqty 60
Foldable tablesqty 10
Registration desk
Buffet tablesqty 4
Stage table
High tablesqty 8

Equipment

Projector
Projection screen
Laptop
Wireless microphonesqty 2
Microphone stand
Presentation clicker
Speakersqty 2
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4
HDMI cablesqty 2
USB sticksqty 2

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 70
Dessert platesqty 70
Coffee cupsqty 70
Water glassesqty 80
Wine glassesqty 70
Coffee spoonsqty 70
Tablespoonsqty 70
Forksqty 70
Knivesqty 70

Kitchen

Coffee machinesqty 2
Thermos flasksqty 6
Water jugsqty 8
Serving traysqty 8
Serving spoonsqty 8
Buffet traysqty 8
Coolersqty 4
Ice cube traysqty 4

Decorations

Name badgesqty 70
Program leafletsqty 70
Pensqty 70
Notepadsqty 70
Tableclothsqty 10
Name badgesqty 6
Directional signsqty 8
Pen holdersqty 8

Lighting

Standing lampsqty 4
LED string lightsqty 4

Cleaning

Broomqty 2
Floor squeegee
Bucketsqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Microfiber clothsqty 12
Hand soap dispensersqty 4
Paper towel holdersqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea bags - 100 pieces
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Coffee creamer - 2 bottles
- Sugar - 2 kilograms
- Sweeteners - 200 pieces
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Still Water - 48 bottles
- Sparkling water - 36 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 cartons
- Orange juice - 8 packs
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Beer - 48 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Red wine - 6 bottles
- Rosé - 4 bottles
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- Mini croissants - 80 pieces
- Mini chocolate rolls - 60 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilogram
- Cream cheese - 1 kilogram
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Aged cheese - 1 kilogram
- Chicken breast slices - 1,5 kilogram
- Ham - 1.5 kilograms
- Hummus - 1.5 kilograms
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 2 jars
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Bell peppers - 2 kilograms
- Carrots - 2 kilogram
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Apples - 60 pieces
- Bananas - 40 pieces
- Pears - 30 pieces
- Yogurt - 4 kilogram
- Muesli - 2 kilograms
- Nut mix - 1,5 kilogram
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Olives - 2 kilograms
- Mixed nuts - 2 kilograms
- Mini quiches - 100 pieces
- Vegetable spring rolls - 100 pieces
- Meatballs - 100 pieces
- Falafel - 100 pieces
- Wraps - 80 pieces
- Rice salad - 6 kilograms
- Pasta salad - 6 kilogram
- Green salad - 5 kilograms
- Grilled vegetables - 5 kilogram
- Chicken skewers - 100 pieces
- Vegetarian skewers - 60 pieces
- Potato salad - 5 kilograms
- Sandwiches - 80 pieces
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Dressing - 3 bottles
- Salt - 1 pack
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Basil - 4 bunches
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Cocktail picks - 200 pieces
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Dishwasher tablets - 50 pieces
- Sponges - 10 pieces
- Rubber gloves - 6 pairs
- Toilet soap - 4 refills
- Air freshener - 4 spray cans

Tips

Plan one chair per registered attendee, plus 5–10% extra if the room allows it. Keep a few spare chairs available for late registrations or speakers bringing guests.
Prepare one name badge and one printed program per attendee, with at least 10% extra copies. Put the registration desk near the entrance and keep spare pens there.
Bring presentations on the event laptop and on two separate USB sticks. Test the projector, screen, HDMI cables, clicker, speakers, and wireless microphones before attendees arrive.
For an all-day seminar, allow two to three coffee servings per person during the first half of the day, then plan a refill for the afternoon. Provide at least one water glass per person and keep filled water jugs visible in the room.
Match tableware to each service rather than buying only for the main meal: dinner plates, dessert plates, forks, knives, tablespoons, coffee cups, coffee spoons, and water glasses. Add 10–15% spare pieces for breakage and unexpected guests.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to buy for a seminar?: Plan for seating, registration materials, printed programs, presentation backups, audio-visual equipment, catering supplies, drinks, and tableware. For each attendee, start with one chair, one badge, one program, and one water glass, then add 5–15% spares where practical.
How much coffee and water do I need for a seminar?: For a half-day seminar, allow about 3–4 cups of coffee per person; for a full day, plan roughly 5–6 cups. Provide at least 1 litre of water per person for a full-day program, using water jugs and glasses that can be refilled.
How many printed programs and name badges should I prepare?: Prepare one program and one name badge for every registered attendee, plus 10% extra. For 80 attendees, that means 88 programs and 88 badges, with a few blank badges available for last-minute registrations.
When should seminar equipment and presentations be checked?: Check the projector, screen, laptop, microphones, speakers, cables, power strips, and clicker at least one day before the seminar if possible. Test every presentation again in the venue on the event morning, and keep two USB backups with the registration or stage team.

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