Favorite iPhone apps for Event Planners

Planning an event is so much easier with a smartphone, don't you agree? While I know there are lots of choices out there, it seems the tool of choice in the special events world is, surprise, surprise -- the iPhone from Apple. I thought it would be fun to make a list of the apps I can't seem to live without, and see if you all agree.



- Sunrise, Sunset Does what it says on the box. Calculates sunrise and sunset times. Perfect if your client is wondering if they need additional lighting, or if they'll get enough use out of their candles or twinkle lights.

- TideApp if you're doing an event on the beach, you need a tide table! Otherwise your wedding ceremony or employee picnic could end up with cold, wet, feet!

- SoundLevel Never get busted again, keep the neighbors happy, and stay on the good side of the law. This app is a decibel meter. Simply stand at the borders of your event and check to make sure you are within the legal limits (usually 80 dB within a city).

- Google Apps (Calendar, gmail, Tasks, Documents) Not specifically for event planning, but oh so helpful to have your calendar, email, and task list in the cloud so you can check it at any time. You can also share with employees or contractors at different levels of security so everyone has the latest updates.

- Bar Stocker I might be cheating a little bit, since this is my own app. But it was so annoying to open Excel every time I wanted to calculate how much liquor, beer, and wine I needed for my upcoming events. Bar Stocker lets you input number of guests, length of event, season, and type of attendees and does all the work for you.

- AccuWeather Premium . Critical for your outdoor events, for travel, and just all around good to know weather information. I pay additional for the premium service so I can get a detailed 15-day-forecast.

- Tally Counter How many people actually attended the event? Tally Counter lets you stand in the back and click as you count heads.

- iHandy Level Is that picture of the retirement party honoree level? Is the arbor you're setting up perfectly straight? This app makes use of the iPhone accelerometer so you can check.

and of course, what busy event planner could live without...
- Chipotle Ordering
I'm only half kidding. If it weren't for Chipotle on those on-the-go days I wonder what I would eat.

What are your favorite special event planning iPhone apps? Do please share!