Creating an Event

Creating an event on LavishMade allows you to organize real-world gatherings for the community. All events must be created by approved hosts and go through an admin review process before becoming visible to everyone.

Before You Start

Before creating an event, make sure you:

• Are an approved host (you'll need to apply if you're not already approved)
• Have Stripe Connect set up if you plan to create paid events
• Have all event details ready (title, description, date, time, location, capacity, etc.)

Step-by-Step: Creating an Event

1. Navigate to create event: Go to the /irl page and click "Create Event" or visit the event creation page directly
2. Fill in basic information:
   • Event title (required, max 200 characters)
   • Event description (required, minimum 50 characters)
   • Event type (meetup, workshop, performance, social, outdoor, or other)
3. Set date and time:
   • Start time (required, must be in the future)
   • End time (required, must be after start time)
   • Timezone (automatically determined from venue address)
   • Optional: RSVP cutoff time (when RSVPs stop being accepted)
4. Add location details:
   • Venue name (required)
   • Street address (required)
   • City, state, and zip code (required)
   • System will automatically geocode the address for map display
5. Set capacity and RSVP options:
   • Capacity (required if registration is required)
   • RSVP mode: Auto-approve (instant confirmation) or Request to attend (host approves)
   • Registration required toggle (can create open events without RSVP)
6. Set pricing (if applicable):
   • Free event: Leave price at $0
   • Paid event: Set price (requires Stripe Connect)
   • External ticketing: Option to link to external ticket sales platform
7. Add event terms:
   • Required terms and conditions for attendees
   • Templates available for different event types
8. Configure reminders:
   • 3 days before event (default: enabled)
   • 24 hours before event (default: enabled)
   • 3 hours before event (default: enabled)
9. Optional features:
   • Featured content (link to a post, blog post, or deep dive)
   • Website URL
   • Additional information
10. Save as draft: Click "Save Draft" to save your event without submitting
11. Submit for review: When ready, click "Submit for Review" to send to admins

Event Status and Approval

Your event will go through these statuses:

• Draft: Only you can see it. You can edit freely and submit when ready.
• In Review: Submitted to admins. Only you and admins can see it. You cannot edit during review.
• Approved: Event is live and visible to everyone. You can request changes but cannot unpublish.
• Changes Requested: Admin requested changes. Event returns to draft status for you to make edits.
• Rejected: Event was rejected. You can see it but cannot republish.

Requirements for Paid Events

If you want to create a paid event:

• You must have Stripe Connect set up in your Publisher Settings
• The system will check your Stripe status when you select "Paid Event"
• If Stripe is not connected, you'll see a prompt to set it up
• You cannot save a paid event as draft without Stripe connected

The platform charges a 10% fee on all paid events, which is automatically deducted from payments.

Editing Events

You can edit events in different ways depending on their status:

• Draft events: Edit freely at any time
• Approved events: Request changes through the admin review system
• Changes pending review: Your requested changes are being reviewed

Once an event is approved, you cannot directly edit it. Instead, you submit change requests that admins review. This ensures consistency and prevents confusion for attendees.

Best Practices

• Write clear, detailed descriptions that help attendees know what to expect
• Set realistic capacity limits based on your venue
• Choose the appropriate RSVP mode for your event type
• Set RSVP cutoff times if you need final headcounts in advance
• Use event terms templates as a starting point and customize as needed
• Enable all reminder options to help reduce no-shows
• Link to featured content if you have related posts, blogs, or deep dives

What Happens After Approval

Once your event is approved:

• It appears on the /irl page and in relevant room/interest pages
• It may appear in feeds for users who follow you or have favorited relevant interests
• People can start RSVPing immediately
• You'll receive notifications when people RSVP
• You can manage attendees, send messages, and handle waitlists