Doing all the leg work and not getting people to pitch in for the free event was always a hassle. And people demanded that we come up with everything. I should of implemented something like this back then to deal with the flakes who would hound the threads for months and then never show up.
We've been blessed with a generous community and many great friendships through our events. That said, implementing some controls will really make our lives easier which is key if these events are to continue.