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Moving off Modern Events Calendar (MEC) is a data conversion, not simply a plugin swap. MEC documents events as linked WordPress posts and records in a custom database table; it also provides a separate bookings export. A destination plugin may represent events, recurrence, and related records differently, so exporting or copying data does not by itself prove that events will work or look the same afterward.
What MEC stores for an event
MEC’s SQL-import guidance describes an event as two linked pieces: a WordPress event post and a corresponding row in the site’s prefixed mec_events table, commonly written as [wp_prefix]_mec_events. The row’s post_id must match the WordPress post ID. Modern Events Calendar Support warns that importing only one side leaves the event incomplete and it will not appear on the front end.
This is why moving only WordPress posts—or only the MEC table—does not constitute a complete event migration. SQL work also has to account for the target site’s table prefix and preserve the post-to-row relationship. MEC’s SQL examples are implementation guidance, not a substitute for a backup and a migration plan.
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What MEC’s exports cover—and what they don’t establish
MEC documents event exports in iCal, CSV, MS-Excel, XML, and JSON formats. It documents bookings separately, with CSV and MS-Excel export options.
| Export | Documented formats | Migration implication |
|---|---|---|
| Events | iCal, CSV, MS-Excel, XML, JSON | Check the actual fields in the chosen export against the destination’s importer; the list of formats does not guarantee complete round-trip restoration. |
| Bookings | CSV, MS-Excel | Handle bookings as a separate migration check. Do not assume an event export includes reservations. |
The available documentation does not establish a complete field-by-field mapping from MEC into any particular destination. Before relying on an export, inspect representative records and confirm that the destination can import the fields your site uses.
What can be removed when MEC is uninstalled
MEC has a setting called “Remove MEC Data on Plugin Uninstall.” It controls whether MEC data is cleared from the database after uninstalling. Check the setting in the version installed on your site before removing the plugin, and take a full backup first. MEC Lite’s readme specifically advises disabling this option before uninstalling Lite when moving data to Pro; that is a Lite-to-Pro instruction, but it underscores why the setting should not be overlooked when planning a removal.
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What to audit after changing plugins
These are migration checks, not documented guarantees that a particular MEC-to-destination import will fail. Compare representative items on staging, especially where your site relies on linked records, extensions, or custom presentation.
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Recurrence, dates, and time zones
Check recurring schedules, end dates, exceptions, all-day and multi-day events, and how dates and times display. Event plugins can model recurrence and occurrences differently, so an event that imports may not retain the same schedule or display behavior.
Bookings and tickets
Verify that bookings are present and associated with the right events and people. Check statuses, payment or invoice details, and ticket links where your site uses them. MEC’s separate bookings export means reservations need their own review rather than an assumption that event records carry them over.
Venues, organizers, and custom fields
Confirm that venues and organizers remain linked to the correct events, and check their address and contact fields. Compare custom fields and metadata as well, including anything added by MEC extensions or site-specific code.
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Images and front-end presentation
Check featured images, calendar views, individual event pages, shortcodes, widgets, templates, and theme overrides. An event-data export does not move the site’s presentation layer, and a destination plugin may render imported data differently.
URLs and discoverability
Inspect event URLs, redirects, category archives, feeds, and structured output after the switch. These depend on the site and its configuration; the reviewed MEC migration documentation does not promise URL continuity or equivalent output.
If you’re moving to The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar (TEC) documents a storage model distinct from MEC’s: tec_events holds event rows, tec_occurrences holds occurrence rows, and tec_series_relationships records event-to-series relationships. TEC says its internal table design may evolve and recommends using its ORM APIs rather than relying on direct table internals. Copying MEC rows directly into TEC tables is therefore not a general supported conversion strategy.
TEC’s migration guidance for its own custom event-data system says recurring events with RSVPs cannot be migrated through that process, and complex recurring rules with multiple patterns may be split into separate recurring events. Those are limits described for TEC’s own migration process, not a guarantee about every MEC-to-TEC import.
TEC support has distinguished its MEC import extension from the built-in WordPress export/import tools: the extension is aimed at importing from MEC, while the built-in tools are described as moving events between sites already using TEC. The cited support thread is historical, so confirm that any extension you plan to use is maintained and compatible with your installed versions before depending on it.
A safer migration sequence
- Back up the site. Take a full database and files backup, and verify that it can be restored. Perform the conversion on a staging copy rather than the live site.
- Inventory your events. Record counts and sample single, all-day, multi-day, recurring, past, unpublished, ticketed, and booked events. Include examples with venues, organizers, custom fields, and images where relevant.
- Protect MEC data and export what you need. Check “Remove MEC Data on Plugin Uninstall” in the installed version. Export events and bookings separately where needed, then inspect the files to see which fields are present.
- Use a supported destination route. Follow the destination plugin’s current importer or migration instructions. For SQL work, preserve IDs and MEC’s matching post/table links; do not write directly into a destination plugin’s private tables unless its documentation explicitly supports that approach.
- Compare staging results with your inventory. Check counts, schedules, time zones, venues, organizers, bookings, custom fields, images, URLs, calendar views, and individual event pages.
- Keep rollback available. Retain the source backup and a way to restore the previous setup until the migrated site has been reviewed in production-like use.
How to choose between migration routes
When more than one route is available, compare them against the same practical requirements instead of choosing by format name alone. The documented export choices and storage details do not provide a complete comparative scorecard for MEC-to-destination migrations.
Quick Recap
- Which event fields are preserved, and which require manual work?
- How well do recurrence rules, exceptions, and time zones carry over?
- Are bookings and ticket details handled, or do they need a separate process?
- Do venues and organizers remain linked with their relevant contact details?
- Will images and URLs remain usable, and can redirects be set where needed?
- Can the process be repeated safely and rolled back if the result is wrong?
- Is the importer or method compatible with the current MEC and destination versions?
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