The first fifteen minutes

Guests decide how the night will go almost as soon as they arrive. Design the walk from the door to their first conversation.

The Valore team · 1 min read

Walking into a room full of strangers is uncomfortable, even for confident people. The first few minutes decide whether a guest relaxes into the night or spends it checking their phone near the exit. Your job is to make arriving easy.

Be done before the doors open

If you're still testing the mic or moving chairs when the first guests arrive, you'll miss the most important part of hosting. Aim to be completely set up 30 minutes early. The first arrivals are often your most eager guests, and the most nervous.

Make check-in fast

• Scan QR tickets or check names on a phone instead of a printed list.
• Have more than one person, or a self check-in kiosk, for the rush at the start time.
• Put the check-in point where people can find it, with a sign outside if the entrance is tricky.

Get every guest to a first moment

The time between check-in and a first conversation is when people feel most awkward. Shorten it: walk them to the bar, hand them a name tag, or introduce them to someone. "This is Maya, she also just moved here from Chicago" beats any icebreaker game.

Set the scene before anyone arrives

Music on, lights a little lower than you think, and the room arranged so people gather where you want them. Put the food and drink away from the door, so people come inside instead of clogging the entrance.