What Not to Do: 25 Event Ideas That Should Never Be Repeated
From 50 years of watching what works—and what definitely doesn’t
After five decades in the event world, I’ve seen the standing ovations—and the long, painful silences. This list isn’t a takedown. It’s a field report. A deeply lived record of ideas that sounded great in a brainstorm and fell flat in the ballroom.
Some are rooted in ego. Others in budget panic. Most are about not reading the room.
You may disagree with a few. You almost certainly have your own. That’s the point.
Food & Beverage Fails
When dinner becomes a disaster, guests don’t forget.
1. Mashed Potato Martini Bars
Why it’s bad: A one-note gimmick that prioritizes novelty over usability. Guests juggle hot starch in a martini glass while standing—awkward, dated, and zero ROI on delight.
2. Cheese Falling from the Ceiling
Why it’s bad: You called it “immersive fondue.” Guests called it “dairy dodgeball.” No one wants to catch cheese midair in formalwear. Health code violation meets bad TikTok theater.
3. Overly Complicated Signature Cocktails
Why it’s bad: Nine ingredients and hand-shaved ice is a no-go for 300 people. Bartenders groan, guests bail for tequila neat.
4. Edible Invitations That Don’t Survive Transit
Why it’s bad: You mailed macarons to 300 people… in August… without cold packs. By the time they arrive, they’re crushed, melted, or fused into one sad sugar slab.
5. Passed Appetizers That Never Arrive
Why it’s bad: The tray of lukewarm spring rolls passed once, 45 minutes ago, to one VIP table. Everyone else is gnawing the garnish off their cocktail napkin. This is not the way to trim the budget.
6. The Dinner That Never Ends
Why it’s bad: The salad took 30 minutes. The entrée took 90. By dessert, guests were checking flight times and texting babysitters. A plated meal is not a miniseries.
🎨 Decor, Layout & Rentals
Design decisions that look great in renderings—and ruin real experiences.
7. Balloon Drops That Don’t Drop
Why it’s bad: It’s supposed to be the big moment, and then nothing happens—or half the net releases. A metaphor for poor execution in general.
8. Cheesy Photo Booth Props
Why it’s bad: Feather boas, stick-on mustaches, and oversized sunglasses belong to 2013. Guests don’t share these anymore—your ROI is gone.
9. The VIP Cordon That Killed the Room
You roped off an "exclusive" area in the middle of the room thinking it would elevate the vibe.
Why it’s bad: Instead of creating aspiration, it triggered avoidance. Guests circled it awkwardly like a human moat. No one knew if they could pass. You didn’t inspire envy—you killed energy. A centerpiece of separation isn’t luxury, it’s a planning fail.
10. Centerpieces That Block Conversation
Why it’s bad: You got a “deal” on six-foot floral towers. Now no one can see across the table, and your event feels like a wedding thrown by a hedge maze.
11. Long Buffet Lines with No Flow
Why it’s bad: Forty-five minutes to get food and a cold plate by the time you sit. There’s a reason stations and service exist.
🗣 Programming & Stagecraft
Where the mic is hot and the guest energy is not.
12. Panel Discussions with 5+ Speakers
Why it’s bad: No depth, no flow. Everyone gets five minutes, no one makes an impact. Panels need curation, not democratic bloat.
13.Keynote Speakers Who Sell From Stage
Why it’s bad: If your keynote is a thinly veiled sales pitch, the audience feels duped. Credibility nosedives.
14. Executives Who Think the Event Is About Them
Why it’s bad: The CEO and their inner circle take the stage, speak way too long, and act like the audience came to hear their uncut origin stories. They forget they’re hosts, not headliners. The result? A room full of eye-rolls, disengagement, and a leadership credibility drain.
🛠 Logistics & Guest Experience
The operational choices guests notice most—and forgive least.
15. Corporate Table Fill-In Hell
Why it’s bad: The company buys the $25K table to “support the cause”—but sends the office randos who happened to reply fastest. Prestige: evaporated.
16. Self-Catering Your Own Event
Why it’s bad: You invited 80 people to a “special evening” at your house… and served Costco lasagna from foil trays on a folding table. Guests in cocktail attire stood in line like it was a PTA potluck. It wasn’t elevated—it was awkward with garlic bread.
17. Hiring Your Cousin as the Photographer
Why it’s bad: Just because they have a DSLR doesn’t mean they should be in charge of documentation.
18. Champagne Poured by Suspended Aerialists
Why it’s bad: Sure, it looks cool—until the pour hits someone’s forehead. It’s Cirque du So-Why.
19. Cash Tip Jar on the Bar at a Corporate Event
Why it’s bad: You’re the host. Guests should not feel obligated to tip after every drink at your company’s “celebration.” It’s giving bring your own hospitality.
20. The Bus That Never Came
Why it’s bad: Unmarked shuttle. No signage. Guests in heels wandering aimlessly like extras in a post-apocalyptic travel drama.
21. Bag Check Hell on the Final Day
Why it’s bad: Everyone’s checked out of their hotel and needs to stash a suitcase—but the bag check is understaffed, unlabeled, and in a weird hallway by the service elevators. At pickup, it’s a 30-minute queue with someone shouting room numbers over the sound of rollaway bins. Your guests ended your conference not with connection, but chaos on wheels.
22. Offering Too Many Choices with No Guidance
Why it’s bad: Twelve breakouts. Six food stations. Four lounges. No signage, no recommendation engine, no map. Guests spent the day wandering, deciding, second-guessing—and missing the moments that mattered. You didn’t offer flexibility. You delivered a choose-your-own confusion.
Environmental Misreads
Where comfort, climate, and guest psychology collide.
23. No Contingency Plan for Weather
Why it’s bad: Especially outdoor weddings or beach events. “We were hoping it wouldn’t rain” is not a strategy. And please—don’t hand out $0.50 paper fans in 90-degree heat and call it guest comfort.
24. Loose Glitter or Confetti in the Envelope
Why it’s bad: Guests open your invite and immediately declare war. Now their keyboard is glitter-bombed, and you’ve been mentally uninvited.
25. Theming That Hasn’t Aged Well
Why it’s bad: “Arabian Nights,” “Cowboys and Indians,” “Tribal Glam”—they’re not festive, they’re offensive. Cultural appropriation, stereotype-laden decor, and tone-deaf programming don’t just miss the mark—they damage your brand. If your theme needs a disclaimer, don’t do it.
Final Thought
The Vault is where we honor ideas that work—bold formats, intentional choices, and experiences built around people, not egos. This list? This is what gets left outside the Vault.You’ve probably survived one of these. You’ve probably fixed one on the fly. You definitely have your own.
Got one to add? Send it anonymously. We won’t name names—but we might give it a number.
-Lack of access and accommodations for anyone with a disability of any kind. At all events.
-American speakers at global events using only American sports metaphors.
-Unvetted speakers and entertainers.
-Adding to Tahira’s: black & white themed events; unexplained dress codes.
You hit the nail on the head with these. I was laughing at the cheese falling from the chandelier or the time I did the maple syrup falling from a custom made contraption that looked awesome and everyone found entertaining falling onto the cheese. The only thing I have to share, is that at least in the next decade younger professionals can read this and not make the mistakes that the industry did. Great post and very mindful.