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When I was a kid, we ate more dinners at home than we did out. I think you’d agree—that’s changed.

Every so often, we’d get a special night out at a “fancy restaurant,” where my sister and I could order Shirley Temples. And at the end of the meal? A little dish of creamy buttermints with the check. I looked forward to those minty gifts more than anything.

Here’s why I’m telling you this: events are the same.

We spend months obsessing over the opening. The wow moment. I’ve produced events with lights, smoke, music, and entertainment....the big, splashy statement. And it's fun.

Here's a truth events are wrestling with: keeping your audience participating AND engaged through the end.

Just like a meal, people don’t remember every bite.
They remember the aftertaste. How it left them feeling. And closing moments do that.

A few ways to design that buttermint “aftertaste”:
✨ End with a unifying, emotion-based story that ties the whole arc together
🙌 Create space for reflection—not just applause
🎯 Leave them with one clear takeaway, not a laundry list
💡 Build anticipation for what’s next—announce next year’s theme or a community gathering

Think of it like a flywheel: bring your audience back to the initial anticipation of what’s next, and you’ve given them a reason to return.

As you plan your fall events, don’t just script the open. Script the close as well. The after-dinner mint moment is a concept that may keep your audience waiting for more.

Want help designing an ending that lingers? Let's chat.​

Keep thinking, keep winking,
— Denise

​Twofold Story: Helping you build journeys, not agendas.

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