A sold-out pop-up café built from scratch in 18 days on $300 — a format designed to make real conversation between strangers unavoidable.
TEAM
Elsa Sinuhaji Linda Jolly
MY ROLE
Experience Design Production & Logistics Social & Content
DURATION
18 Days 2025
TOOLS
Figma Instagram EventBrite
Butter Garden is a monthly event series I co-founded with Linda Jolly — each gathering built around a different format, all trying to answer the same question: what does it actually take for people to genuinely connect? The first event proved there was appetite for something slower and more intentional. For the second, I set out to build a format that did the social work so attendees didn't have to, then produced it end-to-end in 18 days on a $300 total budget.
THE problem
Vancouver has no shortage of opportunities to mingle, but most social events leave conversation to chance. With no structure guiding interactions, strangers default to introductions and small talk, rarely reaching the kind of exchange that builds a real connection. The problem isn't the lack of opportunities, but the lack of support and structure that helps people move past small talk.
The Opportunity
We had the opportunity to design a structured environment that drew people in with good conversations, rather than drinks or good music as the hook. This aligned naturally with Butter Garden's focus on self-reflection, giving strangers a reason to engage with intention, not just proximity.
The guiding question
How might we design a social format that gives strangers a genuine reason to talk to each other, without it feeling artificial?
OUR APPROACH
When designing the structure of the event, I realized that people need a reason to start talking to each other, and a way out if a conversation stalled. So, I came up with a speed-friending format where strangers rotated through themed tables, each guided by prompt cards, moving to a new table and new people every 20-25 minutes.
Production
I set the full production schedule on April 1st, working back from the April 19th event date, and ran coordination across the team through a shared group chat — distributing role assignments, daily to-dos, and check-ins throughout the build week.
25
Tickets sold (sold out)
18
Days from concept to event
$300
Total budget
4
Conversation themes
Budget & sourcing
With $184 going to venue, I had roughly $100 left for everything else. I planned the menu strategically around what was affordable — cross-referencing online flyers, sourcing deals across multiple stores, and baked everything myself to maximize variety within the budget. Calculating the numbers, I concluded that we needed to sell 21 tickets at $15 just to break even. We sold out at 25.
Day-of logistics
I didn't have access to the venue until day-of, with 45 minutes for setup. To prepare, I pre-designed a room layout to the room's exact dimensions and confirmed available furniture with the studio owner in advance. When it wasn't enough, we bought additional tables and chairs from Walmart the morning of — and returned them the next day to stay on budget.
Social & content
I managed Butter Garden's Instagram in the lead-up to the event, sequencing content deliberately: a save-the-date to build awareness, a moodboard the following day to build desire, then the full event announcement — all timed two weeks out to give people enough runway. I wrote all copy, including the Eventbrite listing, and managed posting through to the event.
design solution
Element 1
Thematic tables as conversation architecture
Each table carried a different theme — finances, spirituality, career, family, perception — with multiple prompt cards per table. Attendees self-selected into themes they cared about, so conversations started with genuine interest rather than obligation.
Element 2
The rotation as the load-bearing decision
Every 20–25 minutes, I called the switch — people moved to a new table and separated from whoever they came with. Removing the easy exit of retreating to a familiar face was intentional. The format only works if people actually mix. This was also the decision I was most uncertain about: asking someone to leave a conversation mid-flow and introduce themselves to new strangers is a real ask. If it felt forced, the whole thing would fall apart.
Element 3
The host as a design element
I hosted the evening and understood early that my energy set the ceiling for everyone else's openness. I moved table to table throughout the night, paying attention to which ones had gone quiet and giving them energy. The format was the structure. I was the thing that kept it moving.
Element 4
Food and drinks as connective tissue
An open café setup: attendees ordered drinks from a curated menu. I baked everything myself. Food gives people something to do with their hands, a reason to get up, a reason to offer something to someone else — and the table always looked full.
Reflection
Designing a social experience isn't that different from designing a product. You're still making decisions about structure, flow, friction, and what you want someone to feel at the end.
I'm proud of how I led this event, both as host and as experience designer, especially on a tight budget. Every element I included — the prompts, themed tables, food and drinks — ended up essential to the structure of the night, and nothing was there just to fill space. A tight budget and no venue access until the day-of forced faster decisions and made every choice earn its place. If I had more time, I would have liked to test the conversation prompts with a small group beforehand; some prompts landed better than others, and I only found out in real-time.
Weeks later, I saw strangers from that night still hanging out, building friendships that have lasted to this day — I'm endlessly grateful the event created that kind of impact.
