Drie gasten lopen over een rode loper naar de entree van een evenement. Alleen hun benen zijn in beeld.

A strong entrance: 5 tips for your event's entrance

Months of planning, working through an endless to-do list and making sure everything runs smoothly during your event. All the attention often goes to what needs to happen inside, but what about the entrance of your event? How do you make sure everything runs smoothly and that guests find their way? We give you 5 of our best tips!

Zuzanna Sikora · 10 November 2026 · 3 minutes leestijd

1. How do you make sure your guests find the right entrance?

You know better than anyone where the entrance is. But do your guests know it too? Walk the route as if you are arriving at the venue for the first time. Pay particular attention to side entrances, junctions and places where your guests might hesitate. A clearly placed runner saves a lot of searching.

2. How do you prevent congestion at the entrance?

An impressive entrance is wonderful. But what do you do when thirty guests arrive at your event at the same time? So look not only at the appearance of your entrance, but also at the available space:

Think in advance about where guests will wait when it gets busy and where they will walk in. A clear barrier, for example with barrier posts, shows without words where the queue starts. Also keep emergency exits and passages to the cloakroom and toilets clear. You certainly don't want the next bottleneck to form there!

2. How do you prevent congestion at the entrance?

Are you organising an evening event? Don't only check your entrance in daylight. During set-up, switch on the lighting you will use in the evening.

Check that the runner is clearly visible and that any steps and obstacles are well lit. Move lighting or add extra lamps where needed. That way your guests enter safely and your entrance also looks well cared for in the dark.

4. How do you make sure your reception team points out the same route?

The best walking route is of little use if one staff member sends guests to the right and another to the left. So go through the route with your reception team in advance. Preferably walk the route together once more.

Make clear agreements: where are the cloakroom, the hall and the registration? Who stands at the entrance? That way your whole team knows where everything is and guests get the same answer everywhere.

3. How do you make the entrance stand out in the dark?

Organizing an evening event? Don't check your entrance in daylight alone. During setup, turn on the lights you'll use in the
evening. Check if the runner is clearly visible and if any steps and obstacles are well lit. Move lamps or add extra ones where needed. This way, your guests can enter safely and your entrance will also look well-presented in the dark.

Handgeschreven bordje "Registratie" aan een muur. De pijl naar rechts is doorgestreept en een geeltje zegt "volgens Mark links".

4. How do you ensure that your receiving team gives the same directions?

After reading the previous tips, your entrance is all set for the arrival of your guests. But what about the departure? At the end of the evening, everyone wants to collect their coats at the same time and get outside as quickly as possible. That quickly leads to chaos and congestion at your entrance, or in this case your exit.

So also think about the route outside. Do not let the queue for the cloakroom run across the walking route to the exit. Are you using a separate exit? Signpost it just as clearly as the entrance. For example with a runner or barrier posts with rope. This way, the last impression of your event stays just as good as the first.

Need tips for dressing up your event?

A smoothly flowing entrance is one thing, but of course you also want your entrance to be an eye-catcher! You can read how best to do that in our article on event decoration: from entrance to hall.

Not sure what suits your venue best? Or do you need a specific size? Our team is happy to think along with you!

5. How do you ensure a smooth departure?

With the previous tips, your entrance is all set for the arrival of your guests. But what about their departure? At the end of the
evening, everyone wants to collect their coats at the same time and get outside as quickly as possible. This can easily cause chaos and congestion at your entrance, or in this case, your exit.

So also think about the route outside. Don't let the queue for the cloakroom block the walkway to the exit. Are you using a separate exit? Make it just as clearly visible as the entrance. This way, the last person to leave your event will have just as good an impression as the first.

Need tips for dressing your event?

A continuous entrance is one thing, but of course you also want your entrance to be an eye-catcher! You can read how best to do that in our
article about event dressing: from entrance to venue. Unsure about what suits your venue best? Or do you need a specific size? Our team is happy to help you brainstorm!

Let us help you think