Planning Guide

A standard game table requires a footprint of approximately 3 x 2 metres for the table itself, plus comfortable clearance for seated players and guests watching. We recommend allowing at least 1.5 metres of circulation space on all accessible sides of each table. For rooms where multiple tables will be active simultaneously, we advise a minimum of 5 metres between tables to allow distinct social clusters to form without congestion.

Open-plan spaces with natural social flow work exceptionally well. We recommend positioning game tables away from main entrances and bar/catering areas to create distinct zones — guests arrive, settle and then discover the tables. Avoid placing tables in corners or against walls unless the room requires it; tables positioned in the interior of a space draw more guests naturally and allow better host visibility across the room. We're happy to review your floor plan ahead of the evening and advise on placement.

Yes. We serve clients across Canada, including retreats, lodges and private estates in regional locations. Travel logistics are discussed at the enquiry stage and factored into your proposal. Our full production travels with the team — nothing needs to be sourced or arranged locally by your venue. For events more than four hours from our nearest team base, we typically request event dates with at least six weeks' advance notice to confirm logistics.

We require access to the venue space at least 90 minutes before guest arrival for standard setups, and up to 2.5 hours for larger Maple Collection productions. We need a venue contact name and number, confirmation of loading access and elevator availability if applicable, and confirmation of any electrical access requirements for ambient lighting. We handle the rest independently — your venue coordinator doesn't need to manage or oversee the setup process.

For events that begin with a dinner or formal programme, we recommend opening the game tables 20–30 minutes after the main meal service concludes — once guests have risen from tables and begun to move freely through the room. Introducing tables while guests are still seated at dinner rarely achieves the social momentum the format is capable of generating. For cocktail-style events with no formal programme, tables can be opened from the start of the event.

We recommend enquiring at least four weeks ahead of your event date to ensure hosting team availability and adequate preparation time. For larger events (Maple Collection tier), six to eight weeks is preferable. We occasionally accommodate shorter timelines for simpler formats — contact us directly and we'll confirm availability. Enquiring early also gives you more flexibility in package design, table selection and any custom styling requests.

Package durations are structured around the natural social rhythm of a hosted evening: Frontier Entry runs up to 3 hours, Signature Hosted Night runs 4–5 hours and Maple Collection runs 5–6 hours. These durations refer to the active hosting window — your event may be longer in total, with our team managing the game table portion of the programme. Extended durations can be discussed at the proposal stage.

The best format selection is based on your guest profile and the atmosphere you're building toward. For mixed-familiarity groups (where many guests don't know each other), blackjack and dice offer the most accessible entry points. For events where you want a strong visual anchor, roulette is the obvious choice. Poker works best as a primary table for groups where sustained social engagement around a single table is desired. Multi-format evenings benefit from contrast — pairing a high-energy format like dice with a more composed format like poker creates distinct zones and prevents the room from feeling one-dimensional.

Absolutely — and most guests at our events are precisely in this position. Our hosts are trained to introduce every format simply and warmly, without making any guest feel singled out for unfamiliarity. All of our game formats use fun chips rather than real currency, removing any barrier or anxiety around participation. Guests who prefer to watch are equally welcome and our hosts include watching guests in the experience naturally.

Format selection is flexible across all package tiers. The Signature Hosted Night and Maple Collection tiers are designed for multi-format evenings and we'll recommend combinations based on your guest count, room layout and occasion type. For the Frontier Entry tier, we recommend a single focused format — typically the one best suited to your guest profile.

This varies by format. Poker tables accommodate 6–9 players. Blackjack tables comfortably seat 6–8 players with additional standing observers. Roulette accommodates up to 8 active players with many more engaged observers. Dice tables seat up to 12 players. The Signature Hosted Night's 2–3 table format, for example, can have 15–25 guests actively engaged at tables at any given moment — with others circulating between tables throughout the evening.

A well-designed hosted evening accounts for the full guest experience — including the time between tables. Guests naturally move between tables, observe from the edges and gather in groups that form around the social energy the tables generate. Our hosts manage this flow actively: inviting nearby guests to observe, encouraging rotation at tables and ensuring the table energy remains accessible to anyone in proximity. For larger events, our coordinators oversee the room-level flow so that no guest feels disconnected from the evening.

Yes. Enhanced and bespoke styling is available on Signature and Maple Collection packages. This can include custom felt colour selection, branded chip designs, thematic table dressing and coordinated host attire. Custom styling requests are best discussed at least three weeks before the event date. We'll advise on what's achievable within your timeline and occasion format.

Our hosts are trained to manage the close of the evening with the same care as the opening. As the scheduled end approaches, hosts begin naturally winding down table activity — completing in-progress rounds, inviting a final hand and acknowledging guests who participated with warmth and gratitude. The closing of a premium evening should feel relaxed and generous, not abrupt. We discuss close-of-evening timing with all clients ahead of the event so the transition from active hosting to teardown is invisible to your guests.