This month, we reached out to Madison Seidel for a little insight into her social club, Dessert Before Dinner. After moving to Philadelphia, Seidel realized how challenging it could be to form new friendships in a large city. Although she had never been involved in anything like it before, she drew inspiration from social clubs she’d come across online and set out to create her own unique community space in Philly.
PPRG: Tell us how Dessert Before Dinner came to be. What inspired you to begin this social club?
Madison: I’ve always been a very social person, and this originally started as the idea to do a “cafe” out of my apartment for my friends (funny enough this is a series I’m starting this August and doing a monthly Craft Cafe at People’s Gallery Project on Pine St. I’m very excited about this. More on this later.) I posted something on TikTok about this specific idea, and it got more attention than I expected. This showed me how much people love the idea of community and gathering (and I simply do not have the space in my apartment to host as many people as showed interest), so I toyed with the idea of starting a social club. I put together a video discussing the concept and teasing the release of more information, posted to TikTok, made an Instagram account, and went from there! I have to give credit where it’s due, and I did take inspiration from some other social clubs/initiatives I’ve seen in other cities, specifically two I saw out in California. Although this was only a vague outline, I specifically catered to what DB4D is from my mission, and what I specifically saw it turning into.
PPRG: What were your first thoughts when Dessert Before Dinner received the positive reaction and attention it did? If you were not expecting it, how did you pivot to accommodate the numbers?
Madison: There are no words I can use to accurately describe that initial feeling- seeing how many people were interested in and enjoying something I am building and organizing. Not to sound dramatic, but tears of joy were shed after the first meet-up. All I truly want to do is make a positive impact on others and foster a space where people can meet others and create freely. The fact that I’ve been able to reach so many people already is such a dream! As far as the numbers for the first meet-up, I did create a Partiful RSVP to get an estimate of what to expect. Once it started crawling into the several hundreds, I knew it was going to be an impressive turnout. And that it was!
PPRG: How do you go about finding and choosing locations and activities for these events? What are the most important considerations when choosing?
Madison: In terms of securing spaces, I have done some contacting, and some spaces have reached out to me. The main factor to keep in mind is making sure the space will work in terms of size. I’m going to have to secure a reliable location in the winter months to host the Bring Your Own Craft event (we currently do this in the park, where space is relatively unlimited, so I’m going to have to do some brainstorming in the months when this isn’t an option). I try to get as many people involved as possible, so I like to have variety in the locations where the events are held. If there is ample available room to use, it makes sense for the specific event, and is available when I’m looking to host the event, it’ll be great!
PPRG: How do you ensure that your gatherings remain inclusive and welcoming, especially for women, nonbinary, and trans folks?
Madison: For myself personally, I don’t ever use language that could sound exclusive when it comes to events or the club in general. I want all to feel welcome and safe in the B4 Dinner community! And if there happened to be any conflict within the club at any point regarding this, I would be sure to get it taken care of. Part of B4 Dinner is being an accepting place, and there is no tolerance for hate or discrimination. I’m so grateful to say that I haven’t really had to worry about this at this point, and everyone has been very kind and welcoming to one another.
PPRG: What does it mean to build friendships in a city as big and diverse as Philadelphia, and how does your club help make that feel possible?
Madison: Making new friends, especially as an adult, can be daunting. In such a digital age, in-person connections can be harder to find. I think it’s very helpful that everyone in the social club is primarily here for the same reason- to be crafty and, more importantly, to make new friends. When a space has the specific initiative of building community, it opens up that opportunity for friendships even more because people know others are here for the same thing. I also like using social media and our Geneva chat space for people to get interactions with other club members before or in between the meet-ups, plan their own smaller get-togethers, and overall just use the power of the digital world to bring us closer together!
PPRG: Tell us a little about some collaborations you’ve done with local Philly businesses, artists, or venues. How have these partnerships benefited your members and the collaborators?
Madison: When I refer to Dessert Before Dinner being a community, I like to tie in as many aspects of the community as possible. This includes the club members, local artists, local businesses, you get the idea. So far, I’ve done events at Moon+Arrow, Ace Coffee Outpost, Elektra Vintage, TOILE, and more, coming soon. I’ve also had sweet treats offered at events from local Philly bakers. In terms of artists, I did a collaboration with Holly Simple in the past, and it was lovely! I love to support local businesses/artists as much as possible, and I think being able to introduce more people to them is always beneficial. Plus, it helps to support my initiative of bringing the community together, and allows us to have fun events in fun Philly spaces! I am extremely grateful for the people I have the pleasure of working with and the relationships I’ve formed from doing so.
PPRG: If someone is hesitant to attend one of your events (maybe they’re shy, new to the city, or unsure if they’ll fit in), what would you want them to know that might encourage them to take that first step?
Madison: I have heard this a few times from people looking to come to the Bring Your Own Craft event, and I always say the same thing- everyone is there to make new friends and should hopefully open welcoming arms to anyone else looking to join. I would also share stories of friendships that blossomed within the club and the several occurrences of people making individual plans with new friends after the DB4D events are over! I remember after the first BYOC event, a sweet gal (now a close friend of mine) told me she was going to get brunch with some other club members after they left, and it absolutely warmed my heart! Hearing stories like this reiterates my love and passion for what the club does, and is something I would absolutely share with anyone hesitant to come. I am grateful that several of my close friends regularly attend my events, and they are always more than happy to welcome hesitant new friends to join them in crafting as well if anyone is looking for a group to join.
PPRG: What’s next for the club? Any new themes, collaborations, or ideas you’re excited to try out in the coming months?
Madison: The Craft Cafe is a new series rolling out early this August that I am ECSTATIC about! It will be taking place at People’s Gallery Project on Pine St, and I’m hoping it will be a monthly occurrence (as mentioned previously). My good friend is a pastry chef and is so kindly helping me run and organize this series while contributing her skill in sweet treats and matcha-making. Along with that and other events in the works, I’m looking to get the club merch up and running very soon! Stay tuned!
If you’re interested in learning more about Dessert before Dinner, or getting involved yourself, check out the Dessert Before Dinner Instagram page for all info on the upcoming fun!
