Spark vs. spot-filler

distinction — attributed to Holly Peterson

A guest list filled to make the room look full is not a guest list; it is a seating chart. Peterson chooses every guest for what they can open in others, including the wildcard nobody knows. The criterion is not status or charm. It is whether the person's presence will produce friction with someone else at the table. Spot-fillers dilute. Sparks ignite.

Every Guest Is a Spark, Not a Spot Filler.

guest-list, curation