To start an adventure...

[Shinizak]

how do you like to start the first adventure in the story? Do you like to let them know the adventure is coming or do you like to spring the adventure on them? do you start people together or go through the meeting process?

[Towa]

"Ok, so you're all in a tavern..."

...

I say that as a joke, but now as I think back on all of my campaigns, I can't immediately think of any that started differently than that... Yikes, that's both hilarious and depressing.

Ah well, I guess that goes to show that the start can pretty easily be out shadowed by the end. Although it never hurts to spice things up.

[Lord Vampyre]

This really depends on how much work I feel like making for myself. Half the time I just start them in the proverbial tavern.

I generally like the players to come up with why they are working together. This tends to solve many of the early party conflicts.

[Loki_42]

I've only used the tavern in a few campaigns. I prefer them just randomly meeting on the road to town/adventure site.

[dsmiles]

I usually say (depending on the size of the group), that each character must know two (or three, group size dependent) of the other characters in the party.

[Megosh]

I have used the tavern as a starting point. Zombies attacked the townspeople outside and they all went out to fight the undead. But then the secretly-evil cleric commanded some zombies to join him back in the tavern and serve him drinks while the rest of the non-evil party fought throughout the town around the tavern.

Haven't used the tavern idea since.

The next time I just sunk a boat they all were riding on and had them wash up onshore days later. Also good times.

[Kol Korran]

i've used taverns, in the past, but in the past few years i usually had some other reason to bring the group together.
but as to the OP's question- 2 times i had the adventure jump on the players (being attacked on the way to somewhere and so on), but most other times i preferred to let the players know what they are facing (otherthan the adventure's secrets of course). i get plenty of opportunities to surprise the party later on. the first adventure i usually designate for the party to learn how to work together.
hope this answers your question

[Yora]

I first ask the players what kind of campaign they want to play.

Then I get no answer and descide what kind of campaign we're going to play.

Next I ask them what kind of party they want to play.

Then I get no answer again, and decide for them what their party background is.

Next they make characters.

And then I start thinking about a plot and where the capiagn starts.

[Xyk]

My last few have been "you wake up in a dark room and are explained your mission", or some simple variation on that. This next one is going to start at the graduation ceremony of a hero's academy. The rest will be open-ended.

[Ezeze]

Throwing all the PCs (metaphorically) in the same boat then drilling a (still metaphorical) hole in it is a great way to go - decide what they all have in common, which might be as simple as they are all in the same place, and then threaten that thing.

I completely recommend starting off with "description, description, description, roll initiative!"

[Choco]

I first ask the players what kind of campaign they want to play.

Then I get no answer and descide what kind of campaign we're going to play.

Next I ask them what kind of party they want to play.

Then I get no answer again, and decide for them what their party background is.

Next they make characters.

And then I start thinking about a plot and where the capiagn starts.

Heh, that is EXACTLY the way it works for me too.

Though to expand, I have a rule now that all the party members must have known AT LEAST 2 other members, AND been on good terms, before the game starts. Preferably they have all been together at least a little while before it starts.

[Delwugor]

I've done the Tavern several times without problems. I know some have problems with the old stand by but IME players forget about it after a session or two.

The last I ran the character started as slaves of the Scarlet Brotherhood. "We are taking volunteers to go down this whole which no else has came back from. You, You, You and YOU are volunteers".