Enhancing What is Already There

I am all for total environmental transformation when a venue or event requires it. However, there are many venues, restaurants especially, where this doesn't make sense for a number of reasons. Usually, the top restaurants where clients want to hold an event have their own signature look that simply needs to be customized for the event with a few accent pieces. But are other things to consider.

For instance, Snake River Grill is a great restaurant in the middle of Jackson Hole City and the site of an event during a recent multiple-day corporate program produced by AOO Events. Although the client wanted to do a complete transformation with specialty chargers and linens, we determined that for logistical reasons, it wouldn't work and advised against it. For one thing, the tables were of completely different sizes, typical for a restaurant. We would have to get linen that wouldn't fit right, especially on the booth tables, and therefore, wouldn't look right. The same with the chargers. There simply wasn't room on the tables for all the bells and whistles.

Instead, we put our budget into the flowers. The Orange Mocara Orchids were a great complement to the restaurant's decor. Using a clear vase was a great way of not cluttering the tables in the same way that a glass top table is always a good suggestion in a tight space -- they don't make the table seem overwhelming.

And we spent extra money on a custom beautiful black snake skin menu. Of course I would have liked to add linens and chargers; we all like the upsell. But it was such overkill that I had to advise the client not to spend money where it didn't make sense. It's good practice all the way around -- the client appreciated it and the event was better for it.

Oh yes, not to forget the logo gobo! This time it was projected on the fireplace so everyone saw it as they walked into the space.