A Night of Hope and Healing

Los Angeles. Many nights here are beautiful but some special nights reach a level of magic. Those are the nights that have all the right elements -- the perfect temperature, starry skies and a full moon -- plus the added ingredient of friends, hope and healing. Recently I was blessed to be part of one of those nights.

I'm on the board of the Center of Hope and Healing, a nonprofit mental health counseling center for which my best friend, Donovan Akita, MFT, is Executive Director. Donovan recently took over this institution, restructuring it and creating a new board. This was his first fund-raising event in this capacity and AOO Events was thrilled to donate our planning and design services as well as cover much of the costs.

The event was held at my house and so many friends pitched in (who I'll tell you about thoughout this post). AOO's Nick Gentile served as event producer and he generously gave of his free time to make this event a success. In the end, we raised more than $10,000, and learned a lot in the process. I've been producing fundraisers for many years, but when you are actually part of raising the funds, there is an entirely different set of things to take into consideration.


Here is the beautiful Los Angeles night I was telling you about. You couldn't ask for a clearer night sky or more perfect temperature. The lighting was donated by Curt Stahl of Images by Lighting. I loved the pink uplighted trees. They really popped. And, no need to adjust your screen! Those little little green dots you see are from two Bliss Laser Lights that we positioned on the roof.
Arriane Alexander was the the musical performer for the evening as well as the emcee! We created a stage, thanks to draping from Bam, on the upper balcony around the pool area to give the best viewing position from anywhere in the house. A lounge on the rest of the deck created an intimate setting for the audience.

Donovan Akita addressing the audience and thanking them.


We projected the logo into the pool, the perfect, central place for it.

Here's a better look at the event layout.

Thanks to everyone for making this event great and helping the Center for Hope and Healing. Please take a moment to get to know the organization. You can donate to it anytime through the "donate" button on the site. Any donation will be helpful to this very worthy cause.

A heart-felt thank you to:

Images By Lighting
Town and County Event Rentals
Goodman Audio
Bam, Inc.
Wildflower Linen
Laurel Airica, Word Magic
Arriane Alexander

Through a Mother's Eyes

Planning weddings is always a very delicate matter. So many tastes, traditions and dreams converging in one-night. It can be a lot of pressure. In her 30 years of experience planning many types of events, Audrey Gordon has learned a few tricks which she put to use for the wedding of her son, Sam Gordon, to Ali Morris.

First was creating the look the bride wanted. "I had an initial one-on-one conversation with Ali, the bride, because it truly is all about her vision," Audrey says. "I asked her to close her eyes and walk me through the experience -- what she wanted to feel and see. I also asked her what she disliked. I took detailed notes and asked her to establish a comfort zone regarding budget, so there were no assumptions."

Second was the venue. "I narrowed it down to two venues and asked each to come up with the same customized package that the bride was looking for. My main philosophy was to keep the process as simple as possible to avoid being totally overwhelmed." The chosen venue was The Westin River North.

Blog photos by David Merrell

The chuppah was done in the round so the bride and groom would be surrounded, literally, by love.

Tradition! As a nice touch, the inside piece of fabric used in the chuppah was the same piece of fabric used at Ali's father's wedding.

But while some elements were traditional, others, such as the ceremony table, were given some design leeway. For instance, in lieu of traditional white linen for this table, John Rent from Into the Woods took three large glass cylinders, filled them with twigs and topped them with a custom glass top for this unique and beautiful look.

The sweetheart table. Although I don't think I ever saw the couple sit here for long it had all the same element at the guest tables -- a clear charger and an all-white floral design accented with glass bubbles filled with dendrobiums.

The after-party was kept very simple -- just white furniture and whimsical LED "lanterns" created by Into the Woods that you can see in the photo below.

Completing the circle. John took the very beginning concept of the black river rocks used as the placecard and wove them here into this fun lantern, tying in the wedding reception to the after-party area.

In closing, I asked Audrey for some words of advise when planning a wedding for a loved one. "Reach out," she said. "Ask for help, but ask for specific help. At the event, always have a wad of 10-, 20- and 100-dollar bills and an SUV with a full tank of gas parked in front for last-minute emergencies. Let go and allow the experts to their thing. Then, all you have to do is be grateful and amazed!"


Audrey with Dave Merrell and Bill Pry

THE TEAM
Designer
Into the Woods, in2thewoods@sbcglobal.net
Venue
The Westin River North
Lighting
Images by Lighting
Audio Visual
SoundzAlive Chicago
PSAV Presentation Services

Entertainment
Larry King Orchestra

Wedding Photography

Stephen Narens Photography

Blog Photography

David Merrell

Videography
Poetic Productions
Rentals
Hall's Rentals
Chargers
Mandarin Orange Trading Company
Linen
BBJ Linens
Processional
Experiential Events
After Party Furniture
Cort Furniture
Design of save-the-date card, rehearsal invitations, programs, menu cards
Ali Gordon

Through a Designer's Eyes

My placecard at the wedding of Ali Morris and Sam Gordon, the (now) daughter-in-law and son of Audrey Gordon, a longtime friend and industry colleague.

This was one of those rare times I was a guest at an event. But, as I'm sure many of you know, for an event designer even being a guest is sort of like a busman's holiday -- we are always in work mode. We observe, think, and look ... we look under tables, over drapes and behind walls in our search for new ideas!

The clear glass charger from Mandarin Orange Trading Company held the corresponding rock, or placecard. Under it, a tropical leaf.

Blog photos by David Merrell

Obviously, the bride and groom were the main focus of the event. But to my designer's eye, the chuppah clearly had and clearly was center stage! I love that it was in the round like this. The bride and groom were literally surrounded by the love of their family and friends.

This is a detail shot of the floral work at the bottom of each leg of the chuppah. All the flowers for the entire event were designed by John Rent of Into the Woods in Chicago. An accordion style screen behind the stage was lighted by Raymond Thompson from Images by Lighting in Los Angeles. This helped make the chuppah pop when he hit it with soft gobos, textures of white light.

A close up of those flowers -- all white with several uniquely shaped fruits painted in white. I love the play of texture John Rent created. Simple, elegant and beautiful.

The tables were done in different configurations; some were long like this one at which I was a guest. The arrangements were fashioned from split bamboo poles that were painted white, filled with white dendrobiums and then rested in these unique bubble bowls with holes on both sides. Ginger and other fruits were painted white and rested between the flowers. The pillar candles are battery-operated, a perfect solution when you can't use real candles.


Little gems. This cymbidium peeked out of the white bed of flowers as if it was smiling. As designers we always plan for this -- that little detail guests will notice -- and we never know if they do or not. Now I know! As a guest who had the time to take it all in, I noticed and appreciated the thought and work that went into not just the little details, but the big picture.

Later this week you'll see more of the chuppah, the sweetheart table, the ceremony table and the after-party. I'll also give you Audrey's words of advice when planning the wedding of a loved one!

THE TEAM
Designer
Into the Woods, in2thewoods@sbcglobal.net
Venue
The Westin River North
Lighting
Images by Lighting
Audio Visual
SoundzAlive Chicago
PSAV Presentation Services
Entertainment
Larry King Orchestra
Blog Photos
David Merrell
Wedding Photography
Stephen Narens Photography
Videography
Poetic Productions
Rentals
Hall's Rentals
Chargers
Mandarin Orange Trading Company
Linen
BBJ Linens
Processional
Experiential Events
After Party Furniture
Cort Furniture
Design of save-the-date card, rehearsal invitations, programs, menu cards
Ali Gordon

Where's Dave?

Where am I? I'll give you a hint. It's one of President Obama's favorite restaurants. In fact, he made a surprise visit on an official trip to Chicago. I just gave away the second hint! It's in Chicago. And last, its a rehearsal dinner for a wedding! Wha??

It's Manny's Deli! And it was the inspired choice of a rehearsal dinner of a wedding I attended in Chicago last month for the son, and now daughter-in-law, of event planner Audrey Gordon. The bride and groom wanted their wedding to be fun, so they bought out Manny's for the night.

In the next few blog posts I'll show you more of this wedding, designed by Audrey, and her colleagues / long-time friends. You'll hear from Audrey and from me about how event designers and planners approach the events of their own lives!



Oh what a group! From left to right, Raymond Thompson, Ken Kristopherson, Ronnie Gordon, Steve Kemble, Dean Faulkner, and Michael Cerbelli.

Even AFTER dessert at Manny's we found room for ice cream sandwiches from this roving truck. I had two chocolate chip sandwiches. Still paying for it now!

Guest Blog by Brett Culp

As different technologies become more accessible and more affordable, their addition at events can go far in adding another layer to the overall design and message. For instance, I loved the use of Brett Culp's video message at the New Orleans Special Events Magazine Gala Awards this year. The night was themed "The Rising" and his video, taken before the show, deepened the meaning of the event for all of us, making it all the more memorable. He shares that video, and more, in this guest blog.
Dave Merrell
Lead designdawg, Creative Director AOO Events



If A Picture Tells a 1,000 Words ...
Think What Video Can Do!

By Brett Culp

Every great event tells a story. The most profound goal of event production is to engage the audience so deeply that they feel that they are part of this story.

Video can have an almost surreal power to pull the audience from its normal world into another dimension or emotional experience. Perhaps no other component of an event can create laughter, tears or even a standing ovation as quickly and genuinely as a well-crafted video.

When I meet with clients my first question is always, "What story do you want your event to tell?" Whether the event is corporate or social, this question always touches the purpose and meaning of the celebration. Often it requires 10 minutes of discussion for the client to reach a single sentence that expresses what I call "the core story." But once we have this, our team is able to make countless suggestions about how to use video to make their audience feel that this story is an extension of their own personal story.

Allow me to share a few illustrations that showcase fresh trends for engaging audiences with video.

3-D

True 3-D video with the 3-D glasses is SO hot right now. With the huge splash of Avatar and dozens of other 3-D films hitting cinemas in 2010, this is currently the most significant cross over between Hollywood and special effects. While there are many technical considerations, true 3-D is now very doable and creates a gigantic WOW for both social and corporate.

Popular applications for 3-D include animated presentations with logos and text, photo montages, and interview videos. We recommend 3-D for short-form videos (three to six minutes).

Our team is currently in the development phase of several projects, but here are some 3-D video images you can view. 3-D glasses with red and blue lenses are required to get the effect. I'm happy to send you a pair! Just send a request with your name and address to: mystory@brettculp.com


Click here for more information...

Death to PowerPoint

PowerPoint is so 2009. Any presenter using standard PowerPoint slides at a major corporate event is just asking for an ocean of LCD light from cell phones to wash over the audience. As presenters communicate with the audience, their information should come to life on the screens with the type of animations audiences are used to seeing on TV. For examples...



Tell the Story

Because communicating the story of the event is essential to engaging the audience, video is often the most effective approach for sharing this story. In contrast to speeches by internal representatives, videos are concise and controllable. You know the total running time in advance and you eliminate any doubt of the message you are sending to the audience.

We have often used video as a solution when the audience needs to hear from many different representatives in the organization. Rather than handing 10 people the microphone and hoping they don't ruin the evening, a video segment of pre-recorded interviews allows each voice to be represented while still communicating a precise, clear and entertaining message.

Video is also the ideal way to bring heart to an event. The proper mix of images, interviews and music can inspire any emotional state, particularly the heart-warming feeling needed for fundraisers, tributes and special awards.

Here's an example of the potential of video to combine with other elements of the event and profoundly impact the mood. We were honored to create several videos that played at the Special Events Magazine Gala Awards at New Orleans this year, communicating the heart and soul of the event.




Brett Culp

Brett is a master storyteller and speaker. His films have captured the stories of Fortune 500 companies, dignitaries, celebrities, rock stars and best-selling authors.

His work is frequently featured on national television broadcasts and Brett has discussed his films as a guest expert on Entertainment Tonight, Lifetime Network and Martha Stewart Radio.

Getting Into Gear: Tour of California Logistics

Logistics... we love 'em! And boy did this event -- a corporate hospitality event during the 2010 Amgen Tour of California -- have 'em! As producer, AOO's Jahon Pilichowski took hold of this event and all its challenges and ran -- or should we say, pedaled -- away with it!

Just to recap from my blog of Tuesday, the ATOC is a Tour de France-style bike race, done in stages throughout Northern and Southern California. It's one of the largest cycling events in California and our client took a front row seat at Stage 8, the final leg of the tour.

The event, for being "small" in terms of attendees, and even space for that matter, was huge in terms of logistics. In this case, the client had a long wish list that took twice as long to figure out because of the remote location in the mountains. Paying attention to the huge amount of details and logistics like this can be 90 percent of its success, especially when VIP treatment is necessary.

For example, satellite signals are sometimes tough to triangulate when you are dealing with a mountainous area; a 10-degree slope can affect water flow which is important if you want toilets and water inside the VIP trailers to work; and bugs and bees need to be addressed (we did so by positioning fans to constantly blow over the buffets, keeping them away from the area).

Add to that list other logistics Jahon dealt with as producer such as:

• Arranging for LCD flat screens, the only type that will read in daylight. Above, you can see why that was needed! Four large flat-screen TV's were set up under a tent and a remote satellite dish picked up the broadcast.

• Timing last-minute deliveries with road closure. "We were in the epicenter of this stage of the race and that meant we had road closures on the main highway and all arteries," Jahon says.

• And even special trash bins were arranged through Waste Management that were lockable and stationary to keep wildlife out and to stop any humans from tipping them.

Normally, we use bike racks from the rental companies as barriers.
In this case we actually used them for their designed purpose!

Because a lot of the race was broadcast from the air, we had the opportunity to get our client's logo on the news. The photo below shows the beginning of the installation of a 20-foot-diameter logo that we created next to the road the cyclists would come down. We first laid down a thin template then added white gravel to make it visible. Even a detail such as this was not without a lot of time-consuming attention. Jahon had to do a couple day-of site inspections and then had to pay the owner of the property the right to use the space. In the end, it was all worth it -- this got a lot of air time during all the broadcasts.

Load out ... Space was limited so we concentrated on getting the more expensive day rentals out first, which meant the Star Waggons and rest rooms. However, Star Waggons also acted as the generator which provided nighttime lighting. This meant all vendors had to fight their way back to us through heavy beach and Tour traffic to pack up and get off the mountain before night fell. They did and everyone was on their way by 7 p.m. and settled in for a long ride home back through that same traffic jam.

Thanks to a lot of pre-planning, dotted i's and crossed t's, not to mention a great team, the gears of this event ran smoothly. It's easy to see why Jahon was named the 2010 Rising Star by Event Solutions Spotlight Awards this year!