A Wedding That Caused Quite a Flap

A talented pair of graphic designers, inspired by the twenties, made that era come alive during their own amazing wedding. AOO Events had worked with the bride, Christine, in the past on professional gigs. This time around, it was personal, and we were flattered to be part of her ace team of event pros. It was a design statement that may have been inspired by silent films, yet spoke loud and clear to the personality of the couple! 

  Great detail shots by photographer Stephanie Godfrey

Of course The Artist was a great inspiration for this stylish couple and elements of the film were used in their own custom silent movie!

To see that video and more photos of the wedding, check out the blog, 100 Layer Cake. And be watching designdawgs for a blog soon from Christina on her own very unique take on event design.

GUEST BLOG by Key Events

We have all become experts at branding. Not only our own, but that of our clients who require this from their events, and their event designers. Here are some great ideas from futuristic to old-school from Key Events. They have a great "It List" on their site that I love to visit; it's always full of concepts like these in all different areas of event planning and design.
David Merrell, Creative Director, AOO Events and Lead Design Dawg

Showcase Your Brand at an Event

By Kelly Stoneberg, Key Events

Display a Colossally Sized Logo as Your Focal Point Displaying your logo at an event is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but these days you have got to think big and outside the box in order to get guests to even raise an eyebrow. Draw their attention with dramatic, larger-than-life letters such as those pictured below. Cover them with different textures, colors and prints to convey a deeper brand message. These letters are sure to create an aura of brand presence and relay a substantive statement to guests.

Stream Your Message on an Interactive Image Wall It's about getting guests excited and energized around your brand. The gesture-controlled wall display reacts to movement, projecting animated images customized to support your desired theme and messaging. The size and glow of the interactive wall draws in the initial interest but engaging the guests' senses is what keeps their attention and makes your brand all the more memorable.

Immerse Guests in a Graphic Experience Using 3-D Projection Mapping This new technology takes simple image projection to a whole new level, creating the ability to turn nearly any surface into a dynamic video display (photo above). Recent advancements in software and projection quality simply blow away the audience with a realistic visual experience related to your messaging. A simple building facade or ballroom wall can be transformed into anything from a tropical rainforest to a crumbling building.

Use Your Product to Enhance Event Mood Through Decor and Lighting The mood and theme of your event are instantly projected through the decor and lighting you select. Why not combine these two essentials to create one major "wow" factor? Raise brand-conscious decor up and away from eye level and work the lighting into the adorned experience. Think chandeliers created from your product, floating colored light panels and logo laser cut lanterns.

Create an @Event Social Community: There's an App for That! Social Media's ever-expanding influence has hit our industry and can easily increase the impact of your brand's presence at an event. Mobile apps for social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are creating new ways for guests to become the driving force of your message. Displaying real-time pictures and positive feedback that guests tweet with your hashtag or Twitter handle (i.e. #123event or @yourcompany) during the event is a great way to build your network and create a brand buzz online.

Bring the Stage to Life With a Holograph Projection With so much to distract us these days, it can be hard to attract and maintain your attendees' attention during a presentation or keynote. Swap out the podium for a high-def 3D holographic video projection system which brings a life-size virtual image of your speaker or products to the limelight in a whole new way. This strategic special effect is sure to make jaws drop, all while creating an incredible mesmerizing brand experience. If Tupac can make a comeback from six feet under with a hologram performance, imagine the brand messaging impressions you can make at your next event with this innovative tech tool!

It's All About the First Impressions -- Snail Mail the Invites You may be thinking that this isn't exactly innovative, but sometimes we have to take a step back and revisit the roots of basic event planning. The invitation is your opportunity to introduce people to your brand before they even arrive. While most event hosts are simply blasting our impersonal RSVP emails or online registration sites, go old school to stand out from the crowd. Snail mail your branded print invitations. Yes, that's right, lick and stamp! While it may be more challenging to incorporate your brand and message into a 3x5 space, there's something intimate and down-to-earth about receiving a physical invitation these days. Traditional innovation at its best!


 
About Key Events
Key Events partners with companies to develop targeted marketing events and destination management services that exceed business objectives, build community and engage attendees. Based in San Francisco since 1990, Key Events is a member of the Hosts Global Alliance, a rapidly growing alliance of Destination Management Companies currently representing 51 DMCs and one cruise alliance member around the globe. Key Events provides corporate event planning services, transportation services, local tours, dine-arounds and other customized programs in any city you like through a global network of firms. To learn more, please visit Key Events.

A Simply Elegant Final Night Event

The design of this night is in keeping with all the other events of this multi-day corporate meeting -- working with the graceful architecture and elegant design of the hotel and chosen off-premise venues,  personalizing the space with the client's brand and objectives in mind.

 

In the case of the final night event, the stage design, which had been in place throughout the week for a variety of functions, was once again adapted for the final night with lighting. On this particular event, our team was just doing the room decor, working with the stage design as well as the hotel's aesthetic. Harlequin patterned wallpaper and the room's color palette were taken into consideration in our design.

Since there was no time to totally transform the room, lighting projections on the wall gave it a new look and feel. Large floral pieces -- the client wanted dramatic pieces which we placed on the back tables, putting lower ones on the tables near the stage -- were pinspotted for a pop of color.

 Is there anything better than lush floral design?

A silent auction before the nighttime event featured whimsical linen from Wildflower in colors that were impressive in the day, and complimented the look of that evening's floral design.

As guests left the ballroom on their way to the after-party hospitality suite, they walked down outdoor hallways which were bathed in the same colors of the room, extending the evening's motif. 

Extending the Day's Message into Hospitality Suites

A hospitality room during a multiple-day corporate event can be an opportunity for us as designers to tie in an element or message from the day. During this particular event, we redesigned the hospitality suite three times to reflect either what guests had done during the day, or to extend the look and feel of the evening event we also produced and designed.  

Because one of the themes of this corporate retreat was teamwork we created a game room for the first night. We took it up a notch so the games matched the setting of the upscale hotel and the overall feeling of the event.

When guests returned to this same room after the awards night, it was completely redesigned. The warm amber tones of the game room now gave way to the cool purples and pinks we had used earlier that  evening at the awards ceremony (see next Tuesday's blog for a look at that event).

And like they had been at the off-premise event at Mission San Juan Capistrano, archways were a design motif that we continued to highlight.