As event designers, it is important for us to incorporate elements of surprise and delight into every event that we plan. By surprise and delight, I mean planning events that create memorable and magical experiences for our clients and their guests. When guests walk into a room, we want them to be shocked (in a good way) at what they see, smell, hear, taste, and touch. We want them to be so surprised and excited by their surroundings that they are transported into a new place and time.
We recently produced a beautiful corporate event at the Vibiana in Los Angeles that captures this idea of surprise and delight so well. It was an affair that oozed sophistication, from the venue, to the floral decorations, down to the food. Yet even with the classiest of affairs, you can still add elements of surprise and delight to liven up an event.
Often, the venue itself is cause for surprise and delight! Built in 1876, the Vibiana is a former church and one of Los Angeles' few remaining 19th century landmarks. It is a grand, spacious venue that "wows" guests as soon as you enter the building.
The venue's architecture, coupled with the purple, blue, and pink lighting projections, immediately set the celebratory mood.
The theme for the event was an "avant garden," a nod to the former church setting and a play on the book title, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Our floral creations took center stage at this event and showcased how even the smallest of details can add surprise and delight to any occasion!
To create a garden feel, we built custom hanging treatments and tablescapes over our mahogany tables.
Our designs featured over-the-top and unusual floral arrangements, perfectly capturing the avant garde theme of the event.
Each table featured different florals designs and beautifully decorated tablescapes.
Guests loved wandering around the venue to look at our custom floral creations.
The rich colors and lush greenery of our floral designs paired well with the mahogany tables.
One of my favorite creations was this floral design which also was in keeping with the entertainment, String Theory Productions, an avant garde harp performance.
There you have it! A perfect example of how surprise and delight can be achieved in the smallest and grandest of ways.
Photos courtesy of AOO Events
Venue/F&B: Vibiana | Linen: La Tavola | Floral & Event Rentals: AOO Floral | Lighting Design: AOO Events & Vibiana | Entertainment: String Theory Productions
