Top Ten Tips for Successful Event Design
We know the outbreak of COVID-19 is currently wreaking havoc on weddings everywhere and although there is a lot of unknown and stress happening in the wedding planning process for so many couples, we want to take this negative situation and do our best to find some positive.
While the planning process may be on hold, we want to encourage you to take this time to work on the design element of your big day! To help you, we’ve put together our top ten tips that will elevate the look of your wedding day.
#1 Identify your vibe
Tie everything together with a good theme (and no, we don’t mean it in the cheesy sense like Under the Sea). Think of the theme as an overall mood, vibe, and style. There are so many styles and ideas to choose from, and it can be difficult to make design choices if you are drawn to completely different themes so narrowing down what truly speaks to your heart is the first step. Think about how you describe yourself to others. What are your likes and dislikes? What is your favorite season, color, fashion style and/or activity? Identify your favorites and build from there. Choose colors and items that work well with your 'must-have' vibes. Create a visual mood board to help you visualize your favorite elements together. A visual tool such as this enables you to see how all of your favorite colors and ideas come together. Group similar elements together, prioritizing what’s most important and replacing or eliminating items that don’t fit the theme. Adjust colors to compliment the energy and physical details. Your mood board will help you identify and stick with your visual theme for the big day!
#2 Select a color palette with depth
Select a color palette that includes varying shades within the color family (not just a single tone) and avoid limiting yourself to only one or two colors. Additionally, select opposite colors on the color wheel that compliment your main palette. Don’t forget that metallics (gold, silver, copper, rose gold, pewter, nickel, etc…) are colors too! These tones can add a touch of sparkle or serve as a great neutral foundation. Choosing multiple (but complementary) colors will add depth and sophistication to your design, leaving you looking like a pro.
Don't be afraid of color! Color is a powerful tool, providing visual interest from floral selections to textiles and tabletop details. Yes, white accented with green and blush is classic and beautiful, but is it YOU? What's a color you've always been drawn to? What are the colors of the pillows on your sofa or the one that dominates your wardrobe? Be bold and choose to incorporate those colors to help you personalize your design! Just as designers utilize texture and pattern to layer and provide depth to the overall design, color lends itself well to this same method of execution, offering a visually-appealing atmosphere for you and your guests.
#3 Focus on strong composition
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! It’s the age-old adage that we know all too well! But when it comes to your wedding, you need more than just “somethings”. Designing a wedding that focuses on strong composition will take all the little pieces of your wedding and turn them into something awe-inspiring!
When designing your wedding it’s important to consider how each aspect of the design works together. It’s easy to get stuck on one particular item that you love; but what if that particular item doesn't compliment the other details of your day? Establish what your must-have or essential design pieces are first and compose your wedding design to complement those selections instead of trying to force design. Starting with your favorite pieces allows your personality to shine through the details making the design both seamless and personal.
#4 Make it personal
A wedding is meant to celebrate the unity of two souls, reflecting their past and future through the present. Personalized details highlight the couple's personalities, memories, inside jokes, etc., making their wedding special and memorable for them and their guests. My favorite part of events and weddings is customization; I always recommend that clients/couples find ways to add anything that's unique to them and emphasizes their story.
#5 Create contrast through texture
Texture is a huge design element! Texture creates contrast among elements and directs the eye to focal points within an overall design. Texture is experienced through touch and vision so it definitely helps awaken the senses. This is an easy element to utilize in a variety of different ways: Consider the texture of your paper suite and printed goods. You might opt for a silky smooth finish if you’re planning a black tie event, or perhaps you’re drawn to a handmade paper with lots of texture for a more organic, outdoor celebration. Tabletop details can also include a variety of textures from linens, chargers, napkins, glassware, and flatware. Floral is another great area to include texture through a variety of greens and blooms. Overall, texture adds depth to the visual experience and helps support an underlying theme and feeling.
#6 Get playful with patterns
Have some fun with your design by adding a pattern to your decor. Choose a pattern that compliments your style and personality and supports the underlying theme. Are you bold and outgoing? A bold pattern (even a neutral-colored one) is a great way to emphasize your outgoing nature. Bold patterns are also a great way to accent more simplified floral pieces while keeping the design interesting and fun instead of flat. When it comes to patterns, the options are endless! Keep in mind, patterns don’t have to be bold. Subtle patterns can be just as powerful. Minimal patterns can complement floral arrangements that include a wide variety of texture and color. Tone on tone patterns are less subtle but offer a variety of depth, especially when utilized via the textiles (think linens and napkins). If your table linens are solid, consider utilizing a pattern for the napkin to add visual interest, or, just the opposite. To incorporate patterns select a pattern that compliments the color palette and highlights your selected dominant colors. Putting your wedding cake on display? For a cake with an understated design, consider using a patterned linen to make the display more of a focal point.
#7 Design a layout that flows well
Where you put things matters. Using the existing features of the venue to create focal points is vital to the success of your overall design (and the flow of your event). If your venue has a lovely fireplace, leverage it as a decorated backdrop by positioning the head table or sweetheart table in front. Are there large, beautiful windows that allow the natural light to pour in? Consider putting your wedding cake or escort card display in front of them. Leverage the natural elements within the space to compliment your general layout and design.
Take into consideration the shape of the space as well. If the room is rectangular, placing the dancefloor in the middle of the space rather than on one end of the room will promote more dancing among guests and provide a space for central activity.
Dining tables come in varying shapes and sizes and mixing two different styles such as rounds and farm tables offer diversity and depth to a space, especially when styled with different elements on each table type. For example, select items that complement one another for each table style but that aren’t identical matches. Round tables might include tall centerpieces with a beautiful colored linen while farm tables might include low, lush floral details with a beautiful runner.
Be sure to keep important doorways clear and seat guests away from noisy activity. Catering staff needs clear access to the kitchen (which can be a noisy area during an event). Place tables away from the kitchen entrance and make sure there is enough space between the tables for catering staff to maneuver easily as they serve your guests.
If your venue has a lot of character and there are several areas of focus, consider adding signage for things not obviously located, such as restrooms or coat check (parking signage may be necessary as well).
#8 Design a menu with visual appeal
Don’t forget that in addition to tasting good, your menu should also be visually delicious! This is such a fun area to get creative with color and style, and the possibilities are truly endless. Having a summer event? Consider utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables that complement your overall color palette and general theme. I like to utilize fresh fruits to enhance the overall tabletop design which adds an additional pop of color and texture. Incorporating items like peaches, apricots, kumquats, berries and a variety of citrus can help establish a colorful, fun vibe to the underlying theme of any celebration (edible flowers are a fun surprise, too).
Consider seasonal elements as well such as apples, figs, artichokes, carrots, pumpkin and cinnamon for fall events. Hearty dishes such as squash, eggplant, and colorful sauces enhance winter menus creating a cozy, warm fulfillment for guests.
Colorful desserts (and late-night snacks are fun, too! If you plan to incorporate these additional elements, consider how you can utilize color and texture in the overall selections and displays.
Most importantly, don’t forget about the beverages! A splash of lavender lemonade or sparkling wine at each plate setting can add a pop on the dining tables while signature cocktails might include a fresh herb sprig or colorful garnish for added personality.
#9 Light it up
The lighting in a room can change the whole atmosphere and ambiance of the event! Consider incorporating creative lighting design into your event in the following ways:
String lights/bistro lights: String lighting is a great way to provide some soft lighting when needed and can be used outdoors or indoors. Most common is outdoor usage or inside of a tent structure.
Chandeliers: Chandeliers add soft, romantic lighting to a room. Some venues may already have these as part of the room decor, and might even have some adjustable light settings. If not and the venue will allow, consider suspending chandeliers over the dining tables to create a very calming, intimate atmosphere.
Pin Spots: Pin spots are tiny spotlights in the ceiling or canopy of a tent structure which are positioned to shine in specific areas, and are most commonly used to illuminate individual dining tables. Pin spots are adjusted to hit the top of the floral centerpiece which accents the focal point of the table.
Candlelight: Candles! Candles! Candles! The best and easiest way to create a warm and cozy feeling in a room is by candlelight. Find some cute votives that fit within your design and you can add these just about anywhere. Some of MLE’s favorite votive locations include dining tables, cocktail tables, coffee tables within a lounge cluster, and even on the ends of the bar!
If you're looking for some lighting that is a bit more bold and draws the eye to somewhere specific, here are some additional lighting options we often see:
Uplighting: These lights are small, usually circular shapes, that sit on the ground and point upwards. They project light and create focus on something that is above them. The great thing about these lights is that they can be any color you want! To utilize them in a way that points out something specific, you could spotlight items like your escort card display or the stage for your band. Alternatively, you could use these as perimeter lighting if the venue's lighting is too harsh.
Light up Bar or Dance Floor: A fun addition to your reception or after-party could be a light-up bar/dance floor. This is another way to provide illumination to something specific. This element should be saved for after dinner since it has such a fun “party” vibe.
Monograms: A personalized monogram can be added to your bar fronts and/or to the dance floor. If added to the bar front, it would actually be the bar itself that gives off light but the monogram will be the statement. If you'd like a monogram on the dance floor, it can be added by using a spotlight feature called a gobo. A personalized monogram gobo creates an illuminated detail-focused in an area where guests will dance all night. This will not necessarily give off any additional light to a room, but it is a fun customizable option for any reception!
#10 Have fun and know when to hit pause
Design shouldn’t be overwhelming! If you’re not having fun and find yourself feeling overwhelmed, walk away for a bit. Good design doesn’t happen overnight and it definitely takes some elbow grease and a few difficult decisions along the way. When you reach a roadblock, take a step back and hit the pause button. It’s easy to become over-stimulated visually and emotionally. Taking a break is just as important as taking action so allow yourself time and space to evaluate current selections and identify next steps and decisions. And most importantly, your event design should be about YOU! While most of us are prone to asking others for their opinions (which is totally normal and can even be helpful), make sure you don’t let outside opinions influence you from straying too far off your own path. You do you and as long as you do, the design will fall into place!
Bonus Tip: If design isn’t your area of expertise and you’re easily intimidated when it comes to color, texture, style, and theme, you may want to consider hiring an event designer. A professional event designer can help you organize all the ideas you have floating around in your head and string them together in a way that makes sense. An event designer can help you establish what feels right while weeding out the less important, non-impactful elements. From there, a designer can visually organize the elements you’ve established as important and create a game plan that brings those ideas to fruition.
Feeling like you need more help with your event design? No problem, event design is one of our specialties! We’d be delighted to create a custom design proposal for you or simply consult with you to help you establish a style that speaks to your heart. Contact us HERE and we’ll help you get started!
