7 Creative Ways Events Can Make a Strong First Impression

Gin brand Monkey 47 worked with the Narrative Group for its first immersive pop-up in New York in April. Guests were welcomed to the warehouse-like venue by a large, jungle-theme mural outside; the mural's design continued inside the space, which featured lush, greenery-filled decor.

For the Phantom of the Opera's 25th-anniversary celebration, held in New York in 2013, a post-performance event brought 1,250 guests to the New York Public Library. To make a strong statement as guests pulled up, the planning team from Serino/Coyne projected a strip of red light over the library's front steps, effectively creating a virtual red carpet that led to the entrance. Hundreds of LED candles sat on either side of the illuminated pathway. See more: Phantom of the Opera Hosts Eerie Masquerade Ball for 25th Anniversary

Decor can be used to immerse guests in the event experience right at the entrance. At HBO's after-party for the 2018 Emmy Awards, designer Billy Butchkavitz created a lush Garden of Eden theme. Guests entered the party through a floral-filled tunnel. See more: Emmys 2018: 28 Splashy Decor Ideas From the Week's Biggest Parties

Retailer Journeys and sneaker brand Converse also used the tunnel idea for a recent prom-theme event, held in New York in March. Produced by marketing agency FlyteVu, the event featured three rooms designed around the idea of prepping for prom. A colorful, disco-theme entrance immediately set the tone for the fun, photo-friendly day. See more: See How YouTube Stars Helped Teens Get Ready for Prom

A more simple, but still sleek, take on an entrance came from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston's Nasturtium Patron Party. The 1970s-theme benefit, which took place in April, featured bright orange nasturtiums designed by Bloom Couture Floral Studio.

Swedish banking company Klarna hosted its West Coast launch in April in Los Angeles. As guests entered the freight elevator that led to the event, they were greeted with champagne service, lounge seating, and an oversize hanging floral display. Sequence Events handled design and production.

At Netflix's 2018 Golden Globes party, guests were not only offered champagne as soon as they arrived—they were also invited to a shoe valet, where they could trade in their heels or dress shoes for a pair of slippers. (A welcome perk during a busy night of Globes party-hopping.) Netflix worked with Swisher Productions to produce the event. See more: Golden Globes 2018: Peek Inside This Year's Biggest Parties

In February, Beverly Hills philanthropists Christine and Gabriel Chiu worked with Aliana Events to host a vibrant, design-heavy event to celebrate Chinese New Year. As guests climbed the stairs to the event, they were greeted with champagne and lychee cocktails. At the top was a re-creation of the entrance to Chinatown in Los Angeles, branded with the Chiu name. See more: This Lavish Chinese New Year Party Was Packed With Decor and Floral Inspiration

The California Science Center's annual Discovery Ball in March had an upscale take on a dog theme. In a fun twist on a champagne wall, servers wearing sock puppets offered glasses to guests from behind green hedging at the event's entrance. See more: See a Black-Tie Take on a Dog Theme

For Netflix's futuristic Altered Carbon premiere in February 2018, the streamer worked with Pen&Public to create a fun, immersive experience as guests made their way to the after-party. The entryway referenced the protagonist's experimentation with drugs; guests were given special glasses that refracted the light of a neon sign display, creating a psychedelic effect. See more How Netflix Transported Guests 300 Years in the Future at Altered Carbon Premiere

The Bata Shoe Museum's 20th anniversary gala in Toronto in 2015 used a maze to inspire guests to explore its galleries. At the entrance, guests were given "clue cards" that encouraged them to find the answers to various puzzles by entering different galleries. The event's design, created by Candice & Alison, featured maze-like markings that appeared in hot pink patterns on the floor. The markings also acted as directional signage that led guests into various parts of the venue. See more: Why This Gala Sent Guests Through a Maze

If your event has a red carpet at the entrance, spice it up by incorporating on-theme props and designs. For the premiere of the HBO film My Dinner With Hervé, designed by Billy Butchkavitz, a step-and-repeat referenced Hervé Villechaize’s first career as a painter in France. The title of the film was displayed in portraits of various paintings against a green wall. The event took place in October in Los Angeles.

The premiere of Amazon’s Prime Video’s new series Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts, also took place in October. Swisher Productions and 15/40 Productions used live fish tanks in the arrivals area to evoke the main character’s office. The carpet also featured a live palm wall as a reference to the show’s Florida setting.

At the InterContinental Miami's Summer of Love-theme Make-A-Wish Ball in November, staffers dressed in hippie attire welcomed guests to the event. A pink step-and-repeat wall featured floral peace signs. The museum worked with Deco Productions on the event. See more: 14 Psychedelic Ideas From a Summer of Love-Theme Benefit

The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, hosted its annual gala in 2017 to celebrate a year of construction on its future West Wing. The design featured a hot pink color scheme with construction-inspired touches; at the entrance, guests were entertained by live music and a road-work-style sign displaying the name of the event. See more: See Inside a Construction-Theme Museum Gala

Absolut's activation on Coachella grounds in April promoted the company's focus on sustainability and diversity with a mix of greenery-filled and rainbow-colored spaces, including a multi-colored entrance with "Love Your Planet" signage on the walls. MKG handled design and production. See more: Coachella 2019: See Inside the Biggest Parties and Brand Activations

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Benefit, held in New York in May, was inspired by imagery of the Catholic church. In addition to a giant floral papal crown and a cathedral-inspired dining room, the Great Hall stairs—which served as the backdrop to the receiving line—made a dramatic statement. Large, antique-gold candelabras with 24- and 48-inch-tall candles fitted with battery-powered bulbs flickered on the stairs; some 70 candlesticks in three-armed candelabras lined the steps. Raul Avila handled design and production. See more: See Inside This Year’s "Heavenly" Met Gala

In February, Delta Air Lines hosted a pre-Grammy party designed and produced by MKG. Guests entered the celebration through an installation of hanging gold records, a theme that would continue throughout the event. See more: Grammys 2019: Event Design Highlights From Music's Biggest Week