At the symphony dinner, table settings featured a mix of organic and contemporary textiles, including raw linens partnered with mirror-topped tables and velvet banquettes accented by sequined overlays. On-theme centerpieces were composed of forest foliage and wildflowers adorned each dining table, while moss and vine-covered living walls served as the space's backdrop.Photo: Show Ready Photo
SAN FRANCISCO—How do you impress a crowd of seen-it-all socialites when two of the city's most high-profile galas are held just two weeks apart—oh, and you're in charge of designing and producing both?
It's a challenge the team at Blueprint Studios faced head-on this year. The San Francisco-based event company has long partnered with the San Francisco Symphony on its annual Opening Night Gala—and this year also won the bid to produce the San Francisco Opera's lavish centennial Opera Ball, taking place just two weeks earlier.
Blueprint's creative director, Shannon Gurley, was acutely aware that many of the same patrons attend both events, so it was crucial not to recycle ideas in spite of the tight time frame. “We had to make sure the two events were distinctly different, but both at this high level that would impress a very seasoned crowd," she explained.
To pull it off, the entire Blueprint creative team ideated together in the beginning, but then split off into different groups to ensure that both events received equal attention. "Everything was totally separate," Gurley noted.
The resulting events both drew a who's-who of the city's elite, with the San Francisco Opera Ball on Sept. 9 taking on a 1920s-inspired theme to celebrate its centennial, and the San Francisco Symphony Gala on Sept. 23 adopting a whimsical, forest-inspired style inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Scroll down for a look inside the two glamorous, black-tie events.
Accompanying the performance was the highly anticipated opening night gala, which adopted the same theme and was executed by the event’s longtime partner, Blueprint Studios. Attendees were welcomed to Davies Symphony Hall with a midnight blue arrival carpet surrounded by lush trees, foliage, and whimsical dandelion light installations.
The design-forward space was enhanced by more illuminated dandelion lights, plus undulating 3D walls, oversized florals, and four different types of tables. "I like to mix up the table types so it’s not always the same thing over and over again," Gurley said.
![There were also 16-foot-tall cylindrical, arched sculptures embossed in gold accents, similar to the arches that had appeared on the arrival carpet. The shapes were a nod to the symphony's recent marketing campaign, where an artist had turned a piece of music into visual art. For the event, the team wanted to play off that sound wave concept—but didn't want to lean too far into the tech elements and alienate their audience of mostly older attendees. “So we thought, how can we create movement in the space and utilize all the colors [of the campaign] and tie it into the concept of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is all about whimsy and magic and mystery?' Gurley said. The solution was evoking sound waves through simplified, curved shapes like ring tunnels, and making use of reflective surfaces and patterns.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2022/10/PATRON_TENT_DINNER_3_.634f25ea7f9d7.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
“So we thought, how can we create movement in the space and utilize all the colors [of the campaign] and tie it into the concept of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is all about whimsy and magic and mystery?" Gurley said. The solution was evoking sound waves through simplified, curved shapes like ring tunnels, and making use of reflective surfaces and patterns.
The facade of City Hall made an immediate impact with bold lighting and specialty turquoise carpeting from Event Carpet Pros. The goal was to honor the colors and imagery of the 1920s, when the opera was founded—while also giving a modern look into the future, Gurley explained.
For the Opera Ball, Blueprint Studios also worked with Gatsby Event Studios for lighting and sound and McCalls Catering for food and beverage.
