The performance included a sea of illuminated orbs, held by performers clad in silver spandex. San Francisco company Got Light has similar fixtures, which they used at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's Modern Ball in 2014. Got Light collaborated with Stanlee Gatti on the night's overall design.
The show featured elaborate projection mapping on the floor of the stage. The Warner Brothers International Television Distribution gala in 2012 filled a Burbank, California, lot with digital mapping by Bart Kresa Design, costumed entertainers, and an array of pyrotechnic stunts and decor. Aerialists from Lucent Dossier entertained from above the party space. Companies like Obscura Digital, Ninjaneer Studios, and Media Stage have also created such visual displays on existing buildings.
The set of Perry's performance also featured an elevated stage that had flooring lit up with vibrant lights. For a similar look, Energy Floors offers human-powered, interactive dance floors for event rental worldwide. The eight-inch-deep tiles each house small generators; the tiles compress when stepped on, activating the generators to convert the kinetic energy produced by the dancers into electricity. The power can be used to activate the colorful LED light tubes inside the tiles that respond to the movement of dancers or nearby electrical systems.
Looking for ideas for an eye-catching press wall? Pandora hosted its first "Hearts of Today” honoree luncheon at the Montage Beverly Hills in November, where a decorative wall had logos framed in purple roses set against lush hedging.
At the recent Knot Gala at the New York Public Library, ribbons and bistro lights offered the illusion of a lower ceiling. At one food station, globes filled with tuna ceviche hung from trees, and guests were encouraged to “forage” for the items with help from staffers.
The Revel Group in Chicago hosted "Revel Provocateur," a dinner for the area's top event planners, on March 30 at Revel Downtown. Decked in black hues and Gothic-style decor, the event eschewed seating cards and instead printed guests' names on the back of chairs.
At a sweet sixteen party produced by Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events, a hot chocolate to-go wall featuring custom mugs, gourmet marshmallows, and milk chocolate hot cocoa allowed partygoers to leave the sweet sixteen with a sweet treat.
On December 4, the Chicago Botanic Garden hosted its "All Aboard" fund-raiser. After viewing the garden's elaborate, indoor miniature train set, guests had dinner in one of three dining rooms decorated by Event Creative. One room, with a "Frozen Radiance" theme, used glossy all-white furniture and frosty blue lighting to create an icy look.
Held on December 11 at the Vineyard of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, the benefit for Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation had a "diamond" theme that was reflected in glittering decor. The glass dinner tent was decked with elaborate crystal chandeliers, and tables incorporated hanging crystals. The team from SO Events spent a week leveling the hillside ground on which the tent was installed.
Though it was held in early February, the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's annual fund-raiser in Miami had a springtime feel. The dinner tent was bathed in bright pink light, and from the ceiling hung crystal chandeliers embellished with prop butterflies. Le Basque Productions handled catering and production.
The Miami institution hosted its annual gala on February 7. While raising funds, the affair also served as a celebration of the 70th birthday of co-founding artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas. The evening's decor from Shiraz Events incorporated the guest of honor's favorite color—blue—and Tilson Thomas's image was shown in illuminated boxes that appeared on tabletops.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra hosted its "Remix: Red Hot" fund-raiser at the School of the Art Institute Ballroom on February 27. The event had a New Orleans-inspired theme, so servers greeted guests with a "Southern Punch" made with Tito's handmade vodka, Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, orange juice, soda, cinnamon, and frozen berries. Food for Thought handled catering.
