Photo: Courtesy of Cisco
For an internal meeting hosted by Boston Scientific, organizers used photos of employees as chandeliers, creating personalized decor that also fostered conversations.
Photo: Courtesy of Boston Scientific
For a holiday event for Herbalife, Sterling Engagements designed tabletop vignettes using metallic and glass objects in visually interesting and varied shapes.
Photo: Michael Hedden/Evoke Photography
At a screening of the James Brown biopic Get on Up in Washington in July, André Wells incorporated such objects as old-school-style microphones and records into floral centerpieces to channel the movie’s musical premise.
Photo: Courtesy of Andre Wells
Floral and event design company Amaryllis hosted an industry New Year's Eve party in Washington where a golden bust surrounded by an orb was part of an effort to weave in some statement-making European flair.
Photo: Kate Headley
For an event for Munchkin baby products in Los Angeles in November, Jeannie Savage of Details Details used toys on the tabletops to "evoke childhood memories," she said, for the bloggers, event planners, and influential mom guests in attendance.
Photo: Jessica Claire
At the Miami Heat Charitable Fund annual gala in January, A Joy Wallace Catering, Design & Special Events created a tropical-looking table with centerpieces comprising Mokara orchids, calla lilies, and roses with accents of blue thistle—all built around a 3-D acrylic cube that encased replicas of the three Miami Heat championship rings.
Photo: Cendino Teme Photography
For the 2010 St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School's sports-theme benefit in Washington, held in the school's gymnasium, centerpieces were oversize versions of athletic objects by commercial sculptor A.J. Strasser.
Photo: Stephen Elliot/Mud Productions for BizBash
The Bafta Los Angeles Tea Party, held on Golden Globes weekend in Los Angeles, used various decor pieces and objects to advance its British theme—including a Union Jack-splashed tea kettle holding white roses.
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rover
During Golden Globes weekend this year in Los Angeles, W hosted an event at A.O.C. in celebration of its picks for so-called "Hollywood It girls." Covered glass dishes on the tabletops provided feminine flair alongside pink blooms.
Photo: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for W Magazine
At the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund gala in Bradenton, Florida, in 2007, coffee beans filled cigar boxes on high-top tables to match the event's tropical theme and mood.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks Inc.
In what could be described as a meta interpretation of a traditional floral centerpiece, David Stark used twine to create flower-shaped centerpieces at the Museum of Arts and Design's Visionary Awards gala in New York in 2007.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
At the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS' Dining by Design benefit in New York in 2012, David Stark's installation for Benjamin Moore used real books and hand-made pop-up books to highlight the concept behind the brand's slogan: “A whole new chapter in paint color technology is being written.”
Photo: Ronnie Andren for BizBash
In September, the renovated Riverside ballroom at Austin, Texas's Radisson Hotel & Suites Downtown opened with a food-centric event that saw produce contained in veggie cartons as decor.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Rock candy made for a more budget-friendly and unexpected—not to mention edible—centerpiece at Chicago's Children's Ball in 2008.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Occasions Caterers took inspiration from Japanese sushi restaurants and set up a conveyor belt of small plates.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Atmosphere Lighting used brightly colored lights to create the feeling of downtown Tokyo.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Guests could play video games like Street Fighter, Minecraft, Super Smash Bros., and Mario Kart on gaming systems provided by the Entertainment Software Association.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Organizers set up a pop-up fashion lounge as a nod to Japan's fashion-forward culture.
Photo: Pepe Gomez/Pixelme Studio
Members of Occasions Caterers waitstaff dressed as modern maikos and passed specialty cocktails.
Photo: Pepe Gomez/Pixelme Studio
The SnoCream Company brought its school-bus-turned-food-truck to the venue's loading dock. It served guests frozen desserts made from shaved ice and more than 45 topping options.
Photo: Pepe Gomez/Pixelme Studio
Oversize Jenga
Guests played oversize Jenga at Ocean Drive's Sun Covered pool party at the Raleigh Hotel during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim.
Photo: World Red Eye
Hopscotch
Guests could play on a colorful hopscotch grid at the Sunglass Hut Summer Block Party Miami in 2012, which marked the opening of a Sunglass Hut in Miami Beach.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
Outdoor Ping-Pong
Ping-pong shouldn't be limited to basements. At a match set up at Ocean Drive's Sun Covered Pool Party during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami, sponsor PopChips covered the table to promote one of its flavors.
Photo: World Red Eye
Beach Volleyball
For a stylish spin on classic beach volleyball, Hermes wrapped the perimeter of a net in its silk scarf print at its "Les Jeux d’Hermès" beachside event in Palm Beach earlier this year.
Photo: Matthew Carasella
Polo Teambuilding Activity
Executives can channel their inner Prince Harry at polo teambuilding activities offered by Executive Oasis International. Participants are taught how to play and then compete for a trophy.
Photo: Courtesy of Executive Oasis International
Balloon Darts
At a carnival-themed presentation of Stella McCartney's resort 2013 collection in New York, guests and models played games such as throwing darts at balloons.
Photo: David X. Prutting/BFAnyc.com
Lawn Bowling
An early summer event launching new flavors of Svedka vodka in Beverly Hills had several lawn games for guests, including lawn-bowling stations featuring prop bottles of the product.
Photo: Michael Simon/StarTraksPhoto.com
Glow-in-the-Dark Boccie
Guests played glow-in-the-dark boccie at Absolut's launch of its Orient Apple flavor in New York.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
Cornhole
Fans attending the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore last year played the backyard beanbag game cornhole on boards sponsored by Jägermeister.
Photo: Courtesy of Sidney Frank
Giant Chess
A giant chess set was placed outside the venue at a gala for the National Ballet of Canada in 2011. Event guests as well as passers-by could play or take photos.
Photo: BizBash
Sandbox Sifting
This sandbox is a bit more highbrow than your typical beach version. For an archeology-themed party at Ardbeg Day at Miami's Cafeina Wynwood Lounge in June, the whiskey brand invited HistoryMiami to create a simulated archeological dig site and competition.
Photo: Jipsy Castillo
The “Cloud of Fog” was a 40-foot tentlike structure filled with fog. Groups of seven attendees stood inside and participated in a moderator-led discussion, but they could not see one another. As the session progressed, the participants would take small steps forward, until the end when they were all gathered in the middle and close enough to see one another. St-Pierre said by removing the ability for participants to see one another, the experience “completely disconnected the person from the persona. Once everybody was out, you would see those groups coming back again to share coffee and such," he said.
Photo: Sebastien Roy
C:Lab, the creative laboratory of Cirque du Soleil, used real tree branches to create the Nest, a hollow structure measuring 30 feet across and sitting 10 feet in the air. Participants were invited to climb a ladder into the nest where a moderator led them in a discussion. To leave the nest, attendees slid down a slide.
A moderator led guests in a seven-minute discussion of business topics while they sat in chairs suspended inside a net 18 feet in the air. “When you are physically at risk of something, your perception of who you are, the environment, the world, will change. So that’s what we wanted to accomplish,” St-Pierre said.
Photo: Felix Renaud
A virtual reality experience from Ubisoft enabled participants six guests at a time to virtually walk around Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral together.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
During the “In the Mouth” food events, participants received information and instructions throughout the meal via headphones.
Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne
Using E-180’s matchmaking platform, more than 1,345 “brain dates” took place during the three-day conference, double the amount from 2014.
Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne
Located alongside Montreal’s Lachine Canal, C2’s outdoor plaza included a Ferris wheel, a tent, food services, and a variety of seating areas. Organizers encouraged attendees to meet for “brain dates” in one of the Ferris wheel pods.
Photo: Allen McEachern
The outdoor plaza included a new venue, the Big Top BDC. Hosted by the founders of Montreal’s 7 Fingers circus, the venue had space for about 200 people.
Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne
Inside the Big Top BDC, participants listened to a variety of speakers on topics such as investment, social business, innovation, renewable energies, and technology.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
The Forum Solotech was the conference's main venue, where speakers such as Alec Baldwin, Chelsea Clinton, and Andre Agassi addressed the crowd.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
A separate venue called the Garage hosted 10 master classes led by professionals from organizations such as M.I.T. Media Lab and BMW. ·
Inside Arsenal, organizers used scaffolding to expand the amount of spaces available for people to gather.
Bistro Lafontaine was one of the places where conference participants could dine on food from chef Jérôme Ferrer.
Photo: Felix Renaud
