Virtua Gala Ideas

Inspired by the mustache barbershop in the film, a “Moustachery” station included an interactive quiz that matched guest personalities with mustache styles. So-called “barbers,” actually brand ambassadors, handed a custom card to guests that explained the mustache that best fit their character. Guests then took selfies of their new mustache looks in vintage mirrors with the hashtag #AMillionWays.

Costumed performers brought the storybook theme to life within the party space.

A photo booth put guests in the fairytale atmosphere.

Fanciful props topped tables, which had six different looks.

Regal rose arrangements towered over opulent tabletops.

A wall of frames hung over a bar backed with greenery.

Whimsical decor seemed plucked right from a storybook.

The main stage featured oversize props from famous tales.

Katy Perry performed a set of her hits, as well as a song inspired by a visit to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Costumed entertainers made for on-theme interaction and photo ops.

The event drew 1,200 guests and raised $4 million.

A Million Ways to Die in the West premiered in Westwood with a country fair-theme party filled with props such as a vintage 1920s stagecoach.

Projection mapping of time-lapse desert scenes illuminated the façade of an adjacent building and was designed to immerse guests in the feeling of the Wild West. The opposite wall included a projection of a waning moon set against a night sky.

Repurposed wood planks and vintage whiskey barrels served as the materials for custom tables, which were topped with Mason jars and wildflowers. SBE provided the catering, which included western-theme food such as barbecue chicken, Texas-style beef chili, pulled pork tacos, and corn on the cob.

Decor included props from the film, including a 1,600-pound ice block and giant unicycle. In addition, Universal gave producer NVE full access to the studio's props department, and the team pulled general western props as well as movie-specific items to create the overall look.

A custom photo studio encouraged guests to put on vintage cowboy hats and vests, then pose seated on ranch-style cowhide chairs.

Complementing the movie props in the space, bales of hay, Mason jar candle holders, and burlap drapery rounded out the party’s Americana look, and classic carnival activities included a high-striker game, a shooting gallery, a gun-dual game, and a ring toss.

Bluegrass band American Primitive provided the entertainment with musicians on banjo, guitar, upright bass, and fiddle.