An event's color scheme can have implications that extend far beyond its look. “Colors and color combinations create moods and feelings, consciously and unconsciously,” Kate Smith, president and chief color expert at Sensational Color, has said. And if you're looking to convey a message of trust, dependability, calm, and intelligence, blue may be your hue. As the color of water and the sky, blue is calming, Smith said. “It taps into our bodies and hormones and lowers our heart rate and slows respiration.” From turquoise cocktails to patterned blue lights, here are ways to deck your event in the primary hue.
As the evening wore on, the tent's ceiling lit up with blue lights in swirled patterns.
Ravinia hosted its annual gala outside of Chicago in late July. For a dinner that followed a performance from Joshua Bell and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, designer Jeffrey Foster of Event Creative decked the tent in blue and white hues. The color scheme was inspired by the gala's invitation.
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach hosted an event-industry gathering dubbed "Dripping in Diamonds" on January 23. Each room featured the work of a different design firm, and Blooming Events International designed the "Perfect Diamond" room in blue hues.
When the Washington National Opera Ball was held in the ceremonial building at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in 2010, event producer Sandi Hoffman of Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events transformed the lobby into a wintry landscape. Plush white carpets and white birch trees lined the hallway, and the lighting was icy-blue.
Blue lighting and sequined tablecloths made for a striking look at Ronald McDonald House Toronto’s holiday season gala in December 2012—and the food was also blue. One featured bite was Parisienne potatoes topped with blue-dyed whitefish mousse and blue sea salt.
At this year's Corcoran Ball in Washington, a few of the galleries took full advantage of the "Americana" event theme and used red, white, or blue—or a combination of two colors—almost exclusively. In one room, each element—including flowers, linens, tables, and gobos— remained white or blue.
In 2009, the Chicago museum hosted a blue-hued event to celebrate its diamonds exhibition. To underscore the theme, Frost created a video of falling diamonds that measured 50- by 660-feet.
Gershwin's classic song "Rhapsody in Blue" inspired the Los Angeles Philharmonic Season Opening Gala in 2011. At the event, blue fabric inspired by the Art Deco period (when the song was composed) draped the ceiling.
For thematic snacks, offer a selection of blueberry-based treats. In Atlanta, A Divine Event prepared a spread of blueberry pie pops, blueberry cobbler in iron skillets, and Guinness stout cake.
Blue curaçao always comes in handy for signature drinks in the hue. At the Re-Stated Jewelry Launch in Toronto in 2009, a signature drink called the "Blue Zircon" included gin, blue curaçao, fresh lemonade, and fresh blueberries.
