Are you planning an Awards Ceremony? Thought you would appreciate these pointers!

Choose a Theme Related to Your Event

A generic awards ceremony will be easily forgotten. That’s why creating a theme specific to your event is not only important, but vital.

There are countless theme ideas to choose from to make your gala exciting, including Hollywood, Vegas, Masquerade, Around the World, or even Jungle. And if one of these themes can be applied to your event, you can build on it and put your own unique spin on things to make it special.

If not, think strategically about your organization’s industry and what theme or focus seems like a good fit. Then, by integrating marketing you’ve used throughout your awards program, you can count on putting together a ceremony that won’t soon be forgotten.

Make Your Invites Matter

You already know that every detail matters, and invitations are no exception. In fact, your invitations are incredibly important because they’re the first impression judges, winners, and other guests will have of the event to come and will set the tone.

Your invitations should reflect your company and remain consistent with the marketing you’ve used throughout your awards program. This means that the colors, styles, and messaging should match both to add to the trustworthiness and authoritative nature of your organization. And in addition they should spark interest and excitement, so that those attending will be eagerly awaiting the ceremony.

Make the Signage in your event Stand out

There are going to be lots of photos taken at any awards ceremony and how you represent your organization’s and its program’s name matters. Photos can raise awareness of your program for next year or draw attention to your organization as they’re shared via social media and on other platforms.

One way to represent your organization is with creative lighting throughout your event space. Custom Gobos of your Logo on Walls is a great way to promote your organization.

Get Creative When it Comes to Where you Host your Event

Some venues are making the most of every square foot of their venue. It’s no longer simply offering many services under one roof. It’s also about the service space itself. Venue managers have noted a trend with event planners longing for non-traditional spaces and are accommodating this wish through making non-standard spaces available for short term rentals. These original spots are helping venues capitalize on areas of their business they weren’t using before. It also increases the amounts and types of groups they can accommodate and it gives event planners options that make a big impression. Get an edge with your venue choice:

• Explore spaces that you can really put your stamp on by renting a parking lot or the roof of a venue. Popular venues are capitalizing on this demand for unusual spaces by hiring out areas that would previously have been off limits. The main concourse at sporting venues and outdoor spaces are now in high demand. As a planner, you can enjoy the benefits of a purpose-built venue but the wow factor of creating something that guests would never expect.
• Be creative and explore venues that have never been used for events. Food courts in the mall, aircraft hangars, retail space, and anywhere guests can be accommodated might provide a versatile space for your event vision.
• Focus on the architectural details of the spot, such as the exposed piping of a warehouse, these gems will give an authentic and photo-rich opportunity to your event.

Showcase Local Talent In Event Artwork

Using art can create a unique atmosphere for the event and is an increasingly popular décor type. With sustainability becoming more important to attendees, ensuring that you use local artists or source locally is in line with their expectations and can showcase local talent. Sustainable art options:

• Urban graffiti. Contract local graffiti artists to make a mural or work with digital platforms to turn artwork into lighting projections to decorate walls.
• Original artwork. Commission local artists to create an original piece that suits the style or theme of your event. This could also be an excellent giveaway idea for fundraisers too.

Remember Food is a Big Party of Your Event

Turn food into art and part of the decor by designing something to make a statement. Whether it’s a food carving or sculpture or an intricate art display, the way food is presented adds to the aesthetic and makes the finer details stand out. Food for thought:

• Ice bar. Make an ice sculpture multi-functional by converting it into a bar to chill food, giving it a self-regulating display.
• Dessert showcase. Include lighting elements or shelving and showcase your creative side like this neon dessert wall.
• Art bar. This chef literally turns the dessert station into an edible artwork on a lit backdrop which is both impressive and culinary genius.

Color Should Not Be Overlooked

In 2019, expect big bold colors and dramatic textures to complement your styling, whether it’s the fabric of your tables and draping or what your attendees are looking at on the runway, color can make or break an event atmosphere. This year consider:

• Color of the year. The 2019 Pantone Color of the Year is an alluring shade of peach known as “Living Coral”. Find ways for this to complement your styling and be on color trend.
• Blossoms. Large-scale floral prints in every color imaginable lead the way in 2019, whether on your tables or splashed across a wall or dance floor with Gobos. You can’t go wrong with big blossoms.
• Lighting for color. It can be difficult for larger corporate venues to use fabrics or décor to create an immersive color experience but lighting can have the same effect.

Headliners

Many events are having success working with multiple B Celebrities. Instead of working with one celebrity name with hundreds of thousands of followers it can be more cost-effective to work with a number of hyper-targeted influencers with thousands or tens of thousands of followers instead. The Headliners can be more focused on niche interests, meaning that the ratio and interaction can actually be greater and more effective, offering a way to combine influence and authenticity. It can also suit event marketers who are looking to pay for the experience, instead of paying for the endorsement.