Effective Business Events guest blog

Table Art have a long-standing relationship with event management agency Effective Business Events  who have been organising and delivering a wide variety of bespoke events and gala dinners both in the UK and abroad for over 25 years. They are keen to give all their guests “wow” moments and think of the little touches that make a big difference.

Over the years they have hired many of our table centres for gala dinners and parties. We have even flown our twisted “Blaze” table centres out to an outdoor EMEA Channel Partner Conference and Awards dinner in Athens. The quality and effect was superior to anything they could hire locally.

For this guest blog, we speak to Leigh Booth, Events & Marketing Manager about how to arrange great gala dinners.

Organising Gala Dinners

When organising gala dinners, we always ensure that the room looks superb. Then the guests are impressed as soon as they walk in. As well as hiring unusual venues, there are variety of ways of doing this. This includes LED walls, smoke, and lighting. But of course the table centres are often the first thing people notice. Technology has moved on so much in recent years. Guests now expect more than a small table posy with a TV screen and lectern on stage.

Add Glamour

Shimmering table cloths and gold silver or even acrylic chairs provide a different look to plain linen and standard conference chairs and chair covers. Scattered crystals and candles also add an impressive added glamour to a gala dinner table set-up.

Well-placed up-lighters and roving spot lights around the room, star-lit dance floors plus LED walls are also fantastic additions to the lighting for any room. The LED wall gives the ability to add any graphics. From fire to melting ice caps with fish swimming underneath, giant fairground rides, racing cars. Whatever the theme of your event you can easily create graphics to entertain your audience through dinner.

We have worked with Table Art  at Gala Dinners for a number of years and hired many of their LED table centres to match an event. The DMX bases are controlled by our AV technicians so that the colours and speeds of the centres can be changed. This is very effective for awards ceremonies. Glitter cannons being released at the same time as the table centres are flashing rapidly adds an even more dramatic effect when a name is announced as an award winner!

Branding

Branding is very important to our clients. The ability to be able to brand the bases and even the table centres themselves to match menus and place cards and even the stage design is another reason these look so impressive.

Like table centres, awards have advanced in design over the years. Rather than give an engraved glass block, bespoke awards designed to match your product will provide a permanent reminder to the winners of their special achievement. And of course they will be photographed and shared on social media further enhancing your brand.

If the venue has a built-in bar, we look to see if there is an opportunity to brand the outside of it. If we need to hire a bar, we choose one to fit the style of the room. Options include LED to match table centres, metal or wood finish. Branded coasters and cocktail stirrers (not plastic to help the environment!) are a great and cost-effective little touch people notice. If you are having a cocktail bar then creating a bespoke cocktail with the name of the company or event is a great idea.

If there is any additional space in the venue, we look at how we can fill this without over-crowding. Some well-placed lounge furniture can look fantastic. White leather sofas and coffee tables and poseur tables with high stools with small low-lit centres can create a separate chill-out area.

Entertainment

Entertainment is very important. We always think about the profile of the guests and what they would enjoy. Music is a very personal taste so bands and DJ’s should always be chosen carefully, preferably by personal recommendation. We have several bands we use again and again as we know the all crowds enjoy their sets! We ensure that the dance floor is the correct ratio for the number of guests. Better to have a packed smaller dance floor than a large empty one!

Something Quirky

If you are looking for something quirky, edible bubble volcanos and orb mists with a range of flavours (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be a talking point. Or you could arrange a caricaturist or silhouette artists to provide a keepsake and some entertainment during the meal. There are so many new ideas in the market place, it’s becoming easier to make these parts of the evening unique and memorable.

Our team are very passionate about every event we arrange. We work well together to come up with all the additional little touches that people remember. These include ideas such as providing a basket of flip flops for ladies wearing high heeled shoes. (And plasters for those who don’t wish to take their shoes off!) We are always speaking to new suppliers about new ideas within the events industry as well as keeping existing relationships with our tried and trusted suppliers. Our Gala Dinners

If you would like more of our ideas, to download our document with top 50 tips for arranging the perfect event please visit our website – www.effectivebusiness.com

If you would like help creating your next event, then get in touch with the styling experts at Table Art for a free consultation.