Special Event Décor

By Caryn Green

Today’s special occasions are all about the visuals – displays that will dazzle and delight create the mood for your event and are key ingredients you’ll want to consider in making your event a memorable one. Gone is the cut-glass bud vase atop a paper doily sporting one plastic flower. In its place are soaring, colorful 3-D creations that celebrate that special birthday, mitzvah, retirement or anniversary via custom designed, one-of-a kind constructs that can range anywhere from $50 to $350 per table, according to Michael Gurwin, president and chief creative office of Atmosphere Special EventDécor andMore. And the centerpieces are just one element of the decorations.

“The other important focal points are the entrance area, where your arriving guests approach the place card table, and the stage area, where you might want to think about an unusual backdrop or curtains to spotlight the musicians, emcee and guest speakers,” he explained. “You can do floor decorations, standing displays around the room, they can be moving, stationary, lit with pin spots, the possibilities are endless!”

The creative process begins when you establish a theme for your special event based on your guest of honor’s hobby, profession, special interests or favorite form of recreation. “We did a birthday party for an orthodontist – when you walked in you saw this welcome sign made up of x-rays of teeth! That was a hoot. The younger ones go for sports themes, computer games, cars, fashion, favorite music or TV shows—we had this one kid that was a genius at solving Rubik’s cubes. The centerpieces were rotating cubes with different pictures of him on some of the squares.”

Incorporating the honoree’s name in a play on words is another creative route that can suggest different visual elements, Gurwin said. “’I Love Lindsey – ‘Lex and the City’ – ‘Sam’s Night Live’ – ‘Barrypalooza’ –‘That Stephanie Show’— and then we take off on the decorations from there. Retro TV, alternative music, a sophisticated urban vibe – set your date, set your budget, and just let your creativity run wild!”

The typical amount of lead time for a party is about threemonths ahead of the date, though arrangements can bemademore than a year out, or within the week if the date isn’t already booked. After an initial creative meeting with the hosts décor companies like Atmosphere will come back with a proposal, usually a drawing or mock-up of the displays, a rundown of the costs, and a contract to secure the date. You’ll pay an initial deposit, with final payment due prior to the event. It’s not unusual for a project to be tweaked along the way – the number of table centerpieces can fluctuate as the party planning proceeds, or sign-in books are a frequent add-on. Here again, objects of special significance are popular. At one party with a cinematic theme, guests signed in on a canvas director’s chair. At another soiree, signatures were collected on a 6 foot tall snowboard. Not all the displays are of the larger- than-life variety, however. One young man who had traveled extensively in Asia with his parents and had been greatly influenced by Eastern philosophy opted for centerpieces featuring Chinese calligraphy characters that symbolize concepts on which all special celebrations are essentially based: Peace –Love – Happiness - Friendship –themes that, unlike the cut-glass bud vase on a doily, will never go out of style.

Photos courtesy of Atmosphere Special Event Décor&More, Wilmette, IL—847-710-1418.