Creating Event Design Proposals (Part 2) – Concept & Theme Development
Last time, I talked about how to visualise your event before you start the proposal process. Today, I’m going to talk about concept and theme development.
An empty event space
As event designers, sometimes our job is made so much easier by what I like to call ‘the perfect client’. Realize that the perfect client is not the one with biggest budget. No, the perfect client is the one who already has a vision and then gives you the budget to create that vision.
Over 20 years designing and planning events both professionally and for family and friends when I first started out tells me that this is a rarity. In many cases it will be one or the other, oftentimes neither. Our goal as the event designer is to transfer that vision into reality.
If your client has some broad theme they would like to incorporate then that is always ideal. I recently designed a high-end wedding where the bride’s inspiration was ‘a sort of 1920’s nightclub glam’. This can be interpreted many different ways but at least it was something to go on – a basis for a design idea.
The most expensive wedding I ever designed had no central design idea at all apart from a desire for beautiful simplicity. How we brought all the different elements of the event together was ultimately how we achieved that goal rather than concentrating on a show-stopper type theme or central idea.
Beautiful simplicity
So your vision can be inspired by others or as a result of your own efforts, most often it will be a combination of the two.
If you’re really serious about your craft, you will have a library of reference materials to draw inspiration from. The bigger you’re library, the easier it is.
I have a plethora of books on event design, interior design, flowers, catering, cooking and wedding planning by the top people in their fields.
Rarely do I try and re-invent the wheel. I find a concept I like – after all there’s little that hasn’t been done before in one shape or another – and tweak it. Add a new twist here, mix and match elements from differing events there, anything that will give something fresh appeal and a new identity will usually work well.
So that’s the really difficult part over. Next time I’m going to focus on how to incorporate your vision into the actual space itself.
Until next time,
Sheila
P.S You should check out our new facebook page solely dedicated to weddings! Check it out at http://facebook.com/88events.weddings and make sure you ‘Like’ us so you can be kept up-to-date of everything as it happens.
Category: Event Planning
