Top Employers Gala at The Driskill

No Stuffy Corporate Event Design Here

The Top-Employers Institute is all about creating the best environment for your employees so it only makes sense that they decided to design an awesome experience for guests of their annual certification gala and after-party. According to Epoch Events, the planner for this event, the organization “envisioned a museum venue with art as the focal point” avoiding the usual super modern hotel choice for a corporate event. The historic charm and personality of The Driskill Hotel made it the perfect choice of venue and we were excited to curate rentals to make their vision come to life.

The Design—Corporate Contrast

Knowing that they wanted to mesh corporate and artful aesthetics, the organizers of this event chose to bring softness to the dining setup to contrast with the corporate stage design. Our Chenin Wishbone Chairs are a modern choice, but bring very natural materials and silhouettes into the design. By pairing these natural wood chairs, burgundy patterned linens, colorful florals and the marble tones of The Driskill, the dinner felt like a chic gala. It’s hard to imagine this design working as well in a more modern venue!

While the Top Employers Institute wanted this evening to have an art museum feel, they still needed to have aspects that reflected their corporate brand. To bring some softness to their very corporate, bright red stage, we styled a group of velvet lounge chairs in various shades—blush, gold and rich burgundy lounge chairs coordinated perfectly with romantic florals by The Bloom Bar.

Our Pre-Styled Ellis Lounge added some modern touches to the classic Texas aesthetic of The Driskill. Top Employers gave guests from around the world the full Texas experience by selecting this modern, western set—when in Rome Austin!

How to Avoid Cold Corporate Event Design

When planning your next corporate event, take some notes from the Top Employers gala:

• Choose a different venue than you would typically select for a big conference. Go for something historic, more rustic or funky!
• Opt for warmer, more artistic decorations. Surprise and delight your guests expecting a normal old, cold corporate environment!
• Select well-designed, interesting rentals. Skip the folding chairs!

The real payoff here is higher engagement and attention span which is ultimately how you create a memorable experience and excitement for future events.

Inspired to start planning? Start creating your rental wishlist now!

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