Viewing entries in
Decor

Out of This World: Creating an Immersive Celestial Experience for Corporate Events

Out of This World: Creating an Immersive Celestial Experience for Corporate Events

When a leading medical equipment manufacturer approached us with the challenge of creating an unforgettable annual celebration during a pivotal merger period, we knew we needed to transcend the ordinary. The result? A celestial-themed gala that transported nearly 300 employees into a cosmic experience that strengthened company culture during a time of significant transition.

The Challenge: A Universe of Possibilities

This wasn't just another corporate event. With an acquisition announcement and a 20% increase in guest count just two months before the event date, we faced the challenging task of expanding our vision while maintaining budget integrity. Add to this an interim catering manager at the venue, and we had our work cut out for us.

What makes a corporate event truly transformative? It's not just beautiful decor—it's creating an experience that aligns with business objectives while delivering genuine moments of wonder. For this client, after dozens of annual celebrations, they needed something fresh that would energize their team while celebrating their expanding corporate universe.

Creating a Cosmic Experience: The Design Elements

Our design approach focused on immersing guests in a celestial wonderland from the moment they arrived:

Lighting as the North Star: Working with SPARK Creative Events, we transformed the Grand Ballroom with strategic lighting that mimicked the cosmos. Overhead installations created the sensation of floating through space, while carefully programmed color transitions shifted the atmosphere throughout the evening.

Celestial Tablescapes: Each table, named after constellations, featured rich midnight-blue silky tablecloths that created depth and dimension. Ella & Louie Floral designed "space-themed" centerpieces incorporating glow-in-the-dark elements and LED-illuminated balloons that appeared to float among delicate floral arrangements.

Planetary Progression: We positioned planets throughout the space, creating a solar system experience as guests moved through different areas of the event. These celestial bodies served as both decor elements and conversation starters.

Enterprise-Inspired Bar: Town and Country Event Rentals delivered a specialty bar with sleek, futuristic design elements reminiscent of a space vessel, complete with LED underlighting. Signature "Storz Star" cocktails featured edible glitter that swirled like distant galaxies in each glass.

Beyond Aesthetics: Creating Meaningful Engagement

The true ROI of any corporate event comes from meaningful engagement that strengthens relationships and builds culture. Our celestial experience delivered through:

Mystical Interactions: Professional tarot readers and astrologers provided personalized consultations, creating intimate moments of connection within the larger event. These experiences generated lines throughout the night and gave employees unique shared experiences to discuss.

Casino Under the Stars: Gaming tables offered familiar entertainment with a cosmic twist, providing natural networking opportunities in a relaxed setting.

Rhythmic Connection: The Replicas kept energy high with dance sets strategically programmed throughout the evening, ensuring dynamic energy flow from cocktail hour through the final moments.

Spatial Storytelling: We created distinct "galaxies" within the venue—areas for conversation, dancing, gaming, and mystical exploration—allowing guests to navigate their own journey through the evening.

The Outcome: A Merger of Minds and Hearts

What began as a challenging pivot transformed into an opportunity to unite two corporate cultures under one cosmic canopy. The celestial theme provided the perfect metaphor for expansion and new frontiers—exactly what this newly merged company represented.

By creating an environment that felt both magical and meaningful, we helped leadership accomplish their core objective: strengthening employee morale during a transition period. The immersive experience gave team members something extraordinary to share, creating connections that transcended organizational charts and former company divisions.

Your Corporate Event: Ready for Liftoff?

At Felici Events, we believe corporate gatherings should be more than just meetings—they should be transformative experiences that achieve measurable business objectives while creating lasting memories.

Whether you're announcing a merger, celebrating achievements, or simply strengthening your team's connections, our approach to immersive event design can help you reach for the stars. The most successful corporate events blend strategic thinking with creative execution, ensuring every element contributes to your business goals.

Ready to take your next corporate event beyond the atmosphere? CLICK HERE to explore how we can transform your vision into an extraordinary experience.

Golf Theme Bar Mitzvah at Glen Annie Golf Course

Golf Theme Bar Mitzvah at Glen Annie Golf Course

 

Alec is a sporty young man, so when his mom told us she had chosed Glen Annie Golf Club as the receptin location, we screamed, Fore! because we knew we would hit this ball off course.

 

CAMA Centennial Community Celebration at The Sunken Gardens

CAMA Centennial Community Celebration at The Sunken Gardens

 

We love community events (after all, aren’t they synonymous), and this one in particular is very close to our hearts as it brought in FOUR of our favorite things:

  1. Community

  2. Food

  3. Wine

  4. Gorgeous Iconic Location

Felici Events was hired to produce a festive afternoon of collaboration with local cultural arts partners to gather for music, delicious food, and beverages, and the community to honor CAMA for this historic occasion: to celebrate the first 100 years of Community Arts Music Association.

The client wanted ‘something sweet and memorable’ to gift the community so we placed an order for 2500+ mini cupcakes with Lele patisserie (none were left over)

Created with a food and wine music festival in mind, the committee approached local favorites to be a part of the event, and Felici Events orchestrated over 20 local restaurants and 20 wineries to successfully participate and show off the best of the best in town within the day’s events. Over 2500 community members arrived to enjoy the afternoon celebration, delicious eats, special sips, and fantastic music in Santa Barbara’s most iconic wedding and event venue, the Sunken Gardens of the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

This event was free and open to the public, and included:

Musical presentations by:
Opera Santa Barbara
Music Academy of the West’s Sing! Program
Faculty of Westmont College
Department of Music, UC Santa Barbara
Members of Santa Barbara Symphony

FOOD:
Bibi Ji
Black Sheep Restaurant
Ca’ Dario Ristorante
Finch & Fork
Le Sorelle
Michael’s Catering
Pete Clements Catering
Olio e Limone
Opal Restaurant & Bar
Via Maestra 42

WINE:
Alma Rosa Winery
Babcock Winery
Brander Vineyard Cebada Wine
Grassini Family Vineyards
Grimm’s Bluff
Lumen Wines
Pali Wine Co.
Presqu’ile Winery
Santa Barbara Winery

CAMA is Santa Barbara’s oldest arts organization, and is presenting its 100th concert season in 2018-19. CAMA’s mission is to enrich the city’s cultural life by bringing live performances by world-renowned classical artists and orchestras of the highest artistic excellence to our community and by providing creative, focused music education programs for individuals of all ages.

Photographer: Bycherry Photography | Location: Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens | Planner: Felici Events | Restrooms: Marborg Industries | Cupcakes: Lele Patisserie | Audio: SPARK Creative Events | Rentals: BRIGHT Event Rentals | Musicians: CAMA | Staffing: Top Shelf | Popcorn Machines: Just 4 Fun Party Rentals | Valet: Bluestar Parking

 

Ultimate Gray + Illuminating Wedding Colors - Pantone Color of the Year 2021

Ultimate Gray + Illuminating Wedding Colors - Pantone Color of the Year 2021

At Felici Events we set trends (that is a fact!), and showcasing this wedding (featured on Santa Barbara Wedding Style) from 2016 proves it.

Pantone announced its 2021 Colors of the Year - Ultimate Gray and Illuminating last week.

We could not wait to re-share this wedding that took place at the historic Casa de la Guerra that use this exact color combination and give you some trending tips for weddings that we used to make this local wedding couple’s casual and purposeful fun wedding come to life!

First, let us share with you a bit about “PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR” - For over 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

The Pantone Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences.

This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms, and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.”

Needless to say this all filters down into wedding and event design and trends. For us, we use all of the above-mentioned industries to help inspire us and create trendy touches for our non-profit Santa Barbara Events and Fundraisers as well as for our private social gatherings such as weddings, birthday parties, and bar or bat mitzvahs.

This year’s chosen colors are not a novelty by any means, but the meaning and story behind these colors is something we hold near and dear to our hearts based on the crazy Pandemic year and its effects on the world and in the event industry this past year.

“We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.”

PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray combined with PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating provides a message of happiness supported by fortitude, aspirational, which gives us hope.

I could not think of a better description than this color combination exemplifies for Eric and Nick’s ceremonious occasion! While these two gentlemen tied the knot, there was not a dry eye in the house. The support from their 150 guests, composed of close friends, family, was palpable during the couple’s nuptials. Once the festivities for the evening began happiness spread like a New York Minute.

For the color scheme, the couple picked the joyful combination of yellow and gray. On the tables, this translated to gray chevron runners from La Tavola paired with bright lemons incorporated into the centerpieces. The loose citrus added pops of yellow and aged wrought-iron lanterns added texture to the look. 

Hanging from above, Bella Vista Designs hung romantic string lights and a cluster of bright-yellow paper installations to mark the dance floor area.

See more details of this wedding HERE


Photographer: Clarissa Koenig Photography | Wedding Location: Casa de la Guerra | Wedding Planner: Felici Events | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Lighting: Bella Vista Designs | Catering: Soho Tacos | Cake: Your Cake Baker | Churro's: Fernando's Churros | Music: DJ Patrick Swayzak | Photobooth: Thoughtbox | Floral Design: NLC Productions



Lavender & Purple Wedding at Alice Keck Park & El Paseo Restaurant

Lavender & Purple Wedding at Alice Keck Park & El Paseo Restaurant

Featured on Santa Barbara Wedding Style Blog, this bride and groom are very special to Zohe because the groom is one of Zohe's best friends, and Zohe was honored when they asked her to plan their Santa Barbara wedding.

The couple chose to hold their ceremony at the beautiful Alice Keck Park in Santa Barbara, since that is where they had part of their first date. 

The bride knew her colors from the start of the wedding planning, that is why the bridesmaids wore purple, knee length gowns and carried varied shades of purple floral bouquets crafted by the ever talented Margaret Joan Florals.  

The couple hung different shades of purple ribbons behind them at the existing lush ceremony altar, creating a fun backdrop as Rich Tobin led the couple through their vows. Guitar Witt duo softly played Spanish style music throughout the ceremony which incorporated the bride's Cuban background and added romance to the park’s ambiance. 

Felici Events worked with this couple to plan a wonderful day for them as they moved from the ceremony to the iconic El Paseo Restaurant for their reception.

Kelsey Crews Photo captured the day so perfectly and that she even got a few shots in of the couple’s beloved pooch, Kirby, who made his appearance at the ceremony. The day ended on a sweet note with a full dance floor of dancers, and nonstop dancing to music provided by Gavin Roy Presents as well as a delicious cake by Christine Dahl Pastries.

Cake - Christine Dahl Pastries

Ceremony Venue - Alice Keck Park

Flowers - Margaret Jordan Floral

Lighting - SPARK Creative Events

Music ~ Ceremony & Cocktails - Guitar Witt

Music ~ Reception - DJ Gavin Roy

Officiate - Rich Tobin

Photography - Kelsey Crews Photo

Planner - Felici Events

Reception Venue - El Paseo Restaurant

Rentals - Just 4 Fun Party Rentals