Event Report from Miami: Inspired by Art All Around Us

The Event: 3 days of events supporting a high profile car reveal in the Automobile Industry
Locations: Mana Wynwood and Fontainebleau, Miami, Florida
Date: January 2017
Guest Count: 750

Our Challenge: Tailoring the look and feel the client's brand prefers into the overall design, and integrating the local art-infused atmosphere into decor settings for an international VIP group. Furthermore, we were tasked with creating all events surrounding a high-impact reveal of a new car model.

Ted Bowers, Kristen Rensch, Rebecca Motus and our crew just returned from 10 days in Miami and Kristen confesses that they still have post-event blues. "We had the great fortune to be able to work with a very creative client in a wonderful environment. Despite some challenges - we had a tornado warning call waking us at 3:45am on the night AFTER our tent install, and some last minute changes - it all turned out perfectly! The client was happy. We were happy!"

Our main tasks: creating and producing decor, lighting and sound for the two nights.

Night 1 took place at Mana Wynwood. We had visited the ultra cool, artsy neighborhood during pre-production and our client and we were very inspired by the public art that infuses every wall and locale in Wynwood. We decided to bring the art inside.
We had 100,000 square feet of blank canvas event space at Mana to work with. We used about one third for the event.
We brought graffiti art and the brand's favorite hue of blue into the event.

Night 1: Welcome Reception and Car Reveal     

We selected a black-and-white decor and very linear design to highlight the artistic neighborhood.

Voile was used as perimeter treatment.

We separated the room into three spaces -

1) Reception/After Party Salon

2) Reveal

3) Production spaces

using voile wall curtains to hide the cars prior to the reveal and to hide the after-party space.

Table tops were covered with a custom-printed black-and-white graphic design.

Pillows to match and white floral to complete the modern look.

Four display cars and an art car had to be integrated in the After Party space.

The view of the After Party and what was to come was concealed during the Reception and Reveal phase of the event. 

Lighting effects highlighted the display vehicles, that were eventually revealed by the voile in the After Party.

The Entertainment: a DJ in company of a live saxophonist.

Our BIGGEST Challenges:

a) turning the reception space into the after-party space while the reveal was taking place. We made it!

On cue, we created a kabuki drop of the voile to reveal the reset space for the After Party, inviting guests to freely flow around the now combined, open space.

b) Due to logistical challenges, we had to set up our furniture before the four cars came in. We had to plan the floor plan and setup in a manner that allowed us to accommodate the last minute move-in of the cars in a fully setup space. 

Night 2: Dinner on the Lawn with Entertainment                                     

We got to work at the beautiful Fontainebleau and we are honored that hotel management allowed us to occupy both lawns to set up TWO separate 40x99 foot clear-span tents on the Ocean and La Côte Lawns. We received permission to build a new custom, wood walkway to compliment the existing walkway and connect the tents on the lawns. 

Iconic South Beach hotels and museums were the inspiration for the sophisticated beach design and decor.

Each tent received its own design treatment and seating arrangements. We alternated weathered wood and white-washed furniture, natural wood chairs and custom weathered, white-washed boxes. 

Our Floral Artist, Rebecca Motus, created signature, one-of-a-kind floral art pieces. 

Low-profile driftwood-and-orchid centerpieces were placed on all dinner tables. 

Cylindrical orchid arrangements were suspended from the tent ceiling. 

The Challenge:

a) Last minute enhancements to the floral design.

Rebecca worked miracles, sourcing the flowers and materials locally in record time. Once she found the great source, she also hired their local floral arrangers to assist with the assembly of the hanging orchid columns. 

b) did we mention the tornado warning? 😄 Thankfully, the tents survived high winds and rain. By event time, Miami had the best weather in a long time: blue skies, mild temperatures and beautiful sunshine.

Entertainment: live music, consisting of a singer and a 5-piece band. 

We are very grateful for the feedback we received from the

Fontainebleau Convention Service Team.

"The creativity and unique design presented by this talented team had transformed this space into a magical element. It was a beautiful production that left us amazed!"

We loved this production in Miami! We had a wonderful time. The locations were just beautiful and such an inspiration.

Yes, as usual, it took very long work hours and and an army, as they say.

Thank you to our Friends at TPG and our local partners!

We could not have done it without you.

Wishing everyone a Great President's Day and a good week!