2023 Wrapped: DCi’s Top Event Highlights From This Year
H
osting a gala? Planning a team brunch? Throwing a summertime barbecue? Whether it’s an intimate event for a handful of guests or a grand celebration that draws thousands of attendees, a well-designed table setting is key to setting the right tone for any event that involves a meal. The right tabletop decor also serves as an extension of your theme, color palette, event mission, and even branding.
As a top destination management company, we’ve dreamed up our fair share of stunning tablescapes — think: centerpieces constructed with Legos, dinner parties complete with suspended tabletop arches, and even a neon-filled evening with tropical florals. Here, we share some of the best and most stunning tablescapes we created for our numerous events — plus some helpful tips from our team.
1. A Coastal, Miami-Inspired Tablescape
Key Biscayne, a barrier island just east of Miami, served as a playground for an unforgettable al fresco reception for close to 550 attendees. DCi’s destination and event management company was tasked with planning a “Top Tier” dinner as part of our long-time client’s incentive program. So, we got to work — pulling flavors, colors, and inspiration from Florida’s vibrant landscape. Surrounded by palm trees swaying in the tropical breeze, dramatic serpentine tables featured lush centerpieces, brightened up with birds of paradise and pincushion flowers. Neon accents and coordinating menus added a touch of modern elegance to this Florida-inspired tablescape.
2. A ‘Glamping in the Everglades’ Table Setting
For a multi-day leadership conference, our expert planners dreamed up a visually stunning event that brought a 1.5-million-acre, subtropical wilderness reserve indoors — well, the spirit of it, at least. Regardless, it was no easy feat. The custom-designed gala transported guests to the great outdoors with clever lighting and video mapping that immersed everyone into the theme from the get-go. It also created an elevated “glamping” experience with carefully designed, immersive table settings — complete with moss table runners and lush green details that drove the messaging home.
3. A Sustainable, Eco-Chic Tablescape
At DCi, we love planning events with sustainability in mind. That’s why when one of our clients tasked us with designing a tablescape using eco-friendly materials, we were more than up for the job. Taking place amidst the streets of San Diego, the string-light-lined outdoor party featured high-top tables with centerpieces made out of — wait for it — Legos! That’s right, DCi’s styling experts and planners ingeniously designed flowers using just Legos, creating a playful and eco-friendly solution that kept guests talking throughout the event.
4. Table Settings with Crafted Details
For another event, the DCi team collaborated with a local destination management company to source decor for a dinner at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. The Sala Oval, the museum’s public square, served as an awe-inspiring backdrop for the occasion — boasting soaring ceilings, ornate arches, and heavenly light filtering through the windows. Playing off of the space’s tangerine color scheme, we combined vibrant centerpieces of varying heights with predominantly orange tablecloths and linens. Modern clear chairs served as an aesthetic counterpoint to the museum’s historic architecture.
5. Custom-Built Tabletop Arches
Set in the heart of Mexico, another outdoor event called for a more unique (and surreal) approach to table styling. Instead of a traditional set-up, our event planners designed tables with florals and greenery suspended from custom-built tabletop arches. This added height and drama — without obstructing the guests’ line of sight. Paired with potted flowers as centerpieces, the pink-bougainvillea-draped designs added a fresh and unexpected moment — elevating (quite literally) an otherwise simple setting to a memorable showstopper.
5 Tips for Elevating Your Event Tablescape
Want to take a page from our playbook? With many years of destination management and event-planning experience, our experts know a thing or two about creating tablescapes that wow your guests and entice them to gather around the dinner table. Here, we share some of our tried-and-true tips and how they work their styling magic for our clients.
1. Find Your Inspiration
Don’t know where to start? Just look around. There are so many places to pull inspiration from: the destination, the venue, the local art scene, the surrounding nature, and more. You can even dig into current trends, and see if anything sparks your curiosity. Once our team lands on a theme, we begin sketching out our ideas and creating mood boards to visualize the final look of the tablescape.
2. Always Seek Balance
The key to creating a well-designed tablescape? Striking the right balance. This means making sure that no single element takes the lead and overpowers the others. To create an aesthetically balanced tablescape, our team creates a sense of harmony by coordinating colors, mixing textures, and playing with heights.
3. Bring in The Blooms
Flowers are a natural choice for any tablescape. But selecting the right florals? That’s trickier than it looks. We start by exploring what’s in season — these blooms always make for the freshest and most vibrant arrangements. Using the color scheme as a guiding light, we mix different types of flowers to add interest and complexity and choose vessels that create complementary pairings.
4. Practice Proper Care
The beauty of your floral arrangements depends greatly on how well you take care of them throughout the day. No matter the size or duration of the event, at DCi, we make sure that our florals are well-hydrated and kept in optimal conditions so they maintain their peak freshness and vibrancy for as long as possible.
5. Embrace Non-Floral Centerpieces
Planning an event on a tighter budget? Instead of florals (which can cost a pretty penny), opt for items like hurricanes, lanterns, and vases that can still help you create the intended ambiance. At former DCi-planned events, we also embraced cascading greenery-only arrangements, potted succulents, and even a variety of different fruits!
We hope that these ideas have inspired you to plan your next event with us. If so, reach out to our team to get the ball rolling.
