2023 Wrapped: DCi’s Top Event Highlights From This Year
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t always starts with an idea — one that turns into a meticulously orchestrated event involving hundreds of hours of strategy, planning, and of course, artful implementation. As one of the top destination management companies in the U.S., over the years, our planners have built countless complex constructions — from a football-field-sized pavilion in the heart of a national park to a full-blown state fair complete with carnival rides and attractions.
Although these events appear effortless, they’re actually the result of a finely honed process that our team (with the help of many incredible trusted vendors) has perfected over time. Want an inside look into how we do it? Here, DCi experts share their creative approach and what it truly takes to bring an event to life — from concept to execution.
From Idea to Concept
Every production, no matter how big or small, starts with a simple inquiry. A client reaches out to our team with an idea. Our account executives use this initial discussion as a jumping-off point, gathering information about their goals, event type, scale, and other important details. What’s the time frame? What’s the budget? Do they have a particular vision in mind? Whether it’s a theme, color palette, or specific details they’ve always imagined, the conversation sets the foundation for everything that follows. In the past, the DCi team has transformed the smallest ideas into unforgettable, larger-than-life productions — like a bespoke state fair complete with a towering 110-foot Ferris wheel, carnival rides, on-theme booths and games, and a neon forest full of suspended guitars and custom decor.
Dream Team in Action
Once our team members have all the information they need, they begin working with our designers to crystallize the client’s ideas into a concept. This is where we start putting all of the puzzle pieces together and pinning down what the experience might look like — from arrival to exit. “We carefully consider the venue’s existing decor, the clientele, and the intentions for the event itself,” DCi experts say. “We choose elements that reflect the theme while prioritizing guest comfort and engagement.” The client’s budget also comes into play at this stage. To bring these creative concepts to life within a certain budget, we have to make careful decisions during this early part of the event-planning process.
Sketching the Story
Once the vision is established, it’s passed along to an expert renderer, who starts building a visual representation of the event’s concept. Renderings help visually communicate what the event might look like, showcasing details like the event’s floor plan as well as other elements like stage designs and custom focal bars. Today’s cutting-edge platforms have made it easy to turn these ideas into hyper-realistic renderings that offer a remarkably accurate look into the final project. Our team can add textures to surfaces like walls, floors, and fabrics to give everything a more tactile feel. When needed, they can also integrate the surrounding landscape into the scene — trees, clouds, sky, and more — to give these sketches a more lifelike appeal and help our clients imagine what it would be like to be there.
Refining the Vision
To make sure the renderings are feasible and within budget, our event planners work with vendors throughout the process. “We communicate with vendors while building out the rendering to help show realistic expectations,” DCi experts say. After the renderings are complete, we eagerly share our vision with our client. “This can ensure everyone is on the same page, and our team can make informed decisions,” DCi experts say. It also gives our clients the opportunity to share their thoughts and changes. After a collaborative back-and-forth, our team refines the design, making thoughtful changes and adjustments based on the client’s feedback.
From Paper to Practice
Once our team ensures that the final version aligns perfectly with the client’s expectations, we put the plan into action. The image is sent to a fabricator who then builds the structures according to design. Over the years, we’ve realized so many incredible productions using renderings as our guiding light. For a client in Los Angeles, we designed and built a stage inspired by the halo-like shell of the Hollywood Bowl — one of the most popular outdoor venues in the city. For another multi-day excursion in Scottsdale, the team dreamed up breathtaking mirrored art installations that reflected the surrounding desert landscape.
Bringing it to Life
It’s go time! When all the design elements are ready to go, they are loaded into a truck and transported to the venue. From there, assembly and installation begins — and everything starts to finally come together. The time it takes to pull it off varies significantly depending on the complexity and size of the event. Case in point: DCi was tasked with creating an enormous custom pavilion in the middle of a national park in Alberta, Canada — surrounded by a vast mountain range and a scenic river. The sprawling construction, about the size of a football field, took almost nine months to plan and execute, from start to finish. Challenging as it was, the DCi team successfully executed the event — thanks to their unique vision, expertise, and exceptional planning skills.
Looking to turn your event’s vision into reality? Reach out to DCi today, and let’s start visualizing and planning an unforgettable event your guests won’t stop talking about for years to come.
