Make Summer Sizzle with Hot Trends and Greener Outdoor Events

July 11, 2019

As we bask in warmer weather, it’s time to plan the perfect outdoor event experience to impress and engage attendees. This summer, it’s important to incorporate fresh trends and make your event unique and unforgettable. This season, think sustainability and go organic with a botanical theme, or infuse industrial chic furnishings for a modern look that embraces casual sophistication and an environmentally friendly atmosphere. 

Environmentally Friendly 

Consumers are increasingly aware of their impact on the world. Think about how you can plan events that are zero-waste or waste-reduced to tap into this eco-conscious mindset. First, select a venue that’s LEED-certified for high efficiency and then choose rental décor and furnishings instead of purchasing; it’s the greenest way to style your event. In fact, the rental business model results in 49 percent fewer greenhouse gases than purchasing furniture. Companies like CORT sell 97 percent of their rental furniture direct to the consumer, meaning most product can be reused between 2.1 and 6 times longer than furniture purchased for an event. 

Ask if your venue composts excess kitchen waste and use paper or plastic that can be recycled, or better yet…use actual dinnerware. Try using bulk condiments instead of individually wrapped and go for a meatless menu to reduce greenhouse gases. Finally, hold events near public transportation and encourage guests to use it by offering incentives such as tickets to a raffle with eco-friendly prizes. The little things add up for maximum impact.

Organic, Botanical

This summer, botanicals are back! When adding floral to your event décor this season, bigger is better! Bold floral and tropical prints used in décor, linens and accessories echo the season and lend a cool South Florida or Palm Springs vibe to your event. Use topiaries and tropical vegetation in décor to create a lush garden within your event space, and create intimate moments and vignettes for connections with the addition of faux foliage. A backdrop of greenery exudes an immersive, natural feel. Complete the look with woven, wicker frame furnishings and provide seating that plays up your organic setting. Don’t forget candles! You can never have enough to add a soft glow and ambiance to your event, and it helps reduce the need for other lighting, decreasing energy usage. 

Industrial Chic

This season, indoor trends make their way outside and industrial-chic furnishings are a great way to build modern design that younger attendees crave. Move away from mundane with mixed materials, such as metal and marble and combine it with soft, velvet furnishings in organic 70s inspired colors for eclectic soft seating spaces that encourage guests to engage with each other. 

Metal bar tables and barstools add more industrial surfaces to contrast with the rounded curves and softness in the seating vignettes while providing plenty of places for networking and connection. My biggest pet peeve at events is lack of bar tables to rest cups and plates while networking – don’t make that mistake! Creating different points of view throughout the venue with varied seating elevations and adequate tables gives guests multiple options to see and be seen effortlessly at your next outdoor event. 

The sky is the limit with the natural world as your backdrop. Anchor outdoor venues with organic themes, industrial furniture and most importantly, think sustainably when designing enticing outdoor events! 

 

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Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.  Remodeled Guest Rooms MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las Vegas Hotel & Casino recently completed a $63M redesign and remodel of its 1,830 guest rooms and 155 suites. Down the street, Bellagio Las Vegas is sporting renovated rooms in the Spa Tower with sunrise-inspired decor and luxurious soaking tubs in Premier King rooms after a $110-million transformation. Reinvented Luxury Experiences The Luxury Meetings District, made up of Bellagio Las Vegas, ARIA Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas, is now more connected than ever before. A new interior walkway opened this October for a seamless attendee experience – connecting Vdara, Bellagio, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, guests can now walk from Park MGM to Bellagio in around 15 minutes. New on the scene in the Luxury Meetings District is Cathedrale at ARIA, TAO Group’s upscale establishment specializing in exquisite French-Mediterranean cuisine offering elevated private dining experiences that opened in May. Heralded by World’s Best 50 Restaurants, GQ and VOGUE, LPM at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is opening this fall and will deliver its signature spontaneity and imaginative celebration of France’s Mediterranean cuisine, art, and culture to the unique luxury resort in impeccable fashion.  A “New Wave  for Mandalay Bay A new wave of enhancements and experiences has arrived at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, including Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar, an 8,445-square-foot restaurant that opened this June, perfect for pre- and post-game eats and drinks. Event planner’s favorite, Chef Michael Mina’s StripSteak, received a full renovation and now includes one of the largest private dining rooms on The Strip. Retro by Voltaggio debuts a one-year residency with a fun take on pop culture of the 80s and 90s with classic American dishes. An exciting addition planned for 2024 is Swingers, a 40,000-square-foot oasis of street food, miniature golf and art at Mandalay Bay. Most exciting for meeting planners, the 2.1 million-square-foot Mandalay Bay Convention Center  is undergoing a complete refresh, with lightened space, added eye-catching art, and improved technology infrastructure for even more flexible space. Energy-efficient digital signage now leads the way with faster internet speeds and new AV options. From renovated guest rooms and meeting spaces to celebrated dining options and dedicated teams, MGM Resorts is dedicated to delivering exceptional and innovative meeting experiences.