Event theming expert Event Trees pulled out all the stops to use the idea of illumination to showcase the versatility of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre’s £12 million renovated event spaces in a dazzling showcase experience.
Westminster’s prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Centre (QEII) sought to host its annual showcase event with a show stopping Illumination theme. The only requirements were that the event was to be held in winter and required a complete venue transformation and styling, offering Event Trees a blank canvass to use its trademark creativity to devise a surprising raft of intriguing décor elements for delegates’ entrance, reception and main dining experiences.
With over 25 years in the business, Managing Partners Rich Moore and Sital Chandarana of the Leicestershire-based artificial tree hire specialist, has worked with a staggering list of brands from Virgin to The Savoy Hotel, to create magical large-scale indoor and outdoor environments. True to form, the event theming mastermind responded with Instagramable concepts that included a dramatic 12m-long entrance tunnel made from white birch twig fairy lights and winter-themed foliage. Giving the tunnel a gentle curve and still maintaining the ever important fire exit width, the tunnel gave a spectacular journey into the event.
With a rainbow-coloured backlit staircase leading the way to the sixth-floor Mountbatten suite, the views of the city skyline were almost as breath taking as the room itself. In contrast to the elegant tunnel entrance, the drinks reception was designed with abstract panels that were used to create a different space. Placed floor to ceiling and incorporating the bar, the venue was transformed. The panels featured translucent recessed parts that allowed them to be backlit and frontlit, giving another twist to an already interesting installation.
For the dining experience, Event Trees combined 400 Edison bulbs over eight chandeliers (an on-site electrician’s headache!) all dimmable to set the mood. Challenges faced included powering all of the lighting and installing dimmer packs in an accessible manner to give the QEII’s inhouse AV team ultimate control. Around the edge of the room, a series of bespoke white birch sprig pillars were erected with fairy lights and uplighters. Table centres were also bang on theme, with a crackle glass sphere filled with birch sprigs and fairy lights.
Bucking the trend of buying-in cheap factory-made materials, the vast majority of Event Trees’ structures are painstakingly designed and constructed in its Leicestershire workshop. Not only does this offer a unique touch, ensuring each handmade environment is unique to each event, but the quality of its 100% fire-retardant materials gives venues and planners peace of mind when it comes to the all-important safety of their events.
The rest of the event was bound together with the QEII’s in-house audio-visual and catering arms, with toe-tapping entertainment by way of Ember Trio, Europe’s most successful classical crossover string trio. Speaking at the event, chief executive of the QEII Centre Mark Taylor commended the skills of the venue’s trusted event production partner: “Creativity has always been part of the fabric of this great building; it’s one of those stimulating environments that fires the imagination and allows truly imaginative ideas to turn into reality. It’s not just the rooms or the stunning views that spark the imagination and make clients return time and again, it’s also our continued commitment to the latest cutting edge event production that’s helping brands push the boundaries.”
Working closely alongside The QEII’s in-house events team, Event Trees delivered another warmly received bespoke installation that met the impeccable standards of London’s largest dedicated conference and exhibition centre.
To discover what Event Trees can do for your next event, call 07970Â 422 324,email rich@event-trees.com or visit event-trees.co.ukÂ