A CASE STUDY
For their 60th Anniversary Christmas Event, our client wanted something new. In a flash of inspiration came an idea. Diamonds Are Forever! The perfect theme for a 60th (diamond) anniversary; a James Bond motif and an elegant night of fine food, fancy dress, and glamorous settings. A casino of course… and at least one cool car!
The Venue
The Rocky Mountaineer Train Station in Vancouver is an ideal space for events with large-scale décor requirements. The entire room would be transformed into the elegant Casino Royale, with lounges, bars, food stations, activity zones, and two casinos.
In the Diamonds Lounge, a jazz band was the first thing to catch eyes and ears. Behind the band, a classic 1957 Willies pick-up truck, in company colours. A fully restored original vehicle from the company’s first years of business. For this 60th anniversary event, it was a perfect icon. After all, what’s a James Bond theme without a cool car?
To one side of the lounge, an ice sculpture with the company logo and event branding crowned the martini bar. This also helped reduce line-ups. Those seeking beer, wine, or soft drinks could use the two bars in the Casino Royale room, instead of competing for the bartenders’ time and attention.
Cocktail tables and three unique and custom-designed lounge areas offered places for socializing and a settee to one side created a quiet zone for phone calls and one-on-one conversation.
Three elegant and stylish lounge vignettes served as conversation areas for small groups. Custom-designed for this event, they featured silver sofas accented by an elegant black and silver backdrop, deep maroon and black pillows, and mirror tile end tables. We even had fuchsia orchids in the 2014 color of the year (Radiant Orchids) nestled in the lounges. Just beyond the band, the Casino Royale room awaited.
Here the elegance of the colour scheme and décor continued, with four more five foot chandeliers and glittering eight foot crystal columns providing illumination and serving as a focal point in the whole area. Custom gobos projected event branding onto drape walls & customized gobos onto the floor. Bond movies were projected on a big screen.
Throughout the venue, our Diamonds are Forever artwork – mounted in faux diamond encrusted frames, stunning floral arrangements, and centrepieces enhanced the atmosphere, supporting an illusion straight out of a set designer’s big-budget dreams. Guests embraced the theme with their own fashion flair, too. Black-tie formal wear, beautiful evening gowns, crisp white dinner jackets and on-trend slim fitting suits were everywhere.
Activities & Entertainment
Building on the Bond theme, a suave professional actor with a flawless 007 imitation mingled with guests, flanked by four beautiful Bond Girls. Correct answers to his Bond trivia questions earned guests small prizes. Many posed with ‘James’ and his entourage for super-spy portraits.
Four food stations with 360-degree access addressed line-up issues while offering a locally sourced menu that was a foodie’s delight.
For many, the most popular activity, however, was the Casino. Poker, blackjack, roulette, wheels of fortune, and, of course, the game that is synonymous with James Bond – Baccarat. All were available, with the opportunity to use your winnings to buy tickets for four draws with more than 40 prizes. The more you won at the games tables the more chances to win!
Diamonds Are Forever was an unqualified success. For us, it was a proud achievement, working with client feedback, developing a unique and customized theme perfect for the occasion achieved through stunning décor pieces that we combined in a unique way, and creating a plan to ensure it came off flawlessly. Turning our ideas into reality delivered a memorable night many guests described as the ‘best Christmas party ever’.
Call Bright Ideas Events today if you would like to bring this theme or many of our other award winning themes to your next event.
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