Esprit Award Series: Best Event Volunteer Collaboration and Best Team Effort

Thursday, October 4, 2018

The ILEA Esprit Awards program is a dynamic industry awards programs, attracting an exceptional range, depth and quality of entries from all areas of live and special events. The 2018 Esprit Awards Gala was held at ILEA Live on Friday, 17 August, in Denver. There were 36 different categories and over 45 winners. Over the next few months, ILEA Experience will showcase these recipients and their award-winning events.

Best ILEA Event Volunteer Collaboration (Team Entry)

Through the Wardrobe: The Vancouver Event Industry Holiday Party

Recipients:

• Corinne Kessel, CSEP, Greenscape Design & Décor
• Alex Bickers, Elizabeth Stanley Event Design
• Mark Happeney, ShowKraft Production Services Limited
• Rob Porter, Elizabeth Stanley Event Design
• Gemma Scott, Go2 Productions
• Todd Skinner, Production Canada
• Anthony Vade, FMAV
• Steve Matthews, Innovation Lighting
• Jennifer Winter, Rebelux Creative
• Apres Party & Tent Rental

Returning for its second year, and with double the attendance, Through the Wardrobe: The Vancouver Event Industry Holiday Party for ILEA Vancouver, MPI BC Chapter and PCMA Canada West successfully brought together three association memberships and their guests for a completely immersive and celebratory holiday experience. Inspired by C.S. Lewis’ fantasy novel, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” and the 2005 film adaptation, this industry event transported over 450 guests directly into the wonderful, mystical and magical world of Narnia. In addition to bringing together a massive collective of 34 of Vancouver’s best and most creative producers, venue managers, caterers, audio-visual suppliers, lighting designers, decor and design companies, photographers, entertainers and industry sponsors to create an engaging experience for our local event community, this event also helped raise funds — a total of $1,500  — for each of the respective association scholarship programs, which encourage the development of emerging young event professionals and helps support educational opportunities for seasoned members.

With a combined spend and sponsorship budget of over $367,000, this event was truly able to create a fully immersive Narnia experience for attendees. Guests started the enchanted evening by mingling in the “attic,” standing before a massive intricately carved wardrobe door (replica from the film) that would reveal the secret portal into the main event. Once the “attic” was full of guests who had received their welcome cocktail and had the opportunity to connect with industry colleagues and friends, a fantastical Ice Queen and King captured the attention of the attendees and opened the magnificent 12-foot tall wardrobe doors to invite everyone to pass through the dark and mysterious tunnel into the icy winter wonderland on the other side. Guests arrived to stand before the iconic lamppost that marked the beginning of their journey in Narnia. Stepping out of the musty wardrobe, guests were greeted by cool wintery fresh air, snow falling from the ceiling, towering evergreen trees and oversize floral arrangements flocked with snow. The room was completely saturated in color and gobo projections that were punctuated with powerful white beams of light. Eighteen-foot tall video projections of Aslan the Lion and the Ice Queen flanked a 12-foot tall 3mm LED video screen that looped an image of a snowy castle, which was custom built into an impressive DJ booth. Guests dined on a feast of culinary delights ranging from enjoying the Palace Feast Royal Beef Carvery, to afternoon tea featuring smoked salmon tea sandwiches and mini sugar dusted cakes to the Maghreb Leg of Lamb Carvery of The Hunt. Live entertainment, a silent auction, roaming decor and numerous interactive technology stations and photo booths kept guests engaged and interacting all night long. This high profile and memorable event brought the Vancouver event industry together to collaborate, celebrate and forge new relationships and partnerships across association boundaries as well as promote the vitality, relevance and importance of the three event industry associations by connecting our industry members.

Best ILEA Team Effort (over $150,000 USD)

Home Sweet Home

Recipients:

• Gretchen Culver, Rocket Science Events
• Elizabeth Partyka, Avant Décor
• Josh Reitan, AV For You
• Carly Van Veldhuizen, Girl Friday
• Michelle Smith, Rudy’s Event Rentals

While the main purpose of this event was to join the bride and groom in marriage, the couple wanted the day to be so much more than that. They had a very clear objective: to show off their new home and use their property as inspiration for their wedding. Private home weddings are always tricky, especially when the property is undergoing construction during the wedding planning process. Which is all the more reason to have a team of experienced event professionals on the job. This wedding was all about teamwork and collaboration. The vendors came together with one goal in mind: to create a magical day for the couple. And magical it was! Woodsy and elegant, intimate and breathtaking. The design of the wedding was inspired by the property, incorporating natural elements like birch trees and produce straight from the bride’s garden. Clear tents brought the outdoors in. Boxwood was studded with flowers — crystal chandeliers were juxtaposed against lush greenery, blue and white plates popped against the understated linens. The eclectic mix of elements made it feel truly like the client’s home from the moment guests arrived on the property.

Best ILEA Team Effort (under $75,000 USD)

The Food You Bake Is Equal to the Love You Make

Winners:

• Kevin Molesworth, CSEP, Brass Tacks Events
• Marcela Bogado Dhar, TMFA, Malleret Designs
• Delores Crum, CERP, Premiere Events
• Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear
• Lisa Hause, Lisa Hause Photography

On Wednesday, 23 August, 2017, from 5-8 p.m., 200 guests gathered at a chic and modern rooftop venue above a museum of contemporary art in downtown Austin, Texas, to celebrate the newest venture of a renowned restaurateur: the launch of a full-service catering company. Our company provided creative direction, strategic planning and production of the entire event. The primary function of this event was to introduce the city’s leading event professionals to our client’s new, opulent brand and invite them to enjoy a lavish array of sumptuous cuisine. Along with providing delectable culinary delights, our client wanted to fully immerse their invited guests in a lively, sensual environment with just the right balance of edginess and provocative flair to ensure an unforgettable evening. We were extremely fortunate to work with a client that gave us an unprecedented level of autonomy in creating this amazing event. In our earliest conversations, we encouraged the client to do something daring, that would leave even the most jaded, veteran event professionals wide-eyed and wanting more.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Esprit Award Series in the next couple of weeks!

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