Client Objective:

Design a fantastic corporate conference with unique events in San Diego including touches of the local destination as well as company attributes.

Challenges:

  • Weather – This event was held in January which brought evening temperatures that dropped into the 40s. Additionally, the event spaces were outdoors right along the bay, which meant high winds.
  • Event Space – Conference registration numbers doubled after the hotel was booked, which required the group to repetitively utilize the same space for multiple functions. Our challenge was to create separate designs to provide different experiences each evening.

The Blue Spark Plan:

This conference was designed for a repeat client who loves to come sunny destinations. This time they selected San Diego, California at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Being from small towns in the middle of the United States in January, they loved the opportunity to be outside during their events.

Because this group’s industry is based in agriculture, we designed a wheat bundle centerpiece for the welcome reception tables. This provided a unique accent to the colorful table linens, and a connection with the attendees.

For the second evening, we created an elegant design with floor length golden palm leaf linens and centerpieces depicting the beach with sand and seashells.

The final night we gave a nod to blue ocean waters with white wave caps, designing centerpieces with driftwood, white hydrangeas and blue accent florals, set on top of tables draped in alternating blue coral pattern, blue and taupe floor-length linens.

Each night we arranged for a different style of entertainment, from a Django-style jazz instrumental group to a duo performance of a pianist singer with a drum kit, to a jazz group that reinvents pop music with a twist. All three performances were a hit with the audience.

Services we provided:

Photo of wheat centerpiece on tropical linen at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Photo of beach centerpiece with shell enhancements at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Photo of driftwood with white hydrangea and blue floral over blue coral linen

Result:

Despite the need to reuse the same event location each night, the guests had a fabulous time and enjoyed the differed tones and designs. Combined with amazing food and beverage and outstanding entertainment, each night succeeded in providing the perfect environment for guests to network and mingle.

To tackle the weather challenge, we were able to provide mushroom heaters to keep our guests warm on those cool San Diego evenings by the water, allowing the guests to stay and mingle later into the evening.

Photo of tropical event with wheat centerpieces at Hilton San Diego Bayfront

The Blue Spark Event Design Difference:

After working with this client for over ten years, we know them very well. Offering something new and different in each of their conference locations can be challenging, but we understand their needs and what is important to the success of their conference.

The client’s feedback from this San Diego conference was that their guests had a great time and were very happy with the designs for the evening events.