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Around the WM Events office, our team can be found many a day pouring over photos of floral arrangements, brainstorming ideas for centerpieces, and basically geeking out on flowers. Thanks to a recent multi-event project at AmericasMart Atlanta, we got to put our flower power into full gear. This summer, the WM Events team designed the settings for the ICON Awards, which recognize leaders in the home & gift industry, and the AmericasMart July Market, which included a variety of events and environments.
It took over 2,500 stems of a variety of florals, over 2,000 balloons, and one seriously large ice sculpture, but Rachel, Sarah, and Mark pulled together an array of looks for these important industry events.
At the ICON Awards, elegance ruled the evening. From the background of black and gold or white and gold linens and tufted velvet sofas, lush white florals bloomed. Next to petite votives, simple floral arrangements added a lush quality to the décor without overpowering the glamorous features. Centerpieces in soft or textured metal vases featured roses in multiple stages – some fully open, others still expectant buds. The choice of roses complemented the hints of popular rose gold that cropped up from the side tables.
Photography: PWP Studio
For the AmericasMart July Market, a variety of environments and events called for specifically themed florals to complement the areas and happenings. We opted for 30 summer floral arrangements focused on a variety of fresh, seasonal colors – think tangerine, yellow, pink, magenta, and violet – in the Registration area. Meanwhile the Demonstration Kitchen displayed colorful arrangements inspired by verano en Mexico with spicy florals springing from fiestaware. For the kitchen display, we combined flowers with fruits and vegetables, so “greenery” here meant broccoli and kale. Yum!
In the Seminar Room, we created a pair of large, boldly colored arrangements on white pedestals, and this theme continued into the Designer Workspace where we also added coffee table arrangements, palms in urns, and elegant orchids.
The July Market’s Wellness Spa highlighted white and soft pastel accent pillows with luscious floral to match. Succulents filled cubbies and lush greenery was woven through lattice walls to delineate space and impart a truly spa-like atmosphere where the occasional “Ahh…” could be heard.
For the Temporary Exhibitor Lunch, we created floral centerpieces that paid homage to the South. Silk magnolia blooms surrounded by the waxy green leaves the tree is known for sat within rustic boxes. And we created coordinating Georgia summer centerpieces for the highboys.
When it came to the Happy Hour event and VIPs, we glammed it up in the VIP Green Room with bright floral arrangements focused on fuchsia, mauve, and light pink atop silver pillars while the AMC Live Stage was adorned with a lush plate glass floral. These arrangements conveyed an elegant look that demanded to be noticed. A second Green Room offered a more neutral palette, and the large and medium-sized arrangements featured a summery green and white combination in clear glass containers.
At the Shop the Show Soiree, Poly Pink linens and bubblegum balloons in all shades of pink and purple added fun to this special event. From the entrance sign, encircled with tightly packed balloons in a variety of sizes accented with occasional greenery and flowers, to the ceiling installations guiding guests to the ballroom, the pairing of balloons and florals elevated the standard birthday party décor favorite into a fun and elegant feature.
While event designers use flowers and greenery at nearly every event, tasked with providing décor for a variety of settings in one location challenged our team to reconsider how florals could be used to create distinct atmospheres. Our ongoing obsession with all things floral gets us excited about events like the annul RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the flower parades in Holland. But it also enables our team of flower nerds to come up with a never-ending supply of fantastic and sometimes fantastical floral arrangements.
