Posted on March 30, 2020 by William Fogler

There is nothing we love as much as a blank canvas. Where others might see emptiness, we imagine the possibilities. When the WM Events team was asked to create the décor for Emory University Goizueta Business School’s Centennial Gala, we were thrilled to learn that it would take place at The Fairmont. This old warehouse is now a modern, industrial venue with high ceilings, clerestory windows, and 19,000 square feet to style for any theme. We brought the space to life through the use of metallic linens and accents paired with rich, moody floral arrangements, breathing plenty of warmth into the industrial space.

The experience started below a massive tent with translucent walls and ceiling to provide a sense of openness. A white bar, a few tufted ottomans, and a couple of cocktail tables were the only furniture. As 500 guests arrived at the celebration, they located their escort cards from a verdant boxwood wall display. Featuring gold frames with cards pinned to fabric inside and surrounded by florals and greenery, the self-service seating chart was a total stunner.

We added entrance décor with more greenery, placing garlands along railings and incorporating numerous silver lanterns with LED candles and large arrangements of dark and moody florals in tall aluminum planters.

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The excitement only built after the welcome tent with an entrance demarcated with golden fabric strips hung beneath the ceiling surrounding the venue’s existing modern chandeliers, created by a commissioned artist. This led to the pre-function event, where we topped a variety of tables with specialty linens in patterned silvers, golds and metallic blues. We picked up the theme of moody florals again in the centerpieces and bar arrangements and added multiple votive candles for a warm glow.

Seating areas were created with blue tufted ottomans and lounge groupings of sofas, chairs, coffee tables and end tables – all with gold accents. We placed glamourous decorative pillows in golds and velvet blues among the lounge seating, complementing the luxe feel of the furniture.  

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For the dining room, we brought the same spectacular style to 50 round tables with modern, white Bellini chairs. Half of the tables, we topped with round linens and ice gold square chargers and napkins. Other tables featured linens in federal blue, gold lamour or Portland taupe, each paired with a complementary gold, blue velvet or shantung napkins. 

Centerpieces featured deep florals surrounded by votives. We used a mixture of tall centerpiece vases for the outer tables and shorter thumbprint or hexagon vases for inner tables in order to maintain sightlines. Pillar candle groupings with magnolia and fatsia leaves comprised the centerpieces of other tables.

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To ensure continuity throughout the entire event, we provided tables, chairs and linens for additional spaces, like registration, coat check and the green room.

This celebration benefited from our use of luxurious fabrics and florals and offered guests a memorable evening that was one in a hundred years. Or more accurately, it was one in 36,500 evenings.

Photography: Jack Parada Photography 

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