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You know those places that just feel like home? Or at least a home away from home? That’s exactly our connection to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. From its early days, we’ve been diehard fans, and we’ve been thrilled to return many times to plan conferences, outdoor events, festival-like lawn parties, birthday parties, company family days, and so many other events.
We couldn’t wait to head back to the stadium when our WM Events team was asked – for the third time – to design and produce the Football on the Front Porch event for the Atlanta Falcons, a high-end celebration welcoming 200 of the team’s most important partners. Guest experience was a big deal here, but so was branding, both for the NFL team and event sponsor Gallagher, the official insurance brokerage and risk management partner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC of MLS. We worked in the Gallagher logo throughout the event without letting it take over the style of the setting, which was sleek, vibrant, and welcoming — all at the same time.
We planned for everything, including contingencies like the unpredictable Atlanta spring weather. When the rain clouds determined to run interference on this front porch event, we switched up our game plan and took this celebration indoors.
Hometown Palette
Entering the stadium, guests were greeted by a Falcons-black carpet, placed along the length of the 20-foot black wall featuring graphic event and sponsor logos and a neon Falcons sign. The wall was flanked by tall florals, and the area was delineated by a black and silver rope and stanchion set. This entrance set the stage for the sleek, modern décor that was to come. Everything boldly highlighted the Falcons’ signature colors – black, red, white, and silver. While these hues were predetermined, they offered us the perfect palette to create seating, floral arrangements, and decorative elements with eye-catching contrast.
To enhance the setting, we installed three large shadow box bars filled with color-blocking floral statements for drink service and five 8-foot black acrylic branded bars for food stations. Multiple gobo lights displaying the Gallagher logo, and we used a rectangular graphic to camouflage the electrical box. We planned for 600 feet of LED market lights to be strung above the setting, and this was the one element we were unable to bring inside when we turned to our rain plan.
Sophisticated Seating
For this indoor reception, we installed a dozen cocktail tables and eight communal tables, all of which featured branded floral centerpieces. To these, we added 16 highboy tables with branded tops, as well as contemporary seating from Ghost chairs to stylish chrome-accented bar stools.
In addition to the variety of cocktail seating, we set up six lounge groupings of modern sofas, loveseats, and poufs in red, white, and black – showcasing luxe materials like velvet and leather – tossed with textured accent pillows in on-palette mohair, metallics, marble pattern, and velvet, along with branded pillows – two dozen in all. Glass side and coffee tables with chrome finishes and more than 100 votives completed the space.
Photo Opps and Extra Fun
The setting was a perfect complement for the giant Atlanta Falcons helmet that served as a favorite photo opp. Guests also enjoyed non-stop entertainment, custom hors d’oeuvres, and a cigar rolling station. This upscale event delighted attendees even after we were required to recreate our vision inside the stadium instead of al fresco.
In the South, we are known for our porches, but no Southerner had ever seen a porch party like this one before!
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