Immersive Full Planning and Styling Celebration Event for Corporate Clients

Take a trip over to Cuba with us as we share more about an event that was as vibrant as it was unforgettable – the end-of-year party and awards evening we had the pleasure of planning and designing for Acushnet back in late 2023. When the internal events team at Acushnet approached us, we were buzzing with excitement and bursting with ideas. Understanding the level of detail and high standard of execution realising this event to its fullest potential would take, the Acushnet team sought expert guidance from our event planners!

As the event unfolded, the energy was high with guests, many of whom had dressed to coordinate with the vintage Havana theme, were welcomed with themed rum cocktails and mingled in the themed lounge areas before being seated for their 3-course Cuban theme menu provided by Puddini Caterers.

Cuban Theme corporate event — Image- Jean-Luc Benazet

After the glitz of their previous 'Disco Ball' theme, we knew we had to pull out all the stops to make this fiesta pop. Custom props and décor from Stories Event Hire, lush tropical foliage installations and centrepieces from our floristry team, and a curated lineup of our recommended local suppliers helped us bring the client's vision to life.

Client Background

Acushnet Golf, a key player in the golf industry, encompasses renowned brands like Titleist and FootJoy. With over a century of history, they're known for crafting top-tier golf equipment and apparel, catering to players of all skill levels. Their commitment to quality and innovation has solidified their reputation as a trusted name in golf.

Design Proposal

Drawing inspiration from vintage Havana vibes, we pitched a multi-page proposal to the clients detailing the guest journey through the event, including bespoke mock-ups and custom prop designs. With the large guest list of 280 guests a large venue was essential, which posed an additional design challenge, to bring the colour and abundance needed to create the immersive environment the client requested, whilst remaining within budget! To tackle this challenge our design proposal had several approaches.

Floristry

Large hanging greenery ‘bomb’ installations in the centre of the dining space add drama and scale, with coordinating smaller arrangements surrounding these, all interspersed with an eclectic mix of natural fibre and ratan shades. Overall this central instal served to carry the theme of the event through to the centre of the space and lower the ceiling height to create a more intimate and atmospheric vibe. Alongside these large-scale installations, a trio of centrepiece designs of varying heights and greenery styles served to carry the tones and authenticity of the ceiling décor down to the dining level. Raised floristry stands bursting with fresh monstera, ferns and chico leaves created the impression of trees and plants throughout the tables and were accompanied by a matching bottle and bud vase centrepiece design, combining a mix of clear and amber glassware or various heights and styles. Lastly, for the 3rd tablescape design authentic Cuban cigar boxes planted with real succulents and ferns were surrounded by pillar candles and coffee beans for an extra inclusion of elements synonymous with Cuba.

Stage Design and custom props

Whilst the venue had a great stage in place, the plain backdrop needed a touch of Havana flair to incorporate it into the rest of the scheme and to properly set the stage for the many awards being given out over the evening. A series of large bright arch backdrops interspersed with tropical leaf prints and fresh foliage bursts framed the guest speaker and later in the evening the lively band. Additional co-ordinating neon lighting added an extra level of vibrance to the space and tied in with the overall room lighting design by our team which was carried out by Starlite Roadshow.

Replacing the stage décor style our team build a custom photo area backdrop with more arches, fresh foliage and party neon signage. Lounge areas in rattan textures created cosy breakaway spaces for guests to catch up and take a moment away from the dance floor, and a wide range of authentic Cuban theme small décor including vintage branding and signage, plants and greenery and coffee bags ensured the theming and décor spread to every inch of the venue.

Installation process

Alongside the challenge of scale, this project posed the additional challenge of time testing our team further. With the entire installation process limited to the day of the event, our 8 strong crew of stylists and floristry team descended on the venue to begin the transformation which included:

4 Vans filled with styling and greenery
14 Custom colour screens and backdrops
20 mixed rattan and natural-style lanterns
60 Bottles of fresh arranged greenery and tropical leaves
3 large-scale fresh hanging installations
20 other plants and trees
4 themed lounge areas
Over 20 additional neon lights and glow tubes
2 custom-branded surfboards!

Testimonial

"I hope you’re well and you had a good weekend. I just wanted to write and thank you and your team for a wonderful event on Friday. The hall looked amazing, and I received so many compliments on the styling and décor, I know you guys worked so hard in bringing our theme to life and it really did look amazing. Everything ran smoothly and I was able to enjoy the evening along with all the guests, so thank you once again for a great evening. I would happily use Hall & Co again for our next event."

Louise Blay, Business Support Co-ordinator- Acushnet Golf