Cover photo: An Emerald Gemstone-inspired dinner room by David Merrell (AOO Events, Inc.), the 2024 Gala Award Designer of the Year. Photo courtesy David Merrell
It’s easy to feel like social media is the main pipeline for inspiration these days—even when our feeds start filling up with creators copying each other. For event pros, Pinterest and TikTok can be useful up to a point, but for truly creative and innovative designs, it’s important to gather inspiration from a wider realm in this vast, intricate world.
We asked some of today’s prominent event pros how they stay inspired. If you need a refresh on your own creative process, here’s what they recommend.
Is there anything specific you do when you have a lightbulb moment of inspiration?
David Merrell (AOO Events, Inc., CEO/Creative Director, Los Angeles, CA): I usually put the need or intention out to the universe and the solution usually comes in the most unexpected ways. It's mostly about freeing your mind, and not allowing the obsession of finding the answer to get in the way.
Jaclyn Watson (Jaclyn Watson Events, Planner/Designer, Hyde Park, VT): Watch out as I go on a tear when that lightbulb goes off! I generally write it down in one of my many notebooks.
Then, it's all about getting into that creative zone. I put on some tunes, usually the Eagles, and have a cup of tea or take a quick walk to let the inspiration flow. And, of course, I love bouncing ideas off my team or trusted colleagues. I also have full one-on-one conversations with myself!
It's amazing how a little brainstorming session can take a spark of inspiration and turn it into a full-blown wildfire of creativity! I get so excited when I am inspired, and many people have told me I am like the energizer bunny, as I must get the whole idea out at that very moment!
Jordan Heller (Suncoast Wedding and Event Leaders (SWEL), Owner/Event Planner, Sarasota, FL): When I have a great event theme, I always need to match it with the right venue. I don't want to cover over a space to make it unrecognizable. I want the venue and the event design to be in harmony. Sometimes the event theme comes from looking at the space. I must ask myself “what was the design inspiration for this area?” and “where else are those elements found in the world, throughout history, in pop culture?” If you answer those questions, you'll find a theme within.
Kawania Wooten (Howerton+Wooten Events, Creative Director and Principal Consultant, Bowie, MD): I make a point to capture the inspiration by writing it down right away. Whether it's in the pages of one of my Appointed notebooks, the Evernote app, or even on the back of an electrical bill, the location is inconsequential. What's important is preserving the spark of creativity before it slips from my memory.
Keith Willard (Keith Willard Events, Owner/Planner, Fort Lauderdale, FL): When there is an “Ah Ha” moment, I write it down! This happens a lot in the shower and early in the morning. I tend to wake up at 3:00 a.m. full of ideas. I quickly put it on the pad next to me and then go back to sleep. Same for the shower. There is always a pad and pen on the counter.
Lenny Talarico, CSEP, CHE (Lenny Talarico Events, Owner, Las Vegas, NV): I take photos and fill my phone with written notes or weblinks when I see something that can be used for a project.
Melissa Brannon (Uncommon Events, Founder/Event Planner/Designer, Philadelphia, PA): I use the notes app in my phone when having light bulb moments. In these busy, overwhelming times of social media, it is easy to lose your thoughts. We have all gone down the rabbit hole of Instagram.
Robin Selden (Marcia Selden Catering & Events, Managing Partner & Executive Chef, Stamford, CT): I have a notebook and pen on my bedside table as I always wake up to great ideas and need to scribble them down so I won't forget them. These ideas often make their way into our R&D and many become new food and beverage concepts for us to use and sell.
Samuele Gallorini (Gallorini Giorgi Events, Wedding designer, Florence, Italy/Dallas, TX): I start drawing and taking detailed notes of the inspiration to make sure that I will be able to properly develop it when I will be back to my studio.
Sarah Chianese (Mangia and Enjoy!, Owner, Springs, Colorado/Hudson Valley, NY): If I can access my phone, and the inspiration is visual, I snap a photo. If it's a word, phrase, or concept I hear, I write it down or place the inspiration into my phone’s notes app. If I don't have access to something to record the note, I attempt to make an association to remember so that I can jot it down and capture the idea as soon as possible. If it's music, and I can access a recording method, I will record a snippet. If it's a feeling, most likely, I'll remember it forever. Then, to the drawing board, to place the bits together.
Sebastien Centner (Eatertainment Events & Catering, Creative Director, Toronto, Canada/Miami, FL): Go headfirst into it. When I first started working on creating an immersive event venue in Toronto, I literally would go in on weekends and play with the system seeing what new things I could get it to do. This is typically my approach; when the lightbulb goes off, I need to get into it ASAP, and that generally leads me to get more and more passionate which drives my creativity.
Shelly Tolo (Tolo Events, President, Seattle, WA): Lightbulb moments definitely happen! When you visualize an element that will make the design unique or provide a cool element for the guest experience, we typically meet as a team to work through the details to see if we can make it happen (within budget). When everything does come together, and you know it is what made the event—it's very exciting.
Teri Jakob (UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, Associate Director, Special Events, Harrisburg, PA): When I have a moment of inspiration, I think my brain literally lights up and glows on the inside. I just make notes: on Post-it® notes, my phone, on my computer, the back of envelopes, anywhere. Lists, sketches, brainstorming galore! No idea is too big or too small when I get a streak of inspiration. I could stay up all night thinking of things. After I've journaled it, I'll take to the computer to create idea boards and digital drawings, create Pinterest boards and enter a wormhole of searching the interwebs for more ideas. That's when the magic starts to flow and take shape quickly for me. Sometimes it can all start from a word, phrase, color, or shape. Once I have it and a direction to go, it's like the floodgates open and I will be in a state of pure flow.
This article is part of a 5 part series. Click here for part 1. Click here for part 2.
