One of my favorite parts of wedding designing is taking ideas from the couple and realizing them, especially the most abstract! I love the challenge of taking elements that seemingly have no through line and create a cohesive masterpiece—thanks to my professors at Kalamazoo College! My design style relies heavily on theatrical aspects, as my training begins with set design and construction. Understanding the minute elements of design and the nuances of a play/idea allow me to develop a plan to visualize the final outcome and design accordingly.

So . . . when I received an invitation to be a part of the upcoming NACE Tabletop Wow event hosted by the Detroit chapter of NACE, I was extremely excited to get involved! What’s even better, is this year’s theme is a tribute to the Movies!!!!!! Since I refuse to settle for anything less that exceptional to deliver to you my dear bride, I am constantly seeking ways to strengthen my skills of design and implementation. Here is another fantastic opportunity.

Here is the overview. After selecting the theme of my table (Harry Potter, Avatar, Caddy Shack, Action Films, Romantic Comedies, Musicals, Classics), I can collaborate with numerous vendors both in and out of NACE to design a table that will be displayed and judged at the April 21^st monthly meeting at the Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township. The tables are required to be functional, in other words, people have to be able to eat and sit at the table (no Naked Sushi Models), and extra points will be awarded to tables producing the WOW factor for under $500 (and we are required to provide a handout of the cost for the table).

Here’s a quick blurb on last year’s Tabletop WOW event at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit. I was told there was not theme last year, but as the second annual event, they’ve thrown out a new challenge – BRING IT!

Detroit NACE Tabletop WOW 2009 Trailer from Ryan Koral on Vimeo.

Well . . . what do you think? I’m super excited, but there are so many options out there. Any suggestions? I would love to get your feedback on table themes you would like to have at your event! And if you are a vendor and would like to be a part of the design team, contact me!! By the way, it doesn’t have to be for just a wedding – Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Graduation, Retirement, Anniversary—Post your comments!