Sussex, UK
Event Management, Creative Design, Delegate Management
200 Attendees
175+ Lemons
1,000+ Olives
Objective
Our US-based client recently acquired a UK company. The business has worked hard to integrate and transition the team, and social activities have been integral to this. This would be the second major event since the acquisition and it needed to be an expression of the two companies coming together. The UK agency has always held an annual summer party and our client wanted to honour this tradition. The event would essentially act as a final farewell to the old and full embrace of the new.
The brief
Having delivered a highly successful previous event, an event which celebrated the acquisition and welcomed the new team, we were very pleased to work on this second summer event. This time, we were asked to find a venue in between Brighton, where most of the team is based, and London, and one that could accommodate 200 people.
What we did
Our client’s ethos for company events is to create a family dinner atmosphere so that everyone feels connected. We quickly settled on a Greek theme for the party. Not only would it be a great way of emphasising ‘family’, the Mediterranean influence would also amplify the summer vibe. Pangdean Old Barn, just north of Brighton, was the perfect venue – plenty of outdoor space in which to enjoy the late summer and a stunning oak-framed barn in which to party into the night.
The welcome drinks reception was held in the venue’s private garden and a musical trio performed in the background. To introduce the Greek theme we organised a tile painting workshop – the decorated tiles were fired after the event and presented as a lovely memento of the event. There were also plenty of garden games for fun and light-hearted competition.
Dinner was held in the main garden where we had installed a huge stretch tent. As per our client’s preference, tables were arranged in a huge u-shape. Beautifully dressed with white tablecloths, LED candles and finished with lush green foliage and lemons, we created a sophisticated Mediterranean atmosphere.
The venue’s in-house caterers completely embraced the event theme and went above and beyond to deliver a delicious family-style dining experience. Every element of the menu conjured up an authentic taste of Greece – canapés made with feta cheese and squid, bowls full of moreish olives, an array of Greek dips and warm pitta bread, sumptuous sharing platters of chargrilled souvlaki lemon and fresh oregano chicken, vibrant vegetable kebabs and colourful salads. To finish, a traditional Greek dessert was served, Portokalopita with soaked orange slices and pomegranate seeds, ice cream and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.
At the previous event we had supplied napkins embroidered with our client’s logo. We used them again and, this time, they really came into their own. When dinner was over it was time to head to the barn and the iconic theme tune from Zorba the Greek played over the PA system we’d installed. Led by the company’s CEO, everyone joined in a huge conga waving their napkins – it was an incredible sight!
Spirits high, our DJ had no trouble getting the barn rocking. Our lighting scheme made the most of the barn’s interior and included moving lights and a branded gobo for a great party vibe. A photo booth, for which we created a Mediterranean background of foliage and lemons, proved popular and was, again, a great way of creating lasting memories of the evening. And when the party came to an end, we had three coaches on had to safely return guests to their hotels.
The results
Whilst many company acquisitions can be an uncomfortable experience, this US company has lived up to its family ethos and worked hard to achieve a smooth transition of the UK company into its business.
