We discovered a great gem of a Wedding and Event Venue in Muskoka with the Gravenhurst Opera House. Home to hundreds of shows and concerts over the last century this historically significant theater has seen its share of celebrity including Gordon Lightfoot, Diana Krall, Michael Burgess, Pavlo and even Donald Sutherland has graced the stage. The architecture is a blend of Gothic, French Renaissance and English Vernacular inspired from architect Fancis Browne’s world travels.
This facility boasts a modern light and sound system and was recently renovated and restored to its 1901 glory. The theater, which is the perfect location for an onsite wedding ceremony, seats 338 people. The historical grounds in Uptown Gravenhurst are perfect for Wedding Photography. On the main level the Trillium Court is an ideal reception setting with comfortable seating for 100 guests or 150 stand up cocktail style reception. There is also a fully licensed bar on site.
The venue fees are incredibly reasonable and with preferred suppliers like North Catering handling the menus and food service, an overall incredible value for that special bride looking for a unique & historical venue in Muskoka.
Mode has added Gravenhurst Opera House to its list of Venue Partners in Muskoka.
Hosted by Muskoka Riverside Inn, Weddings 2011 is a one day Wedding and Bridal Show with some of the best in Muskoka exhibiting their products and services that will help you with the planning of your Muskoka wedding.
Mode function is the proud décor sponsor for the welcome and registration area and will also be exhibiting at the show. We welcome all brides to come to our booth to talk with us about their vision for their perfect wedding.
Mark your calendar for Sunday, February 6th 2011 and meet us at The Muskoka Riverside Inn, 300 Ecclestone Dr., Bracebridge. The show opens at 11 AM and runs until 4 PM with the fashion show starting at 2 PM.
Look forward to meeting you there!
This past weekend (January 15 – 16) was the first Muskoka Wedding Show at the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre. It was definitely an exhausting but rewarding weekend after being the proud decor sponsor for the show & fashion show runway, as well as the decor supplier for several of the vendor booths exhibiting.
We had a chance to meet & chat with several great vendors; and a big thank you to all those lucky bride’s-to-be who stopped by our booth to chat about their upcoming weddings. We are definitely looking forward to working with them on their wedding designs & taking part in their special day!
We’d also like to thank Muskoka Steamships & The Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre, Regatta Steak & Seafood Grille, North Restaurant & Catering, Delta Hotels (Sherwood Inn & Rocky Crest), JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa, & Plan4Me‘s Tina Hamer for allowing us to supply decor for their booths.
Feel free to check out the photographs of some of our vendor booths, now posted on our fabulous website under the exhibits gallery (galleries 1, 3, & 7). For additional photos & photos of the runway decor, check out our facebook page.
On Monday, January 10, 2011 our new website will be launching (a sneak peek as pictured above) and we couldn’t be more excited! Features include a furthermore enhanced and eye-catching layout that’s easier to navigate through and a variety of new information about who we are and what we can do for you. Also by request, a portfolio gallery that’s much easier to navigate through with divided event categories.
Now rather than us rambling on about all the great enhancements we’ve made, take a look for yourself on Monday at www.modefunction.com & let us know below in the comments what you think of the new look!
The Muskoka Wedding Show is coming this January 15th and 16th at the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Center, Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst. Michael and I were asked to present an educational seminar on, ‘matching your vision to your budget.’ We intend to share with guests how we can take a high end look and scale it back while still leaving a lastin
g impression and not killing the bank account. We will also share with people the role of an event designer and how we are able to help them achieve their vision. Our seminar will take place at 1:00 PM on Sunday, January 16th. We hope you can join us to learn more about choosing the right decor and floral elements for your wedding!
In addition to the Mode Function seminar, we will also be exhibiting at the show. We have a dramatic look planned for our booth and we hope that you will be at the show to meet us personally and get a taste of the work we love to do. We will also be providing decor for Muskoka Boat and Heritage Center’s booth, JW Marriott – The Rosseau‘s booth, North Restaurant, and the fashion show runway. It’s a great opportunity for Mode to showcase our designs and we truly hope to see you there next weekend!
As the New Year kicks into high gear, Mode wants to take a look back at the best of 2010. We had a fantastic first season and we are looking forward to the most amazing 2011! Special thanks to all of our clients, industry partners, friends and our families for making our first season such an overwhelming success. All the best to you this New Year!
Mode Function Portfolio | 2010
We would love to hear from you so please we encourage you to comment on our blog. You can also reach us directly by emailing info@modefunction.com.
Michael and I recently were asked to present a table design with a high end version and a low end. We wanted to create a timeless elegant look in black and white while taking inspiration from the glamorous New York City night life.
THE HIGH END DESIGN
The foundation for the high end look begins with layering a black damask inspired overlay over the shimmering white satin linen. The layering gives each table a rich texture and depth, while the overlay softens the white that peeks through the overlay. In the center of each table a round beveled mirror serves to keep the components of the centerpiece cohesive & structured. The main focal point of the centerpiece is the tall standing cylinder vase with loose crystals resting in the bottom. A double layer ring of cascading crystals placed on top of the vase and covered by a white crystal trim lamp shade that gives each centerpiece a sparkle as light from the hidden LED light pad glows from within. A floral dome of green pitt and white dendrobium spray orchids crowns the centerpiece for a dramatic presence in any room. At the base of each centerpiece four crystal candle sticks with black pillar candles add ambient lighting to the tables. Each candle is trimmed with crystal like the lamp shade for continuity. A black frame with a ghost or floating table number compliments the sophisticated tablescape. In front of each guest a beveled mirror charger plate frames a black satin napkin. A sleek rounded-back black acrylic chair pairs perfectly with the setting.
High End Table Centerpiece Decor
HIGH END COST BREAK DOWN:
White Satin Linen as Underlay $ 25.00
Black Beauty Overlay 20.00
10 Black Acrylic Chairs ($15 ea.) 150.00
Black Framed Floating Table Number 5.00
10 Bevelled Mirror Charger Plates ($10 ea.) 100.00
10 Black Satin Napkins ($2.50 ea.) 25.00
4 Crystal Candle Sticks ($15 ea.) 60.00
4 Black Pillar Candles with Crystal Trim ($10 ea.) 40.00
Round Bevelled Mirror for Table Center 25.00
Cylinder Vase with Crystal Chandelier 75.00
Crystal Trimmed Lamp Shade 20.00
Floral Dome of Green Pitt and White Orchids 180.00
BUDGET BREAKER
We want to utilize enough elements from the original design to keep the look sophisticated and chic. We are keeping with the black and white colour pallet and using crystal as our accent. Most venues offer basic white and basic black linen at no additional cost to the client so we started off by draping the tables in the venue linens. We still want to create that sense of depth with the budget friendly installation so for this design we are going to utilize both black and white linens and will alternate them in the room to create the visual impact with this two tone look. The same round bevelled mirror is utilized in the table center again to keep all the centerpiece elements cohesive. We are still using a cylinder vase but this vase has just a small ring of crystals that are draped from the outer rim of the vase. This ring of crystals will give us that sparkle that is critical to the overall look and feel of this centerpiece. We are using a smaller version of the original floral top with a smaller vase to keep in mind the element of proportion. If the floral was any larger the vase would be out of scale and something would seem “off” when you looked at the table. At the base of the centerpiece we are utilizing crystal filled bubble votive for our ambient candlelight. We utilized a silver lacquered charger plate and on each of the black draped tables we are using a white napkin placed in the center of the charger. On the white tables we will use a black napkin. The same goes for the ruffled chair cover; black tables get the white chair cover and white tables are complimented with black chair covers.
LOWER END COST BREAK DOWN:
Venue Linen $ 00.00
10 Black Ruffled Chair Covers ($4.50 ea.) 45.00
10 Silver Lacquered Charger Plates ($2.50 ea.) 25.00
10 Venue Napkins 00.00
3 Crystal Filled Bubble Votives ($4 ea.) 12.00
Round Bevelled Mirror for Table Center 25.00
Cylinder Vase with Crystal Ring 25.00
Floral Dome of Green Pitt and White Orchids 80.00
Cost Difference between the high end table and the low end?
$513.00
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
With a little imagination, some creative uses of available resources, and substituting some event décor products for others will still give your table decor a chic and sophisticated look but at the fraction of the cost. Both of these table designs follow the same colour pallet and utilize many of the same elements and most importantly, both are chic and sophisticated. Tell us what you think and Happy designing!
Mode Function Event Design Ltd. is excited to announce that we have moved our operations to our new production facility. Please be sure to take note of our new address:
205 Margaret Street, Unit 14
P.O. Box 372
Gravenhurst, ON
P1P 1T7
Our new facility has more room for warehousing our ever growing decor inventory as well as efficient production space for our floral department, prop department and proper staging and loading area.
Looking to incorporate lighting into your decor?
We have Terry Holdershaw, owner of Scotia Entertainment, with great information on event lighting & special effect lighting.
Creative use of lighting with your decor can make a huge impact on the look and feel of your wedding or special event. The options are endless as to what you can do with lighting. I’m going to cover a few popular effects that I highly recommend. Remember, as with everything each option has it’s place and may not be right for every event. It is best to consult with an event designer or an audio-visual expert that has experience with creative lighting for weddings and special events.
LED UP-WALL LIGHTING
Up-Walls are amongst the most popular and versatile lighting options. Lights are placed on floor bases that shine up the wall around the room. Up-Wall lights look great placed on pillars, on doorways, lighting backdrops, evenly spread along walls, highlighting structural features and much more. The LED lights can be changed to a wide variety of colours to match your decor. Compared to the traditional par-can lights, the LED lights are much more energy efficient, keeping your event green friendly and the ability to plug many more fixtures into a single power circuit.
AMBIENT ROOM LIGHTING WITH INTELLIGENT MOVING HEAD LIGHTS
Intelligent moving head lights are the most versatile and useful light fixtures available. There are many uses and lighting effects that can be achieved with these lights. The most popular moving head light is the Martin Mac 250, an alternate model is the Elation Design Spot 250. From the Mac 250 you go up from there in size and brightness. The “Intelligent” part of these lights simply means that they have the ability for the consumer to “control” them with an lighting control console or computer based software such as Martin Light Jockey. With these controllers you can adjust where the light shines, movement, the shape or design of the light beam, the brightness, focus, colour and other features depending on the fixture. For a dinner or cocktail reception you could use these lights to create a slow moving design on the walls and / or ceiling that matches the theme and colour of the event. These helps create the “WOW!” factor when your guests enter the room. Other uses for intelligent lights include spot light, head table wash, hollywood lighting effect, dance lighting and much more.
THEMED LIGHTING EFFECTS
For themed events there are many options available, here are a few examples: for a disco or 70’s theme, a disco ball is a great effect. For a water or blue theme, there are “water ripple effect” lighting fixtures that can be used to light ceilings, walls or backdrops. The colour of these water effect lights can be changed to an orange-red for a fire or halloween theme. For a “Fire & Ice” theme, LED Up-Wall lights in a combination of red and blue to create a very cool effect.
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For more information on Scotia Entertainment & their services, feel free to visit www.scotiaentertainment.com. You can also contact Terry Holdershaw, owner/entertainment specialist, via email at terry@scotiaentertainment.com or mobile at 647.968.2729.
Many thanks to Terry for providing his knowledge & expertise in special event lighting & for being a guest speaker on our blog.
As a design and décor sponsor for CanSPEP (Canadian Society of Professional Event Planners), Mode Function recently had the opportunity to create a trade show exhibit for Incentive Works at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. This years CanSPEP theme is ‘C.A.M.P’ (Connections and Meaningful Partnerships) with inspiration taken from their conference location for 2010, Muskoka. Muskoka is a well known vacation destination filled with lakes, cottages, sunshine, nature and boats. On a side note, although we often work in Toronto we base our operations in Muskoka. Our challenge was to design and install a trade show exhibit that reflected the atmosphere of Muskoka in the heart of the city.
We knew we had to introduce elements that would take people from the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse them into an environment that you could sit down, relax and enjoy the sunset. The most important feature of the exhibit was to re-create a sun set. We achieved this by draping the back wall in a soft white sheer, then using lighting in reds and oranges to create a sunset sinking below the horizon. We then created a forested effect by placing a wall of sticks in front of the drape. The small gaps between the wall let the lighting peek through, while softening the look of our faux sunset.
Most tradeshow booths use carpet to cover the flooring of the booth but this just wouldn’t do. We wanted to create a dock side environment where you could actually see yourself sitting at the end of a dock relaxing on a clear Muskoka evening. We knew the exhibit flooring would have to encapture a wooden feel and we therefore utilized a laminate flooring.
Comfort and relaxation was the key feature of our design and no Muskoka environment would be complete without the famous Muskoka chair. We set two in the corners of the exhibit to entice people to imagine themselves relaxing in the chairs at the end of the dock during a magical sunset.
The last step was to stage props to balance the exhibit. We used a tall ever green tree and ferns mixed in with moss, rocks and additional wood elements such as an over sized (and all natural) tree stump coffee table with a rounded glass top. Glass elements like the giant cylinder cruiser tables with birch and round mirror tops were also incorporated for a chic factor.
Below is the concept picture created for this proposal:
And the end result:
As you can see, some final enhancements were made to the final design. One of which was replacing the cruiser table with a giant cylinder vase with crystal at the base and two birch logs which enforce the natural look we were going for. A round mirror was then placed on top to maintain the cruiser table look. We also included a touch of greenery to the final look by using a pine tree and clusters of ferns, further enhancing the Muskoka inspired look.
During my career in the event’s industry I have often been asked, “What do I do?” I often get confused with an event planner/coordinator although my educational background qualifies me to do so, that is not really where my specialties lay. When I explain that I am an Event Designer who specializes in decor I confuse people even more. The easy answer is I am an event decorator but what we actually do is far more in depth than that. We use the term ‘Event Designer’ only because we go beyond the realm of decoration rentals, pre set packages or a showroom experience where you choose between options A, B or C. We use the principals of design to custom create an event experience for our clients that suit their needs, style, tastes, and fulfills the goals of the event to create a cohesive environment for the client and their guests. Every event is unique and should be treated as such.
Now that we have tackled what I do let’s tackle the reasons why you would want to engage the skills and experience of an event designer to really make your event one that would capture the imagination of your guests. First and foremost, a great event designer will analyze your goals and your vision and then factor in your taste, your style and most importantly your budget. If you don’t know what your budget is then they can surely help you establish what an appropriate amount to invest to achieve your vision. You can also take advantage of the designer’s industry discounts which helps keep your event cost effective with a bigger wow for your money.
If the look you want to achieve is a little over what you anticipated then they will also work with you to find suitable alternatives to achieve the same goal. Often it could be as simple as switching a chiavari chair with a chair cover – and no we are not talking about the old satin wrap with the big bow on the back. The options available today are staggering.
Which brings me to my next point; an event designer will know the latest trends, the hottest new products and styles and can introduce you to design elements that you have never even considered. Designers travel the world to discover what’s new and what’s hot. They dedicate hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars just attending industry tradeshows, conferences, educational sessions, and networking events sharing their experiences with other professionals.
An event designer will save you a lot of time by taking the burden of the process work away from you and placing it on them. The concept will remain consistent throughout the process and the production, logistics, installation, stylizing, staging, and even the tear down will be taken care of. We keep your stress level to a minimum so you can relax and be a proper host to your event. We have the experience and resources to supply all your design elements often without having multiple delivery fees which also help keep your budget in check. Although we always have contingency plans, a last minute issue can be quickly taken care of with a resolution that is consistent with the design plan.
What we really do is assist you with the design process and give you assurance on your design choices by providing custom samples/photographs, proposals and itemized quotes (enabling to work within a given budget). We will help you make the overall best decision and prevent costly mistakes by choosing proper design elements and working with other reliable vendors to ensure your vision is executed correctly and on time. We will make your vision come to life and your guests will fill your ears with compliments on what a special and memorable event you hosted.
