5 EVENT FACTORS THAT WILL SHIFT IN THE START OF THE NEW DECADE

Today we're making 5 predictions for event professionals and the industry in 2020.

Sustainability

Event planners around the globe have been increasingly vocal about the sustainability standards in the event industry. Pollution and global warming are undeniable and a large majority of clients are now hiring planners that consider sustainability and what impact their events will actually have on the environment.

Changes you'll see in 2020 regarding sustainability will be more than just banning single use plastics. Attendee's will also see more plant based catering, an increase in recyclable material in regards to decor and much less paper based branding.

Functional decor will also be on the upswing. Our LED functional furniture and decor offers ambiance, seating, recyclable branding opportunities and endless other creative possibilities for dual functionality.

Renewable Energy

There's no time to waste when it comes to saving our planet. Companies, planners and public figures that step up and distinguish themselves as leaders in the fight for change will flourish.

Investing in renewable energy and utilizing it during events will most definitely gain traction, as it should.

Our company, Aura Illuminated Events has already begun the preliminary steps towards facilitating solar powered, off grid events and lighting through our functional LED decor and furniture.

More Value & Greater Focus

Apps to navigate events and tradeshows will continue to be used but as technology advances so will the information each attendee receives. Curating specific content for attendees based on their place within the industry, contacts and current profiles will be on the upswing. This allows the guest to receive maximum content and information electronically - saving both time and valuable paper resources.

Live Polling Interaction

Engagement and participation is crucial to the success of events, especially when it comes to brand promotion.

In 2020 event and tradeshow attendees will see a rise in live polling interaction. This will be done predominantly through a downloadable app allowing the host to receive immediate feedback from guests. Polling engages the attendee and inspires a sense of empowerment of having their opinion known.

Refreshing Locations

While traditional venues like hotels and convention centres may have all the necessary infrastructure to run your event you have to wonder when and if your market will grow tired of the same old show.

Off grid events and locations that facilitate a low carbon footprint will increase and inventive venue locations offering elevated experiences will become favoured.

However, planners will have to consider the impacts that attendees travel will have on the overall footprint of the event.

We're predicting the industry will see an integration of fully virtual events accessible to attendee's worldwide within 3 to 5 years.

Our team thrives off of a creative challenge. If you're at all willing to step outside of the box in the new year you should contact us to discuss possibilities. 

Agree? Disagree? Let's continue the conversation below in the comment section. You can also find a full list of our content here!

Holiday Ornaments Aren't Just For Christmas Trees

Antlers up if you're a Christmas fanatic just like us! It's late November which means we can officially begin our Holiday season - no matter what that looks like to you and your brood.

If you're a Christmas hoarder (like many of us are) you've got a few tupperware bins full of ornaments lying around.

Rudolph & I ornaments at Fairview Mall 

Today I'm giving you the top 4 ways to repurpose Christmas ornaments this holiday season.

Turn It into A Gift Tag

Forget the paper name tags on the gifts -- personalize your presents with ornaments! Carefully write the gift recipients name on the ornament and attach with some ribbon and twine.

The Happy Camper 

A Christmas Keepsake

Personalized ornaments have grown in popularity thanks to their sentimental value. The spectrum of ornament thoughtfulness knows no bounds. You can find everything from Babies 1st Christmas, a holiday engagement, your favourite sports team or even profession!

   

Teacher Gifts 

Maple Leafs fan family 

Consider purchasing an ornament that can be personalized with a name, date or phrase.

Decorate Your Mantel

Grab some garland from your favourite holiday decor store (Dollarama has become the king of Christmas) and thoughtfully decorate with your most colourful Christmas ornaments.

Christmas Family 

Make a Holiday Wreath

Trim your doors with homemade holiday wreaths. Purchase a plain wreath and decorate to your content.

Pro Tip: securing ornaments is easy with twist ties from your local grocer.

Skating Enthusiast 

You can find personalized ornaments at Fairview Mall in Toronto and Quinte Mall in Bellville! Visit the Rudolph and I kiosks to pick your perfect ornament this year. Ornament personalization is free with every purchase! 

Rudolph & I Ornament Booth - Quinte Mall

5 Ways To Save The Planet: Corporate Christmas Party Edition

If your company, like many others, are searching for ways to reduce your carbon footprint check out these ideas below on how to have an Eco Conscious Holiday Party this season! 

GET NAKED

This year we're challenging your company to dump the packaging and waste gift giving creates. Ditch the wrapping paper and branded literature and decor that is destined for landfills and instead, get naked by suggesting an unwrapped gift exchange for your office this year.

How else can you get naked? Make this year's party favours sweet but providing a candy buffet complete with reusable mason jars to bring home. This further eliminates paper and packaging waste often associated with boxes of chocolates and employee appreciation gifts. 

GET INTERACTIVE

Sharing our experiences on social media is the norm today and while it may not be for everyone, the effect it can have on a business' corporate party reputation is immeasurable.

Give everyone FOMO with interactive illuminated photo-ops and a company branded LED wall display. Say NO to the garbage created by single use step and repeat banners and photo booth props.

LED branded walls create brand visibility, a unique experience and shareable content worthy of social media. 

GET WASTE WISE

Corporate holiday parties produce A LOT of waste but reducing it is so easy! When organizing the catering for the evening pick a shelter close to your venue and let them know you're throwing an event nearby. Confirm their willingness to accept food donations and have a designated team member responsible for dropping them off at the shelter immediately following the event ensuring as little food waste as possible. 

GET SEEDED

It's not just about plastic straws. Many companies are investing in seeded products when planning their corporate events. Utilizing seeded cups and plates over paper and plastic significantly reduces the consumption of paper products and water waste from industrial dishwashers.

Seeded, bamboo or leaf products are easily compostable with the proper guidance. Provide clear signage directing your guests on how to properly dispose, recycle or compost their utensils and dishes. You're one step closer to a zero waste event.

GET GIVING

Holiday bonus' help to boost your staff's morale and reward them for a years worth of hard work but is there someone or something else you should also be giving to?

Take an office poll of your employee's favourite environment focused cause and give Mother Earth the holiday gift of carbon offsets to better your planet and feel great entering the New Year.

We want to continue this discussion! Let us know any ideas you have to reduce waste from your corporate holiday party this season.

Happy Holidays 🎄

The Aura Team

Belleville Christmas Fun for Everyone

The Holiday season is upon us and what better way to kick start your traditions this year than by enjoying some Christmas activities with your friends and family right here in your own neighborhood. 

Below is a list of Holiday events happening in and around Belleville starting this Friday, November 15th. 

Night Time Christmas Parade

November 17

A Belleville tradition for many years this night time parade will make memories that last your loved one's for many Christmas' to come. 

http://www.bellevillechamber.ca/santa-claus-parade.php

Quinte Christian High School Christmas Market

November 15

Support your local community and visit this artisan market. There will be plenty of handmade goods which make for unique Christmas presents. 

https://g.co/kgs/5KXcEQ

Festival of Lights

November 15

A truly magical experience awaits you and your loved ones at the Belleville Festival of Lights. Bundle up! 

https://www.intelligencer.ca/news/local-news/festival-of-lights-to-burn-bright

Enchanted Holiday Night Market

December 7

Everyone loves a night time market. Get a jump on your Christmas shopping with whimsical creations and one of a kind items. 

https://g.co/kgs/Cmg5oE

Magical Moments Christmas in the Village

December 13

Come one, come all and experience Christmas as a kid again. 

https://g.co/kgs/Jkzyqe

Old Time Country Christmas

December 20

Nothing beats a country Christmas! 

https://g.co/kgs/RfFYB8

Don't forget to stop by Quinte Mall to visit the Rudolph and I Personalized Ornament booth. We have a brand new collection of ornaments this year that come with free personalization. 🎄🎅🤶🎁

Happy Holidays, Belleville! 

So You've Got A Surprise Party to Plan .. Now What?

Hello and welcome to a quick and stress free guide to planning your loved ones SURPRISE birthday brought to you by Aura Illuminated Events, Toronto's LED party rental warehouse.

Illuminated Party Rentals Toronto 

You've got a surprise birthday to plan and you're a little stressed, but you don't have to be!

Afterall, parties are supposed to be fun but for the host it can tend to get a little hectic. 

The possibilities for surprise parties are endless and really exciting once you unlock your creative potential. It's easy to get lost in the little details but quite often it's those one of a kind touches that really throw your event over the top and leave your guests wondering how you ever pulled it off.

CREATE MEMORIES

The richest people in the world are those that hold loving memories of positive experiences with their loved ones. Celebrations are the upper echelon of memories and you're primed to make a big one.

Imagine your space filled with soft, elegant illumination. Your guests are relaxed and surrounded by glowing seating, cocktail tables and an illuminated party bar that's ready to start churning out your signature cocktails. We can easily set up 6 to 40ft.portable bars in any space. Brand it with a themed drink menu or any image.

Ensure your surprise party is the talk of social media with a custom branded LED wall photo op display. Your family photo albums will thank you! 

Illuminated lounge couch

Surprise Birthday Party

ELEMENTS OF SURPRISE

If those in the know have upheld their vow of secrecy then the guest of honour should be shocked and surprised when they enter their celebration.

Add to that surprise with illumination. Our glowing LED furniture and decor instantly creates a great first impression and adds a positive vibe to the atmosphere.

You have the power to create your own party oasis in any setting with a wide range of colours.

We like to suggest decor pieces that are a little out of the box. Illuminated centrepieces emblazoned with a special image or text are a favourite of ours. Filling an outdoor space, pool or tent with illuminated orbs makes for a really elegant touch. For a surprise birthday party staple go for our LED  Birthday Ice Bucket that can hold up to 48 standard bottles.

Illuminated Bar & Bottle display

LED Happy Birthday Chair 

ENJOY THE MOMENT

You've worked so hard to create this magical event for your loved ones and there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy it to the fullest. Our punctual delivery team makes surprise party planning stress free and easy with our stealth precision. 

When the coast is clear we run in, set up and disappear until it's time to take away. Your LED furniture and decor always comes fully charged and lasts for 12 hours to ensure maximum illumination so your event can run late. There are also 16 different colour options so matching the illuminated furniture and decor to your theme is a breeze.

You can kick back and relax knowing that you're clean up duties won't be nearly as bad the next day. 

Aura Illuminated Event Rentals - Delivery & Set up

Aura's LED illuminated furniture and decor stock can be viewed in person at our warehouse during the week from 9am to 5pm. We're located just behind TTC's Warden Station at 689 Warden Ave, unit #14. 

Our LED event rental products are ideal for backyard parties, open concept spaces and banquet halls with little to no infrastructure in the GTA and surrounding areas. 

Our team has worked with every type of celebrations from MLB fundraiser for the Toronto Blue Jays to small house parties,  we love every type of event and celebration and we're looking forward to helping you. 

AURA GIVES BACK WITH RIVERWOOD CAMPGROUND

Everyday that the Aura team gets to help others make memories is a great day but some just can't be beat.

Yesterday, Riverwood Campgrounds owner Penny Wagstaff and employees Sue Lockhart and Teresa Brasier presented a cheque for $3,520 to Erin Coons, RMH Foundation CEO, to support cancer services at the Ross Memorial Hospital.

Image from Kawartha 411

The money was raised through a silent auction at the Lindsay, Ontario Campgrounds on August 10th with a rally of supporters and community members showing commrodary and spirit to raise funds in the hopes of eradicating cancer through research.

Riverwood Campgrounds holds fond memories for some members of our team and we were truly pleased to donate one of our LED cubes for the auction.

The 12" LED illuminated cube was customized with several images; a Riverwood Campgrounds logo, Toronto Blue Jays and the reigning NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors.

RIVERWOOD CAMPGROUNDS, LINDSAY ON.

TORONTO RAPTORS

To read the full article publushed by Kawartha 411 click here.

Don't forget to visit us at 689 Warden Ave. anytime you're thinking of planning an event or looking for some unique outdoor furniture and decor. 

Aura is the leading provider for LED furniture and decor rental in the GTA and we love to get creative! Any idea you have, we can make it happen. 

Take a tour through our LED warehouse Monday to Friday from 9-5pm and see our entire inventory for yourself.

We offer reliable delivery, setup and takeaway in the GTA and surrounding area's.

See you soon! 

The Aura Team  

SUPER MOMS THROW SUPER SWEET SIXTEENS

Your teenage daughter is soon to be sixteen!

She's smart, witty, charming, beautiful and like the majority of girls her age; embarking on womanhood. It seems like just yesterday you were swaddling her in freshly washed cotton blankets and the softest onesie you could find. Now, you're still doing her laundry only this time you have no say in what she wears. #momsofteenagers

As her sweet sixteen milestone birthday approaches there's a few things you'll need to consider before planning the most epic party and securing your spot as a super cool mom.

Did you know that the 'sweet 16' celebration concept originated in the Victorian area where a debutante party represented ushering a coming of age woman into society with the sole purpose of attracting a suitable husband.

Luckily this is 2019 and while I'm sad to say the rights of women are still far from where they should need to be, a sweet sixteen party no longer has such an archaic connotation.

Instead, it's a female fete that honours empowerment, self transformation, mindfulness and maturity.

Venue

The venue should be easily accessible and able to accommodate your guest list, entertainment and any other special surprises you have planned. This is relatively unknown but some venues can have outrageous power usage bills depending on what type of plug-in displays and decor you have.

SWEET 16 CELEBRATION 

Our functional LED furniture and decor is delivered fully charged, remote operated and has a battery life of 12 hours. The soft, multicolour illumination provides a great atmosphere and saves on electrical costs! 

Our stock is also ideal for venues with little to no infrastructure like an open concept banquet hall, private room or backyard. You find the space and we'll fill it for your party wishes.

Theme

LED SEATING & CRUISER TABLES 

Your girl is one in a million so her sweet 16 party should be tailored just that way and we all know that the bones of a great celebration are in the details. Customization and branding of our LED furniture and decor with images and text is easy and recommended to make the most of your rental and memory books.

CUSTOM CENTERPIECES 

Our LED orbs and cubes have also been used as table decor centrepieces for larger scale affairs. A little creativity goes a long way in designing these pieces that can ultimately transform the venue into your desired theme. 

LED CURVED BENCHES

Decor

Good lighting is a non negotiable element for a sweet sixteen Instagram moment which is why all of our products glow.

We have an open faced candy cube display that can be customized to size, a 40 ft. LED party bar that has been used for minor friendly events (think smoothie bar), glowing buffet tables, couches, cocktail tables and our newest addition, an LED dance floor.

Don't forget about a great entrance! We have a stunning entrance tunnel that can be customized and red carpet decor.

That 'Break The Internet' Element

Photo booths have soared in popularity but will soon be older than you feel having a sixteen year old. Try something new and absolutely shock your daughter with your creativity. We recommend a modernized 360° step and repeat photo installation using our solid and open faced cubes for imagery and text. Check out a crazy one we did for a past client here. 

ILLUMINATED LOUNGE 

Now, are you ready to plan the sweetest sweet 16 your daughter has ever dreamed of? WE ARE! 

#SWEETSIXTEEN

The possibilities are truly endless but don't take our word for it, check it out for yourself in person. Our 3500 sqft warehouse is located at 689 Warden Ave, unit #14 in Scarborough right behind TTC's Warden Station. We're open Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm and we want to hear your ideas! Check out pictures of past events on our website for sweet 16 party inspiration.

VISIT US!! 

We also love to support local businesses and those we trust. We have working relationships with some truly phenomenal, quality event companies in the GTA including Love Gelato, HART Entertainment and Marquee Marc just to name a few. Ask our head events coordinator Robyn about a list of preferred event vendors and she'll hook you up!