November 19, 2020

15 Incredible Destination Venues Around the Globe that Offer Unparalleled Guest Experiences

Between intimate events are on the rise and travel becoming more intentional, destination events are an ideal way to celebrate life & its many milestones. Whether you’re looking to host a romantic wedding in the Italian countryside, celebrate a birthday in a new country, or wine and dine your VIP clients in a picturesque tropical destination, we have you covered. Here are fifteen stunning venues across the globe that offer a premier experience all around.

Photos: Larissa Cleveland Photography

Grand Velas Los Cabos is a luxury, all-inclusive resort in the premier destination of Los Cabos, Mexico. The property is sprawling with traditional architecture, spacious pools, climbing bougainvillea, and sweeping views of the coastline. Additionally, there is a complete golf course and high end spa to keep all guests entertained and even more at ease. Awarded 5 diamonds by AAA, this luxury resort brings together contemporary design with traditional style for a world class experience all around.

Andaz Maui at the Wailea Resort is a dream destination in the Hawaiian Islands. Beachfront ceremonies create the ideal backdrop for sunset photos, and multiple intimate venue spaces allow for a truly unique experience. As a Hyatt property, you can rest easy knowing guests will receive a luxury experience when it comes to on-site accommodations. When hosting at Andaz Maui, you’ll work with the Executive Chef to create the perfect menu and dining experience that fits your needs.

Edgewood Tahoe brings elegance to the alpine forest surrounding one of Northern California’s most pristine lakes. The resort offers several event spaces both indoors and outdoors to accommodate a wide range of guest counts as well as the season. Their modern meeting spaces are great for corporate events and their service and amenities will soothe, refresh, reward, and delight your entire team.

Ramscale Studio brings together modern flair and historic industrialism in New York, NY. Set on the West Village with sweeping views, the building is a historic landmark where both Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison worked. This is the perfect venue for anyone who loves a city skyline, especially if they appreciate American history.

Hotel Budir offers an ideal destination for an intimate Icelandic elopement. This quaint, yet breathtaking, venue creates photo-worthy moments effortlessly. A few of the event spaces include the the quaint standalone chapel, the white sandy beach, and the moss landing in the middle of a lava field.

Petersham Nurseries offers an enchanting getaway located in Richmond, South West London. This venue brings charming greenhouse vibes, showcasing contemporary art, Murano glassware and understated grandeur. This destination is sure to evoke all the senses, particularly site and smell. Petersham Nurseries is the perfect backdrop for an intimate tea garden party that will keep guests swooning for years to come.

Sri panwa delivers a luxury villa & spa resort experience, complete with private pools, in Phuket Thailand. Located at the top of Cape Panwa this destination offers stunning views including the peninsula. The unique location and unobstructed views offer premier sunrise and sunset viewing. The 52 villas onsite are meant to provide a luxurious yet private experience at tropical destination.

The Taj Lake Palace has hosted guests like Jacqueline Kennedy & Queen Elizabeth and it’s clear to see the drawl for the high end clientele. Taj Lake Palace is an original Historic Royal Residence built in 1746 in the middle of Lake Pichola, so it is literally floating on water.

At Ritz Paris you can dine under the glass ceiling in the shade of the linden trees in the Grand Jardin or you can celebrate surrounded by music from a jazz piano in the ballroom. The possibilities are vast and endless for this iconic location in the heart of Paris.

Thalia Haven is another premier Australian destination located on 130-acres of wooded peninsula surrounded by the Great Oyster Bay. Offering access to over 3 miles of secluded coastline complete with a private sandy beach, this venue is sure to provide an unparalleled experience. They have 4 stone buildings sleeping only 8 guests total making Thalia Haven an ideal spot for a very intimate wedding elopement.

Villa Reniella is located in the rolling hills of Tuscany and is nestled among olive groves, lavender fields, and lush vineyards. This exclusive venue offers private accommodations for up to 16 guests and is an idyllic location for a private retreat or intimate celebration. Your rental of the Villa includes a full staff, concierge, and an in house private chef.

The Dolder Grand offers stunning views of Zurich, Switzerland and the event space to match. There are options to accommodate groups ranging from 12 people to 900, all with quality amenities. In addition to the stunning property, The Restaurant offers a truly gourmet experience provided by Chef Fine Dining, Heiko Nieder, earning 19 GaultMillau points and 2 Michelin stars.

Petra & Fos Boutique Hotel & Spa offers modern amenities and traditional architecture in the best way. Stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea add to the classic Greek touch of a luxury style resort at this hillside oasis. Not only do they host retreats and weddings but they are the ideal conference destination for corporate as well.

Fogo Island Inn is an innovative space on it’s own island, off another island in Canada, offering 29 unique guest rooms with floor-to-cieling windows of the surroundings. This groundbreaking space provides inspiration in it’s design as well as it’s sustainability efforts, built with both respect for nature and culture in mind.

Laila Villas Uluwatu located in gorgeous Bali, Indonesia is a stunning venue combining modern luxury with tropical simplicity. There are several locations onsite for events, including a breathtaking cabana on a cliff ledge, overlooking the Indian Ocean. This is an ideal venue for the bride looking to host a laid back tropical wedding that still embodies dramatic beauty. If you are anything like us, we’ve already packed our bags and are ready to head to any one of these incredible locations! If you are feeling inspired to plan your next destination event, we are here to help. Happy adventures!

October 19, 2020

How to Create a Successful Charity Event

Happy October! Yes, that means Halloween is right around the corner, and it is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Considering this initiative, as well as the holiday season that is rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to consider hosting or supporting a charitable event. Ideas could include volunteering with your family, having a donation drive with your company, or hosting a night to contribute a portion of sales to a local cause. There are so many ways to give back including through events both virtual and live. Here are a few tips and ideas for hosting a successful charitable event.

Photo: Estée Lauder Companies

Focus on one charity, or cause.

Transparency is important when people are deciding how and where to give their money. By choosing a single cause or charity, you give individuals a clear direction of where funds will go. Be sure to also research the charity in depth as well so you are confident in the way the funds you raise will be allocated within the charity organization.

When the effort you are supporting is bigger than a single charity, consider hosting an event to support a specific cause. For instance, the recent wildfire season has been extremely devastating to the entire west coast. It may be more effective to host an event around the cause. This allows you to create opportunities for attendees to support the people and places impacted directly, rather than focusing on a single charity organization that might be more nationwide versus local. This gives yourself, and donors, the flexibility to give in different ways as well as being educated on where the funds are going.

Time to get social!

There are more than one ways to get social when it comes to hosting a successful charitable event. Recruit a team to help, or hire a planner if you’d like professional help. Once you have a clear vision and plan for the event, take the details online.

Social media is great for getting the word out there in more ways than one. If your event is open to the public, it’s perfect for a far and wide reach for minimal cost, if any. Additionally, it’s an effective way to increase monetary donations when hosting a successful charitable event. Platforms like Facebook have a donation feature that make it extremely easy to directly support specific charities via social media. Here are some specific examples of how social media can impact a fundraising campaign.

Once the event has begun, you can also go Live during the actual event to encourage others to donate to the cause as well.

Take your event to the real world.

As we mentioned, this month is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This cause is important to us as a company as one of our own has fought the battle herself. To continue to give back, we have participated in American Cancer Society‘s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk for the last three years. By raising money for the American Cancer Society, we are directly contributing to the breast cancer research grants. We love how the walk element gives us a chance to show our support physically, as well as monetarily. If your company or team doesn’t have an effort like this, now is a great time to suggest a charity to focus on together.

Silent auctions, live auctions, donation drives, and fundraising nights at a local businesses are other productive ways to host a successful charitable event. Additional ideas include hosting a bake sale, fashion show, local battle of the bands, sports tournament, or trivia night.

Get people together virtually.

If you want to increase your reach without bringing together thousands in the physical world, consider a virtual event. 2020 has inspired many charity events to move virtually, including exclusive concerts to raise money for various causes.

Offering live, virtual performances or demonstrations is a great way to engage people with a specific cause. Programs such as Give Lively allows you to track donations live. This has proven extremely effective for reaching donation goals. It also allows you to possibly host several smaller virtual events versus one large-scale event allowing more to contribute on different occasions.

Accept a variety of donations.

If you are hosting a virtual event, consider partnering with a local business or institution to increase your reach in the local community. This will get your efforts in front of the eyes of those who will be directly impacted.

If you are hosting an event at a physical location, offer a way to accept donations digitally for those who cannot attend in person before, during or after the event.

Additionally, consider how donors can contribute beyond giving funds. Are there causes that need services or labor donated? Is there a charity accepting goods in addition to monetary donations? Do your research so you can be specific in how attendees can donate as well as what is in highest demand.

Need more tips for hosting a successful charitable event?

We’d love to hear about your ideas to give back!

Author: kelsiva