The Biggest Trends and Best Takeaways from #EventPlanning in 2014

The end of the year is always a hectic time in the events industry. Even with all of the holiday and NYE parties on the horizon, it’s important to take a step back and appreciate all that 2014 had to offer. It was a great year for SquadUP and that’s at least in part due to our event trends awareness and general understanding of the space. Successful event professionals will take the time to research what worked well in 2014, what didn’t, and why. The key to making 2015 the best possible is being ahead of trends and avoiding making the same mistakes that your peers did this past year.

Decor Trends

via Cornelia Stiles/BizBash

First Gravity and now Guardians of the Galaxy and Interstellar. The space theme has made it’s way from Hollywood to #EventProfs. From the Moma Film Benefit (pictured above) to the ‘Cosmos’ big premiere, 2014 was the year in which the event space made space for outer space.

via Shiraz Events/patrickmcmullan.com

Whether we’re talking about the Weston Family Foods band wagon built entirely out of bread, the artichoke centerpieces in downtown office or the vegetable crate step and repeat shown above, food as decoration was an undeniable trend of 2014. If you can make the decorative piece edible then you’re killing two birds with one stone! Done properly, this method can help you capture that farm to table feel for your event

Event Tech Trends

But enough with the decorations. Let’s talk about the technologies that inspired us in 2014 and the ones that hold promise for the upcoming year. Click on the trending #EventTech winners below to find out more about why they stole the stage in 2014 and are poised to be on the forefront of innovation in 2015.

• iBeacons
• Near Field Communication
• RFID Chips
• Drones: Photography, Filming, and Novelty Entertainment
• Catchbox and Crowdmics

And there was one major event that experienced a new trend that we believe will carry over into 2015. At the very start of 2014, the Superbowl took over NYC. It was no longer about 1 football game and the brands surrounding it. It was about a 4-day all-inclusive NYC experience. The Superbowl took over Broadway and transcended sports, breaking into the worlds of entertainment, fashion, and popular culture. Expect a similar takeover in Arizona this winter.

We’d love to hear more about your favorite and least favorite 2014 event trends! Comment here or tweet @squadup.