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| Photo courtesy of Airmagic Special Effects. |
For years, water has typically made its event appearance as the crowning touch ice sculpture on the buffet table. But as planners continue to push the décor envelope in delivering the unexpected, they are turning to water elements, both running and frozen, for stunning focal points in the event scenery.
Integrate water in its fluid form into events using the splish-splashing elegance of fountains, from large-scale floor numbers to table-top models, and floating gardens. Using lights and other décor, you can even orchestrate different looks over the course of an evening.
Add water components into presentations to highlight and complement everything from a product reveal to an entertainment number: water walls make a unique backdrop for projecting logos against.
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| Splendid ice décor. Photo courtesy of Iceculture. |
Perhaps the coolest craze, though, is using water in its frozen state. New carving technologies and the success of ice hotels and lounges have fueled interest in ice as a building material, taking the frozen art concept from table-top pretty to a full interactive experience.
With an eye on design and safety, creative minds are working hard to meet the challenges and opportunities as ice décor shows up in non-traditional uses. Consider the frozen medium as food serving dishes and barware, or go truly novel with an ice bar and furniture (don’t forget the seat cushions!).
Combined with water and acrylic, fountains and sculptures take on new creative dimensions. For an awesome non-traditional display suspend ice creations from the ceiling and achieve two effects in one with the melt creating a trickling waterfall effect throughout the evening.
Not surprisingly, there are a number of additional logistics to think about in room setup when using water and ice design components:
Waterworks
- Ensure an adequate water supply is close at hand. Confirm ahead of time potential venue charges for water usage and drainage.
- More than half the setup time is spent filling the pool.
- Fountain lighting is very important with white light up to 10 times brighter than coloured. Specialty underwater lighting adds the most drama.
- The larger the pool, the higher the water projection, the bigger the impact. But because falling water tends to splash, pool size matters in defining shape and scale of the fountain portion.
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| An ice table contains a towering water element. Photo courtesy of Iceculture. |
Ice Cool
- The end structure and aesthetic of an ice product need to take into account the event’s length, how it is being used, what lighting will be adding heat to it and any load-in or timing constraints.
- A sculpture has to be designed in balance to allow even melting throughout the event.
- The ice-carving industry is not regulated by health and safety guidelines so if the ice product will be in contact with food, ask the supplier if water source and finished product is tested. If food shouldn’t sit directly on ice, use an acrylic liner.
- One 20 in x 40 in x 10 in block of ice weighs 275 lbs so precaution is necessary in ensuring display tables and risers can support the weight.
- Ice melts, so ensure you give the supplier accurate start times. If the supplier is not staying on-site during the event, arrange for a staff person to watch the water levels in melt buckets and drainage reservoirs in large pieces of ice furniture.
- The supplier is best to co-ordinate a lighting plan for a sculpture. LED lights work because of their low heat but their muted illumination usually requires additional lighting. Professional lighting is ideal but hot “theatre-style” lamps should be placed well away from the sculpture.
With input from
Mark Fine, Airmagic Special Effects, www.airmagicfx.com
and Heidi Bayley, Iceculture, www.iceculture.com
