When we opened our inbox to an inquiry for being the Event Producer/Designer for the Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summit in Banff, we nearly fell out of our chair.

If you are in the wedding and special event industry you know that Engage! Summits are like no other. This event has been seen in the pages of Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, and Style Me Pretty, and is on the "bucket list" of conferences for anyone in the wedding industry. When we were asked to bring this event to life in our own backyard, well, we were incredibly honoured to say the least.

So, what is Engage and why are we freaking out about this? Engage Luxury Wedding Business Summits is a luxury wedding and event industry conference that is held at the world’s top resorts, about 3-4 times per year. The summit brings together the best (and we mean the best) in the luxury events industry for three days of complete inspiration and networking opportunities, with powerhouse speakers, specially curated content and intimate experiences with the leading pros in the industry. Since 2008, Engage! has brought together 6,000 luxury wedding professionals from all over the world including US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Dubai/United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Kuwait, South Africa, China, India, the Caribbean and many more.

Our journey with Engage! first began when the Engage! team brought us to their Spring 2018 summit in Sardinia, Italy (tough life, I know…). We were graciously hosted by Hotel Cala di Volpe and Hotel Romazzino where global speakers and attendees flocked to. We were able to witness the grandeur that is Engage!, and observe the logistics of such a wide-scale & complex (aka one hundred percent over the top) event.

After Italy, we came back ready to hit the road running & inspired to create an unforgettable experience at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel; One that Canadian event professionals would be proud of. Alongside the incredibly talented Angela Desveaux (the powerhouse behind our fave WedLuxe Magazine), who was chosen as the Creative Director extraordinaire for the event, and many other incredible Canadian & US event partners, the beast that was Engage! Banff was born. Attendees were treated to picturesque breakfasts atop mountain summits, lunches in fields of wildflowers, a vintage railcar dining experience, sled dog meet & greets, HBC blanket giveaways, campfire pyjama parties, poutine (obviously) and sooo much more.

The following event was simply one of the parties that took place over the 3 day period – This Welcome Party was one of our absolute favourites to design.

Our welcome party was described by Abby Larson, creator of Style Me Pretty, as “The Most Epic Glamping Party Ever”.

We wanted to create a dynamic and energetic representation of the Canadian Rocky Mountains that offered a curated array of details & entertainment that would keep people talking.

In wanting to stay true to Canadian culture we designed a setting that showcased the best the Canadian Rocky Mountains has to offer. Glamping, campfires, caesar bars, axe throwing (that’s right.), poutine stations, s’mores, amazing live music, a sled-dog petting lounge, all perfectly branded to represent Canadian charm. Guests arrived on-theme & adorned in plaid, fur and woven knits, and received branded camping mess kits as gifts, and perfectly spiced caesars (or for the Americans – our take on a bloody mary) served in branded drinkware to kick off the evening. Candles, blankets and branded pillows created a cozy and warm environment. Live music and campfires created an atmosphere that was relaxed yet energetic and event professionals from all over the world gathered to reunite and connect with other industry pros and create new friendships.

The Setting | Custom buffalo check linens in red, navy and forest green, circular wooden bars, the coziest glamping tents, live music and food stations greeted guests as they arrived. Red and white flowers spoke to Canada’s colours and the mountain backdrop created a scene out of a painting.

Branded Details | Everything from the pillows to the cups to the bars were branded with Engage! Summit logos and fun Canadian puns. Plaid, nature and camping themes reigned supreme.

The Entertainment, The Party, The People | We had everything from axe throwing, live music, poutine and caesar bars to yes, the rumours are true, a sled-dog petting lounge.

The entire experience of bringing to life the Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summit in Banff was hands down one of the most challenging, rewarding, logistically complex, and abundantly creative events we’ve ever produced, and we are so proud of the Canadian wedding industry for pulling together and delivering this jaw-dropping experience. This my friends, was teamwork and collaboration at its finest.

We worked with so many awesome event partners on this over the top Welcome Party, so our warmest & overly polite Canadian THANKS goes to the following companies…

Behind the Scenes Planning Engage! in Banff

When we opened our inbox to an inquiry for being the Event Producer/Designer for the Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summit in Banff, we nearly fell out of our chair.

Our welcome party was described by Abby Larson, creator of Style Me Pretty, as “The Most Epic Glamping Party Ever”.

Our Instagram, Your Inspiration