Chad Mason’s The Greatest Showman Party

June 25, 2019

3 Min read

C

THE BEST COMPLIMENT A STYLIST CAN EVER GET

It’s actually not, “the styling was beautiful!”, although those words bring such great comfort to me and my team. It’s also not, “the theme turned out really nice!”. No, it’s not a proclamation of words, written or otherwise.

So what is the best compliment?

It’s the client hiring you for the 2nd time.

Watch the spectacle that is Chad’s birthday party. Photos taken by Delightful Little Darlings. More below!

As the truism goes, actions speak louder than words. And no action speaks louder than a client getting you for the 2nd time. Because underneath that action is the client silently saying to you, “You did such a great job the last time that I’m trusting you with the special day of my 2nd child this time around!”.

In business parlance, it’s well known that acquiring repeat customers is “cheaper” than trying to get new ones.

But in event styling, I actually feel the opposite: there’s even more pressure for me the 2nd time, because this time I would have to up my game even more!

This is the story of how my client, Jasmin, got me for the 2nd time, and how we did a party for her son Chad Mason.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

When I think about what makes a great party, I think about the melding of the theme with the venue (assuming of course, the client likes the choice of theme in the first place). It is never a good idea to have the venue adjust to the theme. Venues are fixed, immovable objects, while themes can be fluid. Rather, it is always best to have the theme adjust to the venue.

Given how big a hit The Greatest Showman was in the big screen, it’s no wonder the movie’s tunes and aesthetics have inspired people from all over the world. For Jasmin and Chad Mason, I wanted to do something different though:

Because the venue was naturally dark (minimal windows), and because the event was dinner time, I felt that it would be more apt to use string lights and light bulbs for the ceiling as well as different types of lighting on-the-ground (such as “altar bulbs” and christmas lights). This led to a more dramatic feel in terms of styling.

Because of all of the above, shadows danced among the scenery, which, combined with burgundy red hues, led to the overall grand and mysterious feel of the party. For instance, I love the play of shadows that happen at the curtains on the stage:

Part of the ceiling decor where these trapeze artists hanging in the air:

To maintain a more subtle aesthetic, I used gold silhouettes of the circus performers instead of a more literal representation. For example, this strongman on the stage:

A giraffe meanwhile, stands guard at the dessert table:

The desserts were a great addition to the whole set-up: the donuts were an eclectic mix of color, while various fruit-theme treats rounded out the spread.