A new year means new trends, right? Well, mostly. You might have seen our post on event trends for 2019, and you might recognise a few repeats. But that’s not because the events industry is boring and lacking creativity this year – far from it. It’s because they’re developing those repeated trends and making a difference. Just have a read and you’ll find out.

2020 is all about making a difference; making events better and more memorable than ever. So here goes, our list of the best event trends you’ll be seeing in 2020:

Sustainability

Okay, so this is one of those ongoing ones; an event trend that is still going strong – and rightly so. “What’s new here, then”, we hear you ask. When it comes to organising a sustainable and eco-friendly event, you’ve got a few things to think about. These include:

Sustainable venue choice (yes, obviously we’re putting this first)

Travel and commutes

Accommodation

Food and drink

Materials and waste

Every year – or even every day – the world is trying to think up ways to get better at saving the planet. The events industry is no exception. These points should all be taken into account, as much as possible, when it comes to organising or hosting an event. Every little helps, and that’s why we hope this event trend never disappears.

Fancy walls

What we’re saying here is that you need to make the most of the space you have. A phrase you’ve probably heard since you were little, when your mum was forcing you to share a bunk bed with your sibling. This event trend for 2020 is nothing to do with bunk beds though – we’re talking fancy walls. Walls far more interesting and event-appropriate than your Grandma’s taste in wallpaper (even though, we’re sure, she has excellent taste).

The kind of ‘fancy’ can depend on what kind of event you’re planning too. A corporate or networking event? Especially if you’ve gone for a blank canvas venue, you can take advantage of those walls to screen videos, photos or live stream your social media activities and updates (hello, bespoke hashtag). This idea easily works for a private event too – birthday slideshow going on in the background of a party or a presentation of the most embarrassing photos from the stag do during the best man’s speech.

The past few years have seen a lot of flower walls at weddings and beauty events, but now we’re seeing shimmer walls taking the gold (get it). Walls made up of sequins, glitter or any kind of metallic material to be honest, are growing in popularity. And we are so there for it. Check out

But like, you can go for your Grandma’s wallpaper if you want.

Minimalist venues

We already mentioned the benefits of a blank canvas venue for your events, and this year a big trend are the minimalist style venues. Whilst we will forever love a themed venue, there has been a significant rise in popularity of large venues with very little in them. This obviously gives you the flexibility to work with the venue in any way you want – especially good for those creative minds out there.

If you’ve got the minimalist look going on, there’s no need for you to spend a bunch on fancy furniture or décor. Score. Minimalist venues allow you to create your own focal points; ones that suit the reason for your event or celebration, or just ones that push your brand or business.

For slick networking events or workshops to weddings, this trend is taking the year by storm. Keen to see some of London’s favourite blank canvas venues? We got you.

Interactive event experiences

This one we also mentioned last year, but immersive, interactive and VR experiences are just getting bigger and crazier than ever. The events industry is loving it, and we’re not going to complain about that. It’s a sure-fire way to create something memorable for guests attending – not many can say it’s something they do every day, can they?

Obviously, there are many ways you can use this trend for an event; it really depends on the type of event you are hosting, and its theme. The main idea of the trend is to bring fiction to life, leading guests into a world that is beyond this one.

Interestingly, event planners are not only seeing the benefits of this technology in terms of the guests’ experience. They’re even using this modern technology to plan their events, allowing them to see spaces live (have you heard about our partnership with Matterport?) and visualise their events in a whole new way.

Training and development

Whilst this may be along different lines to the above, training and development for those attending your event is a bigger focus than ever. Far more than ‘back to school’ vibes, event planners are finding new ways to incorporate educational qualities to their day, week or weekend-long events. This can come in many forms, from talks and inspirational or motivational speeches, to workshops and interactive classes. People love learning new things, the only catch is keeping them engaged. Know your audience and you can figure something out that means they won’t want the event to end.

Even making space for networking opportunities during the event will pay off. Your guests can talk and learn from other guests with similar interests, careers or hobbies. Easy.

Mindfulness and wellness

This is a trend going way beyond the food and fitness industries, because mindfulness and wellness (of all types) is so important to quality of life. All industries can factor this in, including corporate companies. Happy environment = happy employees = happy work = happy clients, right? It’s all about working smarter, rather than working harder.

With things like Mental Health Awareness week being pushed more than ever in the past couple of years, people are becoming more aware of the effects and the treatment of those suffering with their mental health.

When it comes to planning an event of any type, it’s never a bad thing to integrate people’s (often newfound) love for mindfulness and wellness. This can be anything from mediation or yoga workshops, massage stations, unplugged or tech-free zones, and even ‘mindful meetings’ where your average work meeting becomes a lot more inspired. It’s the ‘feel better, think better’ mentality that is revolutionising the workspace.