A Future To Remember

A Future to Remember was an event where Family Bridges was celebrating 15 years of hard work. Since 2004, the organization has touched the lives of over 150,00 couples and families, a milestone that called for a celebration. An event where guests got to see the past 15 years' transformation and get a peek into the upcoming years.

My role

My task was creating a concept that embodied Family Bridges, and that is worthy of a Gala event. Over 250 guests would attend the night of November 15, 2019, including Family Bridges board, staff, affiliates, and alumni. This was something never done before in the history of Family Bridges. I had never had a tight timeline of fewer than three months to create with little to no time for mistakes. We reached our vision with team members like my boss, Sarah Pichardo (Creative Director), who had the same vision. Special thanks to the talented and hard working team that helped make that vision come alive, because of the time they volunteered the night went down in history. My role was a key element for the event due to the different responsibilities of the job.

Goals of the project:

Create a night to remember
Make it more than fundraiser night. Create an experience.
Celebrate the transformation and impact of Family Bridges history
Tell a story

Responsibilities:

Create a concept: Logo and Theme
Design material including
- Invitation, Rsvp slip, Envelopes, Donation slips, Table numbers, and Name Table list, Thank you slip.
- Letterhead
- Program booklet
- Department Posters
- Social Media Images: Instagram, Facebook
Provide designs for website
Décor for the event's venue
A detailed plan on setup, use, and takedown in one day.
- Find and order materials.
- Create a design concept for the centerpiece and table décor.
- Pieces to decorate the lobby but also be interactive
- Hand-painted signage

Approach

I started by taking a step back and reflecting on the time I had shared with Family Bridges. That is when I could state that I understood who Family Bridges was. Most importantly, the impact they have made in the community. Of the hundred things that can describe Family Bridges, the number one thing would be GROWTH. Not only in the organization but also in the people they served. I picture them as trees that build deep roots for healthy and strong relationships. With those deep roots, anything nature throws at them can be overcome.

Design Concept

I wanted the print and social media material to reflect the creativeness of the organization. So I took the brand's colors and presented them in watercolor. Like water, it always molds to its surroundings and can adapt at any given time. Family Bridges has learned to adapt its content and services consistently to provide the community its best services. The gold and white were to reflect that it was a gala event.

Events Décor

I applied the same theme to the event's venue, but my approach was different. Challenging myself to think outside the box, I wanted the décor not just to look nice but to have more purpose. To showcase how unique this event was for Family Bridges. Decorations for the lobby became more of an installation where guests could interact with their surroundings. We made networking fun through these interactive stations. They could take selfies with their phone or pictures by a professional photographer. We created an opportunity for our guests to take beautiful photos that could somehow land on their social media accounts and serve as awareness for Family Bridges.

Overview

This project was the most time drilling project but definitely the most gratifying for me. I did not have to imagine what effects my design would have on people. That same night, I was able to see the smiles on people. As the night went on, I was proud to know my work made it into Family Bridges' history. A Future to Remember is one that will be close to my heart. It showed me how to meet tight deadlines while collaborating with teammates to ensure that the project has the highest quality of success we can create.