ORLANDO
Planning the perfect event just got easier thanks to Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, which today announced the top five trends for successful and memorable meetings and events in 2014.
Compiled by the hotel’s expert sales, meetings and catering teams who frequently serve gatherings in the hotel’s two ballrooms, private and semi-private banquet rooms and small meeting spaces, the list divulges the latest trends from sustainability to social media turning up at events this year.
With 25,000 feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space featuring high-tech audio-visual support, Internet access and business-center services, Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek serves many weddings, meetings, receptions and formal private events.
The hotel offers meeting and event planners resources to help facilitate their events, including an ePlanner Toolkit on www.wyndhamgrandorlando.com with detailed information about the hotel and its many event offerings.
The top meetings and events trends identified by the resort team include:
Cuisine goes green: Organic and sustainable food will prevail in 2014. Processed foods are trending out and fresh wholesome ingredients like fruit juices, local seafood and meats and vegetables from on-site gardens are taking over. Customers will be more concerned with not only where the food is coming from, but about where leftover banquet food is going as well
Presentation is everything: 2014 will be a time to outdo the traditional presentation and design standards. Décor like colorful and textured fabrics, modular furniture and innovative food presentation involving sous-vide, pickling, liquid nitrogen and food trucks will become part of the entertainment. Plus, with social media playing a role in everyday life, guests are keen to take and post pictures of the cuisine, décor or unique drinks. Be sure to take advantage of ‘Pinterest-worthy’ recipes, hashtag opportunities, and Instagram-friendly meal presentation.
Little bites: Smaller portions packed with flavor will be another pattern in 2014. Food stations offering a multitude of different options that keep portion sizes small and variety big will be in demand and traditional sit-down banquet dinners will transition toward mixing and mingling with an array of palatable small bites.
A cut above the rest: In 2014, the “nose-to-tail” trend, or the focus on less traditional cuts of meat that require special preparation, will give chefs the opportunity to get creative. Meats such as teres major (second only to the tenderloin filet in tenderness), pork flat iron and short ribs certain finesse – testing the chef’s skill and the guests’ palate.
The bar is set high: Nontraditional bar and cocktail options like specialized wine bars, locally crafted beer bars and create-your-own mimosa stations will play key roles at events in 2014. The days of the simple house beer and wine bar are long gone and activities such as mojito-making and wine-blending are becoming popular for team-building events.
“From the planner’s perspective, these trends will be key to successful meeting planning in 2014 and beyond,” said Miguelina Urena, director of catering and conference planning for the resort. ”As we continue to strengthen initiatives like sustainability throughout the hotel, we are also incorporating those focuses into our event offerings to ensure we offer the best possible experience for planners and groups who visit us.”
General Hotel Information:
The Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, located at 14651 Chelonia Parkway inside the Walt Disney World Resort gates, boasts 400 rooms and suites, 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, five food and beverage outlets, a zero-entry pool, 18-hole championship golf course and Blue Harmony™ spa.
It is part of the prestigious Wyndham Grand Hotels and Resorts, an ensemble of distinguished hotels within the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts® brand that represent one-of-a-kind experiences in key destinations with refined accommodations, attentive service and relaxed surroundings. The hotel is managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc.
Wyndham Hotel Group is the world’s largest hotel company with approximately 7,440 hotels and over 638,300 rooms in 68 countries under 15 hotel brands.
