The Future of 3D Design in Events
From workflow automation to AI chatbots, the wedding industry is in the midst of a technological renaissance that offers businesses an opportunity to increase efficiency and modernize the client experience. Another significant innovation on the rise: 3D design software.
While traditional mood boards and lookbooks aren’t going anywhere, using 3D design provides clients with a deeply engaging experience and fosters seamless collaboration throughout the planning process. And as Gen Z takes over the lion’s share of the market, immersive technology will quickly become more of an expectation from our hyper-connected clients.
Why 3D design?
As a creative professional, sharing your vision in words doesn’t always hit the mark. We operate in a field heavily reliant on visual storytelling, and it’s far easier to bring everyone to the same page by showing what’s in your head rather than explaining it. In this way, you can align the whole event team with a single vision, including the clients, venue, planners, rental companies, florists, entertainment, etc. Each vendor plays a role in the final result, so it’s invaluable to know everyone shares the same mental image.
In addition to design, a 3D layout allows you to confirm that the “vision” will work logistically in the event space. You can work around windows, doors, fire exits, columns, and other immovable elements to ensure a proposed design fills the space well and maintains a steady flow of foot traffic.
But even before the production stage, 3D design can support the initial design process by helping clients better understand how they want their event to look and feel. Often, they come armed with Pinterest boards filled with numerous design elements (some of which don’t go together!). So, with a 3D design tool, you can show clients multiple “looks” and guide the decision-making process around budget, logistics, and the end-state vision. You can also highlight up-and-coming trends clients can’t yet find on social media, positioning you as an industry leader and creative innovator.
Industry use cases
3D design isn’t just for venues or designers. Instead, it’s a collaborative tool that will change how we work with fellow event professionals — from supporting lighting specialists in designing dance floor effects to helping florists estimate their supply needs more accurately.
Such a multi-faceted resource stands to strengthen vendor-to-vendor relationships, but it’s also a handy resource for event pros to enhance their sales and marketing strategies. Here are a few ways to build 3D design into your client experience:
For planners + designers: Your clients are growing to expect an immersive planning experience, so it’s time to level up those 2D floorplans and showcase the full event. It doesn’t take much additional time, but it will earn you more trust and confidence in the process. Plus, you can charge more for design packages by adding the 3D design experience as a premium service.
For venues: Offering virtual walkthroughs allows prospective clients to experience your property from anywhere in the world, making it easier to break into the destination wedding market. You can show all of the possibilities in your space while still ensuring house rules and spatial constraints are taken into account, setting realistic expectations from the very start.
For rental companies: Create a virtual 3D showroom to showcase your inventory 24/7 to existing clients, saving time on unnecessary appointments for clients just to browse. You can also meet custom requests by tailoring designs for new clients, providing a “try before you buy” service that will improve conversation and customer satisfaction.
It’s clear that 3D technology has the power to transform how we design and execute events. And though it’s still emerging on the scene, it won’t be long before it’s required to meet market demands. So, if you want to stay ahead of the tech curve, make it a goal to experiment with 3D in your business in 2024!
Randi Bushell is the Founder & CEO of Merri, a 3D visualization platform for the events industry – bringing venues, planners, and vendors onto a single platform to design and execute best-in-class events. Prior to starting Merri, she spent her early career in Ecommerce at Macys.com, Jet.com, and Walmart.com. While planning her wedding in 2018 she struggled to make design decisions without adequate tooling to visualize the event, which acted as the catalyst for starting Merri, and has now grown to be one of the fastest growing platforms in the industry.
