There are elements of every outdoor event that just can’t be beat. The fresh air, the beauty of a clear night sky, and the touch of a warm breeze are the intangible things that can add memorable qualities to your corporate event that you just can’t order from a vendor or add to an indoor venue. While many events would work best if planned and hosted outdoors, the simple fact is that depending on the time of year or unforeseen inclement weather, sometimes an indoor event is your only option.

However, indoor corporate events in San Francisco need not lose all of the benefits that an outdoor event can offer. Innovators in event management are constantly offering new and creative ways for you to give your indoor event an outdoor feel. We’ve rounded up some of the best ideas and strategies to make your indoor event feel like an outdoor event, no matter the time of year or what the weather forecast looks like.

First, consider what makes outdoor San Francisco area corporate events so unique from indoor? Which of these ideas can be adapted to an indoor venue?

Obviously, those in the Bay Area know that what it means to be outdoors in the Bay Area is very distinct if you are talking about an event in Walnut Creek as opposed to the city itself. So, the first thing to think about are the general benefits of hosting an outdoor event in the first place, and which of these benefits you can maintain (with a little creativity) when moving your event to an indoor venue instead. To wit:

• The greater availability of space and creativity with floor plans and layouts you often gain with an outdoor venue
• The natural beauty of the surroundings and how it can be used to accentuate the decorations, catering, and layout of the event itself
• Activities that are often featured in outdoor venues – whether games or activities or live music, or other great ideas that different venues offer
• Opportunities for photography (and subsequent marketing or brand focus) that an outdoor venue adds, depending on its location

While certain aspects of outdoor venues aren’t transferable indoors, for obvious reasons, many of the ideas in these categories can be – or can be adapted to simulate that outdoor feel. For example….

Consider choosing an indoor venue with an open layout, extensive natural lighting, or panoramic views to simulate the feel of an outdoor event

Planners for San Francisco corporate events know there are a variety of different venue options scattered throughout the Bay Area, offering diverse locations for hosting your next gathering. If one of the biggest benefits of an outdoor event is the added beauty of rustic scenery or a clear night sky, choosing a venue with a large open layout can let you arrange tables and decorations to still provide scenic views that simulate this experience.

This can include venues that feature:

• A naturally advantageous location providing a stunning backdrop, whether that is views of the skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge or, conversely, the various mountain ranges that have wowed visitors to the Bay Area for years.
• Extensive windows or glass ceilings that lend the space to natural lighting or a clear view of the sunset or sky, allowing guests the same views that they would outdoors
• Decks or patios that are conveniently accessible from the main venue space, so guests can wander outside for just a few minutes to snap pictures, but then return indoors quickly if it’s cold or rainy

The nice thing about an open venue like these is that you can arrange your vendors and layout to take advantage of the backdrops, much as you would outdoors. You can set up your buffet with the skyline as a backdrop, or place your dais or speaker podium with a vista behind them for ideal photo opportunities. This way, you can preserve the best aspects of the outdoor event experience while removing weather concerns from planning considerations.

Choose creative outdoor event activities that work just as well indoors

While this is true of more informal events than formal gatherings, many guests enjoy the creative and fun activities and design ideas that outdoor corporate events in San Francisco are beginning to feature more and more. From quirky lawn games to creative furniture for lounging, many of the ideas that we usually associate with an outdoor event can work just as well for an indoor venue. Some of our favorites include:

• Games like ring tosses, cornhole, croquet, and bocce ball that are stalwarts of outdoor events can just as easily be offered indoors if your venue has the right layout and space
• Creative seating options like hammocks, giant bean bags, comfy couches, and loungers can be added to provide the same quirky seating areas guests enjoy at outdoor venues
• Interactive food displays can give your guests the same hands-on and conversation-starting experience that outdoor venues are designed to foster.  
• Utilize decorations that simulate an outdoor environment (such as a market or carnival) for your indoor venue – a simple little touch that can subtly provide the same feelings that holding your event outdoors would.

Get advice from your vendors on their best ideas for simulating an outdoor experience

This may seem like common sense, but often different vendors have great ideas for their own specific niche of the event that can help you achieve the greater goal of emulating an outdoor event feel for your indoor venue. Once you have decided that this is what you want for your next event, get in touch with your vendors and consider asking them:

• What ideas they have for helping you achieve this feeling for your event?
• What has worked well in the past when outdoor events have had to move indoors?
• What kind of space will be needed to help them provide their best creative ideas for you?

By asking the right questions early in your event planning process, you may be surprised at just how many great ideas your vendors already offer as part of their services, or have heard about when working with other clients. Or, maybe they’ve got some innovations to try at your event. Left Coast Catering is proud to be one of these innovators, with extensive experience helping clients come up with new and practical ways to make the most of their indoor event. The team can work with you, your venue, and your goals for the event to help craft creative catering solutions that help you bring the outdoor experience indoors.

Either way, there’s no reason that the weather or location of a venue should stop you and your guests from enjoying all of the benefits of an outdoor event at your indoor venue.