At WE EVENTS, Chicago’s premier full-service event design and planning team, WE believe every extraordinary experience starts with an unforgettable focal point. Long gone are the days of generic step-and-repeats and plain pipe-and-drape setups. Whether planning a high-profile corporate gala in Downtown Chicago, an intimate adult birthday milestone, or a whimsical kids’ celebration in the Chicagoland suburbs, today’s guests crave immersive, visually captivating environments.
As the founder and lead designer at WE EVENTS, one of my absolute favorite parts of our process is in-house custom fabrication. Designing and building our custom backdrops right here in the Chicago area allows us to turn imaginative concepts into tactile, structural art pieces tailored specifically to our clients’ brand identity, age group, or party theme.
Below, I’m sharing 7 of my all-time favorite custom backdrops that our WE EVENTS team designed, built, and brought to life in-house for corporate events, adult celebrations, and kids’ parties!
1. “Nailed It!” Kids’ Birthday Party Backdrop (Feb 2022)
The Design Vision & Personal Story:
Planning this one was extra special—it was fun to be bossed around by my mini-me in planning her party! At one point, she told me she was so lucky to have a mom who’s an event planner (granted, 15 minutes later she turned around and told me to stop making so much noise with my balloon machine!).
Technically, there isn’t anything super complex about this backdrop—it’s actually really simple—but for me, I absolutely love tackling a fresh, new theme. At the time, I hadn’t seen anyone else do a “Nailed It!” theme yet!
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Fresh Concepts: Bringing an original theme to life before it becomes a viral trend is always a favorite creative challenge for our team.
- Interactive Theme Integration: The backdrop set the perfect stage for the main event—a “Nailed It!” cake challenge where the kids had to recreate a 3-layer burger cake (and I must say, they did pretty darn good!).
- Complete Cohesive Details: The backdrop served as the visual anchor alongside matching on-theme cookies and custom cookbooks as party favors for all the guests to take home.
2. Pinterest Predicts “MUSH-ROOMS” Lounge & Backdrop (Corporate & Brand Activation) May 2023
(Check out our initial design rendering vs. the final install photo below!)
The Design Vision & Dream Client:
Who’s your dream client? The one you get to brag about for years? Mine is @pinterest. I don’t know about you all, but I use Pinterest almost every day when looking for party inspo, decor ideas, recipes, or outfit ideas. When I had the honor of creating a backdrop and lounge area for their quarterly event, “excited” was the mild version. Thrilled, pumped, blown away that they chose WE Events!
This was actually my very first event with Pinterest, and I am so honored that they have continued to hire me year after year!
Did you know about Pinterest Predicts? If not, don’t feel bad—I didn’t then either! To quote Pinterest directly: “People use Pinterest Predicts to plan for the future. That means we know what’s next. In fact for the last three years, 80% of our predictions came true. This isn’t another year end trend report. This is a not-yet-trending report – a window into the future, from the place where people go tot plan for it.”
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Bringing “Mush-Rooms” to Life: We pulled inspiration directly from the “MUSH-ROOMS” trend on Pinterest to design a whimsical backdrop and lounge installation.
- Sourcing & Community Hype: I’m still responding to messages asking where I sourced certain items for the lounge! We loved taking a digital trend report and fabricating it into a tangible, physical experience in the room.
- Long-Term Partnerships: Setting a high bar on our very first project with Pinterest laid the foundation for an incredible relationship, allowing us to keep creating memorable activations with their team year after year.
3. NOLA Balcony Backdrop (Adult Party) Summer 2022
The Design Vision & Story:
AND… the cutest couple award goes to Jess and Zach! When Jess asked me to create a NOLA-themed porch/balcony, I was like, “You want WHAT?!?”
Not going to lie, this one took some serious thinking and engineering during fabrication! It looks simple on the surface, but there were so many intricate details built into it—from authentic balcony railing architecture to capturing that vibrant, authentic French Quarter porch atmosphere right inside a Chicagoland event space.
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Creative Problem-Solving: Transforming an ambitious, unconventional theme into a structural reality is where our custom shop truly shines.
- Detailed Fabrication: The beauty is all in the subtle architectural details that brought authentic New Orleans charm to the party focal point.
- Unforgettable Guest Impact: A theme this unique instantly set the vibe for the entire adult party, making it a standout photo backdrop everyone was talking about.
4. Pinterest Halloween 2024 – Western Gothic (Corporate Event & Brand Activation)
The Design Vision & Personal Story:
As a Chicago corporate event planner, producing experiences for global brands like Pinterest means constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional corporate event design. This custom installation may actually be my favorite backdrop of all time—mostly because I loved everything about this theme and the event itself!
When Pinterest partnered with our Chicagoland corporate event planning and fabrication team for their Halloween 2024 celebration, we dove headfirst into their trending “Western Gothic” aesthetic. To turn a corporate venue into an experiential brand activation, we balanced moody gothic elegance with vintage Western Americana—fabricating custom architectural shapes, rich textures, dark floral accents, and moody atmospheric lighting.
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Premier Chicago Corporate Event Design: Getting to fully immerse ourselves in such a rich, mood-driven corporate event concept allowed our in-house fabrication team to showcase top-tier creative craftsmanship.
- Experiential Brand Activation: The custom backdrop anchored the room, acting as an irresistible photo destination that seamlessly brought Pinterest’s brand aesthetic and trend forecast to life for attendees.
- Deep-Dive Event Recaps: Looking for inspiration for your next corporate party or brand activation in Downtown Chicago or the suburbs? Check out our full recap on our blog: Western Gothic Pinterest Halloween Party.
Me and Ana Maria, my amazing photographer testing out the Photo Moment.
Sometimes these mockups are so spot on it’s hard to tell which is the mockup and which is the final product 😉
5. “One Million Bubbles” Campaign at Equality Should Be Normal (April 2021)
The Design Vision & Personal Story:
This throwback to April 2021 holds a very special place in my heart. During the height of the pandemic, WE EVENTS pivoted heavily to custom balloon design to adapt and save my company—and this installation was proof of how powerful balloon art can be.
WE were so honored to participate in “ONE MILLION BUBBLES”, a global campaign of kindness where over 2,200 balloon artists across 81 countries created public displays to spread joy, light, and hope in a dark time.
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Community Impact: Installed right outside of Equality Should Be Normal, a Chicago NFP, creating an uplifting photo moment and bringing smiles to neighbors during a challenging time.
- Collaborative Signage: Hand-lettered signage created by our super talented friend, Heather Gentile Collins (because you definitely don’t want to see my handwriting!).
- Pivotal Company Moment: Marked a core turning point for WE Events as we expanded into large-scale organic balloon art and custom outdoor installations across Chicago.
6. Pinterest Kids Day: Bring Your Kids to Work Day (Corporate Event & Brand Activation) Summer 2025
The Design Vision & Personal Story:
Bring Your Kids to Work Day = Best. Coworkers. Ever. I had the absolute joy of planning Pinterest’s Bring Your Kid to Work Day for the second year in a row, and let’s just say—the office has never looked (or sounded) more fun!
As a Chicago corporate event planner specializing in experiential corporate brand activations, our goal was to transform the office into a vibrant, high-energy environment that sparked immediate wonder for guests of all ages. From keyboard takeovers and curious questions to a custom-built mini golf course, a creative Makers project station, a custom backdrop inspired by the talented Corrie in Color, and a full-on photo booth experience, every single detail was designed to spark joy, creativity, and connection.
Watching our future CEOs dream big and play even bigger was a heartwarming reminder of why I love leading corporate event design in Chicagoland—creating unforgettable corporate parties and brand activations that bring people together in meaningful, memorable ways.
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Artistic Inspiration Brought to Life: Channeling the bold, high-energy aesthetic of Corrie in Color, this custom backdrop was a triumph of corporate event design—blending vibrant color blocking with playfulness tailored specifically for a Pinterest brand activation.
- The Ultimate Photo Destination: The backdrop anchored the entire photo booth experience, creating an irresistible, picture-perfect moment where kids and parents alike could snap memories that brought the Pinterest aesthetic to life.
- Showcase of Custom Event Fabrication: Crafted by our Chicago corporate event fabrication team, the backdrop proved how strategic installation design can completely transform a corporate office space into a bright, immersive experience.
7. Double 50th Birthday: 90’s Hip Hip + 80’s Throwbacks )Milestone Birthday Party + immersive Event) Jan 2026
The Design Vision & Personal Story:
A 90s hip-hop party with 80s influences, celebrating a double 50th birthday for two incredible clients—and every detail came together exactly how we imagined (and then some)!
As a premier Chicago milestone party planner specializing in immersive private celebrations and corporate brand activations, our goal was to craft a nostalgic, high-energy environment where nothing was random and every detail told the story. From intentionally curated food stations where every bite matched the throwback theme to custom graffiti art by local Chicago artists, the experience was layered, immersive, and full of personality. We transformed the space with 24 feet of custom graffiti backdrops that pulled double duty—anchoring a retro “food court” for the stations before flipping into the ultimate photo moment.
Why It’s a Favorite:
- Dual-Purpose Custom Backdrops: Fabricated in collaboration with local Chicago graffiti artists, these bold backdrops anchored the entire visual concept—transitioning seamlessly from a throwback food court setting into a high-impact photo destination.
- Masterclass in Retro Milestone Party Styling: Designed by our Chicago milestone birthday event team, the backdrops set the perfect aesthetic tone, blending vibrant 80s color palettes with 90s street art elements to give the celebration an authentic, urban edge.
- Immersive Chicago Party Design & Fabrication: Proving how custom backdrop fabrication elevates experiential event design, the artwork provided a central visual landmark that kept guests immersed in the theme all night long.
- Deep-Dive Event Recaps: Looking for an experienced milestone party planner in Chicago or searching for inspiration for your next corporate party or brand activation in Downtown Chicago or the suburbs? Check out the full recap of this event on our blog HERE.
Ready to Elevate Your Next Chicago Event?
Whether you’re planning a high-impact corporate brand activation in Downtown Chicago, an unforgettable company-wide party, or a custom milestone celebration in the Chicagoland suburbs, our team is here to bring your vision to life. From initial concept design and custom backdrop fabrication to seamless day-of execution, we handle every detail so you can enjoy the moment.
Let’s create something extraordinary together!
Contact WE Events Today to schedule your consultation, or explore more event design inspiration and full recaps on our Blog.
