It really is the finer details that makes the biggest difference.

Some events are special because of their sheer size, others because of the beautiful location, and some might even stand out because of an interesting guestlist. And then there are those events that are so memorable and unique because of the finer details that take the entire production to a whole new level.

The Kraken Kristmas activation was one such event. “Let’s have Christmas in July,” they said. “Let’s make it a dark, mysterious Kraken-style Christmas,” they said. So we did. From a curated blackened feast to snow falling during dinner, black Christmas wreaths to carollers singing Kraken-themed songs, every single little detail was considered and curated. The overall effect was immersive and utterly, well, Krakenified.

And to think it went from concept development to the final event in just 10 weeks… Oh, and did we mention, the exclusive dinner for 100 guests was staged in three states over three weeks?

“The client briefed us on the concept of ‘Christmas in July’, and how they wanted it in three states over three weeks, so we set about developing the concepts to bring this extraordinary vision to life,” explains Flying Ruby’s founder and managing director, Kelly Lewis. “We first had to map out the budget allocation for each area – from the food and beverage experience to the entertainment, the styling, the bump in/out, freight/travel and staffing – before we could get really creative.”

First stop, of course, was the food and beverage experience as this needed to be the hero of the evening. “We worked with our incredible partners, The Drink Cabinet, to curate a cocktail menu (check out our favourite recipe below) that complemented the amazing food menu curated by the executive chef at each of the three venues,” says Kelly. “We purchased the crockery, cutlery and specialty glassware, bringing all of these elements into the event to ensure we kept the theme through all elements of service.”

From there, the team worked through the styling in each area, starting with the guest entry, which is key. “There’s this 10 to 12-minute window with events when people arrive, that can really set the tone for the entire evening,” explains Kelly. “If you create a seamless entry experience and make guests feel like they are the only person in the room, they walk into your event with a positive outlook and generally keep that vibe moving into the event. It’s so important to get that right.”

The team also focused on tablescapes, photo moments and printed collateral, before moving on to entertainment and staff outfits, ensuring the theme flowed through all elements of the event. This is what gave the evening its magic – those intricate styling details. These also happened to be Kelly’s favourite part of the evening. That, and the unique food and beverage offering, of course.

“I really loved the little touches that we created on the night – the black-styled Christmas trees, which were no mean feat to source in the middle of July! – the custom-designed Christmas hats, the bon bons filled with mini-Kraken bottles, the custom placemats, table numbers and menus for the stunning tablescapes. Even the Christmas presents sitting under the trees (which were also decorated with mini-Kraken rum bottles) were wrapped in custom-designed Kraken paper. Then, as the snow began to fall as guests took their seats for dinner, the whole scene became breathtaking.”

Speaking of dinner, the menus were also something to behold, as they complemented the entire theme perfectly. The expert chefs at Porteño in Sydney, A Hereford Beefstouw in Melbourne, and The Flour Factory in Perth pulled out all the stops to create dishes like spiced black pudding, mulled wine braised octopus with cuttlefish rice, black garlic beef rib, and ash Kraken rum baba with liquorice cream. The cocktails, designed to showcase The Kraken Spiced Rum, certainly weren’t an overthought. Guests were served delicious Kraken Espresso Martinis, Sucker Punch and Spiced Egg Fogg – perfect for this time of year.

Here’s how you can make one of them in bulk for your party at home…

Spiced Egg Fogg Recipe

INGREDIENTS

24 egg yolks

12 egg whites

3 cups caster sugar

2 litres milk

1 litre cream

700ml The Kraken

3 cloves

1 tbsp orange marmalade

4 star anise

2 large cinnamon quills

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 nutmeg grated

METHOD

1. Heat cream, milk, marmalade and spices in a large pot for 30 minutes
2. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks together, slowly adding The Kraken rum, bit by bit
3. Let the milk/cream spice mix cool slightly then add to the yolks and sugar mix
4. Ladle into glasses
5. In a new bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks
6. Add the egg whites to the top and brulee until crispy
7. Sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish with star anise

If you’d like Flying Ruby to create a magical event for you, one that focuses on the finer details, get in touch HERE.