Corporate Events, The Ultimate Guide

It’s never a bad time to start planning your end of year corporate Christmas party, so get excited! This has got to be one of the most popular events on a business calendar for many reasons – it’s an opportunity to celebrate the success of another busy year, it allows your employees to mingle and network outside of business hours, and it’s a chance to show your gratitude to your employees for their hard work. Every good Christmas corporate function needs an iconic venue, plus some high quality vendors, and we’ve got a few up our sleeves.

For your upcoming corporate Christmas function, consider The Wool Mill. Located in Brunswick East, this warehouse is set over two levels, giving you ample room for speeches or awards ceremonies and offering guests plenty of space to mingle, dance and enjoy the event. With a festoon-lit laneway and a loading dock available too, you’ll have the opportunity for additional entertainment and extras like food trucks, or a mechanical bull to really get the party started for your end of year celebration.

If the bayside area is more your style, The Button Factory provides a unique, urban venue that boasts three spaces. Opt to party away in just one, or allow guests to flow between all three spaces throughout the celebration. Your team is bound to be impressed by what you can do with these blank canvas spaces, especially with some epic styling provided by The Goodsmiths that embodies your brand’s identity.

Our top tip for a grand end of year event? Consider a photographer to capture all of the good times! Our pick is Art of Grace, who specialise in snapping every detail, even the smallest ones, so that you and your guests can relive this memorable celebration for years to come.

Team building events are a must in your work events calendar, as they offer a great way for employees to get to know each other better, learn more about how they work best, and have a bit of fun outside of the office! Some team-building event ideas could include hosting a trivia competition, paint and sip, flower arranging class, scavenger hunt, brainstorming session, or game night where employees have the opportunity to work collaboratively.

For a successful team-building event, or company social day, we have plenty to offer you! Start your venue hunt by checking out Gather & Tailor in trendy West Melbourne. This rustic venue is set over two floors, with an outdoor deck area too, and brings those Uber-popular winery vibes to the city. Three spaces over two levels will offer you ample space for team building activities, as well as networking events, where guests have the opportunity to flow between the spaces, take part in activities, mingle, and of course enjoy delicious catering solutions provided by our in-house catering team, Refresh.

For a more intimate team-building event or networking day, consider Chapel 1885 in Collingwood. This loft-style space can accommodate up to 100 guests in the dining room which can be transformed to suit the style of your company team building day. With a bar set up located in the heart of the space, your guests can enjoy catering or a grazing table while they interact over the course of the team-building event.

When it comes to corporate functions and events, there are few as important and monumental as the launch party. Whether you’re launching a new product, brand, or company, you’ll want to ensure that there is an equally as amazing launch event location that will have guests remembering your company for years to come. For a truly unforgettable corporate launch party, get in touch with The Trust, located in the heart of Melbourne CBD. This luxe heritage space can hold up to 450 guests for a cocktail style corporate function where guests can roam between the marble bar area and the Grand Hall, taking in the architecture within the space and enjoying entertainment in the form of dancers, DJs and performers.

Every good corporate launch party also needs equally as spectacular styling to impress guests, and we have the perfect solution for you. The Goodsmiths are highly skilled stylists and designers who have created magic for Melbourne corporate events since day one, and are ready to ensure your branding and personality are at the forefront of your launch party. Think custom designed signage welcoming guests into the venue, hired furniture to add ambience and create a welcoming atmosphere, and styling items in your brands custom colours, adding texture and bespoke finishes to every surface.

Your dedicated event stylist will also take the reins in the process, eliminating any stress or uncertainty associated with the corporate function, meaning you get to focus on mingling the night away and showcasing your amazing new product or brand.

A presentation evening is the perfect opportunity to recognise the amazing talents and achievements of your team, so there’s no surprise that it is one of the most highly anticipated corporate functions for many businesses. There are many things to consider when hosting a memorable corporate awards night, and you’ll want to make sure that every box is ticked to ensure that the event goes off without a hitch.

First things first, the venue. The Ivory is our pick for an impressive presentation or awards night. Located in Elsternwick, just a stone’s throw away from Melbourne CBD, prepare to marvel in a grand ballroom space that is primed for formal sit down events. The ballroom can accommodate 300 guests for a seated dining experience around round tables, or 400 for a cocktail presentation evening, still leaving plenty of room for a dance floor and entertainment. The Ivory is sleek, classy and offers indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to roam throughout your presentation evening. The Rose Garden Terrace is a spectacular spot for guests to enjoy a pre-event drink, take photos amongst greenery, and enjoy some fresh air whilst still within the confines of this stunning Georgian-style venue.

For something a bit more modern and quintessentially Melbourne for your presentation evening, let us introduce you to Two Ton Max in North Melbourne. This corporate event venue is a blank canvas beauty, offering soaring ceilings, pendant lighting, and polished floors, providing the ultimate backdrop to a formal presentation evening. Guests will be seated along long timber tables within the space, whilst still offering a large space for the presentations and formalities to occur. With formalities out the way, guests will enjoy ample space for a dance floor, and can also take advantage of the quaint outdoor courtyard.

While the highlight of your corporate function will of course be the presentation portion of your evening, you’ll want to ensure that your guests are treated to a culinary experience, one which can be provided by Nudo’s in-house catering partner, Refresh. Most commonly, presentation evenings and award nights offer guests a formal sit down event, where guests can enjoy plated entrees, mains and desserts, with plenty of beverages on offer whilst the formalities take place. Refresh is highly experienced in serving guests at Melbourne corporate events across each of Nudo’s seven venues, including The Ivory and Two Ton Max, so you can rest assured that your guests will be well taken care of all night long.