UVU President's Scholarship Ball 2025
A full-scale enchanted forest gala at the UCCU Center — two complete environments, five days of production, a 136-panel LED video wall, and 67 tables of custom floral centerpieces.
Two environments. One vision. Five days to build it.
The UVU President's Scholarship Ball is Utah Valley University's marquee annual fundraising event — a black-tie gala that raises scholarship funding for students across the university. The 2025 edition at the UCCU Center called for an enchanted forest theme carried through every element of the evening, from the outdoor boxwood arch at the entrance to the life-size butterfly scenic on the arena main stage.
In The Event built two complete environments: a fully designed reception space with custom lounge areas, a 9.5-foot faux wishing tree bar, butterfly entrance arch, and boxwood living frame photo experiences — and a fully produced arena floor with a 136-panel LED video wall, rigged chandelier installations, custom floral stage scenic, 67 tables of centerpieces across three distinct collections, and a concert-level lighting. One team built all of it across five days.
Two Complete Environments
The reception and the arena were designed as two chapters of the same story — the enchanted forest theme moving from the entrance doors all the way to the main stage.
- Outdoor boxwood arches on stair landings
- Butterfly entrance arch with twinkle lights
- 9.5' faux wishing tree bar with custom 4-sided graphics
- Four custom lounge area types — seats 44+
- 3× boxwood living frame photo experiences with gold enchanted frame graphics
- 4 service bars with full custom graphics
- Custom floral light projections lighting with LED projectors
- Fairy lights, lanterns, and brass cocktail lamps throughout
- 136-panel LED video wall with LED storyboard design
- Three hanging chandelier installations with greenery and LED orbs
- Life-size 3' butterfly scenic installations throughout arena
- Six life-size floral installations
- 10 boxwood hedges framing stage scenic
- Concert-level lighting — movers, wash, wireless light tubes, wireless light tubes, haze
- 67 tables across 3 custom centerpiece collections
- Driftwood and Northern Birch dance floors
Every table told a different part of the story.
The Challenge
The UCCU Center is a multi-purpose arena — not a ballroom. Transforming it into a black-tie enchanted forest gala environment required building every atmospheric element from scratch: draping, scenic, lighting, furniture, and florals all working together to make 16,000 square feet of arena floor feel intimate and magical.
The five-day production window was divided precisely — different crews working on the reception space, the arena main floor, the stage, and the final detail work in coordinated phases so nothing collided. The reception had to be complete and dressed before the arena team could finish their work. The centerpieces couldn't go on the tables until the lighting was focused and the dance floors were laid. The topiary horse, the butterfly scenic, and the wishing tree each required their own installation sequence.
- Arena-to-gala transformation from scratch
- Two environments running simultaneously in build
- 136-panel LED wall rigged and programmed
- Three chandelier installations, hung overhead
- 67 tables dressed across 3 centerpiece designs
- Life-size butterfly scenic fabricated and placed
- Custom topiary horse with floral accents
- Concert-level lighting — moving heads, color wash, hazeging
Services Delivered
From the outdoor entrance to the arena main stage — every element of the enchanted forest environment designed, sourced, built, and staffed by In The Event.
The Modular LED System
One product. Every touchpoint. The modular acrylic frame system was configured four different ways across the UVU Ball — each one back-lit, branded, and built to fit its specific role in the environment.
The Execution
The build started October 6th and ran through October 10th — five days of coordinated work across two environments. The arena lighting and rigging crew went first, using aerial lifts to hang the overhead rig and focus lights while the floor was clear. The LED wall went in next. The reception space built out in parallel, with lounge areas, photo experiences, and the wishing tree installation all staged in sequence.
By the time centerpiece florals arrived on the 10th, the dance floors were down, the table linens were on, and the light projections were focused and tested. Three hundred guests walked into a fully realized enchanted forest — from the outdoor boxwood arch to the butterfly scenic on the main stage — and found something that looked like it had always been there.
- 5-day coordinated build across 2 environments
- Aerial lifts for overhead rigging
- 136-panel LED wall with custom storyboard
- 3 chandeliers rigged and dressed with greenery
- Life-size butterfly scenic fabricated on site
- Custom topiary horse with floral installation
- 67 tables — 3 centerpiece collections placed
- Full concert lighting focused and programmed
From the Gala Floor
A look at the reception, arena scenic, centerpieces, and lighting In The Event built for the UVU President's Scholarship Ball 2025.
Reception Lounges
Teal and gray velvet sofas arranged around textured ottomans and rugs under chandelier light — one of four lounge area types across the reception floor.
Main Stage
A lush forest path on the LED wall, flanked by illuminated book-shaped pillars and large paper flowers — with glowing stair risers at the base.
Statement Pieces
A Cinderella carriage and custom topiary horse draped in colorful flower garlands against a boxwood hedge wall — two of the evening's most photographed installations.
Registration Counter
ITE's signature back-lit acrylic modular counter system — teal glowing panels branded for the 35th Annual President's Scholarship Ball, with boxwood wall and chandelier behind.
Centerpiece Collections
67 tables across three collections — Mossy Forest, Whimsical Forest, and Living Story — each with distinct florals, candles, and styling designed to feel like three different corners of the same forest.
Photo Experiences
A boxwood feature wall with ornate gold frames, twinkling fairy lights, trailing ivy, and gold butterfly accents — one of three living frame photo experiences in the reception space.
How We Built It
Five days of build. One evening to run it. One night to clear.
Arena load-in begins. Rigging crew with 85-foot boom lifts hangs overhead rigging, motors, and chandelier infrastructure. Stage deck build and LED wall installation starts. Lighting cable package pulled.
Reception environment builds in parallel — lounge areas, service bars, wishing tree installation, living frame photo ops, and boxwood entrance arch. Arena floor continues: LED wall completion, lighting focus, stage scenic framing, and boxwood hedges placed.
Dance floors laid, table linens dressed, and all 67 centerpiece collections placed by the floral team. Life-size butterfly scenic and topiary horse installed. Custom floral light projections lighting focused and tested. Outdoor boxwood arches set on stair landings. Full technical rehearsal and pre-show video check.
Doors opened at 5pm. Full gala run through 10pm with show callers, lighting and audio engineers, video wall technicians, and stage managers across both environments. Strike began immediately at close — full clearout by 3am.
Ready to build something this good?
Tell us about your next gala, scholarship event, or large-scale production. In The Event handles everything from concept to close.
