Meetings Expertise from Gaylord Hotels

Inspiration from Within

Get inspired by Gaylord Hotels' meetings and events leaders with tips, trends and extraordinary events.

Current Stories

Partners in Sustainability

Approximately six weeks before the start of the conference, the meeting planner for the Commvault GO Customer Conference, Janyce Harper, alerted her assigned event manager that they would like to be a “green” conference. Denise Herrington, Assistant Director of Event Planning, brought this to the attention of the Sustainability Committee on property and they burst into action.

Exterior of Gaylord National and Capital Wheel on Potomac River

Optimizing Networking

Meeting planners know that one of the top reasons people attend a meeting or convention is to network. Understanding this important facet of a meeting can play a large role in deciding on which destination to choose for an event. View the top five things to look for when picking a destination to enhance networking opportunities.

Non-traditional Event Space

Creating unique experiences for attendees starts with choosing the right venue for the right reasons. Thinking outside the hotel ballroom, event planners are seeking out less traditional options to “wow” guests.

Gala event setup at Gaylord Palms - Band on stage and cocktail tables surrounding dancefloor

A "Wonderland Event"

A returning incentive group with more than 2,000 attendees was searching for “big” and “out of the box.” The event needed to dazzle but the client also preferred to keep the event onsite if possible. With the bar set high, the Gaylord Palms team proposed an event that would transform the existing available spaces into a multi-layered, immersive “Wonderland” event.

Delivering Cool Experiences

A large corporate meeting’s three-day immersive event at Gaylord Opryland was intended to not only support its goal of driving innovation, but to deliver cool and interesting experiences their millennial attendees would love along the way.

Food display on ladder at Gaylord National

Customer Culinary Design

As more meeting attendees seek vegan and gluten-free dining options, Gaylord National Resort’s events team is developing creative ways to please its guests. The resort has gone beyond its culinary offerings and is customizing how it prepares, packages and displays its food and beverage selections.

Top 5 Summer Food Trends

Remember when kale and brussels sprouts were the "it" vegetables of the season? Not this spring and summer! Gaylord National Resort's executive chef has been following food trends across the country to offer the hottest new items on the resort's menus for meeting planners to choose from. Five trends that are guaranteed to appeal to your attendees include...

Recipe For Success

At a recent pre-planning event at Gaylord Palms Resort, a specialty cocktail served at one of the restaurant bars was a hit with the meeting planner. With a chance to discover and delight, Gaylord Palms STARS recreated the drink to share with all event attendees at their end of event party. Just because it isn't on the menu, doesn't mean we can't do it!

Cocktail pouring at cocktail station at Gaylord National

"One-Up" the Trends

From cooking talk shows to competitions, and Tasty videos to Pinterest, we all feel like budding chefs and mixologists. At Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD, our own culinary masters want to help your attendees hone their skills!

Nostalgia: The 80s Live On

Say What? One of the biggest trends in the meeting and events industry is to embrace the past through decade theming. At the top of the list, it appears the 80s live on according to the large number of customer requests at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

Creating the WOW Factor

When Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center was tasked with creating an event to showcase innovation for an annual top corporate customer event, the resort team brainstormed a show-stopping progressive event experience touching all the senses throughout its 180,000-square-foot exhibit hall.

#cdcovergirls2016

At a recent client celebration at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, the sales team created a themed event from invitation to amenities to highlight the clients as fashion cover girls.

Kitchen Parties

Someone's in the kitchen with our staff – it's you! Kitchen Parties are not a new trend, but Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center has found ways to maintain a unique appeal.

From Our Kitchen To Yours

Enjoy one of our most commonly requested recipes from our meeting attendee and planner guests. This crowd-pleaser is sure to WOW around your table this holiday season.

Theming to "Spark" Performance

Seeking a one-of-a-kind event that would help drive home a message of empowerment and tie in to Nashville’s “Music City” moniker, a customer challenged the Gaylord Opryland team to develop an evening that would leave a lasting impression on its attendees.

Deepening Connections While Giving Back

A customer in the healthcare industry was seeking a fun, large scale activity to facilitate deeper connections among its 2,400 attendees during their conference.

F&B Trends

With a hotel as large as Gaylord Opryland, the Culinary Team is hyper-focused on making sure every dining experience—whether for 10 or 10,000—is excellent. With summer underway, here are the trends they are seeing: