2026 BEST TABLESCAPE
Official Rules and Regulations
SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY:
August 6th, 2026 by 11:59 pm
WHAT ARE THE ARIZONA NACEy AWARDS:
The awards are designed to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts, performance and outstanding contributions of NACE members and future members in the special events industry. Winners will be recognized at our Awards Gala on Sunday, September 20th, 2026.
WHO CAN ENTER:
Any NACE member or future NACE Member.
WHO JUDGES THE AWARDS:
In order to maintain fairness in the judging, the awards are submitted anonymously. They are judged by a NACE Chapter with no affiliations to our Phoenix Chapter. Scores are returned to Phoenix NACE and totaled to determine winners in each award category.
HOW DO I ENTER:
All entries are submitted through the Phoenix NACE website. Be sure to follow all of the rules and submit your entry by the noted deadline. All entries must be for events that occurred between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
AWARDS SUBMISSION RULES:
Follow the step-by-step instructions and category-specific guidelines for your entry to be valid. The event must be from July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026. The event entry cannot be from other organizations in the same industry. Please complete all fields, including collateral attachments, and must not include the company name, website or logo to keep anonymity and remove any judging bias.
WHAT IS THE COST:
Submission fees:
$100.00 for members *email joann@aproposcreations.com for your $50.00 discount code
$150.00 for future members.
WHO DO I REACH OUT TO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?
You can reach out to Joy Edwards, our Awards Committee Co- Chair at joy@aproposcreations.com
WHO CAN ENTER:
Event planners, producers, and coordinators
Meeting planners
Wedding consultants and party planners
Facility and venue managers
Institutions (educational, cultural, and non-profit)
Best Tablescape (100 Points Total)
The Best Tablescape Award recognizes outstanding design, creativity, and execution in tablescape styling for social, nonprofit, and special events, including Mitzvahs, birthdays, retirement parties, galas, fundraisers, and similar celebrations. Please do not include the names of individuals in your submission. Instead, title your submission using the event name or theme rather than the name of the celebrant, organization, company, or individual.
Overview: (30 Points Each)
- Concept, Goals & Creative Direction (30 points) What was the theme or concept of the table scape? What were the goals and objectives for this display, and how were they accomplished? How was the working relationship with the client or event team? Include collaboration, research, vision boards, and the creative process. Up to 500-1000 word limit
- Planning & Production Process (30 points) Outline the planning and production process from concept through post-production. Include design development, vendor coordination, setup logistics, and breakdown. Describe how the design evolved from planning through execution. Up to 500-1000 word limit
WOW Factor: (20 Points)
- Design Integration & Guest Experience (20 points) Did the event location and its unique features contribute to the décor and overall design? How did everything work together to create a cohesive tablescape experience? Did the table scape demonstrate cohesive and creative integration of linens, florals, rentals, tabletop décor, lighting, or signage? How did the tablescape enhance the overall event theme, guest experience, and atmosphere? Up to 500-1000 word limit
Materials (20 points) – all materials must be submitted to receive full credit for this portion of the submission
Upload the overall event planning timeline and day-of setup schedule.
Upload 1-4 examples of printed or digital materials that supported the theme (menu cards, signage, name cards, etc.).
Upload 5–6 high-quality photos that best showcase the tablescape. Examples include tabletop design, place settings, centerpiece details, linen selection, rentals, and lighting.
Optionally, submit one video segment (max two minutes) via link (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) to further illustrate the design.
