Looking for inspiration for your next event? Put down those weighty design books and step outside – there’s so much beauty to inspire you!

Natural materials not only look and feel great, they can also be better for the environment and inspire a sense of well being in your guests.

Animal and insect motifs, meanwhile, can add an element of the exotic to your event, transporting guests to the hot and dusty plains of Africa or perhaps a magical, woodland glade.

Check out the 20 ideas below to make your next event truly wild.

1. Animal print napkins

Animal print can make a bold statement. These napkins introduce an element of safari chic and add interest to the table without being overly themed.

2. Butterfly table centres

These suspended butterflies bring an otherwise plain space to life, adding both colour and motion. Guests will feel that one could land on them at any moment!

3. Plant pot desserts

Never has mud looked so delicious! These plant pot-themed chocolate mousses will both tempt and amuse your guests.

4. Cork invitations

Send your invitations out printed on sustainable cork and guests can re-use them as coasters.

5. Floral art

You really can ‘say it with flowers’ with a stunning piece of floral art such as this one, designed for a brand party at Coachella festival.

6. Grass place mats

Bring a gorgeous vivid green to the table with place mats made from real grass. Just make sure your turf is free of bugs!

7. Animal projection

You can use projection mapping to instantly change the mood of any space. These beautiful Celtic-inspired animals bring an air of mysticism to the Edinburgh Tattoo.

8. Hanging garden

Hanging gardens let you bring gorgeous greenery into the most urban of spaces. Add illuminated letters, as seen here, to create a really striking installation.

9. LED dancers

Dancers and aerial artistes wearing LED costumes can appear like exotic butterflies, fireflies and colourful insects lighting up the skies.

10. Tree stump serving stands

Cut logs of varying heights make fantastic natural serving stands for buffet tables.

11. Moss carpet

Moss can easily be planted in any space to provide a beautifully textural ‘carpet’. It’s so tactile, you could also consider creating a sensory space and allowing guests to go bare foot.

12. Toadstall canapés

These woodland-inspired canapés are more than mere morsels – they’re miniature works of art. This caterer has also found an innovative way to label food.

13. Nest seating

Why have boring sofas when you can have a comfy nest instead? They’re bound to be popular, so guests will have to be early birds to get a seat!

14. Succulent place holders

These potted succulents make unusual place holders. They can also double as a take-home gift for guests.

15. Stone art

Stones have an honest and earthy quality to them, which make them nice to touch and soothing to look at. Placing them in a wire frame lets you easily form them in any shape you please.

16. Tree canopy

Place a stylistic tree in your event’s central space and you can create a natural gathering point – it will be a talking point too!

17. Branch table centres

Save on fresh flowers by opting for striking bare branches instead, which you can decorate to suit your colour scheme.

18. Twig pencils

Bring a touch of nature to your meeting with these twig pencils. They’re more sustainable than plastic pens and make a nice gift for delegates to pass on to their kids.

19. Jam jar drinks

Encourage guests to let their hair down and go wild with these zebra print, jam jar glasses. Fill them with cocktails and party animals will be desperate to get their paws on them.

20. Twig stools

Wonderfully simple, but fabulously stylish, these twig stools can easily be made in a variety of sizes to serve as seating, tables or even a bar.

Conclusion

The best design is not always man-made; look to nature and the animal kingdom for design ideas that will breathe a breath of fresh air into your events.