AOK Events

For the third year running AOK Events have been placed in the Top 50 Great Places To Work in the UK, with us chalking up a remarkable 19th place in 2024 🎉 We are the only company of 50 employees or fewer from the hospitality industry to achieve this accolade. To say we are incredibly proud is an understatement. We have the best team! The last 12 months has been a ground-breaking one for the Company, with us becoming an employee-owned business after purchasing 65% of the company's shares from AOK Events shareholders through an Employee Ownership Trust. All of our staff are incredibly motivated to make unforgettable happen, day in day out, for our roster of wonderful clients. If you add in company trips to Morocco and Slovenia; 8 brilliant new members of staff; one of our best financial years on record; significant progress around improved employee wellbeing; becoming a more sustainable business; the launch of our new Destination Management Company, flexible working and countless nights out...you can see why we really are A Great Place To Work. #UKBestWorkplaces #bestworkplaces #gptwcertified

London is filled with exclusive members’ clubs, but did you know you can host your event in one? Offering a sense of exclusivity and sophistication, private members’ clubs are a popular option for a range of events, including meetings, drinks receptions and dinners. Take a look at some of our favourite members’ clubs with event spaces, available for hire: 🎨 The Groucho Club The Groucho Club is nestled in the heart of Soho, and is renowned for its beautiful contemporary art collection, forming a sophisticated backdrop for any event. 🖼️ Mortimer House Mortimer House is set in a seven-storey Art Deco building in the heart of Fitzrovia. Here, it brings together beautifully designed meeting rooms and dynamic event spaces under one roof. 🏙️ The Conduit Located in the heart of Covent Garden, The Conduit is home to private meeting spaces, a dedicated events floor, a lounge bar, a restaurant and a rooftop terrace overlooking the London skyline. 🗝️ The Twenty Two The Twenty Two is a boutique hotel and private members’ club set within an Edwardian manor, which overlooks London’s historic Grosvenor Square. Featuring 31 bedrooms and suites, the venue also offers several spaces that can be hired out for private events. 🛋️ Home Grown Established in 2019 as part of the Home House Collection, Home Grown is a stylish private members’ club set in a stunning six-storey Georgian building in the heart of Marylebone. The club features unique meeting spaces, plush business lounges, and 35 distinctive bedrooms. 👭 Allbright AllBright is a private members’ club for women to connect & collaborate. The club is housed in a gorgeous Mayfair Townhouse extended over five floors, with luxurious interiors and flexible spaces for events of all shapes and sizes. 📍 Eight Moorgate Just minutes from Liverpool Street Station and adjacent to Finsbury Square – Eight Moorgate is in the perfect location for any occasion. They offer eight fully serviced, flexible meeting rooms that can be customised to meet the unique needs of your event. 🏡 1 Warwick 1 Warwick has nine thoughtfully designed meeting rooms that vary in size and layout, accommodating up to 20 people. All rooms are equipped with the latest AV facilities and provide a relaxing and inviting atmosphere to give a ‘home from home’ feel for guests. ⚜️ Coya The very well-known restaurant in Mayfair has a hidden gem: a beautiful members’ club that can be hired out exclusively for events. Embellished with golden décor, an exotic marble topped bar and contemporary hanging art, the room is a beautiful space for all types of events. #venuefinding #membersclubs #exclusivespaces

Launching the Artist Series for Nicholson at Unit X 🖼️ Our client, Nicholson, was looking to host a launch party to celebrate their first artist collaboration with Shaquille-Aaron Keith, whom they asked to create two bespoke paintings for the labels of two flavours of Nicholson gin. Taking place on the opening evening of London Fashion Week, Nicholson wanted the event to have a “WOW” factor, appropriate for the high-profile guests and influencers. Through floristry, event décor, and a custom bar, we achieved a consistent feel and aesthetic for the event, drawing inspiration from Shaquille’s Caribbean roots. Celebrating the artworks and this new direction for the Nicholson brand, the evening was complemented by bespoke cocktails and themed canapés, while also showcasing the on-tap Nicholson cocktail range. What we did: 🔍 Venue sourcing and liaison ✏️ Delivered the full aesthetic design of the venue, including lighting and décor 🌺 Curated an immersive bottle display area featuring florals and elements from the artwork ⚡️ Provided enhanced venue AV and production 🍹 Arranged bespoke bar builds and design 🚚 Managed logistics for swag display and stock transport 🍊 Arranged catering, with a bespoke menu inspired by the theme and incorporating the gin 🎥 Coordinated content capture, including photographer and videographer 📋 Full AOK Events management The clients were absolutely delighted and the event exceeded expectations. We received really strong feedback, confirming that the event had served it’s intended purpose, generating buyer interest and the artist Shaquille Keith, was thrilled with the look and feel of the event and how his artwork was displayed, stating it was a big moment in his career. #brandlaunch #londonfashionweek #eventmanagement #artistseries

🐚 Back in the UK after an incredible few days at inVOYAGE Mykonos. The calibre of meetings was outstanding, with insightful and relevant information shared by the talented Julie Masters our guest keynote speaker. The beautiful backdrop of the destination made the experience even more memorable! Face-to-face time with 26 venues/hotel suppliers proved to be invaluable for knowledge building and I have come away inspired and excited to share my findings with clients and colleagues. It was also a great way to catch up with industry friends ❤️ new friendships were made along with a lot of laughs and memories! As someone in the events industry, I know how much goes into organizing a seamless event. The inVOYAGE team excelled in all aspects, running everything to perfection. Thank you to everyone involved in making an unforgettable weekend possible. 🎇 Until next time Mykonos … 🫶🏼 Myconian Collection Hotels & Resorts Eventmakers Nammos Hotels & Resorts inVOYAGE The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Richard Joslin #inVOYAGE #EventIndustry #Networking

No introduction needed for this jam-packed September Recap! 🍂   Event Highlights: 🚗 We were back in Monaco for the 25th year with Aon to support them with branded cars, various meetings and dinners for Rendez-Vous des September 🧖♀️ Hosted an event at Jo Malone where guests enjoyed a sensory experience 🌳 We assisted NetApp with an overnight meeting retreat at the beautiful Estelle Manor 🎨 Full installation and event management at Unit X, showcasing a gin launch, with bespoke bottle artwork décor, visual merchandising, themed canapés and cocktails with live DJs 🥂 Organised an evening drinks reception for Arch Insurance at the stunning Garden at 120; a public space that can’t be booked for events other than for residents of the building 🇬🇧 Assisted with a Partner’s Retreat for an international law firm which included coordinating 20+ private tours & activities over two days, alongside afterparties with entertainment at Jeru & Old Bank of England Pub 🇩🇪 Managed a conference, activities, hotel accommodation for a group of founders in Berlin Favourite venues booked: 🌸 Drinks reception at Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals 🖼️ Gala dinner at the V&A 🎤 Summit at the Kimpton 🪩 Party at Crazy Bear Favourite entertainment booked: 📸 AI Photo Booth, notebook foiling station and a DJ for LinkedIn 🎺 Fanfare Trumpeters, a Silhouette Artist and Roaming Band for Google's Global Team Event 🥁 LED Drummers for Girlguiding Volunteers Celebration  🎤 Ravneet Gill for the Food and Drink Federation Awards 🗽 Bespoke Greek statues for a client's event at Bacchanalia Corporate hospitality news: 🎈 Coldplay announced a record breaking 10 nights at Wembley Stadium in August and September 2025 🖤 Oasis added two September dates, so will be playing a total of 7 nights at Wembley Stadium 🏉 England start their Autumn International Series at home to the ‘All Black’s on Saturday 2nd November. The newly named ‘Allianz Stadium’ will also host fixtures against Australia, South Africa and Japan 🏏 We are now on-sale with England v India Test Match hospitality - 10th – 14th July 2025 🍽️ The team went to a number of our client’s offices this month for ‘Lunch & Learn’ sessions, sharing valuable insights to on corporate hospitality trends, 2025 event summary and when to book Company news: 🍹 We had team nights out at Clays and BAM Karaoke Box ❤️ We were recognised as a Great Place to Work in the Retail and Hospitality sector, our fourth GPTW accreditation this year 🌍 Charlie, Beth and Jon were invited on glamorous Fam Trips to Monaco, Mallorca and Dublin, while Hollie explored Mykonos at inVOYAGE   Favourite Trustpilot review 💚 “The AOK Events team, specifically Alice, have been absolutely outstanding to work with this year. Communication from start to finish is excellent, no ask is ever too much or too big, everything is managed professionally and to the highest standard.” #monthlyrecap #eventmanagement

Today was Giles Toosey’s last day for AOK Events , where he has been the most magnificent Non Exec for the last dozen years or so. He leaves, not because we’ve fallen out, not because he wants to work elsewhere, not because our funds for a consultant have dried up. He’s stopped working for us, because everything at AOK Events is working so seamlessly, we just don't need him like we used to. Over the last twelve years, he has professionalized almost every aspect of our business. He's helped upgrade our CRM, introduced a myriad of different sales processes and reports, overseen an accounts department overhaul and helped on three acquisitions. He loves helping people too and he has always provided an ear or sounding board for anyone at AOK Events who has needed some help. He leaves today with the endorsements of happy customers ringing in our ears, record sales, credit control under control, a happy workplace and a hugely exciting future ahead for us all, particularly with our EOT in place. He will be greatly missed and he has friends here for life. #events #eventprofs

How do you make the most of your in-office decor at Christmas? 🎄 Dressing your offices effectively for Christmas, brings many benefits from creating a backdrop for seasonal events and meetings to bringing cheer to your teams for the whole month of December. The key to successfully implementing this is a strong theme which brings consistency to your decorations and provides ideas for evening socials and in-office entertainment. Take a look at two of our favourite ideas that are sure to bring holiday cheer to your workplace... 🏔️ Alpine Ski Theme Create a memorable Alpine Ski theme with a cosy festive atmosphere that reflects the charm of a ski lodge. Below are some themes and ideas to consider: 🐻 Fur and Textiles: Use faux fur throws and pillows in earthy tones to add warmth and comfort to seating areas. 🕯️ Warm Lighting: Opt for soft, ambient lighting with string lights, lanterns, and candles to enhance the ambiance. ⛷️ Ski and Snowboard Props: Display vintage skis, snowboards, and snowshoes as decorative accents or repurpose them as unique furniture pieces such as coat rails or tables. 🎄 Festive Touches: Integrate subtle festive elements such as tartan blankets, plaid napkins, and pine-scented candles to evoke the spirit of a holiday mountain retreat. 🪩 Arctic Disco Theme An Arctic Disco theme combines the icy allure of the Arctic with the energetic vibe of a disco. Below are our ideas to bring this unique theme to life: 🧊 Ice Sculptures and Icy Accents: Dress the venue with ice sculptures or ice-inspired centrepieces, such as frosted vases or branded ice cubes. ⚡️ Lighting Effects: Use LED lights or disco balls that reflect off walls and ceilings, creating a sparkling, icy effect reminiscent of the Northern Lights. 🛋️ Furniture and Seating: Choose sleek, modern furniture in cool tones, such as transparent acrylic chairs or white leather sofas with faux fur throws. 🐧 Arctic Wildlife Accents: Integrate subtle nods to Arctic wildlife with polar bear or penguin figurines as table centrepieces or decorative accents. #inofficeparties #christmastheming #christmasparties #eventdesign

Christmas parties aren't the same without a cracking entertainment act! ✨ With the Christmas event season fast approaching, we are busy helping our clients find the perfect entertainment act for their Christmas parties. Whether you are organising a big party for 500 people or booking a private dining room for an intimate dinner, the right entertainment act will make the evening unforgettable. Take a look at some of our favourite acts for this season: 🥁 Light Drummers Our light drummers deliver a mesmerising street theatre show that combines high impact drumming with kaleidoscopic lighting design. 🎷 Jazz Band With her distinctive voice and vintage-inspired style, London-based singer, Sarah, is in strong demand as a performer both in the UK and beyond. 🃏 Tarot Card Reader Her sleight of hand creates a fantastic atmosphere of laughter and merriment. Our corporate Tarot Card Reader is a cornucopia of magic and will delight and intrigue diverse modern audiences. 📸 Themed Photo Booths Capture the good times shared with friends and colleagues with a fun and unique photo booth session customised for your corporate event. 🎨 Sketching Duo A traditional, yet contemporary alternative to the photo booth, each masterpiece has the fingerprint of years of hard work, which will last a lifetime! 🪄 Magician Sonia Sonia is the most talked about woman in the magic industry with her dynamic, warm, charismatic and innovative way of performing. #christmasentertainment #makeunforgettablehappen #christmasparty #evententertainment

It was a pleasure working with ClearBank and Jo Malone London on their Women in Fintech event 💅

I spent last weekend exploring the wonderful city of Dublin, at the kind invitation of MHL Hotel Collection. Thank you, Carlo Boersma, for a wonderful time! I stayed, firstly, at the incredible Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa (where I got my first taste of falconry 🦅) before spending a second night at the newly refurbished The College Green Hotel Dublin. The rich culture and history of Dublin is definitely worth the short trip from the UK and, with company as good as mine was, you're guaranteed a great time. Thank you to all of the generous hosts for your hospitality and for showing me an excellent first time in Ireland! It certainly won't be my last 🍻