New year, new trends! Meaghan and Rylee go head-to-head to reveal their 2026 event design forecast. This episode is all about what’s hot, what’s not, and what attendees really want out of event design.

We chat about moving away from "overly polished" into human-centric design that gives attendees authentic, tactile experiences. Think things like AI concepting, nostalgic themes, and interactive event badge designs attendees will actually want to keep!

HOW TO GET RYLEE’S DECK: Email us at EventConnection@pcnametag.com and mention the "Event Design Trends presentation" to see all the visuals behind this podcast! Then, use Rylee's ideas to inspire your next mood board or client pitch.

TIMESTAMPS

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00:00 – Introduction 01:32 - Meet Rylee Hubbard! 03:19 - Pantone of 2026: Ugly or not? 04:42 - The Trend of "Imperfect by Design" 08:14 - Design Trends and Predictions 08:38 - Trend 1: AI Driven Design 10:34 - Trend 2: Candid Camera Roll 13:10 - Trend 3: Immersive Design 15:04 - Trend 4: Collage Aesthetics 17:07 - Trend 5: Sustainability Design 20:04 - Trend 6: Inclusive Design 22:10 - Trend 7: Exaggerated Fonts 24:53 - Trend 8: Nostalgic Mashups 28:07 - Graphic Design "Icks" 29:59 - Our Event Design "Hot Takes" 33:31 - Get Rylee's Event Design Trends Deck

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Take your event planning career to the next level! Meaghan and Brooke go head-to-head to reveal their ultimate “Top 5” lists for industry professionals, including THEIR favorite picks for top event planning podcasts, events, influencers, and books.

Here's where to spend your time and attention to stay ahead of the curve! Start by connecting with event influencers on LinkedIn, attending an event, checking out a new book, or subscribing to a good podcast (...like this one)!

TOPICS COVERED: Best resources for event planners, event planning podcasts, event planning conferences, networking events, event influencers, best books for event planners

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00:00 – Welcome!

02:08 – Top 5 Podcasts

11:27 – Top 5 Events

20:30 – Top 5 Influencers

30:10 – Top 5 Books

45:01 – Closing Remarks

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Event registration can either be totally fun or a logistical nightmare (IYKYK).

In this episode, Megan and Meaghan share their favorite tips for transforming the conference and event registration process from a point of stress into an exciting first touchpoint for attendees!

By the end of this episode, you'll know how to turn event check-in into an interactive experience, accommodate last-minute registrations, help lines move faster, and stay ahead of the game with event badge printing.

TOPICS COVERED: Event registration tips for planners, how to streamline event check-in, last-minute event registration strategy

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00:00 - Let's get started!

01:49 - Event Registration Positives

04:06 - Event Registration Struggles

06:21 - Event Registration QUICK TIPS!

12:02 - Making Registration INTERACTIVE!

16:45 - Closing Advice & Secrets

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