BiZBash president Richard Aaron and editor in chief Chad Kaydo presented the awards, which recognized planners' achievements in 2003. Big winner EventQuest picked up prizes in two of the 10 categories: best food presentation and best overall event decor. BiZBash CEO David Adler inducted Preston Bailey into the BiZBash Event Style Hall of Fame, joining Robert Isabell and Chris Giftos. After receiving their Corporate Presence-designed awards, winners posed for photographs in front of Okamoto Studio's BiZBash-branded ice sculpture adjacent to the stage.

Before and after the awards presentation, entertainment was ample—and eye-catching. Michael Bongar Entertainment supplied entertainers like aerialist troupe Corde de Lise, pyrotechnic artist Flambeaux and Grinder Girl, who ground power tools against her metal corset to create fiery showers of sparks. The Screaming Queens' drag queens, Shelly Bomb's dancers and Pink Inc.'s Sea Divas performed on platforms throughout the dance space in the main room. In a copper-hued adjoining room, the entertainment was racier: ThePartyCrew.net's nearly naked male models, painted by Peter Brown to look like wild animals, posed around the walls of the space.

Throughout the event, Match Catering and Eventstyles servers passed hors d'oeuvres like wild mushroom turnovers, crab cakes, tuna tartare, and lobster rolls. But caterwaiters never heard the typical question, "What have you got there?" Guests could just read the servers' T-shirts, which identified the menu selections they carried—a simple idea that impressed many of the seen-it-all planners at the event. Later in the evening, a dessert buffet opened on the mezzanine level offering chocolate, fresh berries and coffee.

—Alesandra Dubin

Read about this year's award winners...

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Read our coverage of the 2002 awards...