New York decor star Mark Musters (who won the event's Rising Star award) presented ideas for innovative events at the Event Solutions Expo in St. Louis.
Some of the leaders of New York's special events industry left Manhattan's August heat to head to St. Louis for Event Solutions magazine's Event Solutions Expo. More than 1,000 attendees from across the country came to the event, which featured a trade show, educational seminars and awards, plus numerous evening events staged around the city.
During the day, attendees walked a show floor filled with national exhibitors (including New Yorkers Barbara Davis of Cloth Connection and Mike Rosenthal of Apex Plastics) and checked out education sessions crafted by the Event Solutions staff. One highlight: David Tutera of David Tutera Inc. presented four diverse, innovative table setting designs.
The evenings' activities were launched with an opening icebreaker cocktail party hosted by Bobbi Taylor of Indianapolis' BT Events Productions Inc. and sponsored by Absolute Amusements of Orlando. And the location of the International Caterers Association's event had guests talking: Held at a venue called Mad Art--a former St. Louis police station--the party had caterwaiters costumed as police officers distributing handcuffs and food. Lockups in former holding cells offered guests a unique perspective.
The expo's Masterpiece Event of the Century: A Journey Through Fantasy event was designed to showcase top event designers and entertainers under one roof. Produced by Bobbi Taylor, the event included a team of top industry designers who used several ballrooms at St. Louis' Chase Park Plaza Hotel. A team from Dallas put together a heaven "Dreamscape" room, with angels in marabou halos guiding guests through clouds, which set a fun tone. Crossing a wood-planked bridge took guests to a jungle habitat complete with real wild animals from crocs to baby tigers. Just beyond that, a fantastic design (called "Life is a Bed of Roses") by John Daly Jr. included dozens of beds in a room filled with rose petals and pajama-clad waiters. On the rooftop the "Mystery Casbah" staged by Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings Inc. in Newport included fireworks displays, and a ballroom with Sean DeFreitas's "Fantasy of the Imagination" theme used innovative fabric designs and included MC Marvelless Mark leading a fantasy fashion show blowout as the evening's finale.
The end of the expo was the Spotlight awards dinner hosted by Event Solutions publisher John Baragona and editor in chief Kristin Beers in the Hyatt Regency's ballroom. The event, entitled Ignite Your Imagination, began with an edgy ice-carving performance by Fear No Ice, and included 23 awards. New York decor star Mark Mustersof Musters & Company won the event's Rising Star award (over nominees including New York's Matthew David Hopkins of Matthew David Events). And BiZBash's own president Richard Aaron was honored with the Visionary of the Year award.
During the day, attendees walked a show floor filled with national exhibitors (including New Yorkers Barbara Davis of Cloth Connection and Mike Rosenthal of Apex Plastics) and checked out education sessions crafted by the Event Solutions staff. One highlight: David Tutera of David Tutera Inc. presented four diverse, innovative table setting designs.
The evenings' activities were launched with an opening icebreaker cocktail party hosted by Bobbi Taylor of Indianapolis' BT Events Productions Inc. and sponsored by Absolute Amusements of Orlando. And the location of the International Caterers Association's event had guests talking: Held at a venue called Mad Art--a former St. Louis police station--the party had caterwaiters costumed as police officers distributing handcuffs and food. Lockups in former holding cells offered guests a unique perspective.
The expo's Masterpiece Event of the Century: A Journey Through Fantasy event was designed to showcase top event designers and entertainers under one roof. Produced by Bobbi Taylor, the event included a team of top industry designers who used several ballrooms at St. Louis' Chase Park Plaza Hotel. A team from Dallas put together a heaven "Dreamscape" room, with angels in marabou halos guiding guests through clouds, which set a fun tone. Crossing a wood-planked bridge took guests to a jungle habitat complete with real wild animals from crocs to baby tigers. Just beyond that, a fantastic design (called "Life is a Bed of Roses") by John Daly Jr. included dozens of beds in a room filled with rose petals and pajama-clad waiters. On the rooftop the "Mystery Casbah" staged by Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings Inc. in Newport included fireworks displays, and a ballroom with Sean DeFreitas's "Fantasy of the Imagination" theme used innovative fabric designs and included MC Marvelless Mark leading a fantasy fashion show blowout as the evening's finale.
The end of the expo was the Spotlight awards dinner hosted by Event Solutions publisher John Baragona and editor in chief Kristin Beers in the Hyatt Regency's ballroom. The event, entitled Ignite Your Imagination, began with an edgy ice-carving performance by Fear No Ice, and included 23 awards. New York decor star Mark Mustersof Musters & Company won the event's Rising Star award (over nominees including New York's Matthew David Hopkins of Matthew David Events). And BiZBash's own president Richard Aaron was honored with the Visionary of the Year award.
