Roving performers greeted guests.
Photo: Nancy Behall
Heffernan Morgan Ronsley's star-like light fixtures hung from the ceiling of the wing's Griffin Court.
Photo: Nancy Behall
Frost's lighting bathed the courtyard in a wintery blue hue.
Photo: Nancy Behall
Projections of falling snow drifted down the walls.
Photo: Nancy Behall
The design concept touched all areas of Skylight SoHo's 15,000-square-foot interior, including the hallway, which Target remodeled into a Parisian-style boulevard with lampposts, painted illustrations of buildings, and trees surrounded by benches.
Photo: Nilaya Sabnis
Surrounded by camellia trees, the promenade area was redone as a garden space, reminiscent of Jean Cocteau's classic La Belle et la Bête. The room highlighted Chanel's fine jewelry collection alongside flowers that shone with diamonds.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
GBK Golden Globes Gift Suite
GBK hosted a lounge including gifts and services on Friday and Saturday at the L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Photo: Courtesy of GBK
An over-size picnic table continued the warm-weather motif and provided a creative setting for the brand to showcase the brightly colored tableware in the Sandra by Sandra Lee collection.
Photo: BizBash
Suspended mirrors were strategically placed behind the groves of trees at dinner to magnify their presence. Van Wyck brought in redbud and sycamore trees ranging in height, from 12 to 14 feet tall, and an array of rich colors, like burgundy, plum, and blood red.
Photo: Caleb Ferguson for BizBash
Real tree branches and miniature faux tree centerpieces were part of the garden motif.
Photo: Lucien Capehart
Inside the Liberty Theater, large, illuminated channel letters by Sign Expo spelled out the magazine’s name.
Photo: Sharokh Mirzai for BizBash
Sequoia Productions produced a starry look inspired by the zodiac for the Emmy Awards Governors Ball.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
Russell Harris Event Group created a wintry look for Fox's Winter Television Critics Association event.
Photo: Dan Scott/American Image Gallery
The entrance hallway was filled with rainbow-hued balloons that underscored the evening's cause. "We wanted to provide a fun and memorable backdrop to a giant party celebrating both the theater and the queer community," said development manager Biz Wells.
Photo: Kat Fitzgerald
Tufted furnishings and white ottomans lent a clean look under the clear tent at OK!'s party.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Caravents created rock-and-roll-inspired decor pieces for the Rolling Stone party, making use of chains and studded belts.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Striped chair covers created a striking graphic look.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
Fiscus worked on a Dallas Amfar event called Two by Two for AIDS and Art for seven years before receiving an invite from the nonprofit to show his work in New York this year.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash
The central lounge for the cast and studio executives stood opposite the stage and was decorated with plush white sofa, black cushions, and a platform topped with the motorbike and time capsule.
Photo: Line 8 Photography
Fox's finale party for American Idol took to the Event Deck at L.A. Live.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
Fiber-optic decor pieces topped colorful tables covered with cloths from Wildflower Linen.
Photo: ES Photo
A custom neon lounge was available as seating for V.I.P. guests.
Photo: ES Photo
In place of a typical step-and-repeat, the producers created a walls of gold-painted apples for guests to pose beside. The color, which matched the decorations of the bottle, also complemented the warm gold lighting used at the event.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
Guests arriving at Cipriani 42nd Street
Photo: Clint Spaulding/ PatrickMcMullan.com
Parrish Art Museum Midsummer Party
The Parrish event’s tent had a leafy projection and little twinkling rope lights that contrasted with the high-tech-looking lighting rack, which produced this dancing effect. Very fabulous.
Photo: Owen Hoffmann/PatrickMcMullan.com
If your event calls for a certain type of decor that doesn't typically come in red—like these birdcages from the Target Leukemia Ball in Washington—spray paint will do the trick.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
The Target Hotel
Jeffry Roick of McNabb Roick Events outfitted Target's space with modern red and white furniture, branded artwork, and the retailer’s bull's-eye logo. Media and film industry pros were invited to stay at the all-red and white hotel, or just unwind in the lobby (pictured). There was also a temporary Filmmakers’ Lounge in the penthouse suite.
Photo: George Pimentel
16. Contemporary Lounge Furniture
“Contemporary lounge furniture in the center of the room offers a rest from dancing.” Sofa from Lounge 22, available in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and other cities from Cort Events
Photo: Courtesy of Cort Events
29. Candles of All Sizes
“The tables hold candles of all shapes and sizes, also in mismatched mercury-glass containers.” Milky Frost pedestal vase and hurricane vase, $9 to $18, and antique Milky Frost tapered votive holders, $18 for six, from Jamali Garden
Photo: Courtesy of Jamali Garden
Seth MacFarlane Oscars After-Party
A wall of paper flowers formed a dramatic backdrop for a charcuterie station at the event.
Photo: Doug Hac
Dallas-based Suite 206's new Savile Row collection includes masculine-looking furniture rentals such as the nail head-accented Tomas wingback chair. Individual pieces are priced from $55 to $350 and are available nationwide.
Photo: Roderick Peña
The Lyric Opera of Chicago's Fantasy of the Opera Gala
"Midnight in Paris" was the theme of the Lyric Opera of Chicago's "Fantasy of the Opera" gala on February 9. In a lower-level lounge, guests had cocktails and sweets at highboy tables wearing diaphanous pink linens. Designed in house by Event Creative, the flouncy table covers were inspired by the costumes of the Moulin Rouge dancers.
Photo: Rick Aguilar
The 2011 premiere party for WE TV's Braxton Family Values—a show about singer Toni Braxton—took place atop the London West Hollywood and featured a decidedly feminine look. To gussy up the central pool, florist C.J. Matsumoto covered foam spheres in bright pink flowers, then attached the arrangements to weights anchored to the bottom of the pool.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
In March, Vogue Eyewear hosted an al fresco party at a private mansion in Los Angeles. In the backyard, beach balls and a gobo of the brand's logo decorated the pool, around which furniture groupings and lanterns hanging from trees created a summery feel.
Photo: Courtesy of Vogue Eyewear
With Andy Warhol art on the walls of the atrium, Eric Michael and Jack Lucky used a 1970s-inspired color palette of bright orange, yellow, pink, and neon green. Perfect Settings provided linens in each of these colors to create alternating color blocks from table to table.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
The Rotunda had a Mexican-themed look with white and gold linens accented by tall green, red, and yellow tulip centerpieces on each table.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
A grand entry of pink helium balloons welcomed guests to a private manse in Beverly Hills for Vogue Eyewear's launch.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
To mark the 25th anniversary of Shark Week, Discovery hosted an event in August 2012 that put sharks in the pool of the Beverly Hilton. The scary fish weren't real, of course, but rather slowly moving projections devised by the planning and production team from Event Eleven.
Photo: Courtesy of Discovery Communications
Making the most of the rooftop pool at the Empire Hotel in New York, La Perla floated its name in the water for a poolside swimwear presentation during Fashion Week in 2008.
Photo: Jennifer Graylock
Miniature bright-colored donkey piñatas from Oriental Trading party supplies were suspended from clear balloons in the Silver Corridor, which lead guests into the Grand Ballroom for the main event.
Photo: Rob Rich
Landscape architect Maria Smithburg and Manifredini Landscaping & Design lined the entrance with red buckets of varying heights. The buckets held lush, cheerful arrangements of purple tulips.
Photo: Cheri Eisenberg
The Lyric Opera of Chicago's Fantasy of the Opera Gala
The February 9 event in Chicago had a "Midnight in Paris" theme. In the lobby of the downtown opera house, Event Creative Designer Jeffrey Foster erected giant replicas of Parisian street signs. An illuminated windmill nodded to the iconic signage of the Moulin Rouge.
Photo: Rick Aguilar
Interior and lifestyle design company Steilish created an immersive Wizard of Oz-inspired tableau featuring a field of fabric poppies, votives covered in ruby-red glitter, gingham napkins, and a picnic basket disguised as a hot air balloon.
Photo: Becky Yee Photography
Michigan-based interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins opted for a Motown theme, featuring a suitcase decorated with photos of music legends and a trippy-looking neon-colored blanket.
Photo: Becky Yee Photography
José Fernández of 17A Creative put together a "Disco Picnic," featuring melamine vinyl-record-inspired plates and a disco ball that opened up to reveal the picnic goodies.
Photo: Becky Yee Photography
In keeping with the literary theme, tabletop decor included books created by Toronto artist Kalpna Patel. The books had pages that were artfully folded and glued together.
Photo: Tom Sandler Photography
Some of the books had pop-out letters that spelled out sponsors' names or titles of iconic Canadian books.
Photo: Tom Sandler Photography
The black-and-white color scheme carried over into decor elements such as festive cocktail straws. The evening's signature drink was called "the Diviner," named after a novel by Margaret Laurence.
Photo: Tom Sandler Photography
White decor dominated the ballroom at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles for Elle's Women in Hollywood awards in 2009. The space, which was decked out in white furnishings, linens, and dinnerware, had splashes of color in the form of floral centerpieces.
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
For Diffa's New York Dining by Design benefit in 2004, Robert Rufino of luxury jewelry company Tiffany crafted a towering centerpiece of white feathers and strings of iridescent beads. The structure was surrounded by small bunches of white flowers at the base. Other touches included marabou boas, which draped the backs of the chairs, and a white rug.
Photo: BizBash
For the National Ballet of Canada's "White Hot" gala in 2009, Three Event Planning & Design topped the dining tables with tall cone-shaped plexiglass towers that projected different colors onto white mannequin heads at the base of each structure.
Photo: Gary Beechey
To launch its eight-day "Numéros Privés" exhibition in Las Vegas in 2012, Chanel threw a lavish event that created an immersive environment for 200 V.I.P. clients and editors. As a reference to the pearls adored by Coco Chanel, the producers hung curtains of white beads at various points throughout the exhibit, including around the accessories vitrine.
Photo: David X. Prutting/BFAnyc.com
A smaller projection set the scene of a strip of Broadway theatres.
Photo: BizBash
A yellow cab prop decorated Donna Karan's New York-themed "City of DKNY Kids" tent at the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund's Super Saturday shopping event.
New York's Rumsey Playfield was the backdrop for the 2009 installment of the Central Park Conservancy's Halloween Ball. Large disco balls set atop urns reflected hundreds of spots of light onto the tent ceiling. The starry-night look was reinforced by projections of lightning bolts.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation highlighted the annual Boston edition of its Hot Pink Party with a kickoff reception at the David Yurman Copley boutique in 2011. There, Max Ultimate Food offered bite-size desserts marked with the jewelry brand's initials.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Extending the green theme of the Spotify House, Austin-based Articulture Designs created a musical living wall, embedding air plants and greenery in speakers and instruments that were mounted on the wall.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
To take full advantage of the space at Palm Park for IFC's Fairgrounds activation—and match the TV network's “Always on. Slightly off” branding—Lead Dog Marketing Group created a lounge inside the empty pool dubbed the Deep End Theater. Pool floats and loungers served as furniture, and the Alamo Drafthouse curated screenings of pop-culture moments for entertainment.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
At the Dickies Roadhouse presented by Amazon, brand imagery was mixed with tool- and musical-instrument-shaped silhouettes on pegboards, which served as photo backdrops as well as themed space dividers.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Mirror Ball
A winter-white decor scheme decked the Mirror Ball in Toronto in late November. Pale blue lighting added to the frosty scene at the Fairmont Royal York.
Photo: George Pimentel
Target marked its 50th year in October with a private event for partners and executives in New York. Producer ExtraExtra gave Center548 a festive look by placing bunches of balloons attached to gift-wrapped boxes atop circular seating.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
The Boston Institute of Contemporary Art's 75th anniversary in October last year put balloons behind the bar, forming a striking decor element at the after-party inside the museum.
Photo: Liz Linder
Blue velvet Louis XVI ottomans offered a pop of color and a luxurious seating option among the eclectic furnishings. "I wanted this one to feel a little haphazard," said Todd Events owner and chief creative officer Todd Fiscus, who designed the event. He said he chose elements that were "whimsical and fun."
Photo: Roderick Peña
Cort director of marketing and product development Kevin Dana advises making sure you know how much design and space-planning assistance your vendor provides.
Photo: Richard Barnes Photography
Top Social Event Trends: Modern Minimalism...
After an abundance of rustic-barnyard and vintage, Anthropologie-esque weddings, event planners are anticipating a wedding-style movement in the complete opposite direction. “We’re predicting less D.I.Y. and more clean, modern lines and color palettes,” says Tara Maxey, co-owner of the Los Angeles-based catering company Heirloom LA. “With all the D.I.Y. wedding details out there, expertly styled minimalism feels like the sophisticated alternative.”
Wedding planners Maria Cooke and Kelly Seizert of Ritzy Bee Events in Washington, D.C., agree: “We’re seeing more couples focusing less on dramatic color and more on classic combinations such as black and white, gray and white, and navy and cream.” The modern-minimalist theme will be reflected in the wedding menu, too: Instead of lavish buffet stations or decadent entrées, couples are moving towards healthier choices and smaller portions. Maxey says, “Gluttony has been overdone.”
Pictured, clockwise from left: Ritzy Bee Events created a reception lounge setup with a clean, neutral color palette; a wedding catered by Heirloom LA incorporated crisp, all-white decor; shooters of vegan carrot panna cotta were served during cocktail hour at a wedding catered by Heirloom LA.
Photos: Abby Jiu Photography (furniture outside), Jennifer Emerling (all others)
Red: Passion, Love, Power, Excitement, Strength, Anger, Intensity
Cheryl Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions executed the “romantic rhapsody in red” theme at the 2012 Emmys Governors Ball in Los Angeles with a giant rose concept and copious amounts of the color.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
A display of 1,200 votive candles lined the stairs in the Great Hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was one of the first visuals the 900 guests encountered as they arrived from the St. James Theatre for the opening night party for Bullets Over Broadway.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis for BizBash
Streamers
For the A.G.O. Massive Party fund-raiser in April, organizers hung sparkling streamers from the ceiling of the Toronto gallery space’s Baillie Court.
Photo: Emma McIntyre for BizBash
Streamers
At the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Breath of Life Gala in Washington in November, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom used streamers to divide the National Building Museum atrium into three spaces.
Photo: Neshan Naltchayan for BizBash
Balloons
At an AOL event in New York in April, hors d’oeuvres by Pinch Food Design were presented on platters that hung from helium-filled balloons.
Photo: Phillip Angert
Balloons
In January, the Walrus Foundation hosted a fund-raiser with travel-themed decor in Toronto, where Balloon Trix created centerpieces meant to resemble hot-air balloons.
Photo: Carla Warrilow/BizBash
Balloons
At an Art Institute of Chicago gala in May, Kehoe Designs covered the ceiling of an all-white lounge area with hundreds of clear balloons.
Photo: Ryan Sjostrom
Ice Sculptures
In January, Stella McCartney hosted a dinner in her SoHo store, where ice sculptures of iconic New York landmarks by Okamoto Studio served as centerpieces.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Ice Sculptures
At the Design Exchange Black and White gala in Toronto in November, an eight-foot ice wall by Iceculture spelled the museum’s abbreviation.
Photo: George Pimentel
Ice Sculptures
At Discovery’s Frozen Planet premiere, ice penguins sat on the steps outside New York’s Alice Tully Hall.
Photo: Courtesy of Discovery Communications LLC
Similar to branches, stumps are creative replacements for expensive vessels and leave more funds for flowers. Showorks dresses up the humble tree trunk with vibrant roses and gerbera daises.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Collect reclaimed rocks, wood, and seashells to fill apothecary jars of varying sizes, shapes, and heights for displays such as the underwater-inspired design from Blueprint Studios.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
Liz Page Associates, along with designer Max Ultimate Food, wove gold-wire ribbon throughout short glass vases, using reusable LED pillar candles as accents. The look brought to life the theme of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation fund-raiser—“The Golden Thread”—in an affordable way in October 2013.
Photo: Courtesy of Liz Page Associates
As a budget-friendly alternative to lush fall flowers, fill vases with affordable tree branches sprouting colorful autumn foliage, like the bountiful, statement-making maple leaf arrangement by Van Wyck & Van Wyck.
Photo: Courtesy of Van Wyck & Van Wyck
Showorks creates cheerful centerpieces by filling Mason jars of varying sizes with wildflowers, which are reasonably priced per bunch. Repurposed wine and liquor bottles also work as makeshift vases.
Photo: Shannon Livingston
Use unique structural containers to show off a few impactful blooms for a modern, artistic look, like the creation by Blueprint Studios that features butter yellow calla lilies and Billy Ball flowers.
Photo: Michelle Nicole Photography
Found objects don’t always have to be from nature. For this year’s AMC upfront after-party, Empire Entertainment used classic ’80s artifacts—floppy disks and cassette tapes—to construct lighted lamps in lieu of high-end floral centerpieces.
Photo: Rick Gilbert
Lanterns, whether simple or ornate, offer a theatrical alternative to traditional tabletop decor. Style the lighting items to suit any event theme or atmosphere, such as the Moroccan-inspired ones used by Showorks.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Blueprint Studios lines up basic votive candles in a mirrored box for a dramatic, low-cost solution.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
Along the path to the in-office Leo Burnett bash, which had a bad-luck theme, designers from Art of Imagination placed black paper cat cutouts on the walls of the hallway.
Photo: Leo Burnett Photography
