
L.A.-based artist Jorge Pardo created a special edition of brightly colored lanterns that hung over the Hammer Museum's Gala in the Garden.
Photo: Stefanie Keenan

Matthew Parker Events crafted lighting fixtures for a speakeasy-themed wedding using hats from a party supply store, decorative ribbon, corded wire, and filament bulbs.
Photo: Yvonne Wong

Clear umbrellas and glittering beads hung from the ceiling in the spring area. The sound of falling rain played in the background.
Photo: BizBash

In 2008, when Showtime hosted the premiere party for the second season of The Tudors at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, the network made a big impression by covering the property's enormous rotunda in mesh vinyl. With a stone pattern and carefully placed windows that aligned with the building's, the fabric draping made the exterior look like a castle, while brightly colored polyfabric banners publicized the event and the show's cast.
Photo: Hal Horowitz/Elevation Photos

Last January, Stella McCartney turned New York's 632 on Hudson into a cozy home-like space to showcase her pre-fall collection. In keeping with that motif, large topiaries spelling out the designer's name stood out front.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage

For its first New York pop-up shop—a retail promotion aimed at driving buzz for this year's draft—the N.F.L. took over a 10,000-square-foot space in Midtown. To advertise the effort in the heavily trafficked area, organizers placed large decals and a countdown clock in the windows.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash

In July, a bright gobo of Thrillist's logo was splashed on the side of Chicago's Mid nightclub, one of the venues the lifestyle Web site used for its weekend-long experiential venture known as Hotel Thrillist.
Photo: Caroline Dixey

An enormous billboard made it hard to miss Target's Toronto pop-up store, the Minneapolis retailer's first event in Canada. The bright red sign combined Target's logo and colors with that of the Canadian flag, and marked the site of the temporary store for the Jason Wu collection on King Street West.
Photo: Carla Warrilow/BizBash

When Lanvin opened its New York flagship store on Madison Avenue in 2010, the fashion house threw a colorful bash that drew decor ideas from artistic director Alber Elbaz's whimsical sketches. Outside, producers covered the facade with an oversize drawing and framed it with hundreds of colorful balloons.
Photo: Liz Brown Photography

The 2011 NBC upfront used bright colors to grab the attention of passersby. Not only was the Sixth Avenue front of the Hilton New York dressed up for the occasion, NBC also parked double-decker buses custom-wrapped with its logo outside the venue.
Photo: Patrick Harbron/NBC

Matching the color scheme in the cocktail space, large letter-shaped structures bookended by blue and white flowers marked the arrivals area of the 2012 BET Awards preshow dinner in Los Angeles.
Photo: Davide De Pas

To kick-start holiday shopping in November 2011, Barneys New York turned its flagship store on Madison Avenue into Lady Gaga’s Workshop. The custom 40- by18-foot truss that marked the entrance was completed overnight in preparation for the midnight opening.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Barneys New York

This August, almost 100,000 people flocked to the city of Chicago for Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Oversize signage marked the entrance to the festival, and as the sun set, the letters on top were illuminated.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash

For the 2009 launch of its Stephen Sprouse collection, Louis Vuitton paid homage to the late designer with an event at the Bowery Ballroom. Outside the downtown New York concert venue, the French fashion house installed neon signs and approximately 66 thrift-store televisions playing original footage from the Sprouse estate.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com

To emulate the “insiders-only” feel of New York Fashion Week in 2006, Victoria’s Secret Pink created Phi Beta Pink Sorority House as a preview party for fashion editors. On the awning of the Fifth Avenue storefront, the girly clothing brand placed three-dimensional Greek letters, a move that required a 24-hour permit.
Photo: Jeff Thomas/Image Capture

For the 2010 Boardwalk Empire premiere, HBO spared no expense, hosting three parties to promote its new series. The event in New York turned Rockefeller Center’s Rink Bar, Sea Grill, and Rock Center Café into a Prohibition-style speakeasy, and an illuminated sign for the show at the entrance referenced the bright signs on the Atlantic City boardwalk from that era.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash

The season-two premiere of The X Factor, which took place at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles earlier this month, used promotional banners to cover the barricades and most of the venue’s surface.
Photo: Dan Scott/AmericanImageGallery.com

The 2004 premiere of De-Lovely aimed to transport guests to the 1930s setting portrayed in the film, and the marquee of New York's Supper Club was revamped to reflect the movie's musical theme.
Photo: BizBash
Balloons on the Ceiling

Giant balloons suspended from the ceiling served as the focal point at the DX Gala. What's more is that the color-washed room was updated with a new hue with each course.
Photo: George Pimentel
Handheld Menu Displays

Menu cards at an event designed by Canvas & Canopy were held by ceramic hands.
Photo: Sarah Yates for Birds of a Feather
Umbrella Chandelier

Decor at the Children's Aid Foundation's Teddy Bear Affair came in the form of season-inspired vignettes—for spring, guests saw clear umbrellas with glittering beads as rain.
Photo: Carla Warrilow/BizBash
Artsy Lanterns

Los Angeles-based artist Jorge Pardo created special-edition lanterns to hang above the tables at the Hammer Museum gala.
Photo: Stefani Keenan
Train Travel-Inspired Escort Cards

For a wedding at Union Station in Los Angeles, Sterling Engagements displayed escort cards printed to look like train tickets inside vintage suitcases.
Photo: Callaway Gable Photography
Create-Your-Own-Perfume Bar

At a Los Angeles event, guests were invited to create their own custom fragrances at a flower-dotted scent bar.
Photo: Elizabeth Messina
Textured Ice Globes

For a birthday party, Kristi Amoroso Special Events designed a vodka shot bar that displayed bottles in a sculptural arrangement of textured ice spheres.
Photo: Nick Brown Photography
Upside-Down Centerpieces

Designed by Bold American Events & Catering, upside-down centerpieces of tulips and glass globes hung overhead at a wedding at the King Plow Event Gallery in Atlanta.
Photo: Our Labor of Love
Rustic Lounge Seating

Inspired by an English picnic and styled with rustic elements, the V.I.P. area of this year's Power Ball in Toronto had loading pallets that served as banquette seating and cocktail tables. Tufted velvet couches and colorful pillows rounded out the mix.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Barrel Tables

To match the Mexican hacienda-inspired look of its New York event in May, Don Julio used authentic tequila barrels as part of the decor, including tables set up in the outdoor terrace.
Photo: Marion Curtis/Startraksphoto.com
Low-Tech Game

Colorful and family-friendly games, including hopscotch, were offered at a block party held by Sunglass Hut to celebrate the opening of its largest outpost in Miami.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
Ferris Wheel Food Display

In keeping with the carnival theme, the Stella McCartney Resort 2013 presentation in June put mac and cheese bites on a miniature ferris wheel.
Photo: Jim Shi
Hay-Bale Seating

The 2012 color of the year, orange, was paired with hay and chevron patterns at a Belvedere-sponsored event during the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
Garden-Inspired Table Settings

For summery, garden-inspired events, LoLo Event Design offers hand-painted handkerchiefs that can serve as table numbers and be paired with potted centerpieces.
Photo: Studio Vitri
Bottled Place Cards

For a beachy vibe, LoLo Event Design created message-in-a-bottle place cards.
Photo: Kjeld Mahoney Photography
Tailgate-Style Decor

The festive, laid-back setting for Univision's Deportes launch earlier this year came courtesy of a taco truck and wooden picnic tables.
Photo: Brian Ach/AP Images for Univision
Paper Flower Wall

Luxe Event Rentals & Décor's handmade paper-flower walls, showcased at last year's BizBash New York Expo, can be customized in different colors and function as room dividers, stage backdrops, and back-bar displays.
Photo: Jeeyun Lee/BizBash
Beach Ball Chandelier

Hanging beach balls formed a colorful chandelier at a party created by Swank Productions.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
Genealogy-Style Seating Chart

To help guests get to know one another, Mélangerie makes customized wedding genealogy charts that double as seating maps.
Photo: Courtesy of Melangerie Inc.
Instagram Printers

Brooklyn-based Instaprint printers print out Instagram photos taken at a certain location or marked with an event-specific hashtag.
Photo: Courtesy of Breakfast