Offsite events at the Global Meeting Exchange included the Sugar Shack Shindig, a Canada-theme dinner and dancing event at the Mount Royal Chalet overlooking the city. Montreal-based event production company Happening and Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth's catering team partnered to produce the event, which featured decor such as hanging flannels. PSAV handled the event's lighting and sound.
Photo: Courtesy of AccorHotels
The final night of the Global Meeting Exchange offered a circus-theme gala dinner, which was produced by the hotel's catering team along with Happening. The gala, which took place in the hotel's Place du Canada ballroom, was designed to look like a circus tent, with chairs and umbrellas featuring a black-and-white stripe color scheme. Transparent table centerpieces showcased light bulbs covered in smaller string lights.
Photo: Courtesy of AccorHotels
The gala had on-theme entertainment coordinated by Happening. Performers included a stilt walker "riding" a metallic, illuminated bird.
Photo: Courtesy of AccorHotels
Francis W. Parker Gala
For the Francis W. Parker gala, held in March at the Geraghty in downtown Chicago, Kehoe Designs created whimsical Alice in Wonderland-inspired chandeliers for the independent school's event theme: “Through The Looking Glass.”
Photo: Courtesy of Kehoe Designs
Boston Ballet Juliet's Ball
In February, the Boston Ballet hosted its annual gala at the Castle at Park Plaza. This year’s event, titled “Juliet's Ball,” featured decor inspired by the Ballet’s spring show, Romeo & Juliet. The event raised $1.7 million, with more than 500 guests in attendance.
Photo: Michael Blanchard
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Opening Night Gala
Held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington in February, the 800-guest gala, which was produced by Events by André Wells, featured a tropical decor theme with lush palm centerpieces. The 19th annual gala raised more than $900,000.
Photo: Tony Powell
HBO Emmy Party
Following the Emmys, HBO hosted its annual bash at the Pacific Design Center’s fountain plaza. Working with HBO’s Cindy Tenner, longtime collaborator Billy Butchkavitz again designed the event. (It was Butchkavitz’s 18th consecutive HBO Emmy party.) The theme for this year’s production-heavy party was water, with a color palette done in seven shades of blue.
Photo: Gabor Ekecs
A Perfect Event designed the brunch with a soft, spring-inspired color palette, featuring ivory and champagne florals, silvery greens and blues, and touches of gold.
Photo: Belen Aquino, Gerber Scarpelli
One room asks guests to search for clues in a Rubik’s Cube-inspired space—which also proved to be a popular spot for selfies.
Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.
At the end of the Rubik’s Cube room is a series of hanging mirrors, adding to the psychedelic vibe of the space.
Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.
Also on site is a room with infinity mirrors that guests must navigate through.
Photo: Courtesy of Experiential Supply Co.
Crate and Barrel's signature black-and-white branding served as a backdrop for the company’s dining vignette. Lush green benches, chrome chairs, and fresh greenery brought the space to life.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Macy's Herald Square, New York
An oversize story book provides a dramatic entrance to the show. Blooms used at the entrance include flowering almond shrub myrtle topiary, pink hyacinth, pink roses, stargazer lilies, and purple vanda orchids.
Photo: Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Macy's
Macy's Herald Square, New York
Guests are invited to take photos while sitting in the “ice throne.” Surrounding the perch are blue cineraria, white azalea, blue hydrangea, calathea holiday, white anthuriums, and white phalaenopsis orchids.
Photo: Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Macy's
The theme was introduced through signage that evoked the Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs stand at Coney Island—but with a finance-focused twist.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
The centerpiece of Volatility Park was a roller coaster dubbed the “Thundervix,” which was constructed out of 3,500 coin rolls.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
The second room features a fog machine that emits pink bubbles, which burst into mist when popped.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The next room is a hallway lit in rainbow, neon colors, which change with a lighting effect that's supposed to make guests feel like they're shrinking as they walk through.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The end of the rainbow hallway leads to a room painted in blue that has a ball pit filled with 38,000 balls. The ball pit was designed to make guests feel like they are underwater in a pool. Solomon said the ball pit, which is a common experience at pop-up museums, was inspired by the dream of breathing underwater.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The final room, also inspired by "Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors," has guests walk through a series of metallic streamers to reach the end of the museum. The streamers create a sensation that guests might never reach the end.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Guests took in mind-bending art like the undulating neon origami mushrooms in FoldHaus’s Shrumen Lumen piece.
Photo: Ron Blunt
The duo of artists known as Hybycozo: the Hyperspace Bypass Construction Zone created steel sculptures that made intricate patterns on the Renwick's walls.
Photo: Ron Blunt
Buona Sera Signorina, Kiss Me Goodnight
Designed around Luxe’s bright new Riley linen, the vibrant, summery table was a team-up between Jennifer Naylor Catering & Special Events and Mark’s Garden.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Buona Sera Signorina, Kiss Me Goodnight
Rentals came from Theoni Collection and Premiere Party Rents, while Andrea Davis created hand-painted menus. Luxe Linen’s Amalfi napkins in Coral, Rosa, and Naranja were also on display.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Premiere Party Rents
Longtime Luxe Linen partner Premiere Party Rents provided most of the table, chair, decor, and flatware rentals for all tables throughout the evening. The company also had their own table, where it showcased a new hardwood table from its collection. Celebrate Flowers and Invitations designed elegant pink and white florals for the table, and Luxe’s Pink Beads napkins completed the look.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Fruit Punch
The bright table by Nicole Alexandra Designs and Emblem Flowers was designed to resemble a bowl of colorful fruit punch. Emiko Woods created the backdrop design, and Luxe’s Amalfi linen in Rosa was used.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Fruit Punch
The table runner was Luxe’s Floral Path design in Tutti Frutti, and Cut It Lab created laser-cut name cards.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Palm Springs Zen
Empty Vase handled design, production, and florals for an eye-catching table inspired by Palm Springs. The table used Luxe’s Retro (Pucci) Zig Zag in the Caribbean color, alongside the company’s Mermaid Iridescence napkins.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Fiesta in Tulum
A team-up between Michelle Garibay Events and Florals by Isabelle, the Mexico-inspired table used Luxe’s colorful Ikat Marmalade linen and Amalfi napkins in Naranja.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
The event producers wanted to ensure all materials in the greenhouse were green. A branded wall was created with a soy-based epoxy and built without nails.
Photo: Vito Amati/Ryan Emberley Photography
Also placed outside the event's venue was an eye-catching ice sculpture of penguins. The creation of the frozen pieces during the day drew crowds.
Photo: Courtesy of Discovery Communications LLC
A large 14- by 12-foot ice sculpture of Russia's signature dome architecture seen on St. Basil's Cathedral and the Onion Dome served as the centerpiece of the dessert reception.
Photo: ImageLink Photography
Aiming to entertain the tweens in the crowd, Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events created an ice lounge modeled after the Icehotel in Sweden.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijiphoto.com for BizBash
Iceculture created an ice bar for the cocktail reception.
Photo: Envision Photography
