Catering

In Los Angeles, Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events uses vertical buffets. The bookcase-style shelf takes up minimal floor space and lets guests grab their own dishes from various levels of shelves.

In Chicago, Event Creative rents out a charging table. With a built-in display shelf, the table also provides a work space and power outlets. The piece can be customized with corporate colors or brand logos, and it's available at three heights: lounge, seated, and highboy.

San Francisco's Blueprint Studios has a rental piece known as the "Picnic Chill Table." The table has a built-in aluminum tray which allows it to chill drinks; the tray can also hold floral arrangements.

Blueprint Studios' Charging Cube doubles as a branded accent table and a charging station.

Available through NECR, the Zen sofa has sides that can be pulled up to form tables. When the tables are not needed, they are folded down and the piece simply provides seating.

FWR Rental Haus' custom Boulevardier bar comes apart easily and can be rebuilt in an event space. The piece was designed to take up less space on trucks and fit easily into venues with small doorways.

Liquor brand Svedka hosted its "Broken Resolutions" party on January 19 at Hyde Sunset in Los Angeles. The event had ironic stations inspired by classic New Year's resolutions people are likely to break. One such station was a doughnut wall from Hollywood Candy Girls that was marked with an "Eat Better" sign.

For the  2016 Headdress Ball, which was held in September at the Orlando World Center Marriott, the Hope and Help Center selected “Love” as the theme. It included a pre-party dubbed the “Love Lounge,” which was filled with red lighting and decor and logo gobos on the walls, while chocolate-heart centerpieces decorated the tables in the ballroom. The event is the largest annual fund-raiser for the nonprofit, which provides support and services for people infected with and affected by H.I.V./AIDS around Central Florida.

Google’s I/O developer conference took place May 17 to 19 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in San Francisco. To improve the flow of attendees through the food area, staff held color-coded menu signs that corresponded to the colors on the packaged food. Amanda Matuk, executive producer of the event, said the system worked well and allowed 7,200 people to be fed in 45 minutes. 

To keep guests' drinks cool without watering them down, Maria Zoitas of Maria’s Homemade recommends adding fruit-infused ice cubes to drinks at summer parties. Add berries, grapes, or pomegranate seeds to the water in ice cube trays to create the refreshing treat.

At this 2013 event, boxes filled with crudités, along with jars of ranch dressing, were displayed atop wooden barrels.

Pretzel and doughnut walls have become familiar at events, but the wall concept itself is a trend that will continue, according to Toronto-based catering company Eatertainment. The company offers an ombré macaron peg wall, offering vanilla, rose, cotton candy, grapefruit cayenne, and Peruvian chocolate flavors.

Bread & Butter Public Relations, which represents eateries and hotel restaurants throughout the U.S., noted that a dessert trend will involve nostalgic desserts aimed at kids, which are given an upgrade for adults. Hotel Colonnade in Coral Gables, Florida, serves a nitro dessert station that offers boozy ice cream made with liquid nitrogen. Flavors such as Grand Marnier, dark rum, Godiva Chocolate Liquor, and Chambord are served with a variety of ice cream social-style toppings.

The event served golden mini waffle cones filled with fried chicken, paired with mini bottles of Coca-Cola with golden straws. Chef Cat Cora and Whoa Nelly Catering developed the menu.