INVITE Idea Book

Jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and soul quartet, Soul 4 Yo System is comprised of four Berklee students. Formed in 2008, the band has played at both upscale jazz clubs and college campuses throughout Boston, and recently branched out to corporate and nonprofit events. The band customizes its song selection based on the event, mixing it up between old favorites like Parliament’s “Flash Light” and their own original works. Rates vary depending on the event.

This summer, Stoneham-based Capers Catering will introduce their summer gazpacho shooters with grilled shrimp skewers. The tapas-inspired dish is made with local ingredients including fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and shrimp, along with Capers' house-made seasoning.

Boston Chocolate Tours leads private groups of six to 15 guests though local chocolate shops, bakeries, and ice cream shops. Tours typically last two and a half hours, cost $40 to $48 per head, and include surprises along the way. "We make a point of stopping at chocolate vendors that provide a wide array of chocolate experiences," says a company rep. The company's newest offering, the Great Boston Cupcake Crawl, launched this spring. Tours can be customized to take place in a neighborhood of the host's choosing.

The Chicken & Rice Guys food truck launched this spring. Inspired by New York's Halal chicken-and-rice carts, the truck serves chicken or lamb sausage with rice, pita, lettuce, and homemade white or spicy red sauce. Available for catering, the truck can travel to meetings and events within a 40-minute drive of Boston to deliver orders for 20 or more guests; staffers can also travel farther for groups with at least 150 guests. Depending on group size, catering costs $6.50 to $9 per head.

D.C.-based bakery Georgetown Cupcake opens its first Boston outpost in Back Bay this May. The shop offers catering for meetings and events, as well as gift boxes of the "Summer Dozen," a seasonal assortment that includes key lime, strawberry, banana-split, and lemon-blossom cupcakes. Treats cost $15 per half-dozen, and $29 per dozen.

Organic fusion food cafe Life Alive now offers takeout catering services for large groups. With two locations just outside of Boston in Cambridge and Lowell, Life Alive’s salads, soups, hot meals, and smoothies are made from organic, locally grown produce. Lunch options include The Adventurer, which serves healthy ingredients like quinoa and broccoli in a bowl or a wrap, or The Emperor, with cheddar cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, greens, and tofu over brown rice.

The Boston Pops team up with hometown favorites from the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, and New England Revolution for the "City of Champions" celebration at the Boston Symphony Orchestra on May 23, 24, and 26. The evening will include compositions from sports movies and the theme from “Monday Night Football,” with appearances from yet-to-be-announced sports stars. Ticket prices range from $22 to $92 per head, with group discounts available for parties of 25 or more.

This April, the Charles Riverboat Company debuted the Valiant. The 97-foot-long luxury yacht was built in the 1920s, and the interior of the ship includes Art Deco touches with modern amenities. The yacht has five state rooms with private bathrooms, and open areas on the bow and second deck. The vessel holds 100 guests and will be available for two-hour receptions, three-hour dinners, or long-distances cruises.  Multi-day options for groups that want several daily excursions are also available.

JM Curley, a Downtown Crossing happy hour hangout, opened in December. Named after historical mayor James Michael Curley, the neighborhood bar serves regional American cuisine, like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with grilled bananas and Grand Marnier jam. The space can accommodate 90 guests overall, and its private function room holds 20.

Another new spot for happy hour outings, Gem opened in the Financial District in March. Billed as a gastro-lounge and supper club, the venue has two private event spaces. One seats 40 for dinner; the other is a lounge space that can host 70 for cocktails and 50 for seated dinners. The entire space can hold 240 for buy-outs. The venue serves menu items like steak, thin-crust pizzas, and white corn quesadillas with duck confit.

"Modern means 'minimal' in my book," writes Larson. "Clean lines, simple color palettes (whether bold or demure), repetition in pattern and style." Often spotted at modern, organically styled weddings, succulents are a wildly popular wedding centerpiece trend. Larson recommends pairing a succulent table runner with white square chargers and simple cutlery for an understated vibe.

UNC Paris's inflatable furniture items are now available in the U.S. under the moniker Modern Inflatables. The line includes a sofa, chair, table, pouf, deck chair, and rocking chair. Made in France from clear, recyclable polyurethane thermoplastic, the items can be rented with the company's standard range of interchangeable, colored fabric covers, which can also be custom-printed or embroidered with logos and pictures. Custom work takes at least six weeks to manufacture. Items start from $195 without covers.

Inflate USA's line of inflatable structures for events includes more than 30 different sizes and shapes, such as the Luna, designed to act as a portable bar area, and the Trident, a massive tent structure designed for concerts and expos that can be set up in less than five hours. The structures, which cost from $800 to more than $5,000 to rent, are all fully brandable.

CasaBubble rents inflatable, modular spheres for events. Envisioned by French designers Frédéric Richard and Pierre-Stéphane Dumas, the transparent, pressurized bubbles can be used as V.I.P. areas, pop-up shops, dining spaces, and more in outdoor environments. There are five different models and the structures come with a wooden floor. Solar cells and battery equipment are also available.

Blueprint Studios introduced a 20-foot-tall inflatable structure dubbed the Hypercube. Available for national and international delivery, the black-and-white cube can be used as shelter from the sun at an outdoor event and rents for $1,800.

The Blofield collection is available to rent nationwide through CORT Event Furnishings. The line includes an inflatable loveseat and chair made from a durable vinyl material designed to withstand snow, sand, and heat. In addition to cream and black, CORT now offers Blofield seating in vibrant red, too.

Bubble Miami offers its inflatable igloos and walls for events throughout Florida. Rental prices range from $200 to $800.

For a wedding at the King Plow Event Gallery in Atlanta, Bold American Events & Catering designed an upside-down centerpiece of yellow tulips and glass globes that hung above the head table.

Pages from the script hung from round chandeliers on the ceiling.