Centerpieces

At Chicago’s Harris Theater gala in June, Bill Heffernan used centerpieces of ferns and freesia as part of the event’s moonlit-forest look.

In September, Los Angeles floral designer Eric Buterbaugh set topiary balls on beds of wheatgrass at the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Foundation luncheon celebrating the Nancy Short lecture series.

Fox celebrated its fall television lineup with a casino-style event in Los Angeles. YourBash! and Sada's Flowers collaborated on the event's shabby chic look, which included simple arrangements of succulents decorating the tables.

Sutra International Design used leafy branches to make centerpieces that resembled miniature trees for the Palm Beach Heart Ball in February.

For the island-themed CTIA Wireless Foundation’s Achievement Awards dinner, held in Washington in July, florist Volanni used banana leaves in tall, thin glass cylinders.

After hosting the reception on the elevated park, the Friends of the High Line took the dinner portion of its 2010 summer benefit in New York inside the Phillips de Pury & Company gallery. The decor from Van Wyck & Van Wyck was designed to give the various rooms of the gallery a continuous look reminiscent of the High Line and included a 600-foot-long strip of foliage suspended overhead.

Slabs of neon green Lucite seemed to glow atop the clear rectangular dinner tables, while potted plants in green ceramic vases served as minimalist centerpieces.

Six-foot-tall centerpieces of ferns, bamboo, and other greenery in thick green cylinders punctuated the jungle-themed Rotunda, where fern-shaped gobos projected onto the ceiling and potted trees dressed up the entrances.

Long, communal tables and lounge-like configurations provided more relaxed seating on the upper level. For centerpieces, the designer incorporated square-shaped canopies, illuminated by candles that hung from the leaves in glass cylinders. Gift bags from sponsor Cartier were placed on guest's seats prior to the start of the event.

At this year’s Hallmark Crown TCA dinner, held in Beverly Hills in July and produced by Along Came Mary Events, a 25-foot Christmas tree took center stage, while guests dined on holiday favorites, like turkey with all the trimmings.

Red and green are the colors that immediately come to mind when thinking of holiday events, but they aren’t a requirement—in fact, event designers say they typically avoid pairing the two in an effort to avoid appearing to favor Christmas over Hanukkah. However, red—especially when paired with black and silver—continues to stay hot, as it evokes a feeling of holiday nostalgia. “Rich, deep shades of red will be big this holiday season, and touches of sparkle will stay strong,” says Jennifer Iovino at Peterson Party Center in Boston. “Industrial metallic, especially brass, is a look that will also be seen quite a bit.” Also trending: emerald green, Pantone’s 2013 color of the year. Or, opt for a subtler palette, mixing silvers and whites with shades of grey for a cool, wintery look. “For the holidays this year, I’m going to be keeping colors neutral,” Gorjestani says. “I’d leave out the red and opt for whites and muted winter tones.” Add in organic textures, and the color scheme lends itself to an updated twist on the ever-popular snowflakes-and-icicles winter wonderland theme. “To create a sort of Narnia-esque winter forest, pair an earthy color palette with burlap, branches, birchbark, and organic materials like wood and leaves,” Galley says. Pictured: A tabletop look designed by Boston’s EFD Creative, with a centerpiece by Jeri Solomon Floral Design and rentals from Peterson Party Center, shows off one of the season’s most popular color schemes: red, black, and silver.

An easy D.I.Y. centerpiece: Fill a Mason jar with water, greenery, cranberries, and a ­floating candle.

Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events created a bright, colorful dinner setting inspired by interior decorator Dorothy Draper, who was known for combining bold tones with black and white.

Individual bottles of champagne and place cards with calligraphed names by Arney Walker Calligraphy dress up each table setting.

Pinecones and tree branches decorated the taco bar at Deutsch LA's Studio 54-theme holiday party, held at Hangar 8 in Santa Monica, California, in December 2014.

Marc Wilson, founder of MWD Lifestyles, a New York-based event brand and design house, recommends "staying within holiday color schemes that are always in season around holiday time and largely embraced" to help keep costs down, especially when making bulk purchases.

For Manhattan magazine's holiday dinner in fall 2011, the MWD Lifestyles team selected floral arrangements composed of bright blooms to pop against the white table setting. "They are modern and can be accented with a cascading orchid or flower of the host's choice," Wilson says.

At Morgan Manufacturing's party in Chicago in December 2014, Event Creative designer Leslie Zaksas used fresh greens to decorate the venue's chandeliers for a festive feel and smell.

The seasonal greenery also appeared as table decor, along with lanterns and goblet-style votive candlesticks, complementing the rustic vibe of the dining space.

Tree stumps served as vases for white amaryllis flowers as well as candleholders and added a contrasting element to the glittery sequin linens at the corporate gathering.

The center of the table had a "fireplace" that was actually made of illuminated water vapor.

A vignette from Leopardo by VOA evoked a Moroccan train car. Simple wooden tables, topped with white flowers and Moroccan tea glasses, were placed beside windows that appeared to look out onto scenery in motion.