At the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, presenting sponsor Belvedere offered refreshing beverages made with their Lemon Tea vodka, including the Lemon Tea Classic Punch, a drink that featured sherbet, black tea, and a mint sprig garnish.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At Barbra Streisand's recent fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, guests helped themselves to a raw fruit and veggie bar. In place of a tablecloth, organizers used a quilt to match the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the event.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
Nothing says summer like fresh seafood. At the Power Ball in Toronto, V.I.P. guests helped themselves to shrimp and freshly shucked oysters at a chilled seafood bar provided by Petite Thuet.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Petite Thuet also served a colorful dish of seafood paella at the Power Ball.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
A garden-inspired dish featuring seasonal vegetables by Great Performances in New York can stand in for a traditional floral centerpiece.
Photo: Courtesy of GreatPerformances
En Ville Event Design & Catering in Toronto created a picnic-themed display of fruit, bread, and cheese for a summer event.
Photo: Courtesy of en Ville Event Design & Catering
For Heineken's Inspire Tour in 2010, the food was adapted to the New York market with items like Reuben sandwiches, Chinese dumplings, hot dogs, and falafels served from street carts.
Photo: Sara Jaye Weiss
Guests at Stella McCartney's 2011 spring preview were treated to shaved ice by People's Pops in New York.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, waitstaff passed citrus-infused cocktails in Mason jars.
Photo: Jim Shi
Also at Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, dessert stands offered sweets from Coolhaus and Pie Corps (pictured). At the latter, guests could also pick up prepackaged jars of fruit cobbler.
Photo: Jim Shi
McCartney's carnival-themed presentation also had a mac 'n' cheese station. Guests could grab a mini serving wrapped in a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel stand, or opt for a full cup that could be topped with veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
Photo: Jim Shi
At this year's Luminescence gala in Chicago, passed canapes included cured salmon lollipops, displayed on beds of wheatgrass.
Photo: Courtesy of John G. Shedd Aquarium
As part of Colgate's White Beauty Bar event in Los Angeles, Skintimate treated attendees to a self-serve sorbet station.
Photo: Glenn Lipton
Boston-based event design firm LoLo Event Design recommends setting up self-service bars at summer events. The display includes premixed drinks in large Mason jars, along with fresh herbs and seasonal flowers.
Photo: Studio Vitri
For a fun spin on a summer favorite, LoLo Event Design has caterers serve passed bite-size ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches.
Photo: Bliss Celebration for the Charles Hotel
At this year's Tony Awards gala in New York, guests could serve themselves cups of YoArt's frozen yogurt. There were 80 different toppings, including fresh fruit and gummi candies.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Tabú nightclub at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering several Fourth of July-inspired cocktails this summer. The White Night (pictured) is a sweet and savory blend of Malibu rum, Frangelico, Rumplemintz, and cream strained and served over ice, then garnished with raspberries and blueberries.
Photo: Johnny Mancuso/onefive4.com
At Barbra Streisand's fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, colorful floral arrangements in wooden vases played off the outdoor setting.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
For the dinner, held inside Streisand's home, the summery atmosphere featured neutral tones and fresh-picked centerpieces.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
The centerpieces at Diffa's Garden gala in Chicago this year included candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers surrounded by Mason jars holding tealights.
Photo: Nicholas Foli
For the Central Park Conservancy's annual "Taste of Summer" event in New York, designer Marc Wilson punched up the all-white furnishings with drapes and throw pillows in bright pink, green, and yellow hues.
Photo: Peter Peck Field
The V.I.P. area of Toronto's Power Ball was styled with rustic elements for an English-picnic look. Designers used loading palettes as banquet seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation, a large cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they were given small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.
Photo: Jim Shi
At Glossed & Found's Meredith Wendell luncheon in Chicago, A Perfect Event placed giant, colorful pool inflatables throughout the venue to set the tone for the pool party theme.
Photo: Trevar Evett/Fig Media
For the picnic-inspired Absolut Orient Apple launch party in New York last summer, organizers covered the floor of the indoor venue with sod, and brought in live trees and wooden barrels filled with thousands of apples.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
Chevron-patterned linens were also used on cocktails tables, and sunflower bouquets served as centerpieces.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At this year's Casa de Don Julio event in New York, the outdoor terrace was decorated with Mexican-inspired decor, with barrels and wooden benches used for guest seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Marion Curtis/startraksphoto.com
This year's Adam Smith Awards gala, which took place in Washington, D.C., had a red-white-and-blue theme.
Photo: Nick Khazal
LoLo Event Design offers hand-painted handkerchiefs that can serve as table numbers at a garden event. Geraniums in a terra cotta pot have a more casual feel than an elaborate formal centerpiece.
Photo: Studio Vitri
LoLo Event Design also creates message-in-a-bottle place cards for beach-inspired events.
Photo: Kjeld Mahoney Photography
At Sears' and Kmart's 2012 collection press preview, the design team brought in foliage, benches, and six live canaries. The birds chirped from freestanding cages placed around the product vignettes.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
For a recent pool party, the team at Swank Productions kept the decor streamlined, with a mostly white color palette, mirrored furnishings, and plenty of sheer draping.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
For an indoor summer-themed gathering, Swank producers used beach balls to create playful "chandeliers." Tables were covered in summery yellow and orange linens.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
At Glossed & Found's book launch party designed by A Perfect Event, guests took home summer cocktail recipes provided by Grand Marnier.
Photo: Courtesy of Debi Lilly
Megavision Arts created 2-D and 3-D wall projections as a nod to the pool theme at a party to celebrate newly renovated Los Angeles venue Nic's Beverly Hills.
Photo: David Corwin
The recent Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows 100th anniversary bash kicked off with a performance by the Aqualillies, a troupe of water-ballerinas.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Essie
At the Seersucker Ride and Social in Washington, D.C., guests enjoyed music from a 1920s jazz band. As a nod to the theme, participants dressed in seersucker and Jazz Age fashions.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
Guests also played lawn games like croquet at the Seersucker Ride and Social.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
At last year's Stella McCartney spring preview, guests played ping-pong at a table set up outside.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
Zen Arts in Southern California offers an array of entertainment that can take place in or around a pool, including their transparent spheres that hold performers and float on water.
Photo: Josh Reiss
At the Power Ball in Toronto, guests took a ride on wooden swings in the main party area.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
At Sunglass Hut's summer block party in Miami, family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping-pong, and hopscotch.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
For Yahoo's Genome relaunch party in New York, organizers brought in a trio of synchronized swimmers from Gotham Synchro to swim in the venue's indoor pool. The water dancers sported alien-inspired body suits as a nod to the event's futuristic theme.
Photo: Sean T. Smith
Dubbed "Hannah Mermaid," model Hannah Fraser is available for corporate events, and specializes in underwater "aquabatics" and open-water diving.
Photo: Jaime Gianopoulos
For the grand opening of the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami earlier this year, the venue's catering team created an edible garden using toasted pumpernickel crumbs as "dirt" with spears of baby carrots, asparagus spears, and zucchini, as well as baby tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella "flowers."
Photo: Harvey Bilt
California-based rental company Archive Rentals offers a large collection of authentic vintage Western and camping-themed items, including reclaimed barn-wood tables, camping trailers, Airstream trailers and canoes.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Markus Daly Ryan produced Univision's Deportes launch in New York, where picnic tables formed the bulk of the seating and found lumber was turned into cocktail tables for a neighborhood-block-party feel.
Photo: Brian Ach/AP Images for Univision
At a Belvedere-sponsored event during the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, guests sat on haystacks covered with bright orange blankets and chevron-patterned pillows.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
Coca-Cola’s “Beatbox” Pavilion
Despite its lack of visible logos, Coca-Cola’s pavilion for the 2012 London Olympics makes a striking brand statement with an exterior marked by 200 red and white panels. The interactive pieces respond to gestures and movements by visitors, emitting sounds and music as people walk through the structure in Olympic Park.
Photo: Nick Hufton/Hufton & Crow
Seattle CityTarget Launch
To launch CityTarget in Seattle, Plymouth Pillars Dog Park became a doggy paradise Saturday that included a “bonetender” at a stocked Bone Bar that offered complimentary treats and toys. Seattle’s Rally Marketing Group helped develop the experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Rally Marketing Group
Pop-Tarts “Crazy Good Summer” Pop-Up Concert
The Kellogg’s brand hosted a Pop-Tarts pop-up concert on Northerly Island in Chicago July 19. With performances from Carly Rae Jepsen, Boys Like Girls, and teen sensation Austin Mahone, the event also allowed guests to pose on the red carpet with giant plush Pop-Tarts.
Photo: Jeff Schear
Zing Vodka Launch
For the Zing vodka launch produced by Chad Hudson Events for Zing, Maloof Ventures, and Bravo, Hudson's team made the garden at the Maloof residence appear to come to life on Wednesday night. Topiaries, shrubs, trees, and statues all popped, through lush decor and live models.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards
Travel & Leisure hosted its annual World’s Best Awards July 19 at the newly opened Conrad New York. A sleek wall display housed five tanks filled with Patrón-based cocktails, which guests could pour themselves.
Photo: Diane Bondareff/Travel + Leisure
CTIA Wireless Foundation’s 18th Annual Achievement Awards Dinner
The July 23 event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington had an island theme and featured several large centerpieces from Volanni with large banana leaf flowers with hydrangea in the center. Events by Andre Wells produced the event.
Photo: Eli Turner
'Chiquis 'n Control' Premiere
At an intimate media event for about 160 guests and 10 media outlets on Wednesday, mun2 promoted the season premiere of Chiquis 'n Control at the SLS Beverly Hills. In One Production Group created a salon setup as a branded photo op to tease out the theme of the show: Janney Marin's experiences opening her new salon, Blow Me Dry.
Photo: Ernesto Huerta-Juarez
MKG Summer Party
New York experiential agency MKG’s Olympic-inspired summer office party on Wednesday had a panel of judges rate guests as they arrived.
Photo: Victor Castro
UrbanDaddy Samsung Galaxy Note Launch
At the July 17 technology launch at the Brixton, planned by BrandLinkDC, guests could try out the gadget as well as see its features in use through entertainment such as portrait drawings and handwriting analysis.
Photo: Jeff Martin & Daniel Swartz
Kiehl’s Third Annual LifeRide for amfAR Finish Line Party
The 10-day philanthropic motorcycle ride along the Eastern Seaboard wrapped up with a finish-line party July 20 at the Kiehl's Georgetown store. The event, which raised awareness for H.I.V./AIDS research and resources, featured motorcycle-themed decor and cuisine including a dessert display from Georgetown Cupcake.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Kiehl's Since 1851
At an in-store promotion for Juicy Couture in May, Truffleberry Market served seared ahi tuna sushi rolls with black sesame and pink pickled ginger. The bites were festively displayed in a row of crossed chopsticks.
Photo: Francis Son Photography
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.
Photo: Our Labor of Love
Pages from the script hung from round chandeliers on the ceiling.
Photo: Kyle Flubacker
2. Rental Items
For the 2008 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards gala, designer David Stark incorporated reusable rentals like coffee pots, napkins, and forks, into every element of the decor. Seat-cushions, silver tea sets, and umbrellas made from brightly colored tablecloths hung from the ceiling.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash
The 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards gala in Los Angeles had a striking but simple look, with bunches of upside-down calla lillies hanging overhead. White furnishings were arranged in lounge-like formations.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
