Illustration: Joey Bouchard/BizBash
The color pink appeared throughout the event, including on linens that draped low tables guests sat at during cocktail hour.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Staffers from the InterContinental Boston passed appetizers in ornate serving vessels.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Brooks Brothers donated orange and pink linens. Suzanne B. Lowell designed the rosy lighting scheme.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Peonies, Evelyn Lauder's favorite flower, decorated tables along with orange roses. Winston Flowers provided the springy arrangements. Mario Avila Design created the program.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Peonies also decorated the check-in desk, which was flanked with a framed painting of the flower.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Flowers also spruced up the lectern used during the evening's speaking presentation.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
The name of the party appeared in a chocolate that crowned a trio of desserts.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
A gospel choir wore pink robes and belted out songs such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Chef Lydia Shire (right) attended.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
All guests who purchased raffle tickets received silk scarves with a peony print.
Photo: Michael Blanchard Photography
Illustration: BizBash
The James Beard Foundation fund-raiser gala returned to the Four Seasons, where the restaurant's iconic pool was surrounded by pillar candles.
Photo: Owen Hoffmann/PatrickMcMullan.com
LMac Events put extra effort into the look of the silent auction display, which included a table of cookware items donated by Victorinox, Le Creuset, Wüsthof, Anolon Nouvelle, and Mario Batali by Dansk. On the mezzanine, Joelle & the Pinehurst Trio played live jazz tunes.
Photo: Owen Hoffmann/PatrickMcMullan.com
During the cocktail reception, passed hors d'oeuvres included fried oysters with chipolata sausage, a personal favorite of James Beard's.
Photo: Ken Goodman Photography
Organica created the gala's centerpieces, which featured purple Vanda orchids and red roses in mirrored vases.
Photo: Owen Hoffmann/PatrickMcMullan.com
Host chef Alfred Portale of New York's Gotham Bar & Grill contributed his take on French charcuterie to the gala dinner. The dish included duck rillettes, saucisson sec, foie gras torchon, and pheasant ballantine with truffles, served with garnishes and Eric Kayser bread.
Photo: Philip Gross
The event had a balloon raffle pop this year. Models in body paint sold balloons for $20, $50, and $100. Each balloon had a number inside that corresponded to a prize.
Photo: James Kachan for Arash Moallemi
à la Reg
Former Yahoo event planner Rose Lanham created à la Reg. Planners pay a flat fee of $5 a month to create and manage a custom registration form for events of any size. (There are lower pricing options for planners producing multiple events.) The system offers several registration templates, or users can opt to create one using a drag-and-drop system. There’s also integration with Facebook, custom email options, and a dashboard where planners can monitor registration data. Payments can be handled via PayPal, Authorize.net, or Google Checkout, and the funds go directly to the host's account.
Photo: Courtesy of à la Reg
Corporate Event by Steve Bales
"One of my favorite things is to take an ordinary space and turn it in to something completely unexpected. The Atlanta Hyatt, which was hosting an elite group of local and national corporate event planners, wanted to serve them dinner in one of the hotel kitchens. To make the space pop, we built floor-to-ceiling chalkboard walls on which we personalized each guest’s apron, laid wall-to-wall carpeting, and, my personal favorite, created one-of-a-kind hanging chandeliers out of plastic flatware. It was a complete transformation from boring to bold." —Steve Bales
Photo: Troy Kelly Studio
Camp Harbor View Beach Ball by Bryan Rafanelli
"We were inspired by the beauty of Boston’s Harbor Islands at sunset, bringing the outside inside in a glass-enclosed tent surrounded by water." —Bryan Rafanelli
Photos: Michael Blanchard Photography
Make It Urz creates laser-etched, LED-embedded badges.
Photo: Courtesy of Make It Urz
For its first New York conference, Etsy created compact booklet-style programs that doubled as badges.
Photo: The Photo Booth Party
