Inspiration

Toronto's AdBall, held at the Mod Club on January 31, had a Great Gatsby theme. Performers dressed in period garb entertained on a digital runway created by 5th Element Events; later in the evening, the runway held a fashion show that featured ad industry bigwigs as models.

The Museum of Contemporary Art's ArtEdge gala, held Saturday for the first time in the Chicago institution's warehouse, was indeed a little edgy, and it had an all-pervasive factory vibe. At a panini station, attendants from Jewell Events Catering used irons and an ironing board to toast ham-and-cheese and tomato-and-cheese sandwiches.

During last month's Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Sprint caught guests' attention—and nabbed some placement on their wrists— with a scented activation. Working with Fresh Wata, the brand hosted an interactive scent bar that let visitors take home branded bottles of fragrances such as Tea Thyme, Blackberry-Sage, and Washed Suede.

The global launch event for Axe Apollo last month at the American Museum of Natural History in New York put astronauts, mission control voice-overs, and 200 guests amidst space artifacts and product displays. Following a video announcement, Axe introduced its campaign spokesperson, astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Aldrin's dramatic entrance was accompanied by fog, a light shift from purple to red, and eight staffers dressed as astronauts descending the hall's staircase.

David Stark produced the whimsical event, held on Wednesday at New York's Pier 57. Near the step-and-repeat, rows of colorful flowers mimicked the look of an outdoor market.

A fleet of six Mini convertibles carried Playboy bunnies through the streets in a kickoff parade to the February 1 Super Bowl party at Jax Brewery Bistro in New Orleans. Each bunny was joined by a brass band member as the procession wound through the French Quarter.

At the late January ball in Chicago, Sodexo's salt-and-pepper station turned into a main attraction. Stationed near the salad buffet, the table held hanging terrariums filled with colored salts such as red chili, pink Hawaiian, smoke, rosemary, and wild garlic. The flavors were spelled out on smooth river rocks placed in front of each hanging vessel.

At the Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl party, producer Toast created a "trashed hotel room" where guests could take photos and pretend to live the rock star life. The Friday-night event took place at the Bud Light Hotel, a Wyndham property in New Orleans rebranded for the weekend.

Held at Exchange LA in late January, the show had a runway in punchy, tropical hues; a canopy of colored fringe dangled overhead.

At the Los Angeles style showcase January 24, Contemporary Catering set up a modern Italian charcuterie bar. Servers sliced everything to order while standing in front of a themed back-bar display of meats and cheeses.

Abby Larson, the woman behind cult wedding blog Style Me Pretty, has released her first book, Style Me Pretty Weddings (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, $30), which outlines some of the most popular wedding style trends.

"Sweet, simply styled rustic weddings are in large part what helped put wedding blogs on the map," writes Larson of the popular look, adding that the latest way of approaching the now-iconic style is by juxtaposing homespun elements, such as burlap and farm tables, with opulent details, such as high-end china and gold-rimmed stemware.

"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.

"Officially my new favorite breed of wedding is the whimsical wedding," writes Larson. "Whimsy means you can really play with your design and add spunk in the most unexpected places." Case in point: embroidering guests' names onto inexpensive white napkins embellished with colorful pom-poms and grosgrain ribbon.

In a tongue-and-cheek take on the traditional fashion show invitation, designer Luca Orlandi (whose past show invites have come in the form of an album cover and parking ticket) enclosed the invite for his spring 2005 show in a Luca Luca condom wrapper that promised an event "designed for ultra sensation."

Designed in-house, the multidimensional accordion-style invitation for Liberty's "Christmas in July" preview was inspired by a trip to the London Transport Museum; each vignette was a train platform that would start your journey aboard "The Liberty Express."

Measuring in at about one and a half inches in height, Ann Demeulemeester's 2009 fashion show invite was a play on proportions. Details of the event, including location, date, and time, were printed on individual pages for a flip book effect.

In a no-expense-spared bash for the 2010 opening of its New Bond Street London flagship, Louis Vuitton created unique, numbered V.I.P. invitations that incorporated multiple elements of its travel legacy. Information about each component of the party was featured on a distinct card stock or vachetta leather piece; the final piece was a python card case bearing after-party details. The entire invite was fastened together with a leather tie and gold key—a nod to the French fashion house's luggage-making roots.

Neil Barrett is known for geometric cuts and mathematical exactitude in his designs, and the invitation for his spring 2011 men's show played up those ideas. Details for the show were printed on thick card stock packaged into an envelope, trompe l’oeil-style.

For the fall 2008 shows at London Fashion Week, fashion designer Gareth Pugh created a latex rose corsage as the invitation to the British Fashion Council's Moët & Chandon Boudoir V.I.P. room. The pieces were packaged in a Moët & Chandon box and messengered to guests.

For his spring 2013 Burberry Prorsum show, designer Christopher Bailey celebrated the skyline of London—both the brand’s home base and where it stages its shows—by recreating it in laser-cut pop-up form.

The four-and-a-half-inch-tall invitation to the 2008 inaugural Broad Contemporary Art Museum gala in Los Angeles was inspired by Jeff Koons's "Cracked Egg" sculpture, which was part of the inaugural show. The egg was chosen to represent the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s "rebirth" as the new pavilion was unveiled.

For a 2008 exhibition at Lever House, artist Tom Sachs mailed miniature, windup plastic Hello Kitty figurines as a preview of his "Bronze Collection" artwork on the iconic Japanese character. The plastic-covered packaging was printed so the artist's name appeared to be tacked on with Scotch Tape.

For the 2008 Tod's Art Plus Film party at the Whitechapel Gallery in London, British fashion designer Henry Holland designed a flip-book-style invitation that featured his cheeky drawings of notable figures in film, music, fashion, and the arts.

To herald its holiday 2011 charitable partnership with Lady Gaga, Barneys New York threw a party and sent out elaborate invitations. Created by Design Packaging and encased in the iconic Barneys black gift box, the 3-D mock-up of Gaga's Workshop came complete with functioning pop-up details and a transparent card allowing the bearer V.I.P. elevator access to the dedicated floor.

The invitations for the 2007 opening of Dries Van Noten's Paris flagship were deceptively simple. A Polaroid shot showing a close-up of the Belgian designer shop served as a sneak preview as well as a way to individualize each invite.

Chopard celebrated its 150th anniversary with an extravagant dinner and party at the Frick Collection in 2010. The Swiss watchmaker and jeweler enlisted New York-based Erin Bazos of Art Direction & Design to create a formal hardcover invitation utilizing a custom "Animal World" logo developed for all the jeweler’s anniversary events. The cover illustration, executed in gold foil stamping, was hand drawn and complemented by a watercolor painting created for the inside of the invite.

For Bloomberg's White House Correspondents' Dinner after-party in 2008, guests were sent a device that would only reveal the party information when recipients scanned their fingerprints. As an added element of security, each credit card-size piece only responded to the fingerprint of the intended invitee.

In a nod to its heritage as a purveyor of fine leather goods, Hermès, in past seasons, has issued fashion show invitations printed on various forms of its leather offerings. With some, the brand logo was embossed on the leather while with others, the "H" logo was perforated.

Always one to offer a whimsical take on fashion, Stella McCartney worked with author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves to create a 32-page book invitation for her spring 2007 fashion show. In addition to the Little Miss Stella character, Hargreaves also rendered fashion notables like Suzy Menkes, Anna Wintour, and Anna Piaggi in cartoon form.

Menswear brand Commonwealth Utilities held its first runway show in 2009. In a nod to the event venue, the Astor Place Hair barber shop, the invitation included items like combs vacuum-sealed in plastic.

As a reference to New York City, invitations to the 2006 Maison Martin Margiela store opening in the West Village came in the form of a coffee cup, with event details printed on a folded napkin placed inside.

Inspired by Maria Lani, the self-declared actress who conned the crème de la crème of the 1920s Paris art scene into painting her portrait, John Galliano's spring 2011 fashion show invites came in the form of scaled-down artworks printed on canvases with the show details on back.

For its 25th anniversary celebration, Manhattan restaurant Indochine enlisted illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme to sketch various iconic patrons that have dined in its space over the years. Printed on thick, letter-size paper stock, the postcard-style illustrations served as an artful memento to the milestone.

The giant yellow fin tuna weighed more than 120 pounds.

Howard Givner, executive director of the Event Leadership Institute, says that this book is "broadly applicable, and short and easy to read. It provides a great parable for learning how to take curve balls in stride and not dwelling or complaining about what's happened to you. The proactive, 'let's move forward' approach is one that every planner should adopt, as things rarely go as planned in live events, and it's important to be able to roll with the punches. It helps you go into an event with the mindset that unexpected changes will happen, so when they do you're not thrown off guard."

"I enjoyed reading this book by Judy Allen," says Eva Gouldbourne, a wedding and event planner at Chicago's Diamond Events. "This book has many specific examples of how to get the kind of business you want and avoid doing things that will make you stand out negatively."

Tahira Endean, the director of creative and production at Cantrav Services Inc. in Vancouver, says that all of Michael Gelb's books are must-reads, including this one about Leonardo da Vinci, which "includes a great story about catering in that century." Gelb, she says "truly is a Renaissance man, and I am always inspired by these books. I've read each more than once, and I've given them out to friends between 14 and 70 years of age. I consider these mandatory reading if you want to consider how to live and create better."

"This book should be titled Want Your Staff to Make Better Impressions on Your Clients, and Get a Free 15% Productivity Boost?" says Jason Harmer, who works in sales and development at Vancouver's GetWorkers. "Even if your boss is only concerned with the bottom line, this will give you a compelling argument to improve the happiness of your support staff."

Every staffer from Reiventing Events in San Francisco is required to read this book to learn more about teamwork. "It's so important to know each person's strengths when working together" to execute a flawless event, says a company rep.

Invitations that are messy, cluttered, or contain typos turn guests off.

Ronald McDonald House Toronto hosted its annual holiday-time gala at the Carlu in December. McNabb Roick Events reflected the Holiday Chic: Sparkle theme in sequined table linens and the crystal candle holders that served as centerpieces.

For a winter-themed corporate party, design director Andrew Zill of Baltimore-based Feats Inc. created a snowy scene that included a glowing bar anchored by a crystal-flocked tree.

Centerpieces of white carnations designed by Feats Inc. evoked fluffy snowballs.

David Stark created an elegant but relatively inexpensive look for the Whitney Museum of American Art's annual gala in December by using hundreds of softly glowing candles.

The Portlandia season 3 premiere party, held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in December, played off the idea of Portland in winter with quirky displays of everyday objects suspended in ice.

At Diffa's Dining by Design in New York, Ralph Lauren went with a cozy, ski chalet-inspired look. Centerpieces of snowberries and wrought-iron lanterns created a runner down the center of the rustic wood table. Other striking details included a faux fireplace, Pendleton-inspired bench cushions, and an antler chandelier.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary gala in November at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto, where planners created a wintery forest feel by lining the ballroom with living trees hung with candlelit lanterns.

In New York, the Sanctuary Hotel's Haven Rooftop has been turned into a ski chalet for the winter season. Available for private events, the fully tented, heated space comes complete with new seasonal drinks, such as peppermint hot cocoa spiked with Bailey's, and a menu of hearty, savory dishes. Revelers also have the option to take a "ski shot"—four signature shots to share with friends—off of an actual ski.

For a party Maxim threw to celebrate January cover girl Michelle Branch in 2004, the magazine's in-house design team created a unique invite: Guests received a white branded ski cap; instead of a price, the tag on the hat carried the event info and served as an admission ticket.

Russell Harris Event Group produced a winter wonderland-themed party for Fox in 2010. The designers covered the patio at Los Angeles's Villa Sorriso in blue carpeting and hung LED tubes in the trees, creating an effect that simulated falling snow.

In November at Diffa's annual Dining by Design event at Chicago's Merchandise Mart, the table Hok designed for Halcon had a winter forest feel. Walls were lined with logs, and the chandelier was covered in twigs.

Shiraz Events provided decor for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center gala in Miami in December. Tabletops were covered in silvery linens, and centerpieces of orchids and silver-coated ivy sat atop glowing white platforms.

The Park Avenue Armory in New York was decorated by David Monn for the 2012 holiday season. Monn used natural materials including birch, magnolia leaves, evergreen branches, and pine cones to adorn the ornate space's interiors.

Kapture Vision produced a holiday bash with a masquerade theme for CyberCoders in December at Newport Beach Dunes Resort in Newport Beach, California. Jay's Catering set up a s'more station where guests could fire-roast their own desserts.

Zak Events wanted to showcase "winter whites" at the 11th annual June Briggs Awards held at the Pierre New York in January. The look included custom-built white leather tufted highboy cocktail tables topped with icy-looking glass vessels filled with candlelight.

Bloor Street Entertains, a fund-raiser for Canfar, took place in several venues on the Toronto street in November and was produced by Spinradius Events. At one stop, guests sat in chairs draped with cozy fur wraps.

The Out NYC's Great Lawn has been turned into a "Winter Wonderland" for the season. The area, which is available for group buyouts, includes an outdoor ice rink, wintery decor, a pine forest, hot tubs, and a menu of Alpine-inspired food and drinks such as chocolate fondue, cheese fondue, hot mulled wine, Mexican hot chocolate, and more.

MillerCoors celebrated the introduction of the Coors Light resealable aluminum pint can in 2010 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa. The hotel's pool area was converted into a winter scene with fake snow, ice sculptures, and illuminated high-tops meant to resemble blocks of ice.

As a way to introduce its new all-wheel-drive models, British carmaker Jaguar built a larger-than-life snow globe in New York in the height of summer. To make the transparent, spherical tent feel like a snow globe, producers tapped Los Angeles-based MagicSnow to bring in a machine that periodically dispersed ice flakes.

The Washington National Opera Ball took over the ceremonial building at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in 2010. Event producer Sandi Hoffman of Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events transformed the lobby into a winter landscape with plush white carpets and white birch trees lining the hallway.

At the 2010 National Opera Ball, the winter theme continued into the courtyard, which featured fake snow falling from the rooftop and was designed as a tribute to the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Entertainers circled the snow-filled courtyard in inflated Zorbs.

For Toronto marketing company Capital C's annual holiday party in 2011, Apex Sound & Light projected 3-D mapped images of falling snow onto the venue's windows. Silver furniture added to the ice theme.

Capital C's creative director of live events, Mary Pallattella, created booths against the wall of the dance floor space for the company's holiday party. A video fireplace centered the booths.

Chicago's Shedd Aquarium held a Russian winter-themed gala in 2010. Heffernan Morgan designer John Hensel incorporated wintry touches into the decor, illuminating the pathway to the cocktail reception with snowflake-shaped gobos.

For a Regent Park School of Music fund-raiser held at the Carlu in Toronto in 2009, the event organizers at McNabb Roick Events draped panels of sheer white fabric and oversize snowflakes, stars, and icicles from the ceiling of the concert hall to give the space a wintry feel.

Before the presentation began, the wraparound screen behind the stage projected a timeline of shoe images, evoking the history of the Adidas brand.

One space channeled a taxi-dance hall, which was a type of nightclub that had "dime-a-dance" entertainers in the 1920s. Guests of the era could pay 10 cents to dance with a girl for 90 seconds, so Pallattella hired models to wear period costumes and dance with employees. The dance hall also had big, black-and-white photos of women from the 1920s.