Event Ideas

Caterer Great Performances served a cocktail-style menu of small plates, including mini waffle cups topped with bacon-and-egg ice cream and savory cannolis made with radishes, whipped butter, and chives.

L.A.-based artist Jorge Pardo created a special edition of brightly colored lanterns that hung over the Hammer Museum's Gala in the Garden.

Hundreds of balloons from Balloon Trix hung from the ceiling during the V.I.P. dinner. The space changed colour with each course, starting with blue, morphing to pink for the main course, changing to orange for dessert, and ending in red.

In early April, attendees were sent a pre-arrival package that included a welcome note and a metal luggage tag.

The Palm Springs area's La Quinta Resort & Club hosted TED's official simulcast, known as TEDActive. A picnic lunch Wednesday offered picnic baskets for groups of seven—so each person had to meet six new folks with whom to chat and chow.

In addition to nighttime fireworks displays, PyroTecnico can also present daytime “fireworks” shows using colored smoke. With offices throughout the U.S., the company can stage performances anywhere. Prices available on request.

"I love creating a unique place for guests to congregate and enjoy one another, so I thought, why not create a massive floral carpet that would serve both as a beautiful focal point and a gathering area? I designed a 'carpet' and filled it with hundreds of beautiful blooms and then covered it with Plexiglas. The result was a statement piece that allowed guests to dance on air." —Preston Bailey

"We were influenced by our surroundings. We let the decor of Blue Hill at Stone Barns rule our aesthetic, letting nature dictate the design. The hand-hammered copper urn visually grounded the design." —David Beahm

"The event showcases student work, which is contemporary with an edge, requiring an environment that celebrates that level of creativity." —Jeffrey Foster

One million flowers blanketed the walls of Christian Dior's July show during Paris Fashion Week. The Bureau Betak-event included a room covered with red roses.

For a recent press event in Los Angeles, Paul Frank brought Starring Fragrances for a station that offered custom scents as takeaways for guests, based on their personal preferences.

After a long Oscar night, host Seth MacFarlane's official after-party included a station from Tkees, which encouraged guests to check their heels (similar to the way they would at a coat check) and pick up a pair of flip-flops—in gold, appropriate to the occasion.

At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation in New York, a cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they picked up small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.

Looking to boost event proceeds, Miami Children's Hospital Foundation went beyond the basic silent auction by enlisting a group of hunky male volunteers to showcase auction items at its Wine, Women & Shoes event in February.

Colorful nail polish bottles filled champagne glasses at L'Oréal’s brunch planned by Joe Moller at the Viceroy EOS Restaurant in Miami.

At its Coachella party, Lacoste set up a nail art station, where guests could stop by for colorful, branded looks applied in a breezy white cabana.

The Vintage Table Company offers vintage china, glassware, and flatware sourced from estates, thrift stores, and flea markets, for a purposefully mismatched tabletop look.

Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS hosted its 16th annual Dining by Design event in New York, where Croscill's table got a bright pink quilted tablecloth and clear Chiavari chairs that gave the setup a look that resembled a canopy bed.

In Los Angeles in the days before Coachella kicked off, jewelry brand Haute Betts hosted a party with a floral garland-making station, where guests could create their own festival-ready looks—and wear them to contribute an on-brand, boho-chic atmosphere in the party space.

In the Toronto area, Vintage China Hire offers an eclectic mix of vintage and antique tableware for events and has partnered with Loic Gourmet to offer catered afternoon tea packages.

The recent Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows' 100th anniversary bash kicked off with a performance by the Aqualillies, a troupe of water ballerinas.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Hot Pink Party in Boston honored Evelyn Lauder with displays of her favorite flower, peonies, which decorated tables along with orange roses.