Impact Partnership

At the 2008 Robin Hood Foundation gala, XO laptops on each dinner table displayed menus, statistics about the organization’s work, and images of flowers, and then were donated to city schoolchildren after the event.

At a 2006 dinner held by investment bank Rodman & Renshaw, Event Design Inc. made sure all the attendees had a clear view of the evening’s entertainment by creating seven levels of seating with rows of individual lounges on each level.

Snapple’s 2006 “High Tea Tour” combined large-scale product placement and entertainment with free hot-air balloon rides in public spaces in nine cities.

Atlas's yellow and black display for the launch of Pilates NYC's pre- and post-natal programs.

At the Campfire Ball benefit for Children’s Oncology Services in May at Venue One in Chicago, Cork Catering set up a make-your-own s’mores station.

BMW returned as the automotive sponsor this year with an all-white lounge area for guests—with a touch of color from this edible logo.

Evoke designed a doughnut wall that Design Cuisine executed for a client in April and will continue to offer the concept this fall. The wall was constructed out of pegboard, with 1,200 wooden golf tees showcasing the chocolate-glazed chocolate doughnuts (forming a “J” for the guest of honor’s name) and the outlining cinnamon sugar and powdered white donuts. In coming months, a server with a step stool will be on hand to pull doughnuts off the wall for guests, who can carry the take-home treats away in brown paper bags with to-go cups of hot apple cider.

No detail was spared for the preview party, not even when it came to the food. Creative Edge served a bevy of Italian-inspired hors d'oeuvres on custom, Missoni-inspired trays lined with patterns. The menu included colorful macaroons (pictured), as well as a lobster pop tart that had rice paper garnishes decorated with the signature zigzag print.

Dylan's Candy Bar also provided sweet treats with an array of candy that guests could scoop into a bag. Coffee Bean offered iced tea and coffee.

Whimsically presented desserts at the after-party included cupcakes on forks, towers of meringues, and cream puffs in birdcages.

At the 21st anniversary party for Fresh at Openhouse Gallery in July, the company built a gifting bar where guests could select products that have been introduced each year since the brand's beginnings. Packages were messengered to attendees the following day.

The producers projected the show's logo on walls next to rustic elements like lamps with branch and tree trunk bases.

Minimal lighting, dark decor, and black drapes over the windows helped create the secretive, speakeasy ambiance organizers wanted.

About 650 guests saw how the Miami Airport Convention Center could be transformed for guests. This space, the East Hall, became a Spanish cabaret.

Centerpieces were illuminated lamps with text from the play.

The Flower Firm's decor included oversize lampshades emblazoned with a photo of an Amur tiger. Sound Investment's lighting created a leafy, jungle-like canopy on the ceiling of the tent.

At the hotel, the registration area was set up to resemble a boutique, displaying the items included in the welcome totes on shelves. “At the previous Engage! conference, we found out that some people didn’t open their welcome bag until they got home, but it included a lot of items meant to be used at the conference,” says Arak-Kanofsky. “So we wanted to make sure people knew what was inside. The merchandise walls created by Bob Gail Special Events allowed guests to see what they were getting.”

Guests received a minibar kit that included recipes for three cocktails and the ingredients needed to make them, like Red Bull, Goldschlager, and candy drink stirrers.

The welcome totes also included a trifold vanity kit. Each day of the conference had its own corresponding pouch of items. The “Get Ready” section included bath salts, an aromatherapy candle, and a box of matches. The “Engage” pouch had a tube of mints, lip balm, and massage cream. The “Glow” pouch featured items intended for use at the gala event, like nail polish, a mirror, and a portable kit with Band-Aids, blotting papers, and fashion tape.

Another trend spotted on the Diffa floor: black-and-white stripes. The Architectural Digest table featured the striking pattern on the china, the surrounding columns, a giant paper lantern, and the table itself. A centerpiece of brightly hued anemones and poppies popped against the stark palette.

The table Frette designed for The New York Times was housed inside a black-and-white striped cabana. With rustic wood accents, fresh oranges, and arrangements of olive tree branches, the tabletop had a Tuscan countryside vibe.

Curb can create sand sculptures in public areas.

A white seating cluster took the form of a CW logo.

Team Sandtastic created a sand sculpture of the American Express logo.