The Horizons for Homeless Children's gala took place at Boston's State Room on April 6 and had a dinner of organic herb-roasted chicken with lemon-thyme nage. To enhance the light, delicate dinner, Winston Flowers topped tables with floating white orchids. Surrounded by candles in black and white holders, the simple arrangement had the serene vibe of a Zen garden.
Billed as the most successful cancer-related fund-raising gala in Canada, the Daffodil Ball in April had a Great Gatsby theme that brought the 1920s to life at Windsor Station in Montreal. In the cocktail space, a living fountain twirled around slowly. Planners mounted the statue and surrounding water trough over an octagonal hole in Windsor Station's floor, and the set up required reinforced struts covered by flooring and raised three feet above ground level.
In March, the Chicago History Museum hosted the Costume Ball to celebrate the opening of its then-new exhibition, "Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair." As a nod to the evening's sartorial focus, Kehoe Designs dressed chandeliers in purple fringe.
Syzygy Events International returned as the visionaries behind the staging and decor for the Washington fund-raiser in April. Designers took inspiration from fashion designers Jason Wu's and Louis Vuitton’s 2013 spring collections with sleek, black and white decor with checkered details.
Sponsored by Toys "R" Us, the event took place at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel on April 6. With the goal of raising money for sick or injured children, organizers created a whimsical bash filled with circus-inspired ideas. Dinner tables were topped with miniature Ferris wheels that held cupcakes topped with colorful frosting.
Karl Lagerfeld designed the Bal de la Rose du Rocher, a fund-raiser for the Foundation Princesse Grace that took place at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo on March 23. In the dining room, Lagerfeld evoked the casino of Monaco's famous Hôtel Hermitage. Tables were draped in cotton sateen printed with a game-table motif, then topped with dice and custom gaming chips. Gold and silver vessels held red Baccara roses, peonies, and poppies.
Held in Chicago on May 18, the Goodman Gala celebrated the theater's upcoming production of The Jungle Book. Kehoe Designs transformed the Fairmont Hotel's ballroom into a tropical setting replete with lagoon-colored lighting, leafy centerpieces, and giant cutouts of animal silhouettes.
At the April New Museum spring gala honoring artist Christian Marclay, guests arriving at New York's Cipriani Wall Street were met with a larger-than-life live installation of white PVC balloons that set the tone for the duration of the event, a four-month project in the making.
Held at Chicago's Navy Pier on April 13, the American Heart Association's Heart Ball had an all-red lounge that served as a plush activation for sponsor Redd's Apple Ale. Kehoe Designs handled decor, and Deseo Events planned the event.
The first-time event at the Art Institute of Chicago May 16 raised money for local public charter school the Academy of Global Citizenship, and students from the school were on hand to greet guests, give them directions, and remind them of the evening's cause. Though the event was relatively small, guests bid high all evening, raising more than $1 million.
Held in Tampa on May 18 at A La Carte Event Pavilion, the ball had a French flea-market theme. Using a backdrop of Parisian cafés, the silent auction had a look that blended in with the evening's vibe. Gold Productions created the decor.
The April 22 ball was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. On a central staircase, candles were arranged to dramatically spell out "H" and "W," the initials of sponsoring company Harry Winston Inc.
Held in Chicago on May 18, the ball had comic-book-inspired decor from Kehoe Designs. A cartoon-like, illuminated city skyline served as a fitting backdrop on the stage where comedian Martin Short performed. Crystalline centerpieces were meant to look like fallen kryptonite.
The American Cancer Society hosted its Key Gala in Boston at the Park Plaza Castle on April 4. Geared toward a crowd of young professionals, the event had a late-night menu from the Catered Affair. Laid-back snacks included hot pretzels with ballpark mustard.
Steppenwolf auxiliary council's hip fund-raiser took place at Chicago's Venue One on April 5. Geared toward a youthful crowd, the event offered a Magnolia Photo Booth with fun props such as fake mustaches and—to underscore the theatrical theme—a movie slate.
The 25th incarnation of I.C.F.F. ran May 18 to 21 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. A great place for event professionals to get ideas and inspiration, the show displayed items such as Toyko-based Oodesign's tiny floating vases. The vessels hold individual buds and submerge their stems in water.
I admired the printed cotton tablecloths—the designer responsible for the decor was Steven Stolman who said the tablecloths were made from a Scalamandre fabric especially for the party called "Jour de Juin," or Day in June). They are being sold for $75 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Southampton Hospital Foundation by calling 631.726.8700 ext. 3
Stephanie Goto also skipped a centerpiece, instead creating what she called a "chan-dine-lier." Designed to feel like dining inside of a chandelier, the quirky table was encircled by fluorescent PVC strips. Inside, a circular bench surrounding the table was interrupted every few feet with a 2-D cut-out of a seated person.
