The Manhattan Cocktail Classic
Sure, there were plenty of creative libations at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic gala at the New York Public Library on May 9. But there were also some sandwiches that stood out for their unique presentation. A roving server from Sonnier & Castle wore a wooden plaque around his neck, and mini shelves affixed to the board held togarashi-chicken-salad tea sandwiches.Â
Photo: Belathée Photography
Fox Upfront
Fox used branded balloons to lead guests to its upfront presentation and party in New York. The afternoon presentation was held at the Beacon Theatre on May 13.
Photo: Brad Barket/Fox
Absolut X Miami
Serving up a mix of creative cocktails and live music, this summer’s Absolut X tour stopped at Miami's Soho Studios May 16. At the "Create With Us" station, guests could scrawl on the oversize scratch drawing board with their fingernails.
Photo: World Red Eye
National Confectioners' Association's Sweets & Snacks Expo
Some serious business went down at the National Confectioners' Association's Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago May 21 to 23—but exhibitors let their whimsy shine. Just beyond the entrance, a bright yellow car—decked with a rather large chick—advertised Peeps.
Photo: Dustin Berta/BizBash
'Now You See Me' Premiere
For the New York premiere of Now You See Me, a film about four magicians that rob a bank, Summit Entertainment put 600 guests in the basement of the Hudson Hotel. Mimicking the film's setting, vignettes from graffiti collective 5Pointz on the walls gave the warehouse a gritty, underground vibe.
Photo: David Hechler
At the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, presenting sponsor Belvedere offered refreshing beverages made with their Lemon Tea vodka, including the Lemon Tea Classic Punch, a drink that featured sherbet, black tea, and a mint sprig garnish.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At Barbra Streisand's recent fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, guests helped themselves to a raw fruit and veggie bar. In place of a tablecloth, organizers used a quilt to match the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the event.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
Nothing says summer like fresh seafood. At the Power Ball in Toronto, V.I.P. guests helped themselves to shrimp and freshly shucked oysters at a chilled seafood bar provided by Petite Thuet.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Petite Thuet also served a colorful dish of seafood paella at the Power Ball.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
A garden-inspired dish featuring seasonal vegetables by Great Performances in New York can stand in for a traditional floral centerpiece.
Photo: Courtesy of GreatPerformances
En Ville Event Design & Catering in Toronto created a picnic-themed display of fruit, bread, and cheese for a summer event.
Photo: Courtesy of en Ville Event Design & Catering
For Heineken's Inspire Tour in 2010, the food was adapted to the New York market with items like Reuben sandwiches, Chinese dumplings, hot dogs, and falafels served from street carts.
Photo: Sara Jaye Weiss
Guests at Stella McCartney's 2011 spring preview were treated to shaved ice by People's Pops in New York.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, waitstaff passed citrus-infused cocktails in Mason jars.
Photo: Jim Shi
Also at Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 collection preview, dessert stands offered sweets from Coolhaus and Pie Corps (pictured). At the latter, guests could also pick up prepackaged jars of fruit cobbler.
Photo: Jim Shi
McCartney's carnival-themed presentation also had a mac 'n' cheese station. Guests could grab a mini serving wrapped in a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel stand, or opt for a full cup that could be topped with veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
Photo: Jim Shi
For the grand opening of the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami earlier this year, the venue's catering team created an edible garden using toasted pumpernickel crumbs as "dirt" with spears of baby carrots, asparagus spears, and zucchini, as well as baby tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella "flowers."
Photo: Harvey Bilt
At this year's Luminescence gala in Chicago, passed canapes included cured salmon lollipops, displayed on beds of wheatgrass.
Photo: Courtesy of John G. Shedd Aquarium
As part of Colgate's White Beauty Bar event in Los Angeles, Skintimate treated attendees to a self-serve sorbet station.
Photo: Glenn Lipton
Boston-based event design firm LoLo Event Design recommends setting up self-service bars at summer events. The display includes premixed drinks in large Mason jars, along with fresh herbs and seasonal flowers.
Photo: Studio Vitri
For a fun spin on a summer favorite, LoLo Event Design has caterers serve passed bite-size ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches.
Photo: Bliss Celebration for the Charles Hotel
At this year's Tony Awards gala in New York, guests could serve themselves cups of YoArt's frozen yogurt. There were 80 different toppings, including fresh fruit and gummi candies.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Tabú nightclub at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering several Fourth of July-inspired cocktails this summer. The White Night (pictured) is a sweet and savory blend of Malibu rum, Frangelico, Rumplemintz, and cream strained and served over ice, then garnished with raspberries and blueberries.
Photo: Johnny Mancuso/onefive4.com
At Barbra Streisand's fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, colorful floral arrangements in wooden vases played off the outdoor setting.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
For the dinner, held inside Streisand's home, the summery atmosphere featured neutral tones and fresh-picked centerpieces.
Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
California-based rental company Archive Rentals offers a large collection of authentic vintage Western and camping-themed items, including reclaimed barn-wood tables, camping trailers, Airstream trailers and canoes.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
The centerpieces at Diffa's Garden gala in Chicago this year included candelabras wrapped in greenery and white flowers surrounded by Mason jars holding tealights.
Photo: Nicholas Foli
For the Central Park Conservancy's annual "Taste of Summer" event in New York, designer Marc Wilson punched up the all-white furnishings with drapes and throw pillows in bright pink, green, and yellow hues.
Photo: Peter Peck Field
The V.I.P. area of Toronto's Power Ball was styled with rustic elements for an English-picnic look. Designers used loading palettes as banquet seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
Markus Daly Ryan produced Univision's Deportes launch in New York, where picnic tables formed the bulk of the seating and found lumber was turned into cocktail tables for a neighborhood-block-party feel.
Photo: Brian Ach/AP Images for Univision
At Stella McCartney's Resort 2013 presentation, a large cart overflowing with roses and peonies stood near the entrance to the venue. As guests left, they were given small bouquets or single stems as festive gifts.
Photo: Jim Shi
At Glossed & Found's Meredith Wendell luncheon in Chicago, A Perfect Event placed giant, colorful pool inflatables throughout the venue to set the tone for the pool party theme.
Photo: Trevar Evett/Fig Media
For the picnic-inspired Absolut Orient Apple launch party in New York last summer, organizers covered the floor of the indoor venue with sod, and brought in live trees and wooden barrels filled with thousands of apples.
Photo: Gustavo Campos
At a Belvedere-sponsored event during the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, guests sat on haystacks covered with bright orange blankets and chevron-patterned pillows.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
Chevron-patterned linens were also used on cocktails tables, and sunflower bouquets served as centerpieces.
Photo: Aubree Dallas for Belvedere Vodka
At this year's Casa de Don Julio event in New York, the outdoor terrace was decorated with Mexican-inspired decor, with barrels and wooden benches used for guest seating and cocktail tables.
Photo: Marion Curtis/startraksphoto.com
This year's Adam Smith Awards gala, which took place in Washington, D.C., had a red-white-and-blue theme.
Photo: Nick Khazal
LoLo Event Design offers hand-painted handkerchiefs that can serve as table numbers at a garden event. Geraniums in a terra cotta pot have a more casual feel than an elaborate formal centerpiece.
Photo: Studio Vitri
LoLo Event Design also creates message-in-a-bottle place cards for beach-inspired events.
Photo: Kjeld Mahoney Photography
At Sears' and Kmart's 2012 collection press preview, the design team brought in foliage, benches, and six live canaries. The birds chirped from freestanding cages placed around the product vignettes.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
For a recent pool party, the team at Swank Productions kept the decor streamlined, with a mostly white color palette, mirrored furnishings, and plenty of sheer draping.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
For an indoor summer-themed gathering, Swank producers used beach balls to create playful "chandeliers." Tables were covered in summery yellow and orange linens.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
At Glossed & Found's book launch party designed by A Perfect Event, guests took home summer cocktail recipes provided by Grand Marnier.
Photo: Courtesy of Debi Lilly
Megavision Arts created 2-D and 3-D wall projections as a nod to the pool theme at a party to celebrate newly renovated Los Angeles venue Nic's Beverly Hills.
Photo: David Corwin
The recent Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows 100th anniversary bash kicked off with a performance by the Aqualillies, a troupe of water-ballerinas.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Essie
At the Seersucker Ride and Social in Washington, D.C., guests enjoyed music from a 1920s jazz band. As a nod to the theme, participants dressed in seersucker and Jazz Age fashions.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
Guests also played lawn games like croquet at the Seersucker Ride and Social.
Photo: Courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
At last year's Stella McCartney spring preview, guests played ping-pong at a table set up outside.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Stella McCartney
Zen Arts in Southern California offers an array of entertainment that can take place in or around a pool, including their transparent spheres that hold performers and float on water.
Photo: Josh Reiss
At the Power Ball in Toronto, guests took a ride on wooden swings in the main party area.
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
At Sunglass Hut's summer block party in Miami, family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping-pong, and hopscotch.
Photo: WorldRedEye.com
For Yahoo's Genome relaunch party in New York, organizers brought in a trio of synchronized swimmers from Gotham Synchro to swim in the venue's indoor pool. The water dancers sported alien-inspired body suits as a nod to the event's futuristic theme.
Photo: Sean T. Smith
Dubbed "Hannah Mermaid," model Hannah Fraser is available for corporate events, and specializes in underwater "aquabatics" and open-water diving.
Photo: Jaime Gianopoulos
BrownHot Events used Signature Systems Group’s "Seagrass" sisal carpet at the tent for Veuve Clicquot’s Polo Classic event in October.
Photo: Courtesy of EventDeck
Attention-grabbing colors dominated over more subtle, pastel choices. A collaboration between Haute Papier and Dabney Lee has produced a collection of neon-hued note cards.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
From event planner Shawn Rabideau's brand-new collection for Kramer Drive comes an eye-popping, trippy design.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
A blind impression is a method of letter-pressing paper without using any ink to create a subtle motif or pattern. The invite, from Designers' Fine Press, features blind impressed polka dots.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Printerette Press had two examples of blind impressed patterns paired with colored text.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Hand-painted edges can add a subtle pop of color to an otherwise conservative invitation, as seen in the design from Elum.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Dessert table offerings sat upon rustic wood slabs at the Little Maven event.
Photo: Michael Simon/StarTraks
After a move to Las Vegas, Maxim's annual Hot 100 event returned to Los Angeles this year. Taking over SBE's newest property, Create (formerly Vanguard), the Visionary Group transformed the raw space into an ode to American summer nights. Outside, the patio had a bonfire built into a real sandpit.
Photo: Nick Corradi
Relief From High-Heel Suffering
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.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Shelter From Rain
Guests arriving at USA Network's event atop the High Line in New York last summer found a receiving line of umbrella-wielding staffers, who provided shelter all the way to the entrance of the covered bash.
Photo: David X Prutting/BFAnyc.com
Sun Protection at the Ready
At Lacoste's Coachella pool party in the blazing desert sun, cigarette-style girls, clad in Lacoste gear, passed Kiel's sun-protection products.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Lacoste
Wet Weather Accessories
When the weather unexpectedly turned sour at South by Southwest this year, ponchos from Warner Brothers served as protection from the rain as well as an opportunity to promote CW television series Arrow.
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved
Relaxing Hammocks
Bonnaroo attendees could relax in hammocks and enter to win V.I.P. passes in the "Great State Lounge" hosted by State Farm. The insurance company also provided what it called "Bonnaroo Roadside Assistance"—free services such as help with flat tires and dead batteries.
Photo: Erika Goldring
Yoga Sessions
At the WWD Beauty C.E.O. Summit in Palm Beach, yoga on branded mats on the lawn allowed guests to relax and unwind.
Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig
Hair Services for Grubby Festival-Goers
More than 80,000 people traveled to a remote 700-acre farm in Tennessee June 7 to 10 for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Knowing the attendees would be outside day and night listening music on multiple stages, brands such as Garnier Fructis provided practical services such as free hair-washing and styling in a 40- by 40-foot air-conditioned tent.
Photo: Erika Goldring
Hand Wipes and Toothpicks
Things tend to get messy at food festivals, tastings, and other events with lots of grub, so Delta provided toothpicks, hand wipes, and mints at the 2010 New York City Wine & Food Festival, a smart way to get the brand in front of attendees.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Convenient Transportation
During Upfront Week in New York last year, Turner Broadcasting held back-to-back late-night events and, to help transport guests from the Adult Swim party to the shindig for TruTV, provided a fleet of pedicabs offering free rides.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Custom Fragrance Gifts
For a recent press event in Los Angeles, Paul Frank brought Starring Fragrances for a station that gave guests the chance to take home custom fragrances, made on the spot according to their individual tastes.
Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision for Saban Brands/AP Images
Easy, Stylish Phone-Charging Access
At the FN C.E.O. Summit in Miami, guests could charge their smartphones in a luxe lounge—a stylish, discreet solution to manage the task that everyone wants as a convenience at events. The centerpieces during the education sessions were framed instructions on how to reference the summit on social media and log on to the hotel's Wi-Fi network.
Photo: Javier Sanchez
Flip-Flop Takeaways
MSNBC also had a flip-flop station at its White House Correspondents' Association Dinner after-party, providing relief for folks who had been on their feet all evening.
Photo: Beth Kormanik/BizBash
Poladora.com Launch Party in Chicago
Mexican themes lend themselves to such whimsy and colorfulness. The table from A Perfect Event shows off a well-executed, conversation-starting example.
Photo: C. Saville Photography
Carlson Wagonlit Travel "Thrive in Retro" Event
The Global Business Travel Association hosted its annual conference in Boston in late July, and participating company Carlson Wagonlit Travel hosted an after-party at Symphony Hall on a Tuesday night. Benefiting Project Step, the event was produced by Kuoni Destination Management had a "Thrive in Retro" theme inspired by Mad Men. Models dressed in sleek, '60s-style outfits and carried retro-style cocktail trays with specialty drinks such as classic Manhattans and sloe gin fizzes.
Photo: Courtesy of Kuoni Destination Management
Carlson Wagonlit Travel "Thrive in Retro" Event
At Carlson Wagonlit Travel's late July gathering, snacks matched with the retro theme. Served in spoons, on square plates, and in decorative bowls, menu items included assorted deviled eggs, Caesar-salad spring rolls, and BLT-stuffed tomatoes.
Photo: Courtesy of Kuoni Destination Management
Harris Theater Gala
On June 26, the Paris Opera Ballet performed Giselle at the Harris Theater in Chicago. Drawing on the ethereal, ghostly set of the famous ballet, designer Bill Heffernan of HMR Design Group brought a moonlit-forest look to the tent that housed the ensuing gala in Millennium Park. Large, transparent cubes decorated with projected branch patterns hung overhead in the dining space, while ferns and white freesia topped the tables.
Photo: Bob Carl
The Shedd Aquarium's Luminscence Gala
For the Shedd Aquarium’s Luminescence gala in Chicago, a Shedd trainer holding a penguin modeled an auction prize, a pendant that was inspired by the Chicago institution’s beaux arts clock.
Photo: Courtesy of John G. Shedd Aquarium
Lincoln Park Zoo's Zoo-ologie
The Lincoln Park Zoo's auxiliary board hosted its second Zoo-ologie on the tiger- and lion-filled grounds in June. The carousel stayed spinning until 11 p.m., proving to be a popular attraction—and, it turns out, a competitive one. Guests playfully raced toward the creatures they wanted to ride, shouting out dibs on the swan, the cheetah, and the frog.
Photo: Jaclyn Simpson
Washington National Opera Ball
The Washington National Opera Ball was held at the United Arab Emirates and, consequently, had an Arabian theme. After walking through a series of Arab pergolas, guests entered the embassy's grand portico, which featured a 23-foot starburst lantern lit by candles that the Kennedy Center built for the event.
Photo: Margot Schulman
Chefs' Tribute to Citymeals-on-Wheels Gala
The 27th annual Chefs' Tribute to Citymeals-on-Wheels took over the rink at New York's Rockefeller Center in June. With a cinematic theme, renowned chefs created dishes inspired by their favorite movies, including Jaws, The Perfect Storm, and The Godfather.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Kiehl's Amfar Ride Finish-Line Wrap Party
Kiehl's 10-day philanthropic motorcycle ride along the Eastern Seaboard wrapped up with a finish-line party July 20 at the Kiehl's Georgetown store. The event, which raised awareness for H.I.V./AIDS research and resources, had motorcycle-inspired decor and cuisine including a dessert display from Georgetown Cupcake.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Kiehl's Since 1851
The Parrish Art Museum's Midsummer Party
In the Hamptons, the Parrish Art Museum's Midsummer Party included dinner in an ornate tent. Overhead, a leafy projection and twinkling rope lights contrasted with a more high-tech lighting rack, which produced a dancing effect.
Photo: Patrick McMullan/PatrickMcMullan.com
ArtHampton's Jackson Pollock Centennial
On July 13, ArtHamptons celebrated the centennial of Jackson Pollock's birth—and raised funds for the Jackson Pollock Lee Krasner Study House—with an event that included a performance art installation of a couple getting paint thrown at them.
Photo: Michael Heller
Fashion As Art Exposed
Fashion as Art Exposed, a fund-raising event in support of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, took place in Ontario in June. To showcase the work of Canadian designers—and to underscore the theme of fashion as art—organizers posed models in giant frames.
Photo: George Pimentel
The National Ballet of Canada's Diamond Gala
The National Ballet of Canada celebrated its 60th anniversary in June. During the reception, which had a specialty vodka cocktail called "Diamonds in the Skyy," ballerinas danced and stretched casually amid the guests.
Photo: Gary Beechy
Keep Memory Alive's Shakespeare Ranch Rodeo
In July, Keep Memory Alive hosted its Shakespeare Ranch Rodeo in Nevada. The summery event included bronco riding, barrel racing, and kids' watermelon-eating contests.
Photo: Dalia Photography
City of Hope Gala
For the City of Hope "Spirit of Life" gala in Los Angeles, Namevents turned a parking lot adjacent to Geffen Contemporary at MOCA into a dinner space meant to evoke a high-end nightclub. Guests sat in lounge areas with plush couches and blankets, and dinner was served on glass tables with programmable LED bases. On some tables, tall glass vases designed by Chris Matsumoto were filled with water and stones in colors that echoed the hues on the invitation.
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center Gala
At Barbra Streisand's summer fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center in Malibu, guests helped themselves to a raw fruit and veggie bar. In place of a tablecloth, organizers used a quilt to match the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the June 14 event.
Photo: Alex Berliner for AbImages
Watermill Center Summer Benefit
On July 28, some 1,200 guests headed out to the Watermill Center in the Hamptons for the art organization’s annual benefit, one of the season’s biggest draws for philanthropists. Inside the dinner tent a chandelier positioned over the dance floor was made up of plastic recycling bags and pink fabric streamers.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
Chefs in Shorts
Apparently, a little rain doesn’t dampen the allure of a summer barbecue. On June 22, Boston’s "Chefs in Shorts" benefit for Future Chefs drew some 900 guests who sampled grilled snacks from 38 local eateries while hoisting umbrellas. At the booth from Bond at the Langham Hotel, soaked-but-undaunted staffers busily prepared sliders and champagne cocktails.
Photo: Bethany Versoy/V2Visuals
Ravinia Music Festival
Ravinia music festival celebrated its women's board's 50th anniversary at a black-tie gala in July. After a performance from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and singers including Patti Lupone, guests had dinner in a tent lavishly decorated by Event Creative. At the entrance, designer Jeffrey Foster created a custom wooden canopy of trees inspired by Ravinia's logo.
Photo: Patrick Gipson/Ravinia Festival
The Chicago Botanic Garden's Summer Dinner Dance
On June 22, the Chicago Botanic Garden celebrated its 40th anniversary at the annual Summer Dinner Dance. For the tent, designer William Heffernan of HMR Design Group created what he called "an impressionistic painting of a pink rose garden." The tent had a color scheme of raspberry, red, and white, with thousands of roses in different shades of pink.
Photo: Bob Carl for Chicago Botanic Garden
The Lincoln Park Zoo Ball
The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago gave its annual summertime ball a "Great Cats-by" theme this year. To channel the interior of a grand East Coast estate described in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, Frost's David Kelly worked with designers from Event Creative to hang a cluster of ornate chandeliers form the top of the dinner tent.
Photo: Alain Milotti
The Lincoln Park Zoo Ball
The Village People made a somewhat random—but definitely appreciated—surprise appearance at the Lincoln Park Zoo Ball. A band member lead locals through the appropriate steps to the "Y.M.C.A.," and the iconic group also performed "In the Navy." Guests danced enthusiastically along.
Photo: Bob Carl
The Justice Ball
Toast produced the Justice Ball (a fund-raiser for nonprofit Bet Tzedek) at the Book Bindery in Los Angeles. The event had a speakeasy theme replete with roving flappers, prop barrels, and a bar that was cheekily referred to as the "Juice Joint."
Photo: Courtesy of Toast
Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery's Power Ball
Kobo was a sponsor of the June Power Ball at Toronto's Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, where guests could also indulge the child inside. The brand dangled e-readers from a tree in one of the event's main areas, and nearby, guests could take a ride on a swing that read "Take a Moment to Breathe."
Photo: Josh Fee for BizBash
The Boys & Girls Club's Summer Ball
At the Boys & Girls Club's Summer Ball in Chicago, HMR Design Group created lounge areas in the same space where the dinner was held. The residential-feeling areas had zebra-striped throw pillows, tufted leather seating, and lighting from candles and oversize lamps.
Photo: Bob Carl
