Flower-free centerpieces showed more superhero images and served as holders for IML's devices.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Designed for a Cure
Shiraz Events produced and designed the fund-raiser for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. The event took place on February 13 at Miami's Ice Palace, where producers cast geometric light patterns over the event. "The inspiration behind this lighting was the linear detail of the building's façade and windows," said a rep from Shiraz. "We accentuated this by using a similar design for the exterior gobos."
Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig
Extending the green theme of the Spotify House, Austin-based Articulture Designs created a musical living wall, embedding air plants and greenery in speakers and instruments that were mounted on the wall.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Photo: George Pimentel
Photo: Mary Kate McKenna Photography
The nonprofit Imagine1Day—which supports education in Ethiopia—hosted its first gala, honoring Tracy Anderson, at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on November 19. To label each seat, organizers placed stones emblazoned with individual guest names on tabletops.
Photo: Jessica Castro Photography
Pac-12 V.I.P. Tailgate Event
The Pacific-12 Football Championship Game took place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on December 5. The day-of tailgate party, organized by staffers of the Pacific-12 Conference, took place at the new Great America Pavilion adjacent to the venue. Mascots from each of the college football teams represented by the Pacific-12 Conference attended the event and played "Giant Jenga" with guests.
Photo: Douglas Taylor
To promote the season premiere of Showtime's Shameless, Okamoto Studio carved and assembled more than 18,000 pounds of ice in the shape of the show's hashtag, which was on display in the Flatiron district's pedestrian plaza in New York in January.
Photo: Courtesy of Okamoto Studio
At the "Travel Alberta: Snowed In at Nokia Plaza" activation, held in Los Angeles in November 2013, guests chipped away at an icy replica of a mountain, which was created by Robert Van Diggele, to retrieve the prize vouchers frozen inside. The vouchers were exchanged for signed pucks, Travel Alberta-branded items, and a signed L.A. Kings jersey.
Photo: Noel Vasquez
Bank of China opened the financial institution's Chicago branch with an ice-cutting ceremony in March 2013. Nadeau's Ice Sculptures encased red letters that spelled out "Chicago" in ice; the bank executives then chiseled away at the blocks to reveal the new location.
Photo: Josh Sears Photography
Toronto's Iceculture has created beaded curtains—made entirely of ice—for events, where it can divide a room or serve as an eye-catching backdrop.
Photo: Courtesy of Iceculture
Guests (with the help of Okamoto Studio's crew) used hand tools and drills to make their mark on a glowing, seven-foot-tall ice wall, which can be constructed at events, celebrations, and weddings.
Photo: Kent Demas
A 14- by 12-foot ice sculpture of Russia's signature dome architecture served as the centerpiece of the dessert presentation at the Initiative for Russian Culture's film series launch event at the Library of Congress in Washington in September 2011.
Photo: ImageLink Photography
In addition to carving detailed displays, Washington, D.C.'s USAIce also makes shot glasses from ice for events. The company also creates ice bowls and trays.
Photo: Courtesy of USAIce
At the launch of the Kate Young for Target collection, held at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral school in SoHo in April 2013, Okamoto Studio etched the designer's name in playful block letters, which held lopsided bottles.
Photo: Courtesy of BFA NYC
Festive ice installations, like a frosty Claus, decorated Minus5 Ice Bar in New York (which also has locations in Las Vegas and Orlando) this past holiday season. Guests don parkas and gloves to sip vodka cocktails in the 23 degree Fahrenheit space, which features walls, tables, benches, and a bar made completely of ice.
Photo: Courtesy of Minus5 Ice Bar
An enormous slab of ice was carved into an intricate latticework bar for the Naked Heart Foundation's "White Fairy Tale Love Ball," which was held at Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti's 17th-century Château de Wideville estate outside Paris in July 2011.
Photo: Courtesy of Bureau Betak
Okamoto Studio froze 800 pairs of flip-flops inside a nine-foot ice cube in Union Square for an Old Navy product launch in June 2012. As the ice melted, passersby grabbed a free pair.
Photo: Courtesy of Okamoto Studio
To launch Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Nintendo hosted an event in Santa Monica in February 2014, complete with an icy version of the iconic video game character.
Photo: Startraks Photo/Michael Williams
Toronto marketing company Capital C hosted a holiday party in December 2011 with a "Naughty N'Ice" theme, featuring cocktails poured over dry ice, soup topped with nitrogen-frozen blueberries, and a cool chaise from Iceculture.
Photo: Emma McIntyre for BizBash
For the luxury bridal event Brides, Bubbles, and Bliss, held at Bridgeport Art Center's Skyline Loft in May 2013, Johnson Studios Ice Sculptures Chicago kept bottles of Veuve Clicquot on ice in a creative way.
Photo: Carasco Photography
At Martha Stewart Weddings' 20th anniversary party, held at the Pierre hotel in New York in October 2014, Okamoto Studio carved half-shell ice sculptures, complete with frozen pearls, for the raw oyster serving station.
Photo: Carasco Photography
At the Absolut Vodka pop-up party, held in Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square in November 2011, a circular branded ice bar, created by Iceculture, featured a cocktail menu engraved in the ice blocks.
Photo: Ryan Emberley
At the Elle Women in Hollywood event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills in October 2014 and produced by Caravents, slate gray fabric lined the walls, allowing the blush tones of the tabletop decor to pop.
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
Taylor Creative's Hudson collection comes in a soft gray ultra-suede and features a chair ($225) and sofa ($425) that are available to rent throughout the mid-Atlantic region, as well as from the company's Las Vegas location.
Photo: Courtesy of Taylor Creative Inc.
A muted palette and soft furnishings contrasted the clear Lucite dining setup at a private event, held at Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas, in November 2014, which was designed by Caplan Miller Events.
Photo: JerryHayesPhoto.com
At the same Austin event in November, dark gray menu cards stood out against the pale table settings and flatware.
Photo: JerryHayesPhoto.com
Instead of a traditional dark wood bar, the six-foot reclaimed wood version from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental complements rustic-theme events. The bar, $495, is available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.
Photo: Courtesy of Designer 8 Furniture Rental
Guests can get comfortable on the tufted Paloma sofa, $395, in gray linen from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental; it's available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.
Photo: Courtesy of Designer 8 Furniture Rental
The orange and gray Trellis rug from Taylor Creative adds a little pop of color to a neutral setting, comes in two different sizes (5 by 8 feet, $300, or 7 by 9 feet, $400), and is available throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Photo: Courtesy of Taylor Creative Inc.
One of the smaller gallery spaces at the Phillips Collection featured steel gray linens topped with chargers with stone inlays for the museum's 90th anniversary gala, which was held at the Anderson House and the Phillips Collection in May 2011 in Washington.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com
The gray tabletop decor in one of the dining areas of Phillips Collection's 90th anniversary gala provided a striking contrast to the tall orange and yellow floral arrangements by Jack Lucky Floral Designs.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com
The reupholstered armchair in gray linen from Patina adds an Old World luxe feel to events. The Dorian Grey chair, $165 per day, is available nationwide and in Canada.
Photo: Courtesy of Patina
The Newport pillow collection from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental allows planners to mix and match an assortment of gray patterns and silvery solids. The pillows, $15 each, are available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.
Photo: Courtesy of Designer 8 Furniture Rental
Slate gray linens were accented with green hydrangeas and dark pink, purple, and maroon roses at architecture and engineering firm McKissack & McKissack's 20th anniversary dinner, which was held at the Potomac View Terrace in Washington in September 2011. The company worked with Events by André Wells to design the celebration.
Photo: Davide DePas
Classic Party Rentals recently introduced its Lucca china collection. The contemporary tableware includes matte gray and off-white dinner plates, salad plates, bread and butter plates, bowls, and mugs and is complemented by a matte black serving platter. The items are available through the company's Western locations, plus Florida, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas. Pricing is from $2.25 to $12.75.
Photo: Courtesy of Classic Party Rentals
With a zinc top and worn metal frame, the coffee table from Patina provides an authentic industrial feel to a space and works well for a large lounge area. The table, $75 per day, is available nationwide and in Canada.
Photo: Courtesy of Patina
When the Whitney Museum of American Art honored Chuck Close at its 2007 gala, the artist requested the organizers use gray as the event's primary color. In the dining room, event designer Geoff Howell installed crumpled curtains of metal mesh, which helped accentuate the large black-and-white portraits hung on the walls.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
The gray theme of the Whitney's 2007 gala was also present at the entrance, where, in addition to a gray-carpet arrivals area, the color was represented by a large projection of candle flames shot against a pale gray background. The projection served as a dramatic backdrop for guests' name cards and supplied a soft light to the museum's entry hall.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
