The lounge's oceanside location inspired a custom table that was filled with sand and shells.
Lush greenery spilled from chandeliers at Fox's Golden Globes party, held at the former Robinson's-May building on January 11.
Tabletop centerpieces at the Grammy Celebration included a globe (to play into the travel theme) nestled in a bowl of orange roses.
White pillar and votive candles, along with simple blooms, decorated the understated tabletop at the Barneys New York and Oxfam benefit dinner hosted by Rooney Mara, which was held at Chateau Marmont on February 18.
An eight-foot-tall manzanita tree with hanging orbs filled with candles, flowers, and succulents greeted guests at the Grammy Foundation’s V.I.P. reception, which was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on February 5. Elite Productions International designed the floral decor.
Nearly 10,000 square feet of original artwork was painted, by Oliphant Studios, onto the 19 24-foot-high fabric theatrical drops that surrounded the dramatic Marc Jacobs show backdrop and surround. The February 19 show, produced by KCD at the Park Avenue Armory, was a sensual recreation of Diana Vreeland's "Red Room" living room, as inspired by a "Garden in Hell" Jeremiah Goodman painting seen by Jacobs. The space measured 158 by 50 feet, with runway, stage, and seats all hand-painted to match. (Some 700 guests sat in Vreeland's "living room" while models emerged from a gray version of the same room). "Marc loved the idea of a trompe-l'oeil interior," said set designer Stefan Beckman, who had less than 48 hours to transform the venue following the Tommy Hilfiger show.
The 390 guests at Thakoon's fall show, held February 15 at Stage37, were greeted by what was described as "a physical manifestation of the Northern Lights." For the Dizon Inc.-produced outing, set designer Jonathon Beck utilized a new 3M material called Dichroic glass film that, when placed in specific angles, revealed a stunning reflection of the entire color spectrum of light. The abstract light refractions juxtaposed strikingly against an otherwise all-black venue, providing extra impact for the designer's collection.
A room with heavy draping by Revelry showcased a lace-topped table, which also served as Instagram bait for the social media-minded guests. Social media prompts on the floor encouraged and guided their posts.
The trend of chinoiserie is resurfacing, and Weiss accented an area of the party space with upturned parasols to offer an alternative take on the concept.
On December 4, the Chicago Botanic Garden hosted its "All Aboard" fund-raiser. After viewing the garden's elaborate, indoor miniature train set, guests had dinner in one of three dining rooms decorated by Event Creative. One room, with a "Frozen Radiance" theme, used glossy all-white furniture and frosty blue lighting to create an icy look.
On December 4, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago hosted its 13th annual "World of Chocolate" gala at Union Station. One photo activation, called "Take an Elfie," encouraged guests to pose with a costumed character inspired by the Elf on the Shelf books and dolls.
Held on December 11 at the Vineyard of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, the benefit for Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation had a "diamond" theme that was reflected in glittering decor. The glass dinner tent was decked with elaborate crystal chandeliers, and tables incorporated hanging crystals. The team from SO Events spent a week leveling the hillside ground on which the tent was installed.
The January 10 event took place at the Miami headquarters of the National YoungArts Foundation. Stephen Starr Events catered the benefit, and menu items included tri-colored cauliflower, French beans, and French breakfast radish with house-made lemon hummus and roasted artichokes.
Based in Toronto, the Walrus Foundation hosted its annual gala on January 21 at the Fermenting Cellar. The event had a gold theme, and guests got miniature treasure boxes filled with chocolate gold coins as favors.
Held on January 24, the museum's gala offered several food stations from Sodexo. At one station, a portable, mess-free version of a salad offered greens in a crispy shell; dressing was drizzled on with a pipette.
Chicago production firm Revel Global Events hosted its annual Super Bowl bash at Chicago's Union Station on February 1. To reflect the event's colorful, Katy-Perry-inspired "Candyland" theme, the firm built a custom tray meant to look like a giant popsicle. The tray carried snacks from Limelight Catering. The evening raised funds for Oakley Square.
The Toronto Reference Library was lit up in pink lights for the February 5 black-tie affair. The visual theme for this year was literature, and novels came to life in many forms. Attendees observed the library's Digital Innovation Hub in action, where on-site technicians were using 3-D printers to create busts of famous writers.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay hosted its annual “Big Night” fund-raiser at the House of Blues on February 7. This year's event had a brand-new—yet throwback—theme: the 1990s. Guests, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay's C.E.O, Wendy Foster (pictured), posed in front of a graffiti-decked step-and-repeat.
The Boston Ballet hosted its annual gala at the Castle at Park Plaza on February 7. The theme was inspired by the current production of Lady of the Camelias, and the flower theme extended to the presentation of the silent-auction paddles, which were housed in planters surrounded by greenery.
The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, held its annual gala February 7 at the Bullock Texas State History Museum with an "Off the Wall" theme. Both the gala and after-party featured statement floral pieces designed by Mandarin Design Lab, which drew inspiration from the theme and colors of the event invitations. The entry piece at the after-party, held at the Blanton Museum, was a collection of moss, vines, and flowers mounted onto four hanging frames.
Though it was held in early February, the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's annual fund-raiser in Miami had a springtime feel. The dinner tent was bathed in bright pink light, and from the ceiling hung crystal chandeliers embellished with prop butterflies. Le Basque Productions handled catering and production.
The Miami institution hosted its annual gala on February 7. While raising funds, the affair also served as a celebration of the 70th birthday of co-founding artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas. The evening's decor from Shiraz Events incorporated the guest of honor's favorite color—blue—and Tilson Thomas's image was shown in illuminated boxes that appeared on tabletops.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra hosted its "Remix: Red Hot" fund-raiser at the School of the Art Institute Ballroom on February 27. The event had a New Orleans-inspired theme, so servers greeted guests with a "Southern Punch" made with Tito's handmade vodka, Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, orange juice, soda, cinnamon, and frozen berries. Food for Thought handled catering.
The ballroom at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex was packed with a crowd of 2,500 guests for the “Motionball” gala in support of the Special Olympics Canada Foundation on February 6. A new feature for this year’s Motionball was a 130-square-foot art gallery. Artists including JessGo, Jimmy Chiale, and Jay Soule among others attended the event and painted live. “We wanted to transform [the ballroom] to feel like the streets of Toronto," planner Marsha Doucette said.
On March 1, Lady Gaga and Vince Vaughn were among the 4,500 shivering individuals who dipped into Lake Michigan for the Special Olympics Chicago's Chicago Polar Plunge. Event organizers developed a social media campaign that used the hashtag #VinnyDippin to playfully solicit Vaughn to serve as the “V.I.P.,” or Very Important Plunger, for the event, and the campaign worked.
Held at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Washington on March 7, the annual auction had a "Spirit of America" theme. Designed by Events by André Wells, the venue was decked out in red, white, and blue decor. To complement the theme, stars hung from the ceiling of the dining room.
Nashville's Ballet Ball drew 400 guests to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on March 7. The directive for the creative team from Syzygy Events was to create a clean, sleek, unfussy atmosphere. At the entrance to the event, ballerinas posed on platforms and transitioned slowly between poses. The ballerinas were meant to evoke elegant garden statues.
Held on March 6 at the Carlu in Toronto, the ballet school's gala had a theme inspired by the classic film set in New York An Affair to Remember. This year, planners added casino gaming as a new form of after-dinner entertainment. The activity also helped raise funds: guests were given complimentary "play money" to begin with, but had the option to purchase more, and proceeds benefited the school.
Each year, the California Science Center's Discovery Ball gala dinner corresponds with the launch of a new exhibit. This year, the institution's March 7 bash was also the debut of the Dead Sea Scrolls. During the cocktail reception, goats and a costumed shepherd invited guest interaction and also served as a photo op.
United Way of New York City’s Women’s Leadership Council hosted its "Power of Women to Make a Difference" luncheon on March 11 at Cipriani 42nd Street. The event raised funds for one of the United Ways' projects, ReadNYC, which helps children learn to read. To emphasize that theme, the planning team from JFM Group used children's books as centerpieces.
The Human Rights Campaign hosted its annual gala in Los Angeles on March 14. Held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live, the benefit went big on entertainment: Mariah Carey (pictured) was the headline performer. Other famous guests included Girls creator Lena Dunham, who presented an award.
