Summer

In 2013, Hermès hosted its “Les Jeux d’Hermès”—or Hermès games—in Palm Beach, where a croquet field section of the party space sat beneath colorful tenting inspired by the brand’s famous prints and scarves.

In February, Mindy Weiss and Wedding Paper Divas feted their social stationery collaboration with a Los Angeles party meant to show off specific wedding trends represented in the new collection. Among them was Chinoiserie, represented at the event in an area decked with upturned blue parasols strung overhead.

Last year, Chicago’s Moto Restaurant offered a new dessert that conjured sunny vibes: It painted coconut macarons to look like striped beach balls, and decorated the plate with chocolate seashells, pineapple starfish, and sand made from brown sugar.

Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS held its second annual Picnic by Design fund-raiser on a New York rooftop in 2013. There, the interior and lifestyle design company Steilish created a scene inspired by The Wizard of Oz that included fabric poppies, votive candles covered in ruby-red glitter, gingham napkins, and a picnic basket designed to mimic the look of a hot-air balloon.

At the TEDActive conference in the Southern California desert in 2013, the La Quinta Resort & Club provided a sprawling venue where individual seating groups in intimate settings encouraged interaction. Oversize orange lettering spelled out words to inspire conversation and creative thinking.

Stacks of teacups and flowers formed clever centerpieces for the Daffodil Ball at the historic Windsor Station in Montreal in April 2012. The Alice in Wonderland-inspired gala featured an upscale version of the popular theme.

On April 15, Target took over Bryant Park to fete the launch of its collaboration with resort wear brand Lilly Pulitzer. Inside the Midtown park, Lilly Pulitzer-branded ping-pong tables and lounge chairs invited guests to enjoy a game or simply relax in the early spring sunshine at the custom "Lilly Resort."