Craftsman & Wolves, a modern patisserie, recently opened a new outpost on Pacific Avenue in San Francisco. Menu items include scones with green curry, candied ginger, and coconut, as well as a muffin with a runny egg inside, dubbed “the Rebel Within.” The eatery can provide catering for meetings and events.
Photo: Courtesy of Craftsman & Wolves
New York-based sweets company Treat House recently introduced mallow pops: marshmallows dipped in chocolate and covered in colorful nonpareils. The flavors and decorative colors are fully customizable for events. The pops cost $3 each and are currently available at the Treat House store and for delivery in New York City.
Photo: Courtesy of Treat House
Spindler Confections in Boston sells artisan caramels, chocolates, and brittles and recently opened a brick-and-mortar store in Cambridge. The company provides custom event favors and can create “sugar banquets”—or elaborate sweets tables—for meetings and events.
Photo: Courtesy of Spindler Confections
Soul & Ink in Washington plans to launch a screen-printing truck by the summer after a successful crowd-funding campaign. The mobile unit would be similar to a food truck, but instead of snacks it will offer on-the-go screen-printing services at events. The truck will have its own funky paint job by a local artist and a sound system.
Photo: Courtesy of Soul & Ink
Bay Area made-to-order ice cream shop Smitten Ice Cream recently opened a new El Segundo store in Los Angeles. The location offers the company’s Wagoneering catering program, which brings Smitten’s ice cream machine—known as Brrr—to events. The machine uses liquid nitrogen to churn small ice crystals for extra-smooth ice cream that’s made while guests wait. The company’s ice creams, cones, and sauces are all handmade locally.
Photo: Courtesy of Smitten Ice Cream
Pork & Mindy’s is a new eatery in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Billed as a “fast casual pork” restaurant, the venue offers catering for meetings and events. Menu items include smoked meats, sides, and desserts. Pork and Mindy’s can also bring its smoker to off-site events.
Photo: Hilary Higgins
Grande Lakes Orlando has created a new catch-and-release fishing program for guests at the resort’s Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels. In partnership with the Florida Wildlife Commission, 1,000 largemouth bass have been implanted with a coated micro-wire tag that helps detect when they are caught. When guests reel in one of the fish, they have the chance to assist in the measuring, data recording, and releasing of the fish back into the lakes at the 500-acre Orlando resort. The data is being used to determine why certain types of largemouth bass grow faster than others.
Photo: Courtesy of Grande Lakes Orlando
A Drybar location is slated to open in Las Vegas in July. The flagship shop on Las Vegas Boulevard in the Miracle Mile Shops will be 2,797 square feet—the brand’s largest footprint to date—and have 20 styling chairs. Drybar Miracle Mile will also have its own built-in DJ booth, a full bar, and a photo booth, as well as an event manager to coordinate groups, all exclusive to the new Las Vegas location.
Photo: Courtesy of DryBar
A new option for floral gifts, Miami-based Olyve offers a curated selection of bouquets with tech-forward customer service. Senders receive ongoing status updates and photos and may also choose to record a personalized video message, which is emailed to the recipient upon delivery. Bouquets come in an arty gift box with eye-catching graphic design. The company recently expanded delivery to service five cities: New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, and Philadelphia.
Photo: Courtesy of Olyve
Alicia Jenelle Events in Toronto recently launched a line of handmade paper flowers. The creations are customizable and can be used as wall decor, gifts, or large floral backdrops. The flowers come in shapes that resemble roses, lotuses, hydrangeas, and peonies.
Photo: Courtesy of Alicia Jenelle Events
Illustration: Joey Bouchard/BizBash
The Shuttr selfie remote (from $39.99), available from Axis Promotions, is compatible with most phones and tablets and can trigger a photo from as far away as 30 feet. A logo can go above or below the Shuttr logo.
Photo: Courtesy of Axis Promotions
Give guests peace of mind with Tile (from $20 each with logo for bulk orders). Attach the water-resistant device to things like keys, chargers, memory sticks, or wallets, and if the item is misplaced, it can be tracked instantly using the Tile app. The company offers customization for corporate clients, and the Tiles can be left in bulk or individually wrapped.
Photo: Courtesy of Tile
Chipp’d produces key chains and bracelets (from $44.99; bulk pricing is available) that include QR codes that link to a custom microsite. Organizers can load the sites with agendas, audio, videos, photos, and other event information. They can also continue to add new content to keep guests engaged throughout the year. The key chains and bracelets come in a variety of colors, shapes, and materials and can be engraved.
Photo: Courtesy of Chipp'd
Talk about the ultimate all-in-one charger: Weego’s jump starter battery pack (from $109.99) can be used to start cars and charge phones, tablets, speakers, and other portable USB devices. The item is also small enough to fit in your pocket. It’s available from TCMPi, the Corporate Marketplace, and can be customized with a logo.
Photo: Courtesy of Weego
Make it easy for guests to share photos from events with a Bluetooth selfie stick (from $11.88) from Geek Tech Branding that comes in blue and black. The stick extends to nearly 40 inches and photos are snapped with the remote control. The clamp can be customized with a logo.
Photo: Courtesy of Geek Tech Branding
Persnickety Promotions offers a mini boom speaker and FM radio ($48.95 each for 400) that connects to mobile devices through Bluetooth or an included USB cord. It can also be used for hands-free phone calls.
Photo: Courtesy of Persnickety Promotions
Evernote Notebooks by Moleskine ($29.95) are the first paper notebooks designed to create digitized versions of handwritten notes. Jot down notes on the specially designed pages, snap a picture with the Evernote app, and the page is instantly digitized for storage on all of your devices. The items are available from Scarborough & Tweed.
Photo: Courtesy of Scarborough & Tweed
Capsule-shaped speakers ($50) from Positive Impressions connect to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. They include a carabiner clip and can be customized with a logo.
Photo: Courtesy of Positive Impressions
The Bluetooth keyboard ($39.95 each for 300) from Persnickety Promotions connects wirelessly to iPads and comes with a pebble-grain, faux leather case that can be folded into a stand.
Photo: Courtesy of Persnickety Promotions
The Cypress Wireless Speaker ($22) from Scarborough & Tweed has a rubberized, water-resistant casing with a suction cup on the bottom so it can be used in the shower or near a pool or hot tub. It can be customized with a logo.
Photo: Courtesy of Scarborough & Tweed
The Wedge (from $14.99), available from Axis Promotions, can prop up any mobile device on nearly any surface without sliding. The micro-suede fabric cover can also be used to clean screens. Full imprint design is available.
Photo: Courtesy of Axis Promotions
Turn guests’ mobile phones into wallets with the Econo Silicon Mobile Device Pocket ($1.45 each for 1,200) from Persnickety Promotions. The colorful silicone pocket attaches with removable adhesive stickers and can hold credit cards, hotel room cards, drivers' licenses, coins, and other small items.
Photo: Courtesy of Persnickety Promotions
Geek Tech Branding's high-capacity charger (from $35) for iPads and iPhones has dual ports for multiple devices and can be customized.
Photo: Courtesy of Geek Tech Branding
Positive Impressions’ gunmetal stylus pen (from $1.50) writes smoothly on smartphones and tablets and helps to keep touch screens clean and free of fingerprints.
Photo: Courtesy of Positive Impressions
Heather Weaver
Occasions Caterers
Heather Weaver decided that she wanted to be a chef at a young age, and after culinary school, she began to work in some of Washington, D.C.’s most distinguished restaurants. Her respect for ingredients and tradition combined with creative curiosity led her to her current role as the lead chef of research and development at Occasions Caterers in the Nation’s Capital. With the help of co-founder Eric Michael and creative director Amy Lewerenz, Weaver develops, tests, and explores new dishes, ingredients, and presentations in an effort to stand out from fellow caterers.
Scallop hors d’oeuvres with shells magnetically affixed to metal pins attached to driftwood trays
"When interpreting or reinterpreting dishes, you should always begin with understanding its origin and the culture that created it. The tray design was truly about form and function. … Eric conceived the idea of producing something that related to the ingredients, was striking, and functionally effective."
Photos: Courtesy of Occasions Caterers
The event included multiple activity stations and seating arrangements at the newly opened 1 Hotel South Beach.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Jewel-hued floor pillows provided extra seating, and oversize dream catchers played into the decor.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Tabletop accents included Moroccan-style lanterns and simple floral arrangements held in pink glass vessels.
Photo: April Belle Photos
There were also mirrored trays holding homey props such as candles, golden pineapples, and elephant figurines. Some of the goods on display were from Sparkle and Shine Darling, a store and event space in Miami Beach that Bosh will open soon.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Buddha figurines also played into the decor.
Photo: April Belle Photos
A dessert table was decked with colorful linens and signage that inspired guests to relax and "breathe."
Photo: April Belle Photos
Sweets from Ohh My Sweetness included cupcakes topped with frosted flowers.
Photo: April Belle Photos
There were also custom cookies in the event's signature hues of gold and pink. The cookies were created by You Can Call Me Sweetie.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Sparkly teepees were set up on the sand.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Activities included the creation of vision boards.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Participants also gathered in a drum circle on the beach after the sun set.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Stella Artois launched its "Host Beautifully" campaign in Los Angeles last May with a picnic-style alfresco event that invited guests to go in short rides on tethered hot-air balloons that were branded with the company's logo.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Stella Artois
Guests at the Stella Artois event dined at several long, farm-style tables, which had no linens—but were instead topped with abundant white flowers.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Stella Artois
At the Adam Lippes for Target preview in New York last year, David Stark Designs set up a rooftop garden for a picnic-style event using Adam Lippes blankets, pillows, and travel bags.
Photo: Courtesy of LaForce & Stevens
Adding sparkle to the notion of traditional picnic decor, Starbucks Canada promoted its Teavan Sparkling Tea Juices last summer with an event that used golden fruit for an eye-catching centerpiece.
Photo: Courtesy of Media Profile
As outdoor affairs, picnics can entice guests with pet-friendly offerings. At the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS Picnic by Design fund-raiser in New York last year, Rixner & Wright created a cheerful picnic setup with a patterned doggy bed and accessories.
Photo: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
Also at Picnic by Design, Gensler demonstrated that picnic-style events don’t have to include springlike colors and patterns. Instead, Gensler created a minimalist design using gray felt for an understated feel.
Photo: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
Bunting hung over 170 tables for 700 guests in the V.I.P. picnic space within the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Los Angeles in 2013.
Photo: Claire Barrett Photography
Adrienne Bosh, who is married to Miami Heat player Chris Bosh, hosted a motivational event known as “Glamchella” last summer in Miami. At the affair, bohemian-inspired decor included textured table linens, Buddha sculptures, lanterns, and jewel-toned cushions for seating.
Photo: April Belle Photos
Last year in Southern California, Anheuser-Busch-owned beverage brand Shock Top launched its summer seasonal Lemon Shandy beverage at a Ventura County lemon grove. Appropriately, simple citrus fruits in crates served as tabletop decor.
Photo: Casey Rodgers
Boccie ball was among the casual, picnic-style outdoor activities for guests.
Photo: Casey Rodgers
Capitalizing on the outdoor scenery in the orchard, organizers provided an open frame as a photo prop to encourage guests to snap pics and share on social.
Photo: Casey Rodgers
For its first foray in Austin, Texas, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS hosted the Urban Picnic by Design event in 2014. Rebekah Gainsley of Blink Interiors covered a table with a hammock-like lace canopy with lights and potted plants.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
During the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival in the Southern California desert last year, the Retreat at the Sparrows Lodge topped a table with floral arrangements, taper candlesticks, games, and other objects that created a relaxed atmosphere.
Photo: Tyler Curtis
The Coachella event’s design also included a silk patchwork canopy for relaxed seating amid Persian rugs, Native American artifacts, succulents, kilim pillows, and leather accents.
Photo: Tyler Curtis
American Diabetes Association hosted its annual Los Angeles Political Roast in March in Beverly Hills. Red-and-white checked linens topped tables for a classic picnic look.
Photo: Benjamin Shmikler
At TEDActive in the Palm Springs area in 2013, organizers offered picnic baskets for groups of seven. The idea was to encourage each person to meet six others with whom to eat and connect.
Photo: Marla Aufmuth
Similar to branches, stumps are creative replacements for expensive vessels and leave more funds for flowers. Showorks dresses up the humble tree trunk with vibrant roses and gerbera daises.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Collect reclaimed rocks, wood, and seashells to fill apothecary jars of varying sizes, shapes, and heights for displays such as the underwater-inspired design from Blueprint Studios.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
Liz Page Associates, along with designer Max Ultimate Food, wove gold-wire ribbon throughout short glass vases, using reusable LED pillar candles as accents. The look brought to life the theme of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation fund-raiser—“The Golden Thread”—in an affordable way in October 2013.
Photo: Courtesy of Liz Page Associates
As a budget-friendly alternative to lush fall flowers, fill vases with affordable tree branches sprouting colorful autumn foliage, like the bountiful, statement-making maple leaf arrangement by Van Wyck & Van Wyck.
Photo: Courtesy of Van Wyck & Van Wyck
Showorks creates cheerful centerpieces by filling Mason jars of varying sizes with wildflowers, which are reasonably priced per bunch. Repurposed wine and liquor bottles also work as makeshift vases.
Photo: Shannon Livingston
Use unique structural containers to show off a few impactful blooms for a modern, artistic look, like the creation by Blueprint Studios that features butter yellow calla lilies and Billy Ball flowers.
Photo: Michelle Nicole Photography
Found objects don’t always have to be from nature. For this year’s AMC upfront after-party, Empire Entertainment used classic ’80s artifacts—floppy disks and cassette tapes—to construct lighted lamps in lieu of high-end floral centerpieces.
Photo: Rick Gilbert
Lanterns, whether simple or ornate, offer a theatrical alternative to traditional tabletop decor. Style the lighting items to suit any event theme or atmosphere, such as the Moroccan-inspired ones used by Showorks.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Blueprint Studios lines up basic votive candles in a mirrored box for a dramatic, low-cost solution.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
The Morning After
Guests can recover from one too many cocktails with the Original HangOver Kit Kup. The 22-ounce reusable cup contains mini packs of brand-name remedies like Pepto-Bismol, Propel drink mix, Drinkwel multivitamins, Alka-Seltzer, Bayer aspirin, Colgate toothpaste and toothbrush, LA Fresh travel wipes, and breath mints. The kits are sold in cases of 6 ($50) or 12 ($90).
Photo: Courtesy of Distinct Impressions
Feet Relief
Chic foldable ballet flats from Yosi Samra offer instant relief for weary feet. Each pair comes in a compact box with a dust bag. Prices range from $66 to $96.
Photo: Courtesy of Yosi Samra
Fit Gift
The FitBit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker ($57, plus set up and customization) records steps, distance, and calories burned, and makes a suitable party favor for guests who are pledging to get in shape in the new year. The gadget is available in charcoal, midnight blue, lime, and magenta from Scarborough & Tweed.
Photo: Courtesy of Scarborough & Tweed
Sneeze Guard
To help soothe any impending colds in the chilly holiday season, planners can send guests home with the Comfort Kit ($35) from Gifts for the Good Life. The winter survival pack contains hand warmers, lip balm, stress patches, tissues, tea, and bath salts.
Photo: Jeremie Barlow
Good Eats
Help attendees stick to their eat-right resolutions in the new year with a gift from Munchery. Founded in 2010, the San Francisco-based on-demand food service delivers healthy, gourmet meals prepared by local chefs. Gift cards range from $50 for a dinner for four to $500 for a month of meals (or hosts can choose a custom amount). The service is currently available in the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Munchery
Free Ride
To get guests to and from the event easily and safely, Lyft lets companies cover the cost of an entire ride or offer a coupon code good for as much as $20 (valid only for rides to or from the venue on the night of the party). The ride-share service will only bill for rides used. For example, if a company has 100 guests and everyone receives $20 in Lyft credit, but only 20 people use the credit, the company will only be charged $400. A pricing breakdown by city and ride estimates between two locations are available on lyft.com.
Photo: Courtesy of Lyft
Power Packed
Attendees can power up anywhere thanks to the convenient Jolt Phone Charger-To-Go from Scarborough & Tweed ($12 to $18, plus set up and customization).
Photo: Courtesy of Scarborough & Tweed
Drinks To-Go
For guests who want a nightcap or need a strong wake-up call, Gifts for the Good Life's Haute Toddy Kit ($35) includes all the necessities to make the warm seasonal cocktail—a lemon, tea bag, liquor, tumbler, and instructions.
Photo: Courtesy of Gifts for the Good Life
Sweet Dreams
Flight 001's eye masks ($16) feature fun prints and graphics, plus a light-eliminating insert that provides extra coverage across the nose bridge, so late-night partygoers can get some much needed shut-eye.
Photo: Courtesy of Flight 001
Recovery Remedies
Similar to the hangover cup, Gifts for the Good Life's Good Night/Good Morning Kit includes bedtime treats and morning must-haves such as effervescent tablets, eye drops, and mints, plus popcorn for a midnight snack.
Photo: Courtesy of Gifts for the Good Life
Rebloom removed damaged or wilted flowers before delivering them to customers.
Photo: Courtesy of Rebloom
Trim the office walls with the jolly garland from Minted, $20. Each set includes 12 circles and 25 yards of gold ribbon for do-it-yourself stringing.
Photo: Courtesy of Minted
Add some metallic sparkle to the break room with push-pop confetti from Thimblepress, $8.50.
Photo: Courtesy of thimblepress
The eco-friendly party supplies from Susty Party can be mixed and matched. Plus, the plates and bowls are microwavable and oven- and freezer-safe. The starry night party pack, $22.99, serves eight and contains dessert plates, cups, straws, a tablecloth, wood cutlery, and cocktail napkins.
Photo: Courtesy of Susty Party
Cheery customizable napkins, $55 for a set of 50, from Paper Source are available in an array of festive colors and ink choices.
Photo: Courtesy of Paper Source
Get crafty with the 3-D snowflake kit, $13.95, from Paper Source to create a cubicle of flurries. The kit makes four garland strands.
Photo: Courtesy of Paper Source
The colorful ornament wreath from Martha Stewart Living's Frosted Traditions collection at Home Depot, $29.98, features a mix of baubles in shiny, matte, and glitter finishes. The ornaments are shatter resistant, which means the piece can be saved and reused next year.
Photo: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
Add festive decorations to inexpensive paper cups or office mugs with waterproof reindeer stickers, $8 for a sheet of six, from the Oh Goodie Designs & Events Etsy shop.
Photo: Courtesy of Oh Goodie Designs & Events
Set up a photo backdrop like the holiday-theme, kraft-paper-inspired one from Minted, $230, to capture team pictures. The backdrop comes with five grommets for hanging or can be mounted to a wall using removable poster tape.
Photo: Courtesy of Minted
A Cooler-Slash-Table
San Francisco's Blueprint Studios has a rental piece known as the "Picnic Chill Table." The table has a built-in aluminum tray which allows it to chill drinks; the tray can also hold floral arrangements.
Photo: Courtesy of Blueprint Studios
Illustration: Joey Bouchard/BizBash
Bruschetta
For a casual, easy-to-share snack, international chain Dean & DeLuca offers bruschetta. The snack pairs crispy garlic toast with coarsely chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, and red-wine vinegar; it's also easy to prepare at home.
Photo: Courtesy of Dean & DeLuca
Lucite chairs, candles, and sleek white linens dressed the 150-foot tables at the Joffrey Ballet gala in Chicago in 2010.
Photo: Greg Davis/Powell Photography Inc.
For his September show in New York at Spring Studios entitled “Beauty,” Jason Wu went simple and stark with the all-white venue. Produced by Bureau Betak, the space featured simple white bench seating and a floor-to-ceiling backdrop that mimicked a deconstructed boudoir mirror—with detached molding that created a mirage-like effect.
Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith
The 2006 Screen Actors Guild awards gala in Los Angeles had a striking but simple look from event designer Stanlee Gatti, with bunches of upside-down calla lillies hanging overhead. White furnishings were arranged in lounge-like formations.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
At this year's Dining by Design, the annual fund-raising event hosted by Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, Smartwater's space aimed to reflect the brand's natural water purification process, which is mirrored after rain clouds. The fluffy fixtures lit up like a storm above the simple table setting. The event took place at New York's Pier 92 in March.
Photo: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
A joint event between Variety and British Airways in 2013 took place at a Los Angeles mansion, and black-and-white decor took on a residential feel. To celebrate the heritage of British Airways, the Union Jack appeared on black-and-white pillows at a seating group that surrounded a modern fire pit.
Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Variety
At a Saucony-hosted event in Boston in 2011, an art exhibit around the perimeter of the space incorporated the brand's sneakers and minimalist art.
Photo: Phase One Photography
In 2012, Yahoo marked the relaunch of Genome, a brand previously known as Interclick, with a minimalist affair in New York. To create a modern aesthetic inside a SoHo townhouse, the producers employed a mix of clean lines and white furnishings. For entertainment, the organizers brought in synchronized swimmers dressed to look like aliens.
Photo: Sean T. Smith
At a 2013 brunch for L'Oréal, designer and producer Joe Moller added subtle branding to the setup on the Viceroy Miami's outdoor terrace, adding L'Oréal lettering to the backs of chairs and using shallow gold vases filled with products as tabletop centerpieces.
Photo: Joe Moller
The Women's Wear Daily Beauty Summit in 2013 had a sleek, all-white design from Shiraz Events. Guests sat in clear Miro chairs at communal tables topped with white linens and simple birch vases holding cobble moss balls.
Photo: Sean Smith
To cap off New York Fashion Week in 2010, Calvin Klein hosted a party with seating vignettes of minimalist, low-slung white sofas and ottomans around fireplaces.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
At a product launch for watch brand Q&Q in New York, guests were encouraged to take photos against a modern backdrop. Guests who posed for snaps received a coin that would allow them to receive a free watch from a giant gumball machine.
Photo: Kent Miller Studios
To launch its newest A8 model at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2010, Audi created a 45,000-square-foot temporary structure. EventStar worked with Audi, German architecture firm the Design Company, and Miami event management firm Siinc Agency to design the pavilion.
Photo: Elizabeth Renfrow for BizBash
At a dinner to mark new gallery openings at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011, Heffernan Morgan bathed webbed scrims in golden light to cast spiderweblike patterns throughout the modern dinner space.
Photo: Robert Carl
At a benefit for New York's High Line in 2011, fresh vegetables provided by Bite were displayed on a simple buffet spread.
Photo: Jeeyun Lee/BizBash
Event Farm's Digital Gifting Wall
With Event Farm's Digital Gifting Wall, guests can have offers emailed to them by tapping a badge. Gifts include coupon codes, music files, and digital content.
Photo: Kristen Finn
SugarWish's Candy Boxes
Through SugarWish, the sender picks a SugarWish gift and e-card, and the recipient picks four candies from options that include sugar-free gummy peaches and regular M&M’s. The boxes, from $16.50 to $95, are then immediately shipped out and can be sent throughout the United States and Canada. The company recently launched a corporate platform where companies can send customized e-cards with logos and personalized messages.
Photo: Courtesy of Sugarwish
