To highlight its upcoming movie Northpole, the Hallmark Channel created Christmas in July at a private residence in Beverly Hills. The event, produced by Along Came Mary Events, featured a dessert buffet table beneath dozens of sparkling crystal chandeliers in the grand ballroom.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
Decor: Storybook-Inspired Details
San Francisco-based Blueprint Studios planned a corporate holiday party in Menlo Park, California, last December that took inspiration from popular stories, such as Snow White and The Polar Express.
Photo: Courtesy of Blueprint Studios
Decor: Ornaments as Centerpieces
Ornaments added glitz to the decor at a Hollywood Pop Gallery-produced event.
Photo: Courtesy of Hollywood Pop Gallery
The Washington National Opera Ball took over the ceremonial building at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in 2010. Event producer Sandi Hoffman of Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events transformed the lobby into a winter landscape with plush white carpets and white birch trees lining the hallway.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
For a winter-themed corporate party, design director Andrew Zill of Baltimore-based Feats Inc. created a snowy scene that included a glowing bar anchored by a crystal-flocked tree.
Photo: Edwin Remsberg
Centerpieces of white carnations designed by Feats Inc. evoked fluffy snowballs.
Photo: Edwin Remsberg
Fox's T.C.A. party got a winter wonderland look.
Photo: Dan Scott/American Image Gallery
Flocked pine added a wintry look to tabletop flower arrangements.
Photo: Dan Scott/American Image Gallery
The 370 tons of real snow was part of a Guinness Book of World Records attempt to build the most number of snowmen in an hour. The stunt resulted in the construction of 1,200 individual sculptures.
Photo: Casey Rodgers
Event co-chairs Jeffry Roick and Cawthra Burns combined elements of Christmas and Hanukkah for the Chrismukkah fund-raiser in support of the Regent Park School of Music.
Photo: Henry Lin
Oversize snowflakes hung from the ceiling and two white Christmas trees flanked either side of the stage in the Carlu's concert hall.
Photo: Henry Lin
Damask linens from Around the Table topped tables surrounded by black Louis Ghost chairs in the blue-lit dining room.
Photo: Henry Lin
Centrepieces included white orchids, crystal ornaments, and tealight candles.
Photo: Henry Lin
Event organizers draped panels of sheer white fabric from the ceiling in the concert hall, which doubled as the dining area.
Photo: Henry Lin
Snowflakes, stars, and icicles added a festive feel to the wintry decor.
Photo: Henry Lin
The Toronto All-Star Big Band performed for guests at the gala.
Photo: Henry Lin
Servers offered cocktails to guests at a round bar topped with a silver star ornament.
Photo: Henry Lin
Cranberries, candles, and reindeer sculptures topped tables in the reception area.
Photo: Henry Lin
Black and white couches provided seating for guests during the cocktail reception in the Carlu's foyer.
Photo: Henry Lin
Swank Productions is offering a Winter Wonderland holiday party package for corporate clients that allows them to mix and match decor elements such as silver linens, votives in acrylic "ice fragments," and artificial snow. Although Swank recommends clients book as soon as possible for holiday parties to avoid rush fees, the company has pulled off past events in as little as three days.
Photo: Paul Witte/Bentley Meeker Lighting & Video
NYC Photo Party is offering a variety of holiday- and winter-themed photo station setups, complete with appropriate props. Among the options are the company’s recently introduced printed graphics with face cutouts that allow guests to place their faces into photo scenes, like a Mr. and Mrs. Claus cartoon (pictured). All photo station packages include instant photo printing, instant sharing via email, Facebook, and Twitter, and branded photo overlays. NYC Photo Party can create custom photo booth backdrops and step-and-repeats, too.
Photo: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash
Add an educational element to the evening's liquor offerings with a tasting bar manned by a spirits sommelier. Known as the “alcohol professor,” Adam Levy from All Spirits Events can gear tastings towards topics like Whiskies from Around the World or Craft Spirits from New York State. Another holiday party-appropriate idea: Set up spirits tasting tables around the venue and provide guests with a passport-like booklet, with each table having its own specific stamp. At the end of the night, conduct a prize drawing for everyone who completed his or her passport. All Spirits Events can work at any location and with groups of any size, and because the company is not tied to any specific brands, it can provide a wide variety of liquors.
Photo: Paul Martinka
Add some sparkle to holiday tabletops with Nuage Designs’ collection of linens decked out with sequins and paillettes. The options include a red-sequin mesh fabric (pictured) and linens covered in red-and-gold paillettes.
Photo: Courtesy of Nuage Designs
The Little Glass Slipper is a new floral shop in Greenpoint owned by Cary Pereyra, who creates arrangements that offer a dose of aromatherapy. Her premade bouquets and custom creations can include botanicals targeted to a variety of symptoms, like echinacea for a weak immune system or mood-boosting lavender for seasonal depression. For the holidays, Pereyra is offering herbal holiday wreaths: The eucalyptus-and-rosemary wreath is meant to help battle respiratory infections and maintain health during the holiday season.
Photo: Courtesy of the Little Glass Slipper
Greenpoint bakery Cookie Road can deliver large quantities of its trippy-looking hand-decorated sugar cookies to private events. Holiday designs include tie-dye-effect stockings and mittens, Christmas trees, snowflakes, and snowmen. There is a minimum of 50 cookies with an average price between $3 and $7 per cookie.
Photo: Courtesy of Cookie Road
Newly available to rent from GreenRoom is the red Guiseppina chair, from $22 each. Mix the colorful seats with the white Guiseppina chairs for a festive holiday look.
Photo: Courtesy of GreenRoom
Mini stuffed cupcake purveyor Baked by Melissa is offering its cupcake art for holiday parties in dreidel and Christmas tree designs. The dreidel will be available December 3 to 16, and the Christmas tree will be offered December 3 to 31. The artfully arranged spreads have a minimum cost of $70 for 100 cupcakes. (A spread of 225 costs $105, and 400 cupcakes cost $157.50.) The displays are available by preorder but only with at least three days' notice.
Photo: Courtesy of Baked By Melissa
Warm guests up with specialty holiday beverages from Cupa Cabana. The espresso and coffee catering company, which recently launched a mobile espresso truck, can offer seasonal hot drinks like peppermint mochas (a shot of espresso, two pumps of Ghirardelli chocolate syrup, two pumps of peppermint syrup, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a peppermint swizzle), caramel-flavored hot chocolate, or gingerbread lattes for end-of-the-year parties.
Photo: Courtesy of Cupa Cubana
New York-based retailer C. Wonder has launched a new corporate gifting program, which includes up to 20 percent discounts on gifts purchased for groups. Select from an array of preppy accessories and home decor items that can be monogrammed for a personalized touch. C. Wonder has brick-and-mortar locations in SoHo and the Time Warner Center and a holiday pop-up in the Flatiron.
Photo: Courtesy of C. Wonder
In the cocktail tent, the ceiling was strung with upside-down umbrellas, disco balls, and balloons shaped like stars and twisted into shapes reminiscent of Chihuly's glass sculptures.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
The event celebrated Marwen's 25th anniversary, or silver birthday. To underscore the theme, guests entered the dinner tent through a tunnel of silver balloons.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
When she had trouble finding the enormous disco ball that planners hoped for, Event Creative designer Kelly Wagner designed one herself, crafting an eight-foot sequined orb to hang from the roof of the tent.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
Limelight handled catering, providing bite-size snacks for the cocktail reception and a three-course dinner. Some of the appetizer trays were decorated with quarters under Lucite, a nod to the organization's 25th year.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
The dessert duo included crepe Suzette with vanilla bean mousse, raspberry merlot sauce, and fresh berries as well as a chocolate mousse bar with candy-coated pretzels and hazelnut creme Anglaise.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
Guests could check out artwork in the Marwen Lab exhibition, which showcased independent projects from the organization's students.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
The name of the nonprofit was spelled out in silver balloons behind the stage. Lighting cast spiky patterns onto the dance floor, and large screens showcased a video that Leo Burnett USA created to highlight the organization's students. In it, one earnest youth confessed that Marwen is a place where she's not judged for wanting to paint zombies.
Photo: Joseph R. Palmer
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
Canada's National Ballet School's Steampunk Gala
The Steampunk-theme gala took place at the Carlu in Toronto on March 4. The evening featured a unique bar sponsored by digital marketing agency Ecentricarts. “Modernist Cocktails,” prepared by Barchef, included a concoction called the "Steampunk Snow.” The drink was made with elderflower “snow,” cubes of black licorice, basil sprouts, gin and chamomile, violet gel, and aromatics of grapefruit.
Photo: Vanessa Garrison
Mirror Ball
A winter-white decor scheme decked the Mirror Ball in Toronto in late November. Pale blue lighting added to the frosty scene at the Fairmont Royal York.
Photo: George Pimentel
Book Lover's Ball
Held at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto on February 6, the event had a lush, pastel dessert display from Sweet Table. The display was decked with illuminated trees, which fit in with the event’s “adopt a branch” fund-raising for the Toronto Public Library. Stacks of books also underscored the literary theme.
Photo: George Pimentel
The Nature Conservancy of Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary gala in November at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto, where planners created a wintery forest feel by lining the ballroom with living trees hung with candlelit lanterns.
Photo: Tom Sandler
Stag-head pillows and faux fur throws dressed four floating beds suspended from the ceiling.
Photo: Gary Beechey
At the Campfire Ball benefit for Children’s Oncology Services in May at Venue One in Chicago, Cork Catering set up a make-your-own s’mores station.
Photo: Gerber + Scarpelli Photography
