Guests posed in front of a mossy step-and-repeat-style backdrop, where branches and plants created three-dimensional visual interest.
Photo: Jason Speth
Flowers also subtly decorated a dessert tower display, where options included liquid chocolate s’mores, served on a stick; liquid raspberry peanut butter s’mores; and more. At a doughnut station, a server stood by to slice the confections and make ice cream sandwiches using three flavors of ice cream—held in flower-decorated ice vases.
Photo: Jason Speth
At a baby shower created by Chicago-based Christina Janda Design & Events, guests took home a vintage cup and saucer filled with big blooming flowers.
Photo: Courtesy of Christine Janda Design & Events
Rose gold and copper are the metallics of choice in tabletop decor, says Laurie Arons of Laurie Arons Special Events in San Francisco.
Photo: Courtesy of Laurie Arons Special Events
An elderflower champagne cocktail with an edible flower garnish in crystal coupe glasses, accompanied by a large crystal punch bowl on a vintage gold bar cart, was presented at the Toast the Trends event hosted by the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and bridal company Elaya Vaughn by Kate Pankoke in September.
Photo: KingenSmith
Guests enjoyed dainty versions of a wedding cake created by the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago’s executive pastry chef, Scott Gerken, and his team for the Toast the Trends event.
Photo: KingenSmith
“Modern geometric metallics are exploding in social event decor right now,” says event planner and stylist Ginger Dockery of Gingerwood Creative in Washington. “We’re seeing this motif as a popular way for couples to incorporate an on-trend element into classic celebrations. These are especially being shown in combination with soft elements to contrast the hard lines.”
Photo: Rodney Bailey
“I thought the root system of the haworthia (pictured, right) looked dramatic, especially because the succulent itself has a harder texture, so it was important to show both sides,” says Matthew Schechter, event and creative director of Interior Foliage Design in Long Island City, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage
An arrangement in a glass planter was made with four ingredients—Picasso lilies, lavender scabiosa, and Blue Thistle in a curly willow wrap. “I really dig this because you don’t need to be blinded by 100 flowers to make an impression,” Schechter says.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage
Instead of over-the-top decor, New York-based event designer Jes Gordon used subtle silver trophies as vases for a sports-theme bar mitzvah.
Photo: Alberto Vasari
Instead of giving away too many party favors, the guests at a preppy party by Magnolia Bluebird picked their favorite charms and adorned leather headbands, key chains, bracelets, rings, or ponytail holders for personalized gifts.
Photo: Rodney Bailey Photography
The largest dinner of the Meridian Ball was held at White-Meyer House.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Guests found their table numbers on a table under the portico at White-Meyer House.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Stark used the optical theme of black and white polka dots and stripes in the linens as well as the lighting.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Design Cuisine's dessert for the White-Meyer House dinner was a saffron poached pear with chocolate hazelnut mousse.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Inside the Meridian House, the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra played in the largest salon.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Pastries and cakes by Design Cuisine shared the dessert buffet with faux desserts made of carnations and clover flowers.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
The grand salon of Meridian House served as the indoor space for dancing.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Designer David Stark hung strings of tiny mirrors from the trees in the Meridian House garden for a look, he said, of "fairies in the forest at night."
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Stark's crew placed hundreds of luminarias along garden paths.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Designer David Stark decorated the tent with massive spotted lampshades.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Miniature bright-colored donkey piñatas from Oriental Trading party supplies were suspended from clear balloons in the Silver Corridor, which lead guests into the Grand Ballroom for the main event.
Photo: Rob Rich
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Photo: Alexandre Chéron
At the Daffodil Ball, soup was served from a teapot and topped with an edible pocket watch crust.
Photo: Fahri Yavuz Photo Service
For Ruinart Champagne's afternoon tea and auction at the London in Los Angeles in October 2011, event planner Jes Gordon modernized high tea with white linens topped with khaki runners trimmed in bright, neon borders. Ping-pong paddles served as auction paddles.
Photo: Michael Bruckner for WireImage/Getty Images
Guests dined on classic finger sandwiches with cucumber, salmon, and egg salad at the Ruinart Champagne event.
Photo: Michael Bruckner for WireImage/Getty Images
Shoppers sipped free cups of tea at Visit London's "Only in London" pop-up inside New York City's Time Warner Center in March 2010. Event production company Retail Md designed a food display with traditional teatime treats, along with a lush floral arrangement.
Photo: Courtesy of Visit London
Made for the at-home mixologist, Owl's Brew teas are specially crafted for cocktails and can be mixed with a range of spirits, including vodka, whiskey, and rum, as well as craft beers and wines. Flavors include Coco-Lada, a black tea with coconut; Pink & Black, a Darjeeling with a hint of hibiscus; and the Classic, an English breakfast tea blend. In May, the brand will release White and Vine, a white tea with watermelon, pomegranate, and lemon peel. The teas come in eight-ounce bottles for $9.99 and 32-ounce bottles for $16.99.
Photo: Courtesy of Owl's Brew
Guests lined up to get their tea leaf readings at Chicago antiques store Golden Triangle's anniversary party in October 2010.
Photo: Waldemar Reichert
New York-based JPO Concepts' catering team uses Bigelow Tea's Novus collection to craft creative hors d'oeuvres, including fresh burrata cheese served with mint tea pesto.
Photo: JPO Concepts Inc.
Homemade sorbet from JPO Concepts, made with an herbal tea blend featuring hibiscus, rose, apple, and elderberries, offers a refreshing ending to a summertime tea party.
Photo: JPO Concepts Inc.
Specialty cocktails were served in William and Ashley teacups and adorned with white rabbit garnishes at the National Ballet of Canada's sixth annual fund-raiser, which was held at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto in June 2011.
Photo: Gary Beechey
A checkerboard table covering and mismatched gold and silver cutlery added to the mad tea party theme at the gala. Guests received mugs and tea strainers as party favors from Canadian tea seller Teaopia, which is now owned by Atlanta-based retailer Teavana.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Tea house Teaism teamed up with Sticky Fingers Bakery chef Doron Petersan to host a five-course vegan meal in April 2013 at its Alexandria, Virginia, location with tea and sake pairings. The menu by Petersan and Teaism executive chef Alison Swope included a matcha, or green tea, cake with cherry port and almond.
Photo: Courtesy of Sticky Fingers Bakery
Occasions Caterers served hot tea with pink, yellow, green, and blue iced cookies for dessert at the Washingtonian's Alice in Wonderland-theme AT&T Best of Washington Party in July 2014, held at the National Building Museum.
Photo: Antatony Brown/IMIJPHOTO.com
Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2013 Show
One million flowers blanketed the walls of Christian Dior's July show during Paris Fashion Week. The Bureau Betak-event included a room covered with red roses.
Photo: Courtesy of Dior
An example of a baby-theme catering presentation: New York-based event firm Rock Paper Scissors Events recently housed striped straws in baby bottles.
Photo: Courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors
Ladyfingers Letterpress created a book-like baby shower invitation with quotes and sentiments from the mommy-to-be’s favorite children’s stories. The cover was hand-sewn with gray-and-white baker’s twine, and a library card served as the R.S.V.P. card. Guests were encouraged to bring their favorite children’s book to help build the little one’s reading library.
Photo: Courtesy of Ladyfingers Letterpress
For baby showers, Truffleberry Market in Chicago presents desserts in small vessels that resemble baby food containers. The snacks are served with spoons that read: “Cute as a button.”
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
Washington-based event designer André Wells planned a baby shower that had an untraditional guest book. Guests could snap Polaroid selfies and leave the images, along with a note, in the book.
Photo: Davide De Pas
At a travel-theme baby shower planned by Andre Wells, guests left notes detailing their best baby advice.
Photo: Davide De Pas
At the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in Florida, the catering team surprises guests at social functions with a “sushi cupcake” setup. The station presents the whimsical cakes on a boat-like stand.
Photo: Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton South Beach
Rock Paper Scissors Events designed a shower with a “lavender” theme that included purple candies and lavender in the floral arrangements by Cristina Lozito. Because showers are usually held during the day, planners like to use a light, cheerful color to design a cohesive look.
Photo: Courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors
Paramount Catering and Events in Chicago offers whimsical pretzel stations. The pretzels hang on stands, and guests dip them in sauces, including whole-grain mustard and tomato-bacon jam.
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Catering and Events
Paramount Events suggests utilizing a tabletop pegboard to present breakfast items like bagels and doughnuts in a fresh, new way for a bridal brunch.
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Catering and Events
The wedding-theme event hosted by Mindy Weiss and Wedding Paper Divas in Los Angeles featured the D.I.Y. trend: one station invited guests to customize cookies with watercolor-inspired paints.
Photo: Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Wedding Paper Divas
Guests at the Los Angeles event hosted by Mindy Weiss and Wedding Paper Divas could also create custom bags of potpourri.
Photo: Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Wedding Paper Divas
Lollipops can be sweet or savory like the seared tuna version with togarashi, avocado mousse, arare, and micro shiso from Paramount Catering and Events.
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Catering and Events
Chicago’s Meatloaf Bakery, which got its start making cupcake-shaped meatloaf topped with mashed-potato “frosting,” now makes entire savory cakes. The centerpiece-worthy snack can be served as lunch at afternoon affairs like bridal showers.
Photo: Courtesy of Meatloaf Bakery
Based in San Francisco, Amy Nichols Special Events recently planned a baby shower with a peacock theme. The dessert table was dressed with glittering chartreuse linens from La Tavola and blue and green floral arrangements from Laurel Designs.
Photo: Jihan Cerda
In keeping with the theme, Sweet Lauren Cakes provided cake pops dusted with edible turquoise glitter. Little blue bows added a touch of childlike whimsy.
Photo: Jihan Cerda
The daytime event also served brunch bites such as French toast topped with strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream provided by Barbara Llewellyn Catering.
Photo: Jihan Cerda
![Paula Biggs, creative director and stylist at Frog Prince Paperie, recently designed a violet-hued baby shower for a friend. With a loose 'Baby Love' theme, the bash had a dessert table filled with sweets that Biggs baked herself. On the menu: five types of cakes, 'to feed any kind of craving [the mother-to-be] might have,' she said. Flavors included chocolate, lemon with blackberry crème, coconut, plain white with Swiss meringue frosting, and Bailey's-soaked 'La Reine' cake.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2013/06/purple_baby_shower.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Paula Biggs, creative director and stylist at Frog Prince Paperie, recently designed a violet-hued baby shower for a friend. With a loose "Baby Love" theme, the bash had a dessert table filled with sweets that Biggs baked herself. On the menu: five types of cakes, "to feed any kind of craving [the mother-to-be] might have," she said. Flavors included chocolate, lemon with blackberry crème, coconut, plain white with Swiss meringue frosting, and Bailey's-soaked "La Reine" cake.
Photo: Courtesy of Frog Prince Paperie
To continue with the pale purple color scheme, centerpieces comprised bundles of lavender on lace handkerchiefs. At each place setting, sprigs of baby's breath were tucked into napkins tied with lilac ribbons, and guests found a takeaway gift of lavender-and-lemon salt scrub—to make their skin "baby soft," of course.
Photo: Courtesy of Frog Prince Paperie
One of Biggs's clients recently asked her to design a baby shower with a "pink birdie theme." Decked with birdhouses and an elegant birdcage, the sweets table had a pallet of soft pinks. It held raspberry mousse with fresh whipped cream, petit fours, meringues, cupcakes, chocolate brownie truffles, and apothecary jars filled with rosy candies. Biggs used hair clips and hair bands to decorate the birdcage and candy jars.
Photo: Courtesy of Frog Prince Paperie
Another of Biggs's baby showers was not so girly. At the event, little mustache flags decked the cupcakes, which were decorated in boy-friendly hues of blue and brown.
Photo: Courtesy of Frog Prince Paperie
The arrangements of blue hydrangeas and orange spray roses also held paper mustaches. "When you’re throwing a mustache bash, it’s really difficult to not slap a mustache on everything in the house that doesn’t move," Biggs said. "I did it anyway ... even the flowers got 'stached." The flowers themselves were from Buds Etc. in Melbourne, Florida.
Photo: Courtesy of Frog Prince Paperie
"Monet's Garden" was the theme for a recent baby shower planned by A Little Savvy Event. Held at a private residence in Sonoma, California, the event had a ceiling treatment made of little pink bouquets hanging upside down. "We wanted the space to echo the flowers and lush feel in Monet's garden, as well as give it a whimsical, magical feel," said planner Kelly McLeskey-Dolata. Inspired by the French countryside, the menu included Camembert cheese tarts, ratatouille, and three types of quiche from local purveyors.
Photo: Courtesy of A Little Savvy Event
Colorful macaroons came from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, and the linens from La Tavola had a pink-and-white chevron pattern sewn up with sequins.
Photo: Courtesy of A Little Savvy Event
For an Arizona Jeans Company event targeting millennials in New York last year, Mexican-style paper lanterns and flowers hung from the ceiling for a vibrant look and feel.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Easter Egg Cakes
In Northern Virginia, Amphora Group catering decorates its Easter egg cakes with pastel icing in elaborate patterns. The cakes come in flavors such as white-chocolate-mousse-raspberry, chocolate-mousse-raspberry, and double chocolate.
Photo: Alexandra Claessen/Amphora Group
Mr. Potato Head
At the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, executive chef Laurent Branlard creates Easter-theme chocolate sculptures that weigh between 44 and 100 pounds. One such sculpture resembles the classic toy Mr. Potato Head, made out of dark chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa food coloring, and fondant.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel
Pastel Petit Fours
Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event in Chicago styles Easter sweets tables with take-home treats for guests. Included are icy blue petit fours from Toni Patisserie.
Photo: Marcin Cymmer/Smart Pixel Studio
Brownie Nests
Jenny Keller, the Seattle-based founder of Jenny Cookies, is the author of Eat More Desserts. In her book, Keller provides a recipe for "brownie nests" (pictured) that are made with brownies, coconut shreds, buttercream frosting, and colored jelly beans.
Photo: KCB Photography
Macaron Tree
The Peninsula Chicago prepares Easter brunch spreads accented with oversize confections from pastry chef Dimitri Payard. One piece is a topiary-like tree made of raspberry and pistachio macarons. The macarons are adhered to a chocolate sphere using thick icing, and the tree has a chocolate stick and base. The creation takes four hours to complete.
Photo: Courtesy of The Peninsula Chicago
Kafir Lime and Ginger Truffles
Chicago catering firm Truffleberry Market creates kafir lime and ginger truffles and serves the dainty treat with an edible chocolate leaf.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
Chocolate Cups
At the Breakers Palm Beach resort in Florida, pastry chef Elmar Wolf creates miniature desserts for Easter spreads. One such treat, served in a chocolate cup, is also served with a springlike garnish: an edible leaf.
Photo: Courtesy of The Breakers Palm Beach
Chocolate Butterflies
The Four Seasons Hotel New York has edible holiday decor including oversize chocolate eggs decked with butterflies in Easter-egg-like shades of pink, blue, and purple.
Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons New York
Bon Bons
For Easter, Gotham Bar and Grill in New York has a special box of bonbons. Created by pastry chef Ron Paprocki, the desserts come in the following flavors: lemon-olive-oil, Cointreau-caramel, and Sicilian-pistachio.
Photo: Josephine Rozman
Pancake Flight
Another whimsical dessert from Truffleberry Market is a flight of miniature pancakes, served with sweet toppings such as chocolate hazelnut, Meyer lemon curd with berries, and maple bacon.
Photo: Brittany Bekas Photography
Dr Pepper Theme
For a recent wedding in Chicago, Truffleberry Market catering created Dr Pepper theme cupcakes for a couple who had bonded over their love of the soft drink on their first date.
Photo: Colin Lyons Photography
Sweets Theme
When is it appropriate to make a cake-theme cake? When it's being served at a party in honor of New York cake designer Ron Ben-Israel. The dessert pro's birthday cake was shaped like a giant slice of cake.
Photo: Courtesy of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
Fire and Ice Theme
Limelight Catering in Chicago recently created miniature Baked Alaska desserts for a "Fire and Ice" theme event in Chicago. The "flamed-to-order" desserts comprised stacked strawberry ice cream and dark chocolate cake wrapped with toasted meringue.
Photo: Erika Dufour for Limelight Catering
'Alice in Wonderland' Theme
Janina O’Leary, executive pastry chef at LaV Restaurant & Wine Bar in Austin, Texas, created a "Wonderland" theme dessert table for Austin Food & Wine Festival's "Sips and Sweets" event in April. Hanging over the sweets table was a marshmallow chandelier that held forks holding marshmallows. Staffers cut down individual marshmallows for guests, who put them into chocolate teacups filled with homemade rhubarb jam.
Photo: Courtesy of LaV
Big Top Theme
This year's "Give Kids the World" benefit took place at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in May and had an "Under the Big Top" theme. For dessert, executive pastry chef Alain Vergnault put together a confection that combined caramel apple cake, cotton candy, and soft-serve-style vanilla crème fraîche.
Photo: Courtesy of Give Kids the World
A Hat Party
New York caterer Abigail Kirsch created a whimsical plate of desserts for a recent "hat party" theme luncheon at a garden venue. The presentation included a white chocolate "fence," citrus macaron "hat pops," peanut-butter-and-jelly tarts, miniature carrot cake, and Devil's Food cakes topped with flowers, salted-caramel Linzer cookies, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of Abigail Kirsch
Musical Theme
Chicago's Jewell Events Catering recently catered a dinner for a musical instrument company. For dessert, the catering firm's custom cakes division created an edible harp. "The cake designers working on the project utilized fondant to give the cake a realistic look and feel and built it according to the exact specifications of a real-life harp," said a company rep.
Photo: Courtesy of Jewell Events Catering
'Cinderella' Theme
In 2010, the Joffrey Ballet hosted a Cinderella-theme luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Dessert was a dark chocolate pumpkin filled with mousse and garnished with raspberries, hot pink sugar, and a chocolate "XO."
Photo: Mireya Acierto for BizBash
'Wizard of Oz' Theme
In 2008, the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago hosted a gala with a Wizard of Oz theme. Limelight Catering's desserts included a summer berry and lemonade cake parfait with a ruby slipper garnish.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
An Illinois bar mitzvah on March 12 had a Candy Land theme. Designer Event Chicago planned the event, as well as the design and concept for a sweets table—actually part of an entire sweets room—over which colorful candies dangled from multicolored ribbons of varying lengths. HMR Designs handled decor.
Photo: Jai Girard
The Boston Children's Museum’s 2013 gala included a rather meta dessert table: The entire display took the form of a giant cake, decorated with paper flowers, and set with desserts such as cake pops, mini whoopie pies, mini Twinkies, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Photo: Scott Indermaur
Patina assumed catering duties for the Recording Academy’s massive “Grammy Celebration,” the official after-party for the Grammy awards in Los Angeles in February. At the Candy Land-inspired event, the caterer’s dessert station offered sweets like blue chocolate popcorn, Pop Rocks shooters, and liquid chocolate s’mores—plus cotton candy trees, where guests could pluck their treats right from the branches.
Photo: Dan Collopy
At an in-office preview for its clients' wares during the holidays in 2015, Los Angeles-based PR agency BWR offered a metallic dessert bar decorated with the word “Joy” in marquee-style letters.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Last year in Chicago, Restoration Hardware hosted an opening event with a dessert bar that consisted of vintage-style candies presented in apothecary jars and on glass cake plates.
Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Sterling Engagements hosted a party in Los Angeles in 2015, where vast catering options throughout the residential venue included a milk-and-cookies dessert bar.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
In 2012, Tori Spelling and J.C. Penney celebrated the launch of the star’s line for kids, Little Maven, in Los Angeles. The glamping-style event included a sweets table where the dessert offerings sat upon rustic wood slabs.
Photo: Michael Simon/StarTraks
In 2013, the New York City Opera staged the United States premiere of the opera Anna Nicole. The dessert table got a boudoir-inspired look, with a menu was written on mirrors in lipstick. Candy overflowed from jewelry boxes and glass jars, and Lucite displays offered pink cotton candy presented in paper cones.
Photo: Elena Olivo
In 2012, Toronto Public Library Foundation hosted its annual Book Lover's Ball. The evening invited guests to dine with big-name authors, and appropriately also included desserts inspired by literature. Books decorated the dessert tables, with typewriters, globes, and glasses adding to the literary look.
Photo: Carla Warrilow/BizBash
A 2012 launch in Los Angeles for Sh*t Girls Say played up the content from the book. To that end, speech bubbles decorated a candy buffet with messages like, “Can you do me a huge favor?” and “Shut up.” Brightly colored gerbera daisies also decorated the setup.
Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision for Harlequin/AP Images
The Meridian International Center celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010 with its annual black-tie Meridian Ball in Washington. There, the dessert table had black-and-white trompe l'oeil look. It included candelabras, arrangements of monochromatic roses, and—of course—copious desserts.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
At the National Urban League’s annual conference in 2010, a Target-sponsored welcome reception included a sweets table dominated by red—the on-brand color for the mass retailer. Candies included Swedish Fish, red and black jellybeans, and red-and-white Starlight peppermints.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
