Fried chicken
At the Watermill Center’s benefit in 2015, Great Performances created dishes that would allow guests to easily roam—all self-serve options designed to be hand-held and didn't even necessarily require plates. Among them was fried chicken served in waffle cones.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Tiramisu
At a September event, Preston Bailey transformed the new Four Seasons New York Downtown in celebration of his relationship with the property. As part of the event’s catering options, the hotel supplied tiramisu served as grab-and-go offerings.
Photo: Beth Kormanik/BizBash
Spaghetti and meatballs
Rather than the traditional bowl of splash-prone red sauce, New York’s Elegant Affairs offered a neater take on spaghetti and meatballs, using mess-free form topped with a micro meatball and marinara and sprinkled with parmesan.
Photo: Jan Van Pak Photography
Paella
Mary Giuliani Catering and Events in New York created a catering option of one-bite paella with shrimp and chorizo with sips of sangria, a take on the hearty rice dish.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash
Salad
Salad can be messy, with the risk of oily dressing ending up on clothes and hands. Occasions Caterers in Washington created a wedge salad bite hors d’oeuvre, served on a fork, that tidies up salad service.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Hummus and Pita
Always a crowd favorite, hummus can get messy when served as a dip. At the 2014 Washington Humane Society's annual Fashion for Paws runway show, hors d'oeuvres during the reception included beets and hummus on pita points as a tidy alternative to service at a station.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Soup
A popular alternative to soup in a bowl, with all of its messy slurp potential, many caterers offer inventive soup shooters. One example: Chicago’s Boutique Bites' artful soup shooters with popcorn and truffle oil.Â
Photo: Courtesy of Elaina Vazquez
As a nod to summer meals from the grill, Design Cuisine served charcoal grilled Angus New York strip with tricolor fingerlings, chanterelle and lobster mushrooms, french bean salad, and frisee confit tomato.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
The event began right before dusk so guests would be able to watch and photograph the sunset from the roof, which has landscape views of the city.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
Perezchica incorporated pops of color like bright-blue chargers into the design of each table to complement the furniture.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
Design Cuisine created two specialty cocktails, the passion fruit collins (pictured) and ginger lime mojito, to help set the tone for a summertime dining experience. BrandLinkDC added to that by using summer fruits in the floral arrangements on the furniture groups across the rooftop patio.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
The meal began with a tomato granita with mixed heirloom tomato salad, made with sliced heirloom tomatoes, pearl mozzarella, white balsamic vinaigrette, micro basil, and herb oil.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
The meal ended with a summer dreamsicle terrine, consisting of blood-orange sorbet and vanilla ice cream swirl on top of a cookie crust topped with toasted marshmallow accompanied by a Grand Marnier sauce and two chocolate fudge brownie bites.
Photo: Kaz Sasahara/Lancer Photography
At his restaurant Tavern62 on New York’s Upper East Side, chef David Burke’s Apple Cider Doughnut “Tower” with Apple Cappuccino looks like a stack of edible gifts.
Photo: Silvia Krawczyk
Just Bars’ Gatsby Gold Collection includes matching bars, high-top tables, and communal high-top tables, with either black or white glossy tops. Available in South Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Naples, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego, the bars cost $600 each.
Photo: Courtesy of Just Bars
Gold Moroccan poufs are available in Los Angeles and San Francisco from Yeah Rentals. Pricing is available upon request.
Photo: Courtesy of Yeah Rentals
Burke also serves up a Pecan Tart with Moonshine Caramel for the holidays.
Photo: Courtesy of Tavern62
The Sugarplums, a trio of women who sing holiday music with a ’50s flair, perform at public, private, and corporate events, including holiday festivals, sing-alongs, tree lightings, and more. Pricing is available upon request. The group can be booked through Sunset Singers in West Hollywood.
Photo: Courtesy of the Sugarplums
A Silver Topiary living character from Smash Party Entertainment brings the metallic look to life.
Photo: Courtesy of Smash Entertainment
This sparkly dining table setup features the Black and Gold Koi linen, from $15 to $95; the Rose Gold Phoenix Chair, $12.95; and the Gold High Back Wing Chair, $150, from Nuage Designs.
Photo: Courtesy of Nuage Designs
Tinsel Experiential Design created a moody, gothic masquerade-ball setting with dark pewter seating arrangements for IP Soft’s 2016 holiday party. The event took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York in December.
Photo: Courtesy of Tinsel Experiential Design
“Rosemary is the ultimate luxury. It smells amazing and is extremely comforting and relaxing,” says Interior Foliage Design’s Matthew Schechter.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage Design
Schechter says silver and rose gold planters will be mainstays this year, and will remain strong into early 2018.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage Design
Help out guests who may have had too much bubbly by including ClearVia. The probiotic blend, $14.99 for a pack of five, purportedly helps the body break down alcohol and alleviates the groggy effects of a hangover the next morning.
Photo: Courtesy of ClearVia
Bedazzle My Bonbons recently introduced Dazzle Your Drinks, colorful, sparkling sugar for decorating the rims of cocktail glasses. The sugar, which is available in 24 colors, costs $18 per one-pound bag with a three-bag minimum purchase; one bag can rim as many as 200 glasses and will store for two years.
Photo: Courtesy of Bedazzle My Bonbons
Taste of Pace, a Los Angeles caterer, whipped up a citrus polenta cake at a dinner series for Zola, a wedding registry company. Blood oranges top the creation, along with the Cara Cara variety. Naval oranges also are on the plate.
Photo: Courtesy of Taste of Pace
Miami-based A Joy Wallace Catering, Design & Special Events serves up a chocolate mousse with olive oil and and fleur de sel, a type of salt.
Photo: Courtesy of A Joy Wallace Catering
Pumpkin Desserts
Lower Mills Tavern in Boston serves a pumpkin ice cream sandwich that consists of homemade ginger molasses cookies and pumpkin ice cream made for the restaurant by the Ice Creamsmith—a family-run ice cream shop next door.Â
Photo: Courtesy of Lower Mills Tavern
Pumpkin Desserts
The new MB Steak at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is offering a pumpkin milkshake made with pumpkin cheesecake ice cream and topped with cream cheese whipped cream and a house-made pumpkin pie slice.Â
Photo: Courtesy of MB Steak
Pumpkin Latte
While Starbucks serves the most famous pumpkin spice latte, the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay outside of San Francisco has put its own spin on the popular drink. The hotel partnered with Santa Cruz-based coffee company Verve Coffee Roasters to create the Pumpkin Patch Spice latte, which is served hot and iced.Â
Photo: Courtesy of Half Moon Bay
Revolve Fourth of July Bash
At the clothing brand’s third annual Fourth of July party in the Hamptons, giant 3-D floral signage spelling out Revolve served as a photo op for guests.
Photo:Â Matthew Eisman/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon
Cuban-Theme Party
Cocktails made with watermelon and pineapples were served from Pinch Food Design’s mobile cocktail cart.
Photo:Â Quyn Duong Photography
Stella Artois worked with chef Andre Marrero to create an apple-pie inspired cocktail. The recipe calls for Stella Artois Cidre, ginger, star anise, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Garnish with whipped cream, a cinnamon stick, and orange zest.
Photo: Courtesy of Stella Artois
The Tuck Room in New York is offering a twist on a traditional pumpkin pie. The Triple Silken Pumpkin Pie has three different layers: A gingerbread crust is topped with a pumpkin custard layer, followed by a cream layer, followed by a caramel pumpkin chiboust layer. The result is a decadent dessert with accents of gingerbread, caramel, cream, custard, and, of course, pumpkin. The layers can be used separately for Thanksgiving desserts or stacked to create one large pie.
Photo: Courtesy of the Tuck Room
Pumpkin pie will never go out of style, but why not serve it as a cocktail? The Prince PumKing features Drambuie, pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and steamed whole milk. Top with additional milk foam and freshly ground nutmeg.
Photo: Alain Hain
Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles has released a new holiday catering menu with several Thanksgiving-appropriate items, including the Thanksgiving Dinner Puff (with roasted turkey, cranberry agridulce, and puff pastry) and the Sweet Potato Mini Hand Pie (with pumpkin-spiced chestnuts and golden raisin chutney). Other seasonally appropriate items include the Barlett Pear Salad (pictured), which features endive, arugula, Point Reyes blue cheese, candied walnuts, pomegranate, and orange vinaigrette.
Photo: Antonio Diaz
Also on Wolfgang Puck Catering’s holiday menu is the Blood Orange Panna Cotta, a dessert featuring candied ginger, Grand Marnier orange zest, and sugared Thai basil.
Photo: Antonio Diaz
Austin-based eatery Hopdoddy Burger Bar is offering a new Thanksgiving special called the Turducken Burger. The burger includes a stuffing bun, fried green beans and onions, cranberry sauce, salt and pepper, mayonnaise, and a turducken patty. Turkey gravy is served on the side. The $10 burger is available at all Hopdoddy locations in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and California until November 22.
Photo: Courtesy of Hopdoddy Burger Bar
For its return to hosting a pre-Thanksgiving lunch at Rockefeller Center, Arnold Worldwide—OceanSpray's long-time brand experience agency—enlisted Tyger Productions to create a classic and festive setup whereby guests sat in a 20- by 60-foot cranberry bog filled with an estimated one million cranberries. The 12- by 36-foot arbor was covered in autumn foliage to create a cozy cocoon for diners that was simultaneously visible to passersby.
Photo: Will Star Photography
More than 21,000 gallons of water filled the OceanSpray bog, with classic wooden dining chairs installed on the floor of the rubber membrane-lined space. The legs were protected with waterproof cladding while the membrane, built by Sonalysts, was leveled against the slope of the site.
Photo: Will Star Photography
The 32-foot-long dining table in the center of the eye-catching OceanSpray bog was anchored by oversize autumnal floral arrangements of lush blossoms, greens, and fruits. Handmade crocheted table runners were paired with rose-gold glass candleholders.
Photo: Will Star Photography
Celebrity chef Curtis Stone was on hand to turn Rockefeller Center into CranMa Thanksgiving Boot Camp. He also helped promote the OceanSpray activation on The Today Show and even enlisted bystander participation for a festive activity in the bog.
Photo: Will Star Photography
Before entering the bog, guests visited four bootcamp-style stations where they learned skills in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday. These included the art of crafted cocktails, creating impressive side dishes, turkey prep techniques, and, as seen here, setting the scene with "CranMa" Sue Gilmore and Ty Kuppig.
Photo: Will Star Photography
Tyger Productions designed an environment that elicited a sense of nostalgia, juxtaposing traditional elements with contemporary touches. Mismatched vintage china was paired with modern gold flatware, while cut crystal stemware was mixed with vintage embossed glass and new cranberry-red goblets.
Photo: Will Star Photography
The "Thanksgiving With CranMa" meal from caterer Great Performances featured a main course of roast turkey with cranberry honey glaze and turkey gravy served with a bevy of sides, including sweet-n-savory green beans, mashed potatoes, New England cornbread stuffing, and fresh cranberry-orange relish.
Photo: Will Star Photography
As part of this year's activation, an international component was added at 620 Loft and Garden that featured two hosts live-streaming their Thanksgiving experience with OceanSpray directly to viewers in China. Kuppig and his team arranged the scaled-down vignette to be ready by 7 a.m. due to the time difference.
Photo: Will Star Photography
This past summer, Chicago's Moto Restaurant created a new dessert inspired by the season: coconut macarons painted to look like beach balls. Chocolate seashells, pineapple starfish, and brown sugar sand completed the plate.
Photo: Amy Stallard
One of the more striking food presentations at L.A. Center Studios for the Lexus grand tasting during Los Angeles Food & Wine festival last year, was created by Post Ranch Inn. The Big Sur resort used sugar as sand in a metal bucket where it served shaved ice cones. Starfish and greenery decked the beach-like scene.
Photo: Courtesy of Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival & Tyrone D. Washington
The Travel Channel looked to evoke tropical destinations in March 2009 when it took over Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall for a lounge that promoted its Bridget's Sexiest Beaches series. In addition to a tiki hut-style bar, the brand served New York commuters and tourists non-alcoholic piña coladas, margaritas, and strawberry daiquiris during lunch hours.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
A cluster of hanging beach balls created a whimsical, colorful chandelier at a party created by Swank Productions. Adding to the look were tables covered in bright, summery linens.
Photo: Courtesy of Swank Productions
HL Group and Natuzzi Italia developed a balloon installation photo booth in collaboration with the Bosco for the Italian furniture brand’s event in May, which featured art by New York artists Ed Granger, Jon Burgerman, and Hektad that was inspired by Natuzzi Italia’s Re-vive chair. Guests splattered paint and decorated a backdrop of black and white balloons with vibrant colors from a branded paint can, creating their own works of art in front of a GIF photo booth.
Photo: Kelsey Stanton/BFA.com
At a Lancôme event in June, HL Group worked with the Bosco to build a custom setup for a slow-motion GIF photo booth that was inspired by the whimsical packaging of the beauty brand’s product collection with fashion designer Olympia Le Tan. Guests frolicked on a fluffy oversize cloud set against a backdrop of Le Tan’s doodles.
Photo: Kent Miller
To promote its film A Ghost Story, in which Casey Affleck appears as an apparition in a white sheet, film production company A24 worked with designer Steven Jos Phan and digital design shop Watson DG to create a pop-up in New York in July. The tongue-in-cheek “Ghost Store” invited people to get fitted for a sheet of their own.
Photo: Courtesy of Watson DG
“Punches can be a little more user-friendly to people that aren’t in the mood for such a strong cocktail,” says Ann-Marie Verdi, co-owner and beverage director of Los Angeles’s the Bellwether. “We make the perfect punch for fall and winter by infusing tequila with fresh cranberries, really capturing the colder season’s best flavors.” The punch is known as the #5 Cocktail on the menu.
Photo: Marie Buck
“This has a lot of the appeal of an Irish coffee, but with more delicate, nuanced flavors,” says Morgan Schick of the San Francisco Proper Hotel about the Mile End Toddy, which contains rye whiskey, Cointreau, and Earl Grey tea with marmalade. “The pithiness of the marmalade and the floral notes in the Earl Grey make a nice counterpoint to the rich vanilla and toffee of the whiskey. Perfect for looking out over the fog next to a fire.”
Photo: Courtesy of San Francisco Proper Hotel
Adil Yamin, beverage director at Heirloom Hospitality in Detroit, serves up a RyeChai with WhistlePig 10-year rye whiskey, Averna Amaro, angostura, and hot chai tea. It’s garnished with angostura and Averna-infused whipped cream, a cinnamon stick, lemon spiral, and shaved dark chocolate.
Photo: Courtesy of Heirloom Hospitality
Mixologist Kristy McKinney at the Havana Beach Bar & Grill at the Pearl Hotel in Rosemary Beach, Florida, offers up a flight of eggnog concoctions, including Eggnog Brulée with Bulleit rye whiskey, whipped cream, and turbinado sugar; Havana Nog with Coco Lopez cream of coconut, Appleton Jamaican dark rum, pineapple juice, and freshly toasted coconut; traditional eggnog; Merry Cherry Eggnog with Spring 44 gin, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and whipped cream; and Eggnog Espresso with Kahlua, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, and espresso ganache.
Photo: Courtesy of Havana Beach Bar & Grill
Pumpkin Cocktails
Therapy also is serving a cocktail called Mamma Knows Best, made with Scotch, Kahlua liqueur, Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur, pumpkin puree, creme anglaise, Godiva Chocolate liqueur, and heavy cream. The cocktail is poured into a brown sugar pumpkin spice-rimmed glass.Â
Photo: Courtesy of Therapy
At the Recording Academy's "Grammy Celebration" after-party in Los Angeles in February, a neon-green outline of the recognizable shape of an Absolut bottle—no brand name needed—served as an entrance into a raised bar designed and produced by MKG.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2Me Studios
9. Children's Ball
#9 Benefit
In support of Children’s National Health System, which works to advance pediatric medicine locally and worldwide, the April 7 event raised just over $3 million. The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C. provided ample space for the 860 attendees and “creative decor,” according to organizers. Emcee Bret Baier donned an authentic NASA spacesuit during the opening program to support the Pioneering the Future theme. He was joined on stage by CBS This Morning co-host Norah O’Donnell and Molly Barcalow, a 16-year-old who survived a rare and life-threatening cancer after receiving treatment at Children’s National. Next: April 6, 2018
Photo:Â Abram Eric Landes
12. Meridian Ball
#12 Benefit
Looking to create a fun atmosphere against the backdrop of the stately Meridian House, organizers of the October 20 event decorated the 49th annual edition with tropical flowers, colorful paper cut-outs, cigar rollers, and a doughnut wall. Following a cocktail reception at the the Latin-inspired event, 800 guests dined either at one of 25 embassies, or at Meridian’s White-Meyer House next door. The night ended with dancing in a clear-topped tent in the garden. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, Veterans Affairs secretary David Shulkin, and Deputy National Security advisor Dina Powell attended. Meridian declined to disclose the fund-raising total. Corporations such as Bayer, Chevron, and Gallup were sponsors. Next: October 12, 2018
Photo:Â Rodney Bailey
22. Knock Out Abuse
#22 Benefit
Reunited with Fight Night after a scheduling conflict split the two events last year, the recent increase in media coverage of sexual harassment claims helped the fund-raising efforts for this event, which seeks to end to domestic violence. The November 2 bash at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, brought in more than $720,000, a healthy boost from last year’s $600,000 total. A silent auction and reception kicked off the evening, followed by dinner and an after-party. The Break the Silence Award was given to Rene Denfeld by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan and Mayor Muriel Bowser also made appearances. Next: November 1, 2018
Photo: Courtesy of Knock Out Abuse
New York-based event design company Tinsel Experiential Design created a formal holiday dinner for Spotify at 180 Maiden Lane in New York in December. The space was transformed into a sophisticated ski chalet with playful elements like fire pits, indoor snowdrifts, and a furry stuffed bear for photos.
Photo: Quyn Duong
A festive table design, styled by Tinsel Experiential Design, features the sparkly Emerald Sequin Taffeta linen from Miami-based Nuage Designs. Pricing starts at $35.
Photo: Sofia Negron
A cozy caramel cowhide rug is available in San Francisco from Yeah Rentals. Pricing is available upon request.
Photo: Courtesy of Yeah Rentals
Rosemary potato salad skewers from Truffleberry Market in Chicago add a touch of fragrant greenery to the menu.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
Brooklyn-based the Gathery, along with hostess and lifestyle blogger Camille Styles, designed Cointreau’s Art of La Soiree event in October 2016. Guests learned how to package a holiday gift and received custom calligraphed gift tags.
Photo: NBarrett Photography
Set the mood with the Cedar & Citron Black Axiom Candle, $25, from Skeem Design. The reusable matte-black, cut-glass jars are accented with gold metallic lids. They also make sweet-smelling seasonal party favors.
Photo: Courtesy of Skeem Design
The Hunter Green Lounge Chair, $330, from Miami-based Ronen Rental features a Douglas fir frame with fabric cushions.
Photo: Courtesy of Ronen Rental
The Snow Cap cocktail kit, $122, from artisanal food purveyor Mouth includes three bottles of booze—Amaro delle Sirene, Alander spiced rum, and King’s County chocolate whiskey—along with recipes to mix up spiked coffee drinks.
Photo: Courtesy of Mouth
Matthew Schechter of Interior Foliage Design in New York predicts that floral elements like cymbidiums, dianthus, and hypericum berries will continue to be popular for arrangements.
Photo: Courtesy of Interior Foliage Design
The dining table at the Spotify event featured classic plaid napkins and evergreen sprigs.
Photo: Quyn Duong
During the post-dinner dance party at the Spotify holiday event, Levy Lighting mimicked snowfall using a combination of moving lights.
Photo: Quyn Duong
Chef Tatiana Rosana of the Envoy Hotel in Boston says “a tortilla espanola is a quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing dish that can be used as a main, side, or starter to any meal. Fluffy eggs are baked in a cast-iron skillet with a splash of cream, thin slices of potatoes, savory onions, and parsley until browned. Slice it into wedges and serve it warm with a fresh salad, juicy steak, or just a drizzle of olive oil.”
Photo: Jason Wessel
Guests can be on the naughty or nice list with this living Santa “statue” from Smash Party Entertainment.
Photo: Courtesy of Smash Entertainment
Toronto-based catering company Eatertainment now offers an upgraded snack bar for meeting breaks. The spread features dessert terrariums, apple cider with cinnamon sticks, fresh juices, purple potato chips with crème fraîche and caviar, baked polenta mini cakes with fresh figs and gorgonzola, lavender and blueberry panna cotta, and grilled stone fruit skewers served in shot glasses with Greek yogurt. Pricing is $35 per person, with an additional cost for an on-site chef.
Photo: Courtesy of Eatertainment
Fort Lauderdale-based Just Bars launched its Plank Wood Collection. The rustic designs feature eight-foot bar sections and high-top tables with grass bases and corner pieces. The bars cost $600 each; the grass corners cost an extra $200 each. Delivery is available in South Florida, Naples, the Keys, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.
Photo: Courtesy of Just Bars
The Hotel Zoe San Francisco, open since June in Fisherman’s Wharf, now offers an open-air option for meeting breaks and teambuilding sessions: the “Seas the Day” package. In partnership with local charter companies, groups can conduct seminars at sea, go on kayaking excursions and deep-sea fishing trips, and take guided tours to Alcatraz Island. The hotel’s event and catering staff can customize packages; pricing starts at $5,000 for 10 people. For meetings indoors, the 221-room boutique hotel has 2,000 square feet of event space.
Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Zoe
Groups looking for a Central Florida outing can book a trip with Hop On tours. A 12-passenger bus takes guests on one of three routes, each one visiting four local breweries. Participants choose either a 12-ounce beer or a tasting flight at each location. The experience costs $600 for 12 people. The pick-up and drop-off location is the Broken Cauldron Brewery and Taproom in downtown Orlando.
Photo: Stephanie Patterson
New York-based floral studio Flower Girl now offers children’s birthday party options, available during two two-hour time slots on Sundays. The party includes D.I.Y. activities such as flower-crown making and terrarium-building, along with floral decor. Pricing starts at $700 for six children, plus $45 for each additional child, with a 12-child maximum. Add-ons like flower crowns for each guest are also available for an extra charge.
Photo: Courtesy of Flower Girl
Twice New is a foundation launched by two event-industry veterans, Crystal Ortiz and Christina Rosenberg, in August. The nonprofit organization, which serves Los Angeles and Orange County, provides easy solutions for event waste: Representatives pick up excess supplies and food from any event or venue and donate it to local charities or shelters. Twice New charges a small fee, but that, as well as the items donated, is tax deductible; prices vary depending on location and quantity.
Photo: Courtesy of Twice New
Six Flags Great America, in conjunction with Warner Brothers Consumer Products on behalf of D.C. Entertainment, recently opened the Joker Free Fly Coaster, inspired by the comic villain. The twisted coaster lifts riders up a 12-story, 90-degree hill, then flips them upside down throughout the weightless ride. The amusement park, which is located between Chicago and Milwaukee in Gurnee, Illinois, offers packages for corporate outings, including catered picnics for groups of 100 or more. The package includes a private picnic area, an all-you-can-eat meal, entry into the Hurricane Harbor waterpark, and custom invites and save-the-date cards. Pricing is available upon request.
Photo: Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging
The bartenders at the Highball Lounge inside the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel in Boston offer creative “how-to-cocktail” breakout sessions for corporate groups and other parties. For groups of from 10 to 30 guests, the beverage experts will conduct an interactive cocktail-making class where guests can learn the latest tips and techniques on how to craft the perfect drink. Attendees also receive a copy of The Little Black Book of Cocktails and a Kimpton-branded cocktail shaker. Pricing starts at $250 for a party of 10.
Photo: Courtesy of Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel
Unicorn Colors
In March, Taylor and Hov Events and Design in Washington gathered event planners and industry professionals for a brunch designed around the fictional “llamacorn"—a llama-unicorn hybrid. The menu included rainbow bagels, cocktails, and snacks, such as rainbow-colored pancake sausage and bratwurst bites served with maple syrup.
Photo: Erika Layne Photography
Savory Doughnuts
Earlier this year, Clinton Hall teamed up the Doughnut Project to create the Flamin’ Hot Doughnut Grilled Cheese, a habanero-bacon glazed doughnut with mozzarella cheese and a side of tomato soup. In September, the New York gastropub did it again, this time partnering with the Sugar Factory to make the Sour Cream n' Onion Doughnut Grilled Cheese. The over-the-top concoction includes a scallion-filled doughnut with a sour cream glaze and gooey sharp cheddar cheese, all of which hangs over a bowl of potato soup.
Photo: Courtesy of Clinton Hall
Day-Glo Cocktails
American Eagle Outfitters celebrated its 40th anniversary at its AE Studio concept store in Union Square in October. The event featured glowing cocktails in branded drink pouches from Peter Callahan Catering.
Photo: Madison McGaw/BFA.com
Honeycomb
At this year’s Maison Lancôme Paris event in June in New York, Pinch Food Design designed a raw honeycomb serving station; a server poured honey from above, which dripped onto cheese and fruit platters.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
D.I.Y. versions of cocktails served in miniature liquor bottles can be an easy catering option, says Riviera Caterers co-founder Bobby Stern.
Photo: Blaise Joseph Photography
Tiny Prints sells a selection of cocktail and hors d’oeuvre napkins with fun holiday designs and personalized messages. Pricing starts at $29.99 for a set of 50 napkins.
Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Prints
The Village carafes from Party Rental Ltd. are available in three sizes—8 1/2, 17, 33 1/4 ounces—and are useful for serving juices, sodas, mixed cocktails, and more. Pricing is available upon request; items are available for rent throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Photo: Courtesy of Party Rental Ltd.
The bottles of Swig & Swallow mixers come partially filled, so D.I.Y. bartenders can add the spirit of their choice. The brand is set to launch new packaging later this month.
Photo: Courtesy of Swig & Swallow
Packed Party’s Disco Drink tumbler adds instant sparkle to any cocktail. The drinkware costs $18 each, with bulk pricing available; it ships internationally.
Photo: Courtesy of Packed Party
Few Spirits mini bourbon bottle, $28, available from Mouth, features notes of rich caramel, black pepper, and smooth wheat.
Photo: Courtesy of Mouth
Far North Spirits Solveig gin, $54, available from Mouth, is made from non-G.M.O. rye grown on a Minnesota family farm. It comes in a snowflake-clad bottle.
Photo: Courtesy of Mouth
Be Mixed is an all-natural, zero-calorie cocktail mixer available in three flavors: cucumber mint, ginger lime, and margarita. Three packs with four mixers each (a total of 12 bottles) cost $33.
Photo: William Styer
Eco-friendly Aardvark paper straws are durable, flexible, and chlorine-free and are available in holiday and metallic patterns, as well as with corporate branding. Pricing starts at $4.99 for 24 straws.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
At Herbalife's 2015 holiday party, held at the company’s Torrance, California, offices, Zen Arts provided stilt walkers dressed in elaborate animal costumes to entertain the crowd.
Photo: Sean Twomey
For the corporate holiday party at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, event design and production company Sterling Engagements created an outdoor winter wonderland with string lights and snowflake projections.
Photo: Maya Myers
Shawna Yamamoto Event Design filled large metallic bowls with snow-dusted branches, gold-foiled greenery, and white orchids for the corporate holiday party last year at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles.
Photo: Maya Myers
For a family-friendly holiday party at a private home in Los Angeles in December 2015, Seed Floral set up a wreath-making station and make-your-own snow globe and ornament stations.
Photo: Courtesy of Seed Floral
