Earlier this summer, Sabra set-up a 44-foot wooden table with crudité centerpieces, bowls of pretzels, and pita chips for dipping, along with custom menus and individual bowls for hummus and more.
.
![Also at the entrance, the brand’s logo was spelled out with greenery and flowers. '[The company] wanted the event to be heavy in florals and feel like it was 'blooming' from start to finish,' said Geffen.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2017/08/agnes_and_dora_south_towne_expo_0149_cms_1.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Clothing line Agnes & Dora held its annual gathering of brand consultants from July 20 to 23 at the South Towne Expo Center in Salt Lake City, with an opening party taking place on July 19 at Cowabunga Bay Water Park. The opening party featured balloon designs from Balloon Bonanza that formed a peace sign, a flower, and an entry arch.
This year’s Teen Choice Awards took place August 13 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. The V.I.P. tent, which was created by event designer Brian Worley, former co-owner of YourBash, featured a color scheme of blue, pink, and purple inspired by the colors of this year’s surfboard trophies.
Certain tables also included LED octopus night lights.
The second level had a variety of seating areas, including couches with pillows that had illustrations of Frank Ocean, who performed at the festival on the first night.
Lollapalooza, which took place August 2 to 5 at Grant Park in Chicago, offered two luxury V.I.P. tents for platinum ticket holders. Kehoe Designs designed both lounges, including Platinum South, which offered pink, bright orange, gold, and black accents. The ombré pink and orange color scheme was also incorporated into fringe ceiling decor. To enhance the ambiance, Kehoe included a black and white gallery with photography, illustrations, and sayings.
At New York’s Governors Ball in June, sponsor Citi partnered with Founders Entertainment to allow card members to link their R.F.I.D. wristbands to their Citi cards in advance. The wristbands offered perks that included access tot he Citi viewing deck, which provided an elevated viewing area of the main stage and a cashless bar.
After an injury that ended her ballet career, Maggie Austin enrolled in the L’art de la Pâtisserie program at the French Pastry School in Chicago and discovered a passion for creating sugar flowers. When she posted her original cake designs online, the photos quickly went viral, leading to features on the Today show and HGTV, along with baking gigs for high-profile events like Hollywood shindigs and White House Christmas celebrations. In her book, Maggie Austin Cake: Artistry and Technique (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), the baker lays out step-by-step instructions on how to create sugar frills, rosettes, and blossoms, and includes incredible detail shots of her work-of-art cakes.
Caterer Peter Callahan, a BizBash innovator, is widely credited as the force behind the mini-burger and bite-size comfort-food craze. In his new book, Peter Callahan’s Party Food: Mini Hors d’Oeuvres, Family-Style Settings, Plated Dishes, Buffet Spreads, Bar Carts (Clarkson Potter), the renowned New York caterer reveals the lessons he’s learned in his 30 years of entertaining, with stories and photos from past events and ideas for show-stopping tablescapes, buffets, seated dinners, and bars. The book, which will be available this month, also offers tips and recipes for creating Callahan’s signature whimsical mini hors d’oeuvres, allowing readers—from novices to seasoned hosts—to master the art of memorable parties.
Marco Giberti and Jay Weintraub’s new book, The Face of Digital: How Digital Technologies Are Changing The $565 Billion Dollar Events Industry (Lioncrest Publishing), sounds the alarm, saying that technology is in the early stages of disrupting the industry—in the same way that it’s roiled retail and publishing. But Giberti and Weintraub’s ultimate message is that tech is an event planner’s friend, not enemy. The authors walk through the many ways that technologies such as mobile apps, smart wristbands, beacons, and virtual reality can create better experiences for attendees, aiding rather than eliminating their face-to-face interactions.
Bonus: Listen to our interview with Giberti.
Last year, Facebook boasted more than one billion active users. But marketer Nicholas Kusmich believes that the key to using the massive social media platform is to be seen by the right people at the right time. In Give: The Ultimate Guide to Using Facebook Advertising to Generate More Leads, More Clients, and Massive ROI (Lioncrest Publishing), Kusmich explains his strategy for targeting Facebook ads and writing content that’s less about selling and more about giving an audience something they value. The tome includes a case study that focuses on using this strategy to drive ticket sales for a live event.
“The bottom line is if you’re really good at what you do, you have the freedom to be who you really are.” That’s one of the Sam-isms, or little messages of wisdom, in entrepreneur Sam Zell’s memoir, Am I Being Too Subtle? Straight Talk From a Business Rebel (Portfolio). The self-made billionaire tells the story of how he honed his deal-making skills and created a culture where his employees stay in their jobs for decades. Zell also goes into the “creative, mind-stretching” events he throws for his colleagues and friends—from treasure hunts in limos to Elton John concerts.
Some 400 guests attended the Tanglewood Gala on July 7, which included a cocktail reception and dinner, to celebrate the kick off of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s season. Held at the Tanglewood Music Center in the Berkshires, the gala raised more than $470,000. Design was handled in-house, and foral and ceiling decor was handled by Winston Flowers.
This massive 40-foot-tall installation from All About Balloons featured almost 6,000 confetti-filled, custom-branded, and lighted balloons. The company’s eight-foot-tall balloon robot named Rupert was also on the trade show floor.
Promotional marketing company Axis Promotions offers this playful take on the portable charger. Its new “Power Bars” come wrapped inside custom packaging, much like popular edible energy bars. The portable chargers can also feature custom branding as well.
Powered by Chicago-based advertising agency Studio North, GameBuzz is set up like a traditional game show with a host, six hand-held buzzers, a display monitor, and six pre-loaded games. A company logo can be added to the interface, along with primary and secondary colors to match the brand. Plus, the game's questions and answers can be customized for the event. Pricing is available upon request.
Brand Activation Services’ Dream Caraoke transforms an exotic car like a Ferrari into a fully functional video karaoke booth, superimposing a moving road in the background for a realistic look. Videos can be shared via text, email, and social media. The company also offers branded soundproof recording booths for events. Pricing is available upon request.
The Modern Day Briefcase from the Breton Company combines the convenience of a backpack with the look of a satchel. It features two leather handles, padded shoulder straps, a padded laptop sleeve, and eight internal pockets and is made from water-resistant waxed cotton. The briefcase is available in two sizes: regular (17 inches tall by 12 inches wide) and small (15 inches tall by 11 inches wide); pricing is the same for both sizes, at $199 each.
The Holiday Sparkler Kit, $132.50, from Mouth includes the ingredients for a sparkling cocktail with Blanc de Blancs champagne, a craft gin, limoncello, a floral liqueur, and a set of stemless champagne flutes.
The CTO: Chief Tasting Officer gift set from Mouth contains spiced candied pecans, a D.I.Y. cold-brew kit, a grapefruit hibiscus cocktail mixer, and more, and is available in two sizes: small, $79.50, and large, $146.25.
Specializing in personalized gifts for men, Swanky Badger offers a selection of practical options, including phone wallet cases, $29.99, for iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. The cases are available in brown, white, gray, blue, and black and can be embossed on the front or inside.
Chicago-based Fig Catering noted that the taco trend isn't going anywhere—but expect more unique fillings, rather than standard Mexican fare. Taco fusions could include Korean kalbi, fried Italian peppers, Mediterranean lamb and harissa, and Japanese uni seaweed.
Andrea Correale, founder and C.E.O. of New York-based catering company Elegant Affairs, said that health food trends will again be prominent in 2018 for clients focused on fitness and nutrition. For people on keto, paleo, vegan, or vegetarian diets, said that an ideal option is a bar offering a variety of ingredients for customized Buddha Bowls, which usually consist of vegetables, healthy grains, and protein.
Decor included Christmas-theme topiary dogs in partnership with Volvo and inspired by the nine reindeer that pull Santa’s sleigh.
For Jewish guests, the pop-up also includes a Hanukkah-inspired “Chinese and a Movie” room, which features a Chinese takeout box ceiling installation and lanterns with menorah and Star of David graphics. The bar serves Jewish-theme cocktails including “Maccabeats by Dreidel,” which is a tiki cocktail inspired by those served at Chinese-American restaurants.
As seeing a movie on Christmas Day is a tradition for many Jewish families, the room also features marquee-style posters for new movies.
Hot chocolate is a standard winter beverage, and Met Back Bay in Boston serves flight of four mini glasses: the classic hot chocolate with vanilla chocolate, whipped cream, and mini toasted marshmallows; the espresso, served with an almond biscotti garnish; the caramel sea salt, served with whipped cream and caramel drizzle; and the white chocolate peppermint made with white chocolate, vanilla cream, and crushed peppermint stick. Each flavor also is available as a larger, single version as well as in an alcoholic version.
Chicago-based Blue Plate Catering’s hot soup station offers made-to-order Asian broths infused with aromatics and vegetables in glass siphons. The broth is served in petite glass bowls filled with fresh garnishes.
Fractured Prune, a doughnut shop that serves classic cake doughnuts with a variety of glazes and toppings, offers a seasonal White Out doughnut topped with marshmallows. The company has locations throughout the U.S., and offers catering services.
Chicago-based Fig Catering serves a winter-inspired twist on the caprese salad, which is typically served during warmer months. The bite-size salad consists of beets, apples, mint, and mozzarella.
Zuma also serves a Japanese twist on the penicillin cocktail. Burning History consists of Japanese whiskey, honey, yuzu, and fresh ginger. A bartender makes the cocktail table side, burning a barrel stave that captures the resulting smoke inside the glass.
Sticky buns can be an ideal snow day indulgence—but they don’t always have to be sweet. Aurora Inn Dining Room at the Inns of Aurora in New York serves a sweet and savory version of the brioche bun that combines smoked pork and pecans.
The party, which was produced by creative agency MKG, featured dangling lime decor over the bar, along with a neon green Absolut "infinity bottle," a digital wheatpaste wall, and a custom T-shirt distressing station.
A giant LED wall responded to guests’ movements and the music.
At Dew Tour Breckenridge, Toyota also built an “Olympic Ring Toss” game into the back of a 2018 Toyota Tacoma truck using skis and snowboards as elements of the game.
Through the portal was the main room, which had 18 crystal chandeliers crafted from basketball hoops. Design studio the Other Half used over 9,000 crystals for the installation.
Ahead of March Madness, Marriott International—the official hotel partner of the N.C.A.A.—hosted a basketball-theme breakfast at the Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel's R Lounge on March 12. The event featured basketball-theme floral centerpieces by Olga Sahraoui, as well as brackets for attendees to fill out. The hotel handled event production in-house.
Mint Julep Month, a marketing campaign from Garden & Gun, Maker’s Mark, and the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, kicked off April 8 with a Southern-Inspired brunch at Gramercy Park Hotel in New York. A wall of greenery studded with Maker's Mark bottles served as a backdrop for photos.
For a royal wedding-theme event idea, designer Debi Lilly and her company A Perfect Event in Chicago designed a tea party inspired by the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Mini lemon elderflower cakes were served under personalized, calligraphed glass domes at each table setting. Prince Harry and Markle will be serving lemon-elderflower cake with buttercream frosting on their big day.
Guests were invited to sign a branded mirror with a lipstick of their choice.
David Beahm Experiences, in collaboration with decor chair Robin Bell, handled the design of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ 21st annual Bergh Ball, which took place in April at New York’s Plaza Hotel. The event’s theme, “Diamond in the Ruff,” was apparent in the table centerpieces, which included structural representations of dogs with sparkly collars.
Tinsel Experiential Design partnered with Comparti Catering and Ceci New York to host a dinner for event planners and media at the Altman Building in New York in June. The event showcased a 1991 Jaguar, owned by Comparti Catering co-founder Mac Osborne. The car was filled with tree peonies, lisianthus, garden roses, and quicksand roses.
Luxury-wedding business summit Engage! held its 24th event June 18 to 21 at Fairmont Banff Springs in Alberta, Canada. The Great White North Gala, which was held in the Van Horne Ballroom on the final night, featured a white-and-metallic winter wonderland theme with illuminated laser-cut paper centerpieces and menus designed and produced by Vanessa Kreckel of TPD Design House. Calgary-based Modern Luxe Rentals provided the tabletop rentals and chairs and Flower Artistry handled the florals, which were sourced from the region.
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.
On July 13, the Women’s Board of Lincoln Park Zoo hosted its annual Zoo Ball, raising more than $1.2 million to benefit the Chicago institution. More than 800 guests attended the event, which featured the theme “Zoobilee” in honor of the zoo’s 150th anniversary. The three-course meal by Jewell Events Catering included a “Cherries Zoobilee” dessert with a celebratory white-chocolate garnish.
On August 25, the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth, Tanglewood Music Center in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts commemorated the composer who was an alumnus and faculty member at the academy. The special centennial gala party featured giant drum chandeliers by Rose Brand with photo panels of the late Bernstein.
