Something Vintage's handmade stoneware plates in a deep green hue sat atop seagrass chargers and alongside shiny gold flatware. Graphic plaid tablecloths from La Tavola Fine Linen dressed up the table. Perfect Settings provided additional rentals for the event.Photo: Ronald Flores Photography
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Event industry pros in Washington, D.C., returned to a St. Patrick's Day tradition this year with the annual Erin Go Glam event, ushering in spring and the very-green holiday. For the afternoon celebration, Ridgewells Catering invited hospitality clients—including planners for corporate, wedding and social events—to The Showroom in downtown D.C.
The blank canvas space transformed into a glamorous take on the Irish countryside, featuring bagpipe players, sheep figurines and greenery galore—from faux hedgerows to moss on the table centerpieces.
"The inspiration for the look was a modern spin on a traditional Irish pub," Susan Lacz, CEO and president of Ridgewells Catering, told BizBash. "We wanted guests to feel as if they'd happened upon a friendly pub—with lots of surprising modern- and midcentury-modern-style touches—while touring the villages and small towns of Ireland."
In that spirit, Design Foundry, which spearheaded the look and feel of the event, even incorporated a clever division between the reception space and the dining area. Annie Senatore, CEO and creative director of Design Foundry, said her team designed "a dividing live hedge wall with a 'lynch gate' that guests passed through from the reception to lunch," explaining that, "A traditional wooden lynch gate is a structured entrance into a church yard, seen in all English and Irish villages. It's a design feature that would be familiar to travelers in Ireland."
Erin Go Glam last happened in March 2020 as the world was shutting down, and a panel discussion at that 2020 event turned into a heart-to-heart about the events industry and coronavirus cancellations. But this year, the roundtable discussion focused less on COVID-19 and more on looking forward to exciting events on the horizon.
The verdant color palette, garden-fresh menu and spring blooms helped set the tone for that. Keep scrolling for some of the highlights.
VENDORS
Catering & Planning: Ridgewells Catering
Venue: The Showroom
Decor: Design Foundry
Florals: Duran Floral Design
Lighting & Visual: AVLD Events
Entertainment: Lucy Black Entertainment, Skylark Creative Group
Rentals: Something Vintage Rentals, Perfect Settings, BBJ Linen Rental
Photography: Ronald Flores Photography
Videography: Kathykins Creative
Stationery: Epoch Design Co.
Cocktails: Cocktail Curations
Mobile Bar: Unbound Sips
Photo Salon: Love Life Images
