Nonprofit Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Balloon Centerpieces, Polka-Dot Lights

On Saturday, the women's board of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago celebrated its 50th anniversary with a balloon-filled gala at the Chicago History Museum. Sophie Bross, Britt Taner, and Jennifer Tengelsen co-chaired the event, asking designer Bill Heffernan of Heffernan Morgan to give the fund-raiser the look of an elegant birthday bash.

Heffernan created two distinct areas to house the cocktail reception, dinner, and end-of-night dance party. Inside the museum, all-white lounge areas offered sofa seating, gauzy draping, and illuminated polka dots scattered across the ceiling. DJ Michael Smith, flown in from Los Angeles for the evening, spun lounge-y  beats, and bunches of white balloons popped up throughout.

For dinner and the live auction, guests headed to a clear tent on the property's back lawn. Done up in tones of green and purple, the tent's decor centered on yet more balloons. Silky purple ribbons sprouted up from the center of each table, holding floating bunches of the birthday-party staple.

Fittingly, the three-course meal ended with a traditional birthday treat: Taste America prepared flourless chocolate cake made with Valrhona chocolate, hazelnut crunch, and coffee crémeux whipped up with Julius Meinl beans.