Bringing further television attention to the event industry is the National Geographic Channel's new miniseries, Party Like... With a Thursday premiere, the show takes a look at significant parties in history, alongside footage from modern-day, real-life events.
The live events behind the first two episodes, called Party Like a Roman Emperor and Party Like the Queen of France, came together with production by the Beverly Hills-based Karma Foundation, led by C.E.O. Dylan Marer. For the ancient Roman-theme event, the group took over the Palms Casino in Las Vegas last year with more than 3,500 guests. And for the French-inspired event, he worked with Hugh Hefner to create a masquerade party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles that recalled the 18th-century masked balls of Marie Antoinette.
On Wednesday, Karma Foundation and the show's TV production company, Edge West Productions, will host a wrap party to celebrate the premiere in the raw West Post Digital space in Santa Monica, California. Marer will oversee that party's production, which will transform the space with a look and feel intended to fuse the ancient Roman and Marie Antoinette eras. The party will have snake charmers, belly dancers, Greek goddess-costumed servers, Marie Antoinette-costumed bartenders, and latex-painted models—plus give a peek at some of the show's highlights.
"We're going to fuse two distinct themes together to create an ultimate dream party," Marer said. "It's going to be quite wild, decadent, fun." About 300 guests are expected, including crew, cast, and event industry folks.
