In its 35th year, the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation reached out to its international chairman Barry Gibb to attract attendees for its annual Love and Hope Ball held at Hollywood’s Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa. Along with his wife Linda, the former Bee Gee made the Valentine’s Day gala and concert a "royal" experience for the 825 guests present—up by nearly 200 from last year.
“This year’s post-dinner concert definitely increased attendance, ” said Barbara Singer, director of special projects for the DRI. “Our biggest concern was, ‘If we build it, will they come?’ but we have had an amazing turnout and we couldn’t be more appreciative.”
Taking over two adjacent ballrooms at the hotel, the event committee recruited the creative design of Xquisite Events and logistical know-how of Stacy Stern of the Special Events Group to execute the royal ball concept.
“It’s the 35th anniversary and the royal theme really makes it special,” said Singer.
Forget about a setting up the cocktail area in the hotel’s prefunction space outside the ballroom, instead the design team transformed the neighboring ballroom into a full-scale cocktail event, complete with its own color and lighting scheme, floral motif, two sprawling buffet stations, and more than five bars. Additionally, the cocktail space housed an intimate pop-up Neiman Marcus jewelry store with models clad in the store’s most precious gems.
Moving into the main event space, the room was reminiscent of a castle’s royal dining hall with the purple and gold color scheme used through all elements of the design including the wall decor, tablescapes, and royal banners hung from the ceiling.
The silent auction—erected inside the main ballroom as opposed to the cocktail area—also experienced a growth spurt with 45 lots in total, the most in the event’s history and a 15 percent increase from 2008, including a guitar and photo autographed by Gibb.
Debbie Taylor backed by the Standing Ovation band from Music Associates performed high-energy covers from a corner stage throughout the first three courses of dinner. As the last plates were cleared, Gibb took the main stage on the opposite side of the room, the lights cut, and the space became an intimate concert hall.
