Most folks are mired in their typical workweeks on Wednesday evening, but guests felt like they'd escaped the city at a quaint Tuscan garden party for Departures magazine's Italy issue at the Elizabeth Street Gallery Sculpture Garden in SoHo. The mag's senior marketing manager, Irene Hong, and her special events team transformed the outdoor venue with event production company EventQuest.
About 250 readers, advertisers, and sponsors attended the party, which was warmed up with heaters. Hanging candles illuminated tree branches, and white votives and flower petals adorned food stations, bars, fountains, and a stone wishing well. EventQuest projected slides bearing sponsors' advertising on the brick walls of surrounding buildings for subtle recognition. The only inelegant detail was the red tape indicating where tree branches protruded from the ground (but it was a wise precaution against potential liability lawsuits).
The party, however, was about more than just an abundance of food and wine from Taste Caterers and sponsors like DeLonghi espresso, Starwine, Kendall-Jackson, and Robert Mondavi—there was also an auction benefiting the American-Italian Cancer Foundation. Silent-auction items were displayed on classic-style pedestals, and on white, modern stands brought in by EventQuest. "Italy constantly injects contemporary with the old, and that's what we did here," said EventQuest's Mark Veeder.
Tenting was on hand in case of the rain that was forecast, but the mild fall evening—possibly the last one before frigid weather changes the face of outdoor events until spring—made it unnecessary.
—Alesandra Dubin
About 250 readers, advertisers, and sponsors attended the party, which was warmed up with heaters. Hanging candles illuminated tree branches, and white votives and flower petals adorned food stations, bars, fountains, and a stone wishing well. EventQuest projected slides bearing sponsors' advertising on the brick walls of surrounding buildings for subtle recognition. The only inelegant detail was the red tape indicating where tree branches protruded from the ground (but it was a wise precaution against potential liability lawsuits).
The party, however, was about more than just an abundance of food and wine from Taste Caterers and sponsors like DeLonghi espresso, Starwine, Kendall-Jackson, and Robert Mondavi—there was also an auction benefiting the American-Italian Cancer Foundation. Silent-auction items were displayed on classic-style pedestals, and on white, modern stands brought in by EventQuest. "Italy constantly injects contemporary with the old, and that's what we did here," said EventQuest's Mark Veeder.
Tenting was on hand in case of the rain that was forecast, but the mild fall evening—possibly the last one before frigid weather changes the face of outdoor events until spring—made it unnecessary.
—Alesandra Dubin
At the Elizabeth Street Gallery Sculpture Garden for Departures magazine's Italy issue, EventQuest suspended glass candleholders from tree branches.
Sponsors like Starwine poured selections for guests to taste.
Silent-auction items were displayed on ancient Italian-esque pedestals, as well as on white, modern stands.
Flower petals adorned food stations, bars, fountains, and a stone wishing well.
