What can be more fun than to be among event coordinators for an event décor and party design celebration? That is where I was last week in Beverly Hills at the charming Il Cielo restaurant. A portion of the restaurant was completely transformed by event décor and party design florist, Ricardo Luna. This party gave me some fabulous ideas for event décor and party design and I saw these new and unique chairs that will be perfect for a Winter Wonderland wedding I am coordinating next year. The party also reinforced some of the important secrets of party planning success I discuss in my book, Budget Bash - Simply Fabulous Events on a Budget. One secret is that you can throw a fabulous party and simultaneously maintain your budget by serving delicious tray-passed appetizers as dinner. But first, let me give you the rundown about the event décor and party design as well as the different event coordinators and vendors present that evening. Ricardo Luna wanted to show his appreciation towards some of the local event coordinators who have supported his business throughout the years. There were various Los Angeles special event vendors as well as event coordinators. Event coordinators from the local hotels were in attendance as well as well-respected entertainment vendor Susan Debois and photographers David Frey and Michael Brannigan. I enjoy working with all of these vendors because they are professional and provide excellent service and attention to all the events and event coordinators they work with. Their support makes my me stand out among the competition and in turn, my clients' parties are more memorable. Like any other good event designer, Ricardo set the tone of the evening from the beginning when I walked in the door of the restaurant. A server, holding a tray of glasses filled with champagne, greeted the event coordinators and a guitarist set the mood with wonderful ambient acoustic guitar music. The linens Ricardo selected for the evening were from a fall palate of orange and rust. He also created a casual atmosphere for us to sit and relax with his own selection of special event furniture. Of course, Ricardo first started his company as a floral studio. To say the least, the floral designs were spectacular along with the added props such as fall-colored trees which were placed on the perimeter of the room and fall colored branches with leaves hanging from the ceiling. All in all, I felt as if I was back East in a park on a warm fall eve. A mixture of floral arrangements, both classic and hip, adorned the coffee tables as well as the tall center table and surrounding cocktail tables. In the corner, to add flair to the event décor and party design, Ricardo brought these new-styled chairs giving added fun and whimsy to the evening. The chairs were oversized with padded fabric and had a concave top giving you a regal feeling when you sat down. The food that was served that evening was great. It was all tray-passed, either on small plates or hand-held accompanied by cocktail napkins. Portions of delicious pasta, crostinis with smoked salmon and Italian cured meats are a few examples, and for dessert, we were treated to bite-sized tiramisu and chocolate covered strawberries. A tray-pass styled cocktail party is a great way to give an elegant party, provide your guests with plenty of food and maintain a budget as discussed in Budget Bash. Needless to say, I tried all of the food selections quite a few times and didn't walk away hungry that evening! However, what I did walk away with that evening was a great appreciation for a twist on a typical cocktail party with a different approach to event décor and party design, a chance to visit among friends and colleagues and the opportunity to provide my Winter Wonderland bride the perfect "throne" for herself and her husband-to-be on their special day.
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