The Aussie Hostess with The Mostess: Neen James with Rachel Gordon and friends.

You know it’s going to be a great party when the hostess greets you at the door and offers you a beverage and a tattoo.

Super-Productivity expert and social media darling, Neen James, along with her Master of the Barbie and technology aficionado husband, Andy, held their annual Celebrate Australia soiree at their lovely home in Bucks County, Pa.

What makes a party fabulous?   First and foremost, it’s your guest list.  As I mentioned in the last post, 10 Tips for Celebratory Success, when you invite the people you care about and the people who care about you, the rest will fall into place. 

Neen & Andy (with a slice of homemade Pavlova Cake) Fresh fruit, meringue, cream and a crispy crust.. Bonzer!

Neen and Andy are connected to an eclectic group of cool people and thought leaders from all over the world.  The house was buzzing with teachers, lawyers, publicists, professional speakers, realtors, media specialists, marketing managers, designers, make-up artists, yoga studio owners, tech experts, and even one special event entrepreneur who got a golden e-ticket this year.

The vibe was ultra-friendly and positive.   Laughter was a constant-  as was a nice mix of aspirational conversation, trips down memory lane and a sprinkle of networking for potential collaborations… Just right for a festively-chic night out.

Neen tweeted her guests earlier in the week reminding them to “bring your appetite.”   I’m glad I took her advice and also ran an extra 3 miles in the morning.  The constant service of delectable Aussie-inspired appetizers featured; prawns on the barbie,  meat pies, sausage rolls, lamb chops and specialty quiches. The aromas were as delightful as the flavors.

Beké Beau showing her love for Neen and the Pavlova

Neen Knows:  If you’re planning a party and want to create an intimate affair but don’t want the potential stuffiness and conversational limitations that can result from a sit-down dinner, opt for a heavy menu of passed hors d’oeuvres instead.   When paired up with the right mixology offerings, this ‘freedom to mingle alternative’ to being a seating chart slave can really enhance your guest’s experience.

Neen and Andy also came through in what I call the “little things” department.  They decorated the house with Aussie flags, played some cool Aussie beats in the pool room, offered everyone temporary Aussie tattoos, and had an awesome ‘Best of Australia’ photo montage playing on their huge living room plasma screen.   The images were stunning! All of these elements combine to spark fun and interactive exchanges among your newly-introduced friends.

It was a pleasure meeting everyone in the fabulous network of Neen.  No matter who I encountered, everyone agreed that her ability to ignite people’s productivity on both a personal and professional level is uber-impressive.  If you think you can keep up, fasten your seat belt and follow her on twitter. @NeenJames

Special thanks to Neen and Andy for their generous hospitality and friendship.

Continued health, happiness and success!

Encore Gallery:

The gorgeous models from Red Carpet Boutique, Nashley and Joanna, at the Grand Summit Hotel Gala Brunch www.redcarpetbtq.com

It was a pleasure meeting all of the beautiful and savvy brides, Bar Mitzvah moms and corporate meeting planners at the 2012 Grand Summit Gala Tasting.   The Grand Summit Hotel pulled out all the stops to show off their exceptional cuisine, service and hospitality.  The Grand Summit team, lead by Michael Marino, Jim Thornton and Teresa Garcia, along with the hotel’s discerning roster of preferred professionals, introduced the VIP guest list to exclusive event planning resources throughout the lavish brunch to ensure that they have the best special event possible.

After speaking with some of the Grand Summit Gala Pros earlier in the week, I compiled a top 10 list of planning tips that might come in handy for your upcoming wedding or special event...

The Grand Summit Hotel can help make your celebration fun, elegant & convenient.

1) All In One!  Consider a venue that offers your guests the convenience of attending your ceremony, reception, after party, over-nite accommodations and even the next-day brunch without having to worry about traffic, parking or being able to party like rock stars.   -Teresa @ The Grand Summit Hotel

2) Save It!  If you have any material left over from you wedding dress or bridesmaid’s alterations, don’t throw it out! The florist can use these swatches to wrap your bouquets.    -Matt @ Crest Florist

3) Think Big!  If your venue can accommodate larger tables, seat 12 guests together instead of ten and eliminate the expense of a few centerpieces.     -Matt @ Crest Florist 

Crest can wrap your bouquet with extra material from your dress. They can also preserve your bouquet as a keepsake the day after.

4) Forever Young!  If you’d like to keep your bouquet for posterity, it’s recommended that you drop it off to your florist the day after the reception for ideal preservation conditions.   -Matt @ Crest Florist

5) Picture This!  You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when you walk into the bakery looking for your special cake.  Show the staff a photo of something you saw and liked to ensure that they can help you get exactly what you were looking for.  -Ralph @ Bovella’s Bakery

6) You’re Worth It!  Make sure that the make-up artist you choose only uses the highest quality make-up products on the market; there is a noticeable difference.  Your skin and photographer will thank you.   -Diane @ Bella Faccia

Let the professionals, like Event Planners and Wedding Entertainment Directors do all the work so you can enjoy every moment of your once-in-a-lifetime celebration. www.WedGuild.com

7) Don’t Worry, Be Happy!   Try not to micromanage your own wedding reception or special event.  Let the professionals you hired do what you paid them to do.   If you put the right team in place, you’ll be treated like a celebrity and be able to enjoy the celebration as much as your guests.   -Marianne @ Cupa Cabana

8 ) Money Talks!  If you are working with a planner, be candid and let them know your approximate budget right from the start so they can help you prioritize your investments and save you a lot of time throughout the planning process.   -Cindy @ Events To Perfection

Surround yourself with the people you love and who love you back... the rest will fall into place. Photo Credit: Wendy Robinson

9) Keep It Real!  Even though you and your fiancé think that Dub Step and 80’s New Wave music are totally rad, try to remember that your guests might also enjoy a great mix of some classic favorites and the current hits to dance to during the reception.  -Benny @ Karisma Music Productions

10) The Secret!   Regardless of your budget and your definition of the perfect day, the success of your wedding reception comes down to one thing- The Guest List.  If you invite the people you care about and the people that care about you, the rest will take care of itself.   -Michael @ Magical Nights

I’m proud to say that along with Benny and his fabulous band, Karisma, MMP is also considered a preferred source of entertainment at the Grand Summit.   We always make a great team when we have the opportunity to collaborate.   I had a great time serving as the Master of Ceremonies for the Gala tasting and look forward to the next celebration!

P.s    For more event planning tips, advice and resources, check out our last article called “7 Ways to Bring the Wow and Have The Best Wedding Reception Ever!”

Murphy Grant preps his Boot Camp

Yesterday, Team Hyrdroworx re-visited the Y to film a promo for their X80 underwater treadmill and underwater Boot Camp.  We were treated to the instruction and inspiration of the University of  Kansas  Head Football Athletic Trainer and Director of Sports Medicine, Murphy Grant.  Murphy has a self-admitted reserved way about him until it’s time to kick your butt.  When his workouts begin, he expects nothing less than total focus and effort.  I loved it.

Grant  directed a series of underwater stations that featured various plyometric challenges, agility routines and strength circuits  with equipment specifically designed to get wet and complement the hydro-static resistance.  Participants also rode underwater recumbent bikes and ran on the X80 treadmill.

Nick Berra heats up the track

Speaking of the X80, runner extraordinaire Nick Berra made a special guest cameo as well at the video shoot.  I found out that Nick recently ran a 4:24 mile.  For those of you that don’t know just how freekin fast and impressive that is… just trust me.  It’s freekin fast and impressive!   When he’s not inspiring other runners to train harder and making them laugh, he makes a living as a professional pilot. Berra’s got that typical pilot cool swagger to ‘em.   The kind that makes you feel comfortable.  I could picture him calling back to the passengers on the radio and saying, “Hi, this is your captain speaking… it’s just a little lightning, thunder and severe turbulence..  Don’t worry about a thing.  I got this… I’m gonna get us there safely- just sit back and relax.”

Melissa Grosenstein, Marcello Pedalino and Nick Berra

Nick gave me and Melissa Grosenstein, a competitive triathlete who works for the Y, a few new interval workouts to try on the treadmill.  One in particular that stood out was in the style of Tabata.  In case you’re unfamiliar, Tabata training is 4 minutes of the highest, high intensity interval training for humans who seek out such things.  For this Tabata, Nick cranked up the hydro-jet frontal resistance and  then cranked up the speed dial to 10 out of 10.  The interval went like this;

1) 10 seconds of leaps  on your right foot

2) 10 seconds of leaps on your left foot

3) 10 seconds of sprinting to rest

** yes, you read that correctly!  Your rest is running as fast as the machine goes.

4) Repeat 7 more times for a total of 4 of the toughest, most exhilarating and most rewarding minutes of your life.

Team HyrdoWorx and Team Y (and a Tebow)

Of course, Nick did this and barely broke a sweat.  He was still able to make commentary for the camera throughout the shoot.  We were definitely in awe, but also annoyed… sorta-like when you see the Kenyans at mile 23 of the New York City Marathon seemingly un-phased by their own ridiculous output of energy and athleticism.

When it was time for Melissa and I to give it try, we gave it everything that we had.  By round 3, I was as fatigued as I thought I’d be for impersonating a gazelle trotting on the African plains.  By round 5, I felt like Apollo Creed when he tried to fight Drago.  By round 6, I was praying that they would yell “cut” for any reason whatsoever.  By round 7, I noticed that Melissa was still kickin’ ass and I refused to be beat by a girl.. no matter how great of a person or athlete she is.   By round 8, I had a Forest Gump-like  epiphany when he ran across the country and said to myself… ” I made it this far, I made as well keep on going.”

We both did, we both finished.  It was awesome!

Our heart rates were maxed out somewhere near 190-something! Melissa and I had just enough energy left for some high fives and a cool-down massage.  I’ll post the video when it comes out.

Special thanks to Bill Lamia, The Y’s CEO,  Kathy Fisher, The Y’s Aquatic Director, and Team HydroWorx for inviting me to participate in the promotion.

Continued health, happiness & success!

This is the kinda stuff that makes you wanna inspire and be inspired.

This is the kinda stuff that makes me wanna be an awesome dad.

(Click the link to right to play the video)      Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll!

Another Sunshine Club nugget from Mike Walter.

Michelle Lo Conte- Owner,Pink Comb Salon

Don’t you love it when you meet a person who loves their job?  Ok, for some folks, it’s annoying, but for many of us, we welcome the  contagious enthusiasm that oozes from their soul.

I present to you Exhibit A,  my long-time friend, Michelle Lo Conte.  Michelle’s father, Carmello, cut the hair of almost every guy who went to Indian Hills Hill School in the 80′s and 90′s.  Not only did Michelle follow in her father’s footsteps, she blazed her own trail and has become one of the wedding industry’s most sought-after beautification specialists.  

As many of you know, I like to feature both up and coming wedding professionals as well as established A-listers in the special event industry here on the MMP blog so we can all help each other provide or have the best of the best when the time comes.    After reading one of Michelle’s recent blog entries where she catered to a bride who sought Romance, Subtlety, and Simplicity, I knew exactly who this month’s spotlight would be on.

A recent Pink Comb bride, Jessica- Gorgeous!! photo by LoRusso Studios

*Check out Michelle’s bio:

“I have the coolest job ever: I get to make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world on the most important day of your life. Weekend after weekend, My job allows me to travel all over the tri-state area visiting fabulous hotels, stunning reception venues and cozy homes, where I get to use my talents and skills to create something beautiful. It’s not just a profession, it’s my passion.

Since 2001, with a simple ad on craigslist, I have been providing onsite hair and makeup services for brides and bridesmaids throughout the tri-state area (www.idohairandmake-up.com) my parents met in cosmetology school, so I guess you can say the beauty business is “in my blood.” I knew how to French braid hair before I learned how to ride a bike! Hair styling and makeup artistry were two things that always came natural to me, so in conjunction with my fascination of the wedding industry; I have customized the career of my dreams!

I studied Hair, skincare, nails and make-up at Christine Valmy International in Pine Brook NJ and am a licensed Cosmetologist in the State of NJ and I also hold my BS in Journalism from St. John’s University.

Michelle in action on Jen & Chris' Wedding Day! Photo by: Neil van Niekerk

My salon, Pink Comb, which was built on the concept of the “pampered experience” that my clients experience on their wedding day, is conveniently located in Nutley, NJ.

I invite you all to come and visit me there and check out my bridal boutique fully stocked with gorgeous jewelry and headpieces as well as other wedding goodies! Check it out at www.pinkcombsalon.com

If there is anything I can help you with, please feel free to call me at 973 975 7070 or shoot me an email at michelleloconte@yahoo.com”

Best wishes and continued success Michelle!

If you’ve ever gone to one of Michael’s concerts, you know that you’re gonna sing along, dance and have a lot of laughs before the night is over.  Sometimes, you might even get invited up on stage for a duet…

Another gem sent in from Mike Walter.

p.s  Mr. Bublé is the real deal on stage and off so be prepared for a few harmless expletives.

The Grace Ormonde Weddings Collection

Above and beyond the inspirational artistry displayed on the pages of her new book, Grace Ormonde Weddings- “being in love never goes out of style,” it’s easy to see why people were lining up to pay $125 for her gorgeous coffee table collection piece last night when it also contains personal quotes like this…

“Ultimately, our ability to dream is what motivates us, and our ability to love is what sustains us.” – Grace Ormonde

After 10 years of documenting extraordinary weddings, producing bridal expositions and being the Editor-in-Chief of Wedding Style, (a seasonal magazine that features the luxurious sources for fashion, jewelry, lifestyle etc.), Ormonde designed a comprehensive work of art that includes her greatest hits and personal favorites within its pages.

From our little chat, Grace struck me as a kind soul who truly appreciates limitless possibilities with regard to aesthetics and the entrepreneurial spirit.  It didn’t surprise me when I learned later on that Grace’s family grew up in a modest home on the island of Terceria where the nearby ocean view supplied her with a lifetime of inspiration to draw from.

Grace Ormonde and Marcello Pedalino

People with a genuine love and appreciation for the positive energy and therapeutic qualities that the ocean offers seem to be kindred spirits.    Add a  little international, Latin or European flair to the mix and life is really good.  Order the book  .Follow Grace on Twitter

It was great to see some of New Jersey’s wedding and special event glitterati last night and  meet a few new rising stars who also came out for Grace’s signing;  Wedding Cinematographer Rob Adams,  Photographer Vanessa Joy, the owners of Bride Live- Jay Thomson & Mike Hernadez,  Photographer Ellen Marc, the design team for CW&I Andrea Daly & Kristin Badolato, Wedding Photo Journalist Jessica Lark, & Matthew & Kim Findlay from Crest Florist (the father and daughter team who had my favorite table design of the night.)

Special thanks to Allan Janoff, Nella, Jason & Marco from The Crystal Plaza for their continued support and gracious hospitality.  I’m delighted that MMP’s 2012  event calender has us returning for another exceptional collaboration.

Encore Gallery:

Yep.

Another gem sent to the Sunshine Club from my mom…

The world needs more mothers like her and Emanuel’s mum.

He is already well-known by the mobile entertainment industry and his clients as an extremely talented Master of Ceremonies, Wedding Entertainment Director and Keynote Speaker; but the fact that he has a serious philanthropic side to complement the wit and wisdom he shares with the world might be news to many.

Last month, Bartlett, who serves as the President of the Sacramento Chapter of the American Disc Jockey Association, raised over $20,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children in a collaborative effort with his team and the Granite Bay Golf Club. Shriners provides world class medical care for children, at no charge.  Many of these children are burn victims, have orthopedic & spinal cord injuries or cleft lip and palate.

Randy shared a few of his thoughts…

J.D Firestone- ADJA chapter Secretary, Brad Cady- Golf Pro at Granite Bay Golf Club, Dr. Lerman, & Randy Bartlett

“We are all lucky to work in a profession that we love so much, where we earn a living celebrating with people on some of the greatest days of their lives.  From simple birthday parties, to Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, school dances and holiday parties, we provide the entertainment that allows us to help others forget their worries and just enjoy life.

While we’re doing this, life goes on for others and unfortunately, it isn’t always happiness and joy.  There are countless organizations out there whose sole purpose is to raise much needed funds to deal with everything from stray cats to cancer, all worthy causes that touch each of us in different ways.

It’s said that “with great fortune comes great responsibility” and I feel very fortunate to have a profession that allows me to experience such joy with my clients.  With some other great like-minded people in the Sacramento Chapter of the ADJA, we’ve produced fund raising events in four out the last five years that have allowed us to give back some of our great fortune.

From our first effort in 2007, when we raised $2,600 for a local animal rescue facility called Happy Tails, to our latest effort, just completed on October 23-24, 2011, for Shriners Hospitals for Children, we have doubled our funds raised each year, this year reaching the $20,000 mark!”

Bartlett hopes the actions of the Sacramento Chapter will inspire other ADJA chapters and like-minded individuals to pay it forward.  

If you’d like to find out more information or inquire about making a donation, please visit www.golf4shriners.com.

Kudos for choosing to make a difference Randy.  Good on you my friend.

Colin Cowie delivers an impressive keynote and delights the masses at Biz Bash 2011

I’ve seen his impressive work on T.V and in magazines.  I’ve heard Oprah Winfrey sing his praises.  Now, thanks to the Biz Bash team, I’ve had the opportunity to catch Colin Cowie’s latest keynote presentation at this year’s expo in Manhattan.  One word…  WOW!

Not only is his portfolio uber-spectacular, he’s got the whole James Bond accent and personality-thing goin’ for him too.  This is especially notable when Cowie describes all of his favorite things with the textbook pronunciation of things like “Du Jour.”  For my fellow fashionistas out there, you’ll be happy to know that he dresses the part as well.  Like my friend, Michael Cerbelli, he represents the total package.

Whether or not you share my man-crush, there’s no denying the quality of the content and wisdom that Colin shared with the packed house.   These were a few of his tweetable moments…

Gi Gi plays along with Usher on electric violin. A sensual and elegant JDM (Jaw Dropping Moment)

“Fun, Style and Glamour rule my life.”

“If there is anybody who fuels the party, other than the DJ, it’s the mixologist.  “

“Bring value back through customer service.”

“Deliver Proactive service vs. Reactive service.   Always be thinking what they could be thinking.”

“Nothing happens without great teamwork and communication.”

‘Set one another up for success.”

“Passion is the fuel that helps us stand out from everybody else.”

Colin has launched a new empire called Colin Cowie Weddings.  If you are in the special events industry, you probably want to keep it on your radar, twitter feed and speed dial.

Maneesh Goyal & Robin Hall present the Big Idea Workshop to kick off the expo's educational programming

Rewinding to the first seminar of the day… Maneesh Goyal, President and Founder of MKG and Robin Hall, Vice President of Macy’s Parade kicked things off with “The Big Idea Workshop.”  They focused on brand building via ideation, propagation, amplification and ‘finessing the message’ once it’s out of your hands.  Maneesh, who was noticeably articulate and polished in his delivery, mentioned how he’ll sometimes just simply hop on youtube for inspiration.  If you heard some of his ideas, like a philanthropic take on My Super Sweet 16 or his Times Square Fashion Show, you went home after the expo and put “watch more youtube” on your daily to-do list.  Maneesh, like my friend, Jason Jani from SCE Event Group, stressed the importance of event capture so your brand can “live beyond” the actual event.

An incredible display of strength, balance and Wow from Traces opened the main stage

Robin Hall, who offered a healthy dose of laughter throughout his conversational contributions, gave our group of early risers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into the world famous Macy’s Day Parade. Just the weather-related logistics, police and sanitation management, city permits, and dealing with the Mayor’s special event committee alone would be enough to scare away most producers… But the fact that Hall doesn’t really have to work with a budget while producing this event (which is pretty much unheard of), he keeps coming back to put together a magical day for the world to enjoy.

You’d think that Macy’s would be the gig that he enjoys the most or finds the most rewarding.  When in fact, Hall told us an endearing anecdote regarding a 100 year-old pipe organ from Philadelphia that he says is the “most gratifying” and “culturally significant” project he’s involved with.  Check out the Knight Foundation or Random Acts of Culture and you’ll know why.

A few tweetable moments from Maneesh and Robin…

“Newness is a requirement.”

Hall of Fame inductee- Cathi Culbertson from Forbes Media, with Biz Bash Editor in Chief- Chad Kaydo & Event Planner Extraordinaire, Marcy Blum

“You have to be in touch with what’s next in technology.”

“Be authentic, be humble, produce results and make it happen.”

Marcy Blum was definitely my favorite femme-power presenter of the day.  Her wit and wisdom shined through in the next seminar which highlighted the 10 Essential Characteristics of the Successful Hybrid Planner.  They included a proficiency in Sales, Customer Service, Concept Development, Scheduling, Staffing, Training, Marketing, Entertainment, Protocol, & Technical  Experience. Blum’s subject matter is what MMP’s success is based on… The versatility and diversification to produce and provide the entertainment for both social and corporate events.

A cool way to let your guests know that the reception has begun from Bongar Biz

Blum shared how her hybrid resume enables her to cater to a bride, bat mitzvah mother and corporate CEO all in the same week.  Although each client demands a specific skill set, many of the paramount variables cross over.  Things like, “thinking things through from beginning to end,” knowing how to design an effective “run of show,” and the importance of investing in your own team.  “They are your ambassadors.”

Marcy also mentioned a cool color detection app called LUPE.  Kinda-like Shazam, which is when you hold up your phone when a song is playing to get the name and artist… LUPE gives you the ability to record and identify a color that inspires you.  (Marcy shared how she saw an orange on a passing F-Train that she thought had some potential for a future event).

As a fellow ‘run of show’ creator and production time-line producer, I love the clause that Blum puts on her event agendas…  “This is just an approximate time line, this event will take on a life of its own and we’ll deal with it.”  Love it!

Book and Viewing Recommendations from Marcy…

-The Mind Map Book- by Barry Buzan

-The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence- by Thomas Peters

Scott Heifferman from Meetup.com encourages the audience to get "social." Literally.

-Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions- by Guy Kawasaki

-The Thank You Economy- by Gary Vee (featured here on the MMP Blog earlier this year)

-The T.E.D Conference: Ideas Worth Spreading-  (plenty of quality clips are available on youtube)

Rockin’ skinny jeans, kicks and a hoodie, Scott Heifferman, from Meetup.com, began his presentation by doing something very unique.  He actually got everyone to stand up, put their iPads and smartphones down, and talk to each for 2 minutes.  It was pretty funny.  Some people enjoyed the stretch, some people enjoyed the impromptu conversation, and some people actually froze up when they remembered the harsh reality that you can’t hide behind your screen forever… you need to be “social” to succeed in life.  And not just in the ‘media’ sense of the terminology.

Give your guests something to talk about during the cocktail reception. A stunning beauty from Bongar

Scott’s site connects a gazillion people interested in the same thing.  Everybody from the Occupy Wall Street folks, to new moms, to anyone looking to stir up some community vibes.  He showed us a live feed of people posting and it looked like the national debt clock in New York City.  The posts just kept coming and coming and the number of users kept rising and rising.  You could really feel the energy of all that potential power whizzing by.

Tweetable moments from Heifferman…

“There’s something about face-to-face that’s really powerful.”

“In the 20^th century, we over-industrialized and de-personalized.  In the 21^st century, people are turning to each other.”

“The days of 1 guy talking to a bunch of people the whole time are over.  People are hungry.  They want to talk to each other. Think circles instead of rows.”

The Iceman cometh. Make your bar cooler than cool. Incredible detail from Mr. Ceido at Ice Sculpture Designs.

The expo floor was once again chock-full of display booths featuring some intriguing concepts and trends to share with your clients.  Some of my favorites are featured below in the encore gallery.  *Since MMP  has  such a dog-loving clientele, I want to give special mention to a handsome Yorkie, Schmitty the Weather Dog, who I met and fell in love with.   He has an upcoming fashion show at the New Yorker Hotel on February 10, 2012 to benefit the Angel On A Leash Foundation. 

It was great to reconnect with colleagues and ‘meet up’ with some new potential co-collaborators.   It was a pleasure seeing Cathi Culbertson from Forbes, Chenoa Johnson from The Patron Spirits Company, Tina Volz Bongar from Bongar Biz, Tammy Polatsek from Carmona New York & Co., Marc Posnock from Pink Inc. Design, Annette Naif from Annette Naif Events, Dyann Klein, Louis Sanders and Harian Silverstein from PropsnSpoon, Anabel Felix & Amanda Uhlein from Grosh, Alice Conway from Stratford University, Christina Berrios from Event Details, Inc., Alexandra Garvey from NYU, Dominic Francia, William Adams and Daniel McGurk from Classic Sportswear, Ivan Cordero from Heartland Brewery, Nick Saava from Dazian, Rob Necegra and Dennis Finnegan from Nice Uplights, Maher Salem, Salaheddine Benyoussef, Yousesef Alaoui & Zineb Atouani from Moroccan Prestige, Kerri Galaton and Kellie Brielmair from The National Constitution Center, Richard Liebert and Craig Alexander from Atlantis, Caryn Oberstein from Wizard Studios,

Meteorologist Ron Trotta with Schmitty The Weather Dog & Marcello Pedalino

Mr. Ceido from Ice Sculpture Designs, Jigs from The London Candy Group, Alexis Ufland from Sparty, and finally, my study buddy for the day, Zi-Yun Ding- a former opera singer Taiwan here studying event management here at NYU.

Special thanks to Richard Aaron, President of Biz Bash Media, and David Adler, Founder and CEO of Biz Bash Media, for their hospitality.  They provided me with press access and accommodations in one of the Javitz Center’s green rooms.    The whole day the V.I.P’s were talking about how important it is to make sure your guests are comfortable and happy… kudos to the Biz Bash team for doing just that.  See you next year,

Encore Gallery: