ISES Dining Spaces 2009- With A Taste

The New Jersey North Chapter of the International Special Events Society held their 6th annual Tabletop Design Competition last night at the Olde Mill Inn, in Basking Ridge.  Members, judges and guests strolled through the Inn which was filled with dazzling table scenes and delicious hors d’oeuvres.

Some of the tabletop highlights included a gorgeous Tuscany setting from Amarayllis, a romantic table for two from Details of I Do, an opulent-chic design from C. Brower & Co., a groovy blast-from-the-past courtesy of  Conroy’s & Something Different, and a spring masterpiece by Touch of Elegance that was a sister-creation to their “M” table from the Meadow Wood Manor’s open house last month.

A few of the cuisine notables that had people talking were the scallops with bacon from Main Street, the organic prosciutto-chicken and spinach pizza from Bolu,  and the mango with custard-creme yellow cake from Roxanna’s.

A personal highlight was pretending to be James Bond in Goldfinger with Michelle D’Anna from Signature Events who I worked with a few weeks back at the Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club.  She brought in the stand-out furniture pieces of the night.  Everyone who passed by stopped and posed for a glam-photo shoot.  Some people thought I was part of the presentation because I happened to wear a gold-colored Zegna and pocket square.

Kudos to everyone that participated and congratulations to all of the winners. The following is a partial list of awards presented.

The Apprentice- Kristin Rockhill and Erin Poles, The Rising Star- Christine Brower & Eileen Daniels, The Connoisseur- Erik Olsson and Mitchell Kolby, Creativity & The People’s Choice- Michael & Lisa Plociniak, & Bang For Your Buck- Conroy’s & Something Different.

Special thanks to my good friend Marien Barker, Social Sales Manager at the Olde Mill Inn, for her hospitality and a guided tour of the festivities.

Encore Gallery: (Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo)

The Deeper Meaning of the Moment

Since I provided the entertainment for Kelly’s father’s 50th birthday party 15 years ago in Oakland, New Jersey, the Harper family was very special to me.

Kelly and Andy met online at E-Harmony. This must be one of the better match-making sites because this is the 4th client of mine this year who signed up and was able to meet their soul mate.

The highlight of the night came after the cake cutting. The families wanted to celebrate the fact that Andy was a cancer survivor and somehow incorporate the symbolic Live Strong bracelets.

During the final consultation at their home, I found out that Andy was a big Bon Jovi fan, so we invited all of the guests onto the dancefloor after the cake to put on a bracelet and take a group photo. We immediately cranked up Livin’ On A Prayer and watched the room erupt as the guests pumped their fists and sang along for a memorable tribute.

It was one of those moments that I had to pinch myself and be grateful once again that I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world.

Just Remember… She’s Always Right!

Lacie and Joe’s ceremony and reception was held in New Jersey at The Madison Hotel. In addition to the on-site accommodations, they chose The Madison for its famed Atrium ballroom.

The mix of high glass ceilings, natural moonlight shining through and a plethora of holiday red poinsettias that were delivered earlier that day made for a dramatic ambiance.

We worked with our good friend, Dave, from Visionmasters Photography. He snapped this paparazzi shot as I was coming down the hotel hallway to make the Grand Entrance announcements.

The highlight of the night was the Anniversary Dance. After playing At Last by Etta James, we found out that Lacie’s aunt and uncle were the longest married couple on the guest list (almost 50 years). When I asked her uncle if he had any advice for Joe on what it takes to have a long-lasting marriage he said, “Just remember, she’s always right!” The women cheered and the men just nodded their heads in agreement. It was classic.

Rebecca and Matt at the Wilshire Grand: The Best of Both Worlds

Rebecca and Matt’s wedding reception was held at The Wilshire Grand in West Orange, New Jersey. From the first consultation, Rebecca and Matt knew that they wanted the best of both worlds, the combination of DJ Entertainment and live musicians.

As the first guests arrived into the grand foyer and family photos were being taken, our piano player (Mitch) helped create a classy ambiance as champagne and strawberries were being served.

After the cocktail hour, the ballroom doors opened and the guests went right to the dance floor. Our saxophone player (Franco) and percussionist (Rueben) played along to an up-beat set of Michael Buble and classic Motown music. That set the tone for a fun, elegant and memorable evening.

The highlight of the night was seeing Matt’s brother and friends lift him up for some crowd-surfing when we cranked up Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer from their request list.

Special thanks to Tom, the Catering Manager. Just like when he worked at The Rockleigh Country Club, he was a total professional when it came to creating a smooth timeline for the cuisine and planning for all of the event logistics.

Encore Gallery:

Live Music and DJ Entertainment Highlight the Reception at Seasons

Emely and Steven were like many of our clients, they couldn’t decide between a band or a DJ for the entertainment so they had both!

We had the pleasure of working with The Flying Mueller Brothers, who are known for adding an Island flavor and infectious drumbeats to a packed dance floor.

Jay & Mark from Seasons ran a tight show as always just like Dave, Jimmy and Carlos do at their sister property, The Venetian.

The highlight of the evening was Emely and Steven’s choreographed first dance. It was a custom mix of a Keith Urban’s  Memories Of Us and a spicy merengue that had all of the guests cheering when they finished.

Dave Kotinsky, one of the best photographers in the business, shared some of his professional photos for this entry.

Encore Gallery:

« Previous Page — Next Page »