Back Yard as Ballroom

House too small for a hundred houseguests? No great room, formal dining room or even elbow room? No problem! Take the party outside and make al fresco memories.
For an afternoon Sip 'n' See in honor of Juliana Elizabeth, our youngest It! Girl, we set round tables in the garden with folding chairs and rustic burlap linens. To enhance Mother Nature's verdant backdrop, we tied fresh jasmine to mauve napkins, and planted budding carnations in mason jars trimmed with twine (guests were invited to take them home to plant in their own gardens). Lanterns were lined with family photos, and piles of miniature lady apples kept the organic feel going.
On the patio, glass vessels filled with gala apples, bosc pears and black mission figs complemented a simple menu of crudites, charcuterie and artisinal cheeses. Mini cupcakes by The Sugar Monkey — chocolate-peanut butter, pumpkin spice and vanilla — invited guests to nibble. Champagne punch, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir rounded out the beverage selections (plus sodas and juices for the kiddos!).
But don't take our word for it: Check out these lovely photos by LILA PHOTO!

Fashion's Night Out Draws 500 to Neiman Marcus Palm Beach

Without question, Neiman Marcus was the It! place to be for Fashion’s Night Out in Palm Beach on Friday, Sept. 10. More than 500 of the island’s beloved fashionistas flocked to the Worth Avenue store as part of VOGUE magazine’s nationwide fashion industry celebration.

Beth Pine, Vice President and General Manager of Neiman Marcus Palm Beach, was on hand to dish on the season’s hottest trends, noting fur, feathers, structured handbags, pantsuits, military chic and hues of green are a few must-haves for fall.

“Fashion's Night Out was celebrated at the most glamorous locations around the world, officially marking the start of Fall fashion season," said Pine. "It was such an honor to host the biggest event in town. Palm Beach was ready to party!”


A focal point of the evening was a live demonstration a la “Project Runway,” when three celebrity It! Boys selected by It! Weddings & Events for their creative vision showcased their interpretations of the latest fall trends using live models and raw materials like bubble wrap, butcher block paper, doilies and feathers. Wedding and event designer Jeff Fowler, artist and Center for Creative Education Assistant Director Kevin Murray, and interior designer Reginald Dunlap of Gray Perez Design Group had the crowd cheering and begging for more as they added the finishing touches to their inventive ensembles, respectively titled “Road Warrior,” “Rock & Lace,” and “The Bubble.”



Also selected by It! Weddings & Events, four celebrity It! Girls brought fashion trends to the table with glamorous fall tabletop designs. Neiman Marcus Palm Beach donated $250 toward the organizations represented by It! Girls Angela Culveyhouse, auction chair of the 2011 Heart Ball to benefit American Heart Association on Feb. 14; Aime Dunstan, chair of the “Feather Wars” opening exhibition to benefit the Pat and Richard Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum and Historical Society of Palm Beach County on Nov. 30; Hilary Jordan, Ladies Committee co-chair of Devil’s Night to benefit Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens on Oct. 20; and Diana Perry, chair of Over the Big Top to benefit Center for Creative Education on Nov. 6.


The evening also included a live runway presentation featuring the latest in ready-to-wear and couture, as well as cuisine by Pistache French Bistro, Michelle Bernstein’s at The Omphoy Ocean Resort and Christafaro’s Catering. It! Weddings & Events served up verdant candies from two designer dessert bars, and The Sugar Monkey turned out more than 500 customized cupcakes from the It! Cupcake Bar.



Guests joined in a live fashion shoot in the CaptureSET pop-up studio while music by Elan Artists and DJ Nick Flash kept up the tempo. Echo mixologist Charles Steadman poured signature cocktails including Blue Feather Vodka, and Bulletproof Wine & Spirits offered a white wine tasting to round out the evening’s menu of events.

It Weddings & Events specializes in the discerning taste of Palm Beach, Nantucket, the Hamptons and beyond, ensuring the elegance and extravagance of your wedding, fund-raiser or special event. For more information, call 561.801.0767 or log on to www.itweddingsandevents.com.

Not your ordinary kids' party

When one of our favorite Palm Beach It! Moms wanted to throw a "low-key house party" to celebrate her daughter's 14th birthday and graduation from Palm Beach Day School, we knew it would be no ordinary fete. After all, it's de rigueur for this former New Yorker to grab dinner with Eric Ripert, talk fashion with Zac Posen or take in a Miami Dolphins football game in a private skybox with Fergie.
Taking cues from the guest of honor's love for Japanese mochi ice cream and ramune soda, the It! Girls transformed the family room of their Palm Beach estate into an Asian nightclub with pipe and black velvet drape, masses of flickering pillar candles, disco balls and motion lights — of course you had to make it past two hunky bouncers and a velvet rope to get inside!
Poolside, a sunset butterfly release celebrated their graduation, symbolizing their respective journeys to high schools and boarding schools near and far.
On the menu: Asian fare by Christafaro's Catering served up in Chinese takeout boxes, and sweet treats by The Sugar Monkey in the form of marzipan sushi rolls. A birthday cake in the form of a Chinese takeout box complete with a fortune cookie and edible chopsticks rounded out the theme. DJ Adam Lipson mixed the latest tracks as nearly 100 teens danced the night away, and each guest of the birthday girl departed with a yard of multicolored gumballs at the evening's end.

Join the It! Girls and Neiman Marcus Palm Beach for Fashion's Night Out On Sept. 10!

It! Weddings & Events is getting ready for the HAUTEST series of Palm Beach events honoring VOGUE editor Anna Wintour’s celebrated Fashion’s Night Out. Join us on Friday, Sept. 10 for:

5:30-7:30 P.M.
Enjoy live music from Elan Artists on Level One

5:30-8:30 P.M.
Enjoy light bites from Michelle Bernstein's at The Omphoy, Pistache French Bistro, Christafaro's Catering and The Sugar Monkey, plus wines from Bulletproof Wine & Spirits

Strike a pose in a live fashion shoot!

DJ Nick Flash spins timeless beats along with the season’s most fashionable tracks on Level Two

It! Weddings & Events invites you to meet the It! Girls: Angela Culveyhouse, Aime Dunstan, Hilary Jordan and Diana Perry, and see how they bring fall fashion trends to the table

6:30 P.M.
Runway Show featuring the hottest trends of the season

7:15 P.M.
It! Weddings & Events invites you meet the It! Boys: Reginald Dunlap, Jeff Fowler and Kevin Murray as they create one-of-a-kind living works of art you won't want to miss!

The It! Girl's Guide to Floral Design

To feed the minds of our favorite domestic divas in Palm Beach, It! Weddings & Events recently hosted the It! Girl's Guide to Floral Design at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach.

The evening began with a reception featuring international wines, mini bloody mary shrimp cocktails, Maine lobster on crostini, fresh crudites, fresh fruits, cheeses and — best of all — sweet treats from The Sugar Monkey. The menu complemented an aqua and tangerine color palette inspired by our favorite aqua hue and orange-handled scissors — the ones we love to grab when stripping thorns off rose stems, or cutting hydrangeas to create a compact centerpiece.

Before the It! Girls got down to business with an array of acid green orchids and mums, ivory roses and hydrangeas and plum-hued gerber daisies, It! Floral Designer Kim Votaw began the class with a few tricks of the trade for creating an impactful floral arrangement:

Stick to a color palette: Three different flowers — try ivory stock, roses and mums — in a similar hue will combine with a little greenery to offer a variety of textures and fragrances. Trying to combine too many colors and shapes in one container may result in sensory overload!

Think outside the vase: Create a tablescape using floral balls (pick up spherical oasis — that's the squeezy green florists' foam — at your local craft store), glass cylinders with floating candles and other accessories. You can also combine multiple arrangements in non-traditional containers to make a bigger impact with fewer flowers, such as three different pitchers or creamers. Got a pretty wicker ice bucket? Put some white hydrangeas in that puppy and sprinkle seashells and votives around the table for a seaside tableau.

Give it a squeeze: Healthy flowers are hearty and bounce back from a squeeze. If a flower feels wimpy in the market, it probably won't last long once you get it home. In Palm Beach, Kim recommends Publix for a great selection of stalks for DIY arrangements.


It! Weddings & Events is pleased to arrange floral design classes, wine tastings, gardening and cooking classes for your corporate or social group. Call us today for a consultation!

xoxo
Aime

It! Interview: The Sugar Monkey

Name: Jennifer Reed

Profession: Pastry Chef, The Sugar Monkey

What she's obsessed with: Freshness!

What is so 2009: Edible prints- never liked them anyway!

What is unique about your products? I use all natural ingredients. All products (with few exceptions) are made in house from scratch. The products I purchase are of the highest quality.

What should a bride and groom already have decided on before they meet with you for a wedding cake consultation, and what materials should they bring to the meeting? An idea of the style and flavors is nice — a consultation can be a waste of time if nothing has been discussed beforehand. Definitely know your budget! Bring any pictures or ideas you may have to the meeting — don't be shy!

What are the most popular flavor combinations, and what have been your most far-out requests? Chocolate cake with cream cheese buttercream and fresh raspberries, vanilla butter cake with lemon scented buttercream. Requests? Nothing too far out— a 2-foot-tall Louisiana hot sauce bottle for a groom's cake.

Where is the best place to stage a wedding cake during the reception, and what are some fun ways to dress up the table? Away from the bride and groom! Rose petals are so 2009, too! Dress up the table by dressing up the cake. Get rid of the silver-pated stand and go for one with character to match the cake.

What are three cost-cutting tips for those on a budget? Cupcakes! A retro dessert buffet with whole desserts. Old school layer cakes and pies. Use 8" cakes as centerpieces for the tables.

Join the It! Girls on April 15 at Neiman Marcus Palm Beach