REAL STORIES: A Modern Black and Gold Mitzvah

Although temporarily overshadowed by a period of silver, chrome and nickel, GOLD has made a triumphant comeback in the design world. The cultured and regal aesthetic of this vibrant precious metal has proven to be timeless and enduring in its appeal. Particularly when we can turn it up a notch {or two or three} and take it to glamorous heights for a chic bar mitzvah celebration at The Rittenhouse. With a modern palette of metallic gold, glossy black and crisp white, we transformed the Grand Ballroom into a contemporary lounge setting that both adults and kids enjoyed.

First things first, we draped the walls with rich black velvet drape and placed a large sexy bar right in the middle of the room. From there, orbiting like planets around the Gold Bar, we installed a custom dance floor, a variety of furniture groupings for cozy seating vignettes and various trendy food stations. Yet another incredible celebration that was designed around the client’s wish for “something different” and “something fabulous”…

REAL STORIES: A True Blue B’Nai Mitzvah with a Modern Chic Vibe

One of our favorite party formats is to transform a traditional sit-down family celebration into a modern cocktail setting. While some entertaining purists find this a little unorthodox in formality, we know that for the right client, a casual chic party lounge environment works beautifully! Luckily for us, for this hip B’Nai Mitzvah we had the ideal family who not only asked us for something nontraditional, but whom also embraced our efforts from location selection to event design and party management. Armed with their trust in our planning and design skills, we orchestrated a cool, modern Bohemian-style lounge that everyone enjoyed. Take a look…

{Photos: Tyler Boye Photography}

TASTE: Sushi Bars, Always a Popular Food Station at Parties

When it comes to planning your special event, wedding or bar/bat mitzvah menu, invariably the question “what are the most popular food stations at parties?” gets asked.  The answer, at least on the East Coast, is an enthusiastic “SUSHI!!!!”  In one form or another, sushi stations or sushi bars, are a guaranteed win-win choice for cocktail receptions for discerning palates.  Sushi and sashimi are even served at children’s parties for the kids to enjoy!  Over the years we’ve designed and styled many a sushi presentation using carved ice, glass vessels, running water, river rock, custom-made wooden planks, light up tables, lucite shelves, red lacquered boxes, gold vessels, Asian statuary, and on and on.  Below are just some of the sushi stations we’ve created for weddings, parties and social gatherings.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Philip Gabriel]

For a modern white and purple 25th wedding anniversary we worked with Leslie Rosen Catering to create a stylish Seafood Crudite with colorful mixed sushi, salty steamed edamame and a large ice bowl filled with cocktail shrimp.  [Above, Photo: Paul Loftland]

Multiple light up tables were placed in a row to create a large sushi display that would allow a large group of guests to graze all at one time.  Each table was composed of multiple mirrors in silver metallic frames that held monochromatic displays of sushi, sashimi and seaweed salad. [Above, Caterer:  Wolfgang Puck Catering; Photo: Susan Beard Design]

For a tented cocktail reception for a bar mitzvah at a private home, this floating ice sushi station presented multiple sushi rolls on glass and metal platters.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Phil Kramer]

Sushi isn’t just for cocktail receptions. Why not serve it as a surprise second course during a sit-down dinner?  That’s exactly what we did for a bar mitzvah at Peche at Sherman Mills.  Just as the first course was ending, a wall of drape opened on one side of the ballroom to reveal a forty foot sushi station laden with gold vases filled with purple orchids and plate-after-plate of sushi! [Above, Catering: Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo: Susan Beard Design]

Sushi Cabanas built with tents inside a building gave the adult guests at this bat mitzah a fun activity to enjoy while they watched the kids dance below.  [Above, Catering:  Peachtree & Ward; Photo:  Phil Kramer]

Bamboo, black beans, sushi mats and vintage Asian elements combine to make this sushi stationa hit at a boy’s bar mitzvah celebration at Peche at Sherman Mills.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Philip Gabriel]