Special Events

The Last Word: Paula Gild

By Natasha Garber

She got her start planning elaborately themed parties for family members when she was barely old enough to drive. She honed her skills by aligning herself...

Confetti: The Nanny Comes to the Party

Alexandra Gudmundsson

Risa Provencio, event and wedding consultant for San Clemente, Calif.-based Romanza Events, had never attempted anything like the 56-guest tea party themed...

You, Me and MTV: Shows Influence Event Clients

Event planners today find they often have a not-so-silent partner in planning events. It's not the mother of the bride or a busybody CEO--it's an event-based TV show....

Setting The Bar High (And Low)

By Alexandra Gudmundsson

Some bar and bat mitzvahs mark the occasion with an expensive bash while others party it up but keep costs down. Here, event pros explore the pressure...

KAREN HANSEN ON WORKING MAGIC WITH CORPORATE FAMILY EVENTS

By Karen Hansen

You have been summoned from Mount Olympus by Zeus himself to embark on a heroic quest. So reads the first line of an invitation addressed to 11-year-old...

GALAS: HOCKEY-THEME BAR MITZVAH NETS A HIGH SCORE

BY NATASHA GARBER

BEHOLD the sports-theme bar mitzvah, perennial favorite of coming-of-age Jewish males from Portland, Ore., to Portland, Maine. With such demand for athletic...

CONFETTI: WILKINSON RHODES CREATES A BUTTERFLY BASH

Alexandra Gudmundsson

CAREFUL planning has its place, but being in the right place at the right time is also helpful. Just ask Billinda Wilkinson of San Antonio-based Wilkinson...

Children's Hospital Fundraiser is a Family Affair

BY NATASHA GARBER

WHEN Toronto's SickKids Foundation first approached event planner Hala Bissada, it delivered a clear mandate: Come up with an event that's family-oriented,...

The Real World Of Sweet 16s

BY CHRISTINE LANDRY

TELEVISION shows such as MTV's My Super Sweet 16 depict spoiled 16-year-olds with birthday parties grander than many wedding receptions. In fact, Sweet...

FAMILY TIES: EVENT PLANNERS THROW PARTIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN

BY NATASHA GARBER

THEY may not be paying customers, but make no mistake event pros' own children are nothing less than VIP clients. Their unique personalities and tastes...