A dramatic display at the Wedding Luncheon. Photo by Mike Colon

Showcasing events at The Special Event, which ran Jan. 9-12 in Los Angeles, drew praise from attendees as some of the most effective and professionally produced in the show's 23-year history. Although show management has not yet released final figures, the 2007 conference and exhibition is expected to set all-time records in attendance and exhibit space.

At the Wedding Luncheon, committee chair Joann Roth-Oseary of Tarzana, Calif.-based Someone's in the Kitchen and team transformed the Millennium Biltmore Hotel's Old World ballrooms into opulent displays of wedding cakes, floral and tabletops. Speakers included Beverly Hills, Calif.-based celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss, who discussed wedding trends including the rise of variegated chair covers and the fall of cupcakes as wedding cakes.

Kitt scats: Eartha Kitt waves adieu to her fans at 'Diva Bling.' Photo by Special Events Magazine

The Theme Luncheon took guests on a dreamy tour of slightly surreal entertainment. Thanks to L.A.-based An Original Occasion, guests reclined on sleek white lounge furniture while enjoying the antics of stilt walkers and the seductive dance trio "Desert Sin," forgetting they were in an exhibit hall in the L.A. Convention Center.

IT'S A BLING THING

The Opening Night "Diva Bling" Party, produced by L.A.'s Charles Banfield Productions, lived up to its billing, featuring performances by chanteuses including Taylor "Tell it to My Heart" Dane and the doyenne of divas, Eartha Kitt.

For a complete wrap-up of the show, see the March issue of Special Events Magazine.

The Special Event 2008 runs Jan. 15-18 in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. For more information, click here.