Gala Award Winners Named at The Special Event 2011Gala Award Winners Named at The Special Event 2011

The Living Garden performs at the Gala Ceremony cocktail reception."/>

The winners of the Gala Awards—the most prestigious award in special events—were named last night at The Special Event, held at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The black-tie evening capped off the week of seminars and showcasing events, including yesterday's Masters' Program and Brunch featuring legendary Carabiner founder Leslie Buckland as keynote speaker.

At the brunch, Canadian-based POP Kollaborative founder and creative director Kenneth Kristoffersen, CSEP, CEM, received the Steve Kemble Leadership Award.

The Gala Award winners:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Patti Roscoe PRA/Allied International

BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL The Lundquist Co., Roseville, Calif. "First 5 Sacramento Children's Celebration"

BEST INVITATION High Rise Events, Westlake Village, Calif. "Groundbreaking on Lot 165"

BEST DINING TABLE DESIGN The Precious Moment Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan "Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Anniversary Gala"

BEST OFF-PREMISE CATERED EVENT Culinary Capers Catering, Vancouver, British Columbia "Shaw Hospitality at the 2010 Games"

BEST FUNDRAISING EVENT Alison Silcoff Events, Montreal "The Daffodil Ball"

BEST EVENT PRODUCED FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Destination King, Memphis, Tenn., and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tenn. "Le Bonheur Grand Opening"

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST Events of Distinction, San Francisco "An A-Door-able Celebration"

BEST WEDDING: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST Frank: Master Bridal Consultant and Event Expert, Chicago "Michele and Tom Get Married"

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY INCENTIVE EVENT Jobe and Associates, Dublin, Ohio "NFS Awards Conference"

BEST MULTIPLE-DAY EVENT PROGRAM FOR A CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION H.J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh "Heinz May 2010 National Meetings"

BEST EVENT STAGED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Jung von Matt Relations GmbH, Cologne, Germany "Mission: 24 h Redesigned"

BEST FLORAL DESIGN Designs by Sean, Dania, Fla. "At Last, Chad and Nicole"

BEST TENT INSTALLATION Tentnology, Surrey, British Columbia "Bahrain Royal Wedding Celebration"

BEST USE OF LIGHTING Images by Lighting, Los Angeles "L.A. Philharmonic Gala"

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT Aggreko, Houston "Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games"

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LOGISTICS Tentnology, Surrey, British Columbia "Bahrain Royal Wedding Celebration"

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EVENT RENTAL SUPPORT Town & Country Event Rentals, Van Nuys, Calif. "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices"

BEST NEW, INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY Howard Givner Co., Scarsdale, N.Y. "Super Planner"

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT: BUDGET $100,000 AND BELOW SME Inc., Los Angeles, and Whatever Artists Management, London "London Live"

BEST EVENT ENTERTAINMENT: BUDGET ABOVE $100,000 EventWorks, Los Angeles "Amway China Gala Dinner"

MOST OUTSTANDING SPECTACLE K-Events, Milan "Venice Carnival"

BEST EVENT FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/S: BUDGET UNDER $1,000 PER GUEST Someone's in the Kitchen, Tarzana, Calif., and SRO Events, Tarzana, Calif. "Shawn Hits the Big 50"

BEST EVENT FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/S: BUDGET $1,000 AND ABOVE PER GUEST Lynn Fletcher Weddings, Calgary, Alberta "For You … Michelle"

BEST EVENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN Vok Dams, Wuppertal, Germany "SEAT Geneva Auto Salon 2010"

BEST THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION Vok Dams, Wuppertal, Germany "International Dealership Porsche Cayenne"

ENTERTAINMENT AT THE GALA CELEBRATION

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET UNDER $20,000 Magic Moments, Norcross, Ga. "Friday Night Lights"

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $20,000 TO $49,999 Warner Bros. Special Events, Burbank, Calif. "WBTV International L.A. Screenings"

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET $50,000 TO $150,000 Hello Florida, Orlando, Fla. "CITGO 100th Anniversary"

BEST DECOR: TOTAL DECOR BUDGET ABOVE $150,000 MGM Resorts Events, Las Vegas "Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas Grand Opening"

BEST EVENT FOR CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET UNDER $100,000 Metzler: Vater, Zorneding, Germany "Red Ball Big Bang"

ENTERTAINMENT AT THE GALA CELEBRATION

BEST EVENT FOR CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $100,000 TO $249,999 Someone's in the Kitchen, Tarzana, Calif. "AMPAS Foreign Language Awards"

BEST EVENT FOR CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET $250,000 TO $500,000 Elias Events, Houston "Let Us Entertain You"

BEST EVENT FOR CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION: OVERALL BUDGET ABOVE $500,000 EventWorks, Los Angeles "Amway China Gala Dinner"

SEE ALL THE GALA NOMINEES

To review all the nominees, click here.

The Special Event 2012 runs Jan. 25 through 27 in Tampa, Fla.

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