The catering team at the Royal Park Hotel showcases six top event trends at its eighth annual 'Ballroom Bliss' reception, held last week.
An exciting example of uplighting.
The hotel also showcased the many talents and expertise of their preferred vendors, providing attendees a sneak peek at what their upcoming booked events could potentially look like. The Royal Grand Ballroom was full of glamorous, whimsical and romantic event designs from Violets Are Blue, Purple Clover Events, Floral Designs by Lori, Luxe Event Linen, Blossoms, Blumz by JR Designs, Gerych’s, Crowning Glory and more. Here, a sunny mix of yellow and sparkle for a wedding aisle.
An illustration of one of the Royal Park's top trends: backdrops with dimension.
The outdoor look comes indoors with a pergola over a dining table.
No cookie-cutter event design here--a major thrust of this year's event is a focus on 'personality.' 'Personality is exactly what the brides and grooms are showing this year as they design their custom weddings,' says Susan Keels, the Royal Park's director of sales and marketing.
The drama of a tall centerpiece.
A classic Old World look.
And in contrast, a spiky look.
The white on white table gets new depth.
This table is a mix of textures.
This chair cap adds a twist to the dark chiavari.
A gleaming rectangular table ...
... with its towering floral.
An intriguing floral mix of textures.
A pretty detail on a wedding menu.
And for napkins--here, a napkin ring with bling.
The big hit of the event: the hotel's own custom-built food truck. Who says trucks have to stay outdoors--or even move?
The evening’s biggest hit: the pink and white striped Ice Cream Parlour. Director of catering Janet Englehardt says that everyone is 'screaming for ice cream' this season. 'We’re making it whimsical and interactive while incorporating our Great Lakes state heritage with floats featuring Michigan-made Faygo and Vernors, and profiteroles with Sanders’ hot fudge, scooped by our own authentic soda shoppe characters in vintage white paper hats.'
The beautiful array of toppings. 'With so many of our guests being sworn ‘foodies’, it’s important to make food come to life in a way that focuses on the fun and the experience,' Englehardt says. 'We eat with our eyes first. Pinterest, blogs and the Food Network are hobbies and huge avenues of creative expression for our guests. Colors and how the food is displayed are all related to how it makes one feel, too.'
Beautiful bottles of local soda pop provide their own pop of color.
An elegant wedding cake shows off a top trend: Radiant Orchid, Pantone's color of the year.
A closer view--and it's ombre, too.
Note the subtle texture treatment of each layer of this 'traditional' white cake.
Another personalized element: The 'message' plate.
The event’s multiple beverage stations take the evening to the next level, introducing Tipsy Sorbet, a sippable lemon sorbet cocktail; Fruity Brut Cocktails, the champagne station; Radiant Raspberry and Worldhotels martinis, Happily Ever After and Orange Kiss cocktails, and more. Also new to the beverage scene: the Lemonade Stand, with options ranging from strawberry lemonade to cucumber mint infused water.
Guests also indulge in the French Fry Station, featuring Canadian poutine and both classic and waffle cut fries with an assortment of dipping sauces served in newspaper cones. The Gourmet Mac & Cheese Station is another crowd pleaser, presenting three types of macaroni and cheese with a variety of toppings for guests to customize their creations.
'We are thinking out of the box, upping the ante,' says Royal Park Hotel executive chef Colin Brown on the hotel’s new artfully passed appetizers. 'Our miniature pipettes are filled with surprises. It’s about being interactive--the guest has to do a little bit of work to enjoy the offerings.'
The hardworking catering team dons paper hats to suit the vintage ice cream parlor theme.
