Emmy dinner guests enjoy a luminous evening CHERYL CECCHETTO, owner and president of Culver City, Calif.-based Sequoia Productions, knew she had a lot of work coming when she was chosen for the third consecutive year to produce the Emmy Awards Creative Arts Dinner and the Governors Ball.
"The first time you do an event for a client, it's like a discovery," Cecchetto says. "The second time, you're reinforcing what you can do. The third time, you have to outdo yourself."
The Creative Arts Dinner, held in the exhibition building of the Pasadena Conference Center in Pasadena, Calif., took place two weeks earlier than the Governors Ball, held in early September at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. "It's important that all of the people attending the parties feel equally important," says Inna Poncher, president of Los Angeles-based Poko Event Productions and coordinator of decor elements. "People in the entertainment business have been to every major event there is. We wanted them to walk away saying, `Wow, I've never seen that before.'"
To accomplish this, Armen Seveda, president of Pasadena-based Ethos Design and art director of the dinners, created 100 "lightbox" tables. Covered with translucent lucite, the silver powder-coated, sheet metal tables were lighted from underneath through diffused amber gels.
Enhancing the look was a preset first course of lobster salad, from a menu created by Joachim Splichal of Los Angeles-based Patina Catering, that was set upon clear dinnerware from Unique Tabletop Rentals of Bellflower, Calif. "When the people came out and the preset course was there, lit up from underneath, the response was overwhelming," Poncher says. Regal Rents of El Segundo, Calif., provided the chairs and other rental equipment, while Showpro of North Hollywood, Calif., handled the lighting.
Cecchetto notes an increase in the number of post-Emmy parties. "When these parties get great, your biggest challenge will be a competing party."
Stone Mountain, Ga.-based event management company Nth Degree has promoted Scott Bennett to vice president for western regional sales. Michael Clarke has been hired as the director of eastern regional sales, and Chris Garcia has joined the company's Santa Clara, Calif., office as managing director. Call the headquarters office at 800/621-7233, 404/296-5282; Web site: www.ndegree.com. n Laura Holycross, wedding coordinator for Los Angeles-based Distinctive Events, has been hired as design adviser for Lifetime channel's new weekday television series "Operation Style." Call 877/626-4186, 310/826-4186; Web site: www.distinctevents.com. n Stuart, Fla.-based Premier Party Rentals has hired Ellen Trainor to head its Jupiter, Fla., office. Call 561/745-0999; Web site: www.premierparty.com. n Marc Carol Dupuis has joined Sensix Communications and Events in Montreal as account executive, and Barbara Kaminer has been promoted to creative director. Call 514/739-2309; Web site: www.sensix.com. n Joining Coast Special Events' new headquarters office in San Jose, Calif., are Georgianna Sasmore as event producer and Craig Zarczezny as project manager. The address is 3097 Moorpark Ave., Suite 102, San Jose, CA 95128. The new phone number is 408/244-9700. Web site: www.coastspecialevents.com.
Marley Majcher has created The Party Goddess, a Pasadena, Calif.-based party planning company. The address is 556 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Suite 256, Pasadena, CA 91105. The phone number is 626/449-9932.
Air Dimensional Design has moved to 14141 Covello St., Building 1, Van Nuys, CA 91405. The new phone number is 818/988-9901. The toll-free number remains 800/680-8823. Web site: www.airdd.com. n Jomar Table Linens has moved to a new manufacturing facility. The address is 4000 E. Airport Drive, Ontario, CA 91761. The new toll-free phone number is 866/390-1444. n Kinetic Event Productions has moved to 1470 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90035. The new phone number is 310/286-7198. Web site: www.kineticeventproductions.com. n Total Event Resources has moved to 1613 Colonial Parkway, Inverness, IL 60067. The phone number remains 847/963-1448. Web site: www.total-event.com.
In Memoriam Adele "Ducky" Firnberg, died in September. In 1970 she and her late husband, Bob, became leaders in the Dallas party rental community when they created Ducky-Bob's Party Rental, specializing in rental equipment for special events. Today, Ducky-Bob's Cannonball Party Rentals is under the Stellar Event & Presentation Resources umbrella.
Sumptuous and exotic, these pillows and table runners will add a Moroccan flavor to your next event. The all-cotton pillows and table runners are available in two styles: Mojo and M'ocean. The fanciful Mojo style features hand-embroidered mirror accents and is available in natural, yellow, green and sky blue. M'ocean pillows and table runners have applique fabric with a wavelike pattern and are available in natural, yellow, blue/green and indigo. The pillows are 18 inches square, and the table runners are 72 inches by 13 inches. Call Irwindale, Calif.-based Golden Holidays at 877/946-3224 or 626/303-0083 or visit its Web site (www.goldenholidays.com).
Who says you can't control the passage of time? With Santa Monica, Calif.-based UV/FX's Outdoor Scenic System, scenes painted on Flex-Face vinyl and lighted with ultraviolet light can appear as though the hours have shifted from day to night. Other custom-painted styles available with the system are Dual Image, allowing one image to appear under normal lighting and another to come into view with UV lighting; Complete Invisible, introducing an image where none was before; and 3-D imaging. Call UV/FX at 310/392-6817 or visit its Web site (www.uvfx.com).
"The Meeting Planner's Guide to Simultaneous Interpretation," published by Miami-based MFM Group, is now available. The free guide explains the difference between "simultaneous interpretation" and "translation," the methods simultaneous interpreters use during international meetings and the technical equipment required to assist interpreters. It also provides event-related hints such as "In the advance promotion of your meeting, publicize the availability of simultaneous interpretation" and "Allow sufficient space for [interpretation] booths in meeting rooms." Call MFM Group at 800/814-6548.
