Fairies, wisteria, caviar and champagne—that's what a special event is made of. And long hours, hard work, tents and rain gear—that's what it takes to pull an event off. Los Angeles-based Good Gracious Events and a team of production specialists, caterers and designers were the masterminds behind "Life is But a Dream"—a series of five parties celebrating a couple's 50th wedding anniversary that called on every skill in an event pro's toolkit.
The centerpiece event was a dinner for 175 guests at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia. After a champagne reception, guests were led by fairies and flautists to a fabricated wisteria garden, where they sat on custom-made tree tables with log chairs to dine on caviar.
After the wife—clad in her original wedding gown—and husband renewed their vows, guests enjoyed dinner at acrylic tables topped with elaborate flower arrangements. Looking down through each clear tabletop, guests could enjoy their own "floral meadow" designed to blend in with the natural beauty of the setting.
Following dinner, a custom stage show overseen by a famed Broadway director told the told the story of the couple's life. The 60-by-40-foot stage was draped in greenery to blend into the garden setting. After the show, guests entered a pavilion to marvel at a floating dessert buffet featuring "trees" of macarons, bonbon topiaries and endless champagne.
Rain on event day forced the team to tent the huge stage and every single table during set-up. As an added precaution, the team bought dozens of umbrellas and 200 pairs of Wellington boots to protect gusts. But the rain stopped 45 minutes before party time and all the tents could come down.
A dream come true.
Good Gracious! Events 5714 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019; 323/954-2277; www.goodgraciousevents.com
