P R I V A T E P A R T Y

50th Anniversary Celebration

A garden-themed dinner party at the New York Historical Society for legacy clients

Witness the dramatic transformation of the New York Historical Society when Hurricane Ophelia decided to descend on Connecticut. In 24 hours, we pivoted from an outdoor venue at the clients’ home to an indoor one in NYC. We made it happen thanks to our incredible relationships with extraordinary vendors.

Event Challenges & Goals

T H E B I G G E S T C H A L L E N G E

Five days before the event, Hurricane Ophelia began its path to Connecticut. 24 hours before the event was to take place, it was clear that it couldn’t take place outdoors, and we were forced to pivot to a venue in NYC - on the busiest wedding weekend of 2023.

T H E B I G G E S T C O N C E R N

Parking and travel logistics for 200 guests proved challenging, as on-site parking wasn’t available. Additionally, the client’s backyard needed to be equipped to handle 200 guests - including the installation of tenting, restrooms, and a full, gourmet kitchen.

T H E C L I E N T’ S G O A L

The #1 priority of the client was to create a space that felt warm and welcoming for their 200 guests. Though the event would be outdoors, the clients wanted their guests to feel as if they were being welcomed into to their home.

The Solutions We Provide

Design & Production
Food & Beverage Management
Venue Sourcing
Management & Staff Support
Entertainment Management

Strategic Planning & Full-Service Design and Production

To tackle the parking issue, we collaborated with a nearby school. Guests were to arrive at the school address, and we arranged to have shuttles from Empire CLS running every two minutes to transport guests to the front door of the client’s home.
To make the guests feel welcome to the client’s home, we transformed the client’s foyer into the reception area and spirited the guests through the home and out onto an X sq ft. deck we built on the immediate back lawn overlooking the water.
We worked with the client’s gardener to adjust the landscaping to allow ample space for a Sperry dinner tent large enough to accommodate 200 guests, plus a band and dance floor. We also worked with a local rental company to install a gourmet kitchen for the caterer.
When it became apparent that the weather would be a major concern, we secured a meteorologist from Ironic Reports to watch the storm and make predictions about its path, as well as recommendations about whether or or we were safe to proceed.
The moment the clients gave us permission to pivot to the City, we were on the phone venue sourcing for a new venue. Within hours, we had secured the New York Historical Society, redirected the creative team, and notified the guests of the new location.
We worked with Larry Walshe Studios, Drape Kings, and various rental companies to bring the same garden theme to the New York Historical Society by creating a lattice pattern out of the draping and hanging greenery from the venue’s ceiling.