What a party! The 2009 ISES Capital Awards Gala that you've been hearing us yack about for the past few weeks was held Sunday, March 29th at the new Party Rentals warehouse in Laurel, Maryland. D.C.'s biggest event industry event of the year was, true to form, an amazing party!
Guests were welcomed into cocktails by a rock violinist standing above the crowd on an industrial lift and dined on fun hors d'oeuvres and cocktail pairings like shrimp on skewers atop a mini margarita or a pig-in-a-blanket with a shot of beer. Steve Dunn and Ric Marino of Well Dunn Catering provided the amazing food for the event and really outdid themselves with creative presentations and great flavors (and plenty for vegetarians like me)!
Following cocktails, guests filled bags of flavored popcorn (kettle corn, chocolate, caramel, theatre style) from big metal pails and were escorted into a tent for the awards ceremony. A live band, Nation, courtesy of Elan Artists played on stage throughout the awards. Although another event won for best wedding, Sara represented Engaging Affairs so well with her amazing wedding. The winning event had an elephant trotting down Constitution Avenue. It's hard to compete with an elephant. All I know is that next year all of our events are going to have at least one exotic animal. "The bride processed in on an emu" has a nice ring to it!
After the awards ceremony, guests were led back into the warehouse by a large gospel choir. The Pink Ball featured interactive stations with an open kitchen format serving a range of cuisines, from Asian noodle bowls to retro American fare. Cupcake towers and a chocolate buffet with everything from mini chocolate milkshakes to brownies to chocolate sundaes made to order topped off the culinary experience. I am very proud that I only ate one cupcake. Three or four Cosmos but only one cupcake. Restraint has to start somewhere!
The decor, provided by Capital Decor, featured lots of pink and hip, retro details. Funky, multicolored chandeliers hung over sleek lounge furniture while long, narrow tables were mixed with metal bars for guests to sit at. This true warehouse ball used industrial details like uplit stacks of pink, plastic glass racks as decor. All equipment and linens were provided by Party Rentals and the cool furniture was courtesy of Room Service.
Guests were entertained by the fabulous, high energy band, The Source, from Elan Artists and aerial artists swinging and contorting high above the crowd. Roller girls in pink hot pants circulated through the dancers and human statues posed above the bars. I was so glad that I didn't wear my pink hot pants and roller skates, too. Wouldn't that have been embarrassing? For those not inclined to dance, there were casino games throughout the warehouse.
As if there wasn't drama enough with boys in skin-tight pink unitards on the bars, the evening ended with a dramatic fireworks display. Kudos to Wendy Raab and Kelly Jenkins for planning an amazing party, and congratulations to all of the Capital Award winners! Thanks to Juan Carlos Briceno of Fotobriceno for the great photos!
Laura
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