Does planning a traditional seated dinner seem so five minutes ago? Then you'll love how New York caterer Olivier Cheng shows us how to transform any space into a modern, sleek, sparkly, and superhip event. Choosing cool hues, dramatic lighting, and creative food stations (instead of standard tables), you're guaranteed to make your own party an urban legend in its own right.
The bar is the focal point of this celebration. Use a faux-lizard metallic cloth to drape over the table and hang a decked-out mirror over the bar. White calla lilies in blue vases add a touch of color. Cocktail glasses and decanters of Technicolor juices act as design elements, while curtains of silver beads frame the scene. Mirror frame, James Mansour. Glassware, silver plate champagne cooler, serving bowls, and Python Glamour tablecloth, all by Tri-Serve Party Rentals, triservepartyrentals.com.
The easiest way to transform a neutral nook into a chic and comfortable party zone is by filling it with (rented) posh pieces perfect for a penthouse. Part 007, part plush Deco, this look is created with leather swivel chairs, velvet couches, silvery coffee tables, and one striking chandelier. Add masses of votives to cast a warm glow and a fresh Gerber daisy pillow for a Pop touch. Votives, chandelier, and U-shaped table, all by Cyrus Company, 212-226-2364. Pillow by Dane Kalloo, 718-886-4738.
Pitchers filled with Technicolor juices offer guests a non-alcoholic alternative. Pitchers, Tri-Serve Party Rentals, triservepartyrentals.com.
Use plastic, lighted drink cubes in place of standard ice, to add some sparkle to your cocktails. Lighted drink cubes, available at LiteCubes, Nexus Promotions, nexuspromotions.com.
Blue Sapphire, anyone? A white-jacketed waiter serves these cool blue drinks. Acrylic tray, in various sizes and colors, Canal Plastics Center, canalplasticscenter.com.
Luminous libations for a glow-for-it gang include Blue Sapphire Fizzes (which get their signature hue from Blue Curaçao liqueur) and an Emerald (made vibrant with Midori liqueur). Click here for recipes. TKTK Glassware, Tri-Serve Party Rental, triservepartyrentals.com.
Ditch the dishes and serve nibbles in martini glasses stacked for theatrical effect. Place edibles in transparent bowls and set in blocks of ice. For an extra dose of downtown drama, the tables are lit from below. Custom-created ice designs, Ice Fantasies, Inc., icefantasies.com.
The menu includes: black bass seviche with mango and jicama, Maine lobster salad with fava beans, frisée, and passion-fruit vinaigrette, and shrimp seviche with avocado, seared beef tenderloin and Bloody Mary granita.
Maine lobster salad gets dressed to the nines with fava beans, frisée, and passion-fruit vinaigrette.
Comfort food takes a turn for the hip with mini truffled grilled-cheese sandwiches, stacked on top of Lucite trays.
Carrot cardamom soup tastes as bold as it looks in these minimalist glasses. Glasses sit in an iced platter. Custom-created ice designs, by Ice Fantasies, Inc., icefantasies.com.
Lobster daikon summer rolls with ginger-lime sauce echo the color-on-clear theme of the décor.
Seared sea scallops with saffron aioli are easy for servers to pass—and impossible for guests to pass up.
Rosemary-skewered lamb bites, served with mint chutney, offer a bit of tasty flair.
With a nod to Pucci, this wedding cake takes on an effervescent personality thanks to its sparkler-style topper. To create this shimmery shower of light, have your cake designer create a hollowed-out opening in the top tier and insert a plastic tube. Lower a small flashlight into the space, then cover it with a fiber-optic ornament. Cake by Martin Howard Cakes, martinhowardcakes.com. Fiber-optic cake topper, part of UFO Lamp, available at Oriental Trading Company, orientaltrading.com
