Event Spotlight: Celebrating A Trip Around the Sun with Hollywood Glitz & Glamour
Not all birthday celebrations are created equal, and when you’re responsible for throwing an unforgettable bash for your Mom’s 60th birthday celebration, you better go all out! So when a long-time client of ours asked us to help her throw the party of the summer for her Mom’s milestone birthday, we couldn’t wait to add it to our calendar.
The guest of honour is a woman of many interests – a classic film aficionado, lover of high fashion, worldly traveller, and more; so her daughter chose perhaps the most fitting venue in Vancouver for the birthday bash: the Vancouver International Film Festival Centre. With a video wall display and tall, floor-to-ceiling windows, the atrium lobby was flushed with natural light as we transformed the space into one reminiscent of old Hollywood – glitz & glamour, red velvet tablecloths, gold details, and classic movie posters (with the birthday girl’s face photoshopped in!). Guests arrived dressed to the nines and were invited to have their photo taken against a beautiful red velvet backdrop, while our team passed trays of bubbly champagne and bite-sized servings of cucumber cups, French gougères, and seared scallops around the room.
Following the cocktail hour, our client had a special surprise in store for her mom. Taking advantage of the venue’s state-of-the-art theatre, guests were led into the main screening room, with a box of Savoury City treats in hand, for a surprise awards show performance. The guest of honour was entertained with Oscar-worthy speeches from her closest friends, funny awards presentations, and more, while our team was behind the scenes preparing for the next surprise of the night.
With all the guests inside the theatre, our team had 50 minutes to complete a room flip and prepare the atrium for dinner. We worked closely with our client to design a menu inspired by the honouree’s travels, setting up five grazing stations with dishes from some of her favourite destinations: Brazil, France, Israel, Italy, and Ukraine.
After the performance, guests emerged from the theatre to a fully transformed room and were greeted with tables full of beef tartare, Northern Divine caviar, smoked salmon, Brazilian-style flank steak, and more. The highlight, of course, was the gnocchi bar, where our team of chefs cooked up hot bowls of potato gnocchi, sautéed with olive oil, fresh greens, and Parmesan cheese.
Guests enjoyed beautifully-plated platters of international delicacies, while a live band encouraged the whole room to step up on the dance floor and show off their best moves.
As the sun set in the distance, everyone was once again led back into the venue’s impressive theatre room – this time with bags of popcorn from the concession stand for the final event of the night: a Mamma Mia screening and sing-along! It was truly an evening no one in attendance will ever forget.
At Savoury City Catering, we love working with our clients to create the perfect menu to make your event unforgettable. Learn more about our custom private event catering services, or contact us to request a quote.