WPCNR'S THE REAL DEAL By  The Wedding Jeannie, Jeannie Uyanik. December 9, 2007: As the time for holiday hullabaloo rolls around yet again, as event planners, we have a particular onus to appear wildly creative at our own annual events.   Using the same dishes and linens that we wowed guests with the year before just would not do and we are fortunate that the über genius creators of Bardin Palomo (www.bardinpalomo.com) have found a solution for us. 

By far, our pick for 2008’s Best Entertainment Idea is awarded to Robert Palomo for his creation of Party in a Box.  Available in limited edition until next spring, when the full line will be launching, Party in a Box will include the following, depending on which box and price point you select: Candles, Stemware, Tablecloth, Vase, Napkins, Napkin rings, Coasters, Flowers.  The ingenuity of this idea can be applied in many ways and customized for luncheons, picnics, large or small dinners, cocktail parties and other in-between events!  

The packaging is as fabulous as the concept, following the thematic design of what’s inside each box and it ties in perfectly with the contents that have been cleverly arranged.   With the unwrapping of each box, you appear to have both the flair and budget for a new setting at every party and keep guests on their toes from event to event.  The only drawback; we invite a lot more people over than we used to since it’s so easy to score compliments time and again.  While we would have preferred to keep this secret under wraps, we know it will get out sooner rather than later.  It’s the perfect holiday gift and an excellent way to surprise the person who has everything. 

So this year, instead of spending so much time trying to figure out how to rearrange the furniture so that the setting looks different, order the Party in a Box and let the décor do the moving for you.

If however, you still need a helping hand with the comparatively small details of food and drink, the team at FEAST Caterers (www.feastcaterers.com) would be the perfect companion for Party in a Box.  Located in Washingtonville, New York, Peter and Patrick, the proprietors of FEAST are able to travel extensively for large and small holiday events, providing everything from the food and drink to the staffing and cleanup.  But if you are going for a smaller affair, call early to book as their small-event staffing is limited during the holiday season.    Our most recent event with them was at the New York Public Library, so their ability to awe does go beyond more intimate events but this holiday season, in conjunction with Party in a Box, your own home will out do any historical monument – although, did you know that you can do weddings near the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island? 

We will have more on some of the most unusual venues at which to throw an event next week, but until then, get your holiday plans in gear.  Whatever you decide to organize, start early, make lists and get those invitations out fast.  People’s schedules for the holidays are 75% fuller than they are at any other time of year!