After a nearly three year hiatus of industry gatherings, The Globe and Mail Centre pulled out all the stops when they opened their doors to industry professionals to join them at The Regency Ball this past week. From the time I received the stunning invitation in the mail created by Paper & Poste, I knew this event was going to be extra special. From the gold foil on thick, black cardstock to the fancy wax seal on the envelope, the invite did a fantastic job of setting the tone for what was to come.
The evening was full of opulence and mystique. It was such a great feeling to be out there reconnecting with the event industry once again and seeing so many familiar faces. Needless to say, The Globe and Mail Centre is the perfect venue for a soirée of this magnitude, providing a clean slate that can truly be transformed to match anything your imagination can conjure – not to mention a view of the city you simply can’t beat! The grandeur of the space was immediate from the moment you enter – from the rich velvet curtains and tall trees, to a massive floral archway – strolling through the space felt truly magical. It was evident that many talented vendors came together to create a space that was inviting, luxurious, and fun. A huge thanks to the ultra-talented team at Purple Tree Wedding Photography for all the stunning captures.
Artam Design Inc. created an exquisite décor theme using tones of gold, hunter green, and black. To elevate the look, velvet and gold furniture from the team at Detailz Couture Event Rentals along with rich velvet draping from Eventure Design were used throughout. Opening Night Flowers certainly didn’t hold back either – large scale floral arrangements were everywhere: adorning the tables, in every corner of the room, and even hanging from the ceiling. Reznick Event Carpets provided the checkered floor vinyl and Victorian-era rugs to really complete the look. The G&M team even wore era-appropriate outfits to tie it all together thanks to Theatrix Costume House!
The event served as the perfect sandbox for in-house AV provider EPiQVision, showcasing some stunning lighting options as well as a giant screen focal-point, projecting an ethereal image straight from the 1800’s. The DJ was spinning fun tunes and mixes that were putting everyone in a party mood. All together it created quite the vibe!
Globe and Mail CEO Phillip Crawley thanks all the guests and VIPs for their attendance
The food and beverage was just incredible and I was blown away by the sheer volume of delicious food at this event. So many amazing passed canapés by the staffing team at DGS Events circulated the room all night – from steak tartare, oysters, boquerones and mini soup shots, the list went on! Each caterer had their own stations set up with so many mouth-watering choices: Food Dudes served Winter Salad and Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding; Presidential Gourmet offered Beef Wellington and Smoked Arctic Char; and McEwan Catering served up Duck Confit with Truffled Cauliflower Puree. Event Rental Group provided the gold gilded cutlery, helping to take the aesthetics of the food to the next level.
The bar was a huge hit with drinks being mixed and poured to order by the team at Cocktails & Dreams. I started my evening with a speciality cocktail “Tale As Old As Time” – a delicious combination of vodka, hibiscus rose syrup, rose water, lychee and lemon juice. Then moved onto “Royal-Tea”, a gin based drink with earl grey tea syrup and grand marnier. Wine and Beer were also plentiful, with thanks to Wine Lovers Agency and Brunswick Bierworks. Dessert was a massive hit with many circulating around the room – my favourite being the creme brûlée doughnuts. My sweet tooth kicked in and I tried the miniature chocolate cheesecakes, apple cake, coconut cream pies, trifle, macarons, and the list goes on! All equally delectable, I felt spoiled by the sheer amount of delicious food available throughout the evening.
This event promised to pull out all the stops and it certainly delivered – it was an evening fit for royalty! I really appreciated re-connecting with industry peers in such an impressive space, especially after the incredibly busy year we’ve all had. A heartfelt thank you to The Globe and Mail Centre and all the vendors who worked so hard to pull this one off! I have no doubt it will be an evening to be remembered for a long time to come.
