PartySlate Launched in Houston With Custom Indoor Porch Swings, a Lemonade Stand Made of Ice & 150 Top Industry Professionals

by Pamela Rothbard, Editor

On May 29, Houston’s influencers and elite event professionals gathered for an evening of celebration in honor of PartySlate’s official launch in the Space City. PartySlate’s launch events have become the place to be for the event community; the company works with a top-notch team of event professionals to capture the flavor of each city while also offering new, on-trend experiences. The Houston celebration followed suit. PartySlate partnered with the skilled planners at Keely Thorne Events (KTE) to host a welcome event at the chic, party-ready, raw space, The Revaire.

The talented design team at Johanna Terry Events worked with KTE to create vignettes within the large open space to allow plenty of beautifully-curated spots for guests to gather. From porch-style swings outfitted in vines to custom floral-wallpapered nooks festooned with hanging plants — and, in one case, an antique yellow bicycle suspended from the ceiling — the event personified Southern charm. Myers says, “I wanted attendees to feel well treated and like they were at home with every corner they turned. I loved the setup of porch swings and patio and dining room vignettes throughout the venue that recreated the feeling one has when showing up on their grandmother’s porch.” The cozy gathering spots also included Southern design staples like rocking chairs.

The clean, white palette at The Revaire allowed for an infusion of color and pattern in the curated lounge areas, but also bright open spaces for show-stopping additions like the 8-foot long spiked lemonade stand carved from ice by DLG Ice Factory, and etched with lattice and the PartySlate logo. Built-in ice “baskets” held fresh lemons as garnishes for the honey bourbon lemonade cocktails. A sleek white bar featured pretty stools in front of lit marquee letters spelling out “PartySlate” on shelves decorated with flickering ivory candles. Centering the space — and creating perfectly-Southern drama — were three giant custom chandeliers cascading with greenery and Spanish moss.

The clean, white palette at The Revaire allowed for an infusion of color and pattern in the curated lounge areas, but also bright open spaces for show-stopping additions like the 8-foot long spiked lemonade stand carved by DLG Ice Factory from ice etched with lattice and the PartySlate logo. Built-in ice “baskets” held fresh lemons as garnishes for the honey bourbon lemonade cocktails. A sleek white bar featured pretty stools in front of lit marquee letters spelling out “PartySlate” on shelves decorated with flickering ivory candles. Centering the space — and creating perfectly-Southern drama — were three giant custom chandeliers cascading with greenery and Spanish moss.

Furthering the Southern vibe were paper goods from The Essential Market, which included clever on-theme sayings on napkins, like “Southern cookin’ makes you good lookin’” and “Y’all be sweet now.” Throughout the evening, guests perused “Southern Charm Tips” posted throughout the space to learn. For example, Southern Charm Tip No. 59 shared that you should “Give Flowers in a Vase” to prevent the hostess “scrambling for a vase during the party.”

Hungry guests were not disappointed. They were offered a delectable array of international food choices from A Fare Extraordinaire. Myers says, “We wanted to offer an ode to the cultural nooks and crannies of Houston through the food — all the while honing in on good old Texas Southern comfort.” Catering from A Fare Extraordinaire accomplished just that with a variety of Creole, Vietnamese, Gulf Coast, Mexican, and Texan-inspired fare. The Southern food station offered — what else? — honey butter chicken biscuits, as well as cheeky signage proclaiming, “Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.” Under another sign, “As for me and my house, we will serve tacos — Margaritas 24:7” partygoers found delectable TexMex bites. Guests also enjoyed Vietnamese buns, fresh oysters (accompanied by “The world is your oyster” napkins, no less), and baked potato flatbread in mini pizza boxes with PartySlate branding. In addition to the lounge vignettes, the planning and décor teams curated dining areas that felt like home, with tables adorned with linens from House of Hough.

Despite the temptation of the cozy lounges and dining spaces, the Jordan Kahn Orchestra, booked by Gulf Coast Entertainment, got partygoers onto the dance floor. The classic black-and-white checkered dance floor from Mike’s Dance Floor Rentals — who also created a cool logoed stage — was edged with couches so that even tired guests could be part of the scene. We love how the lighting scheme from LG Entertainment & Production lent to the celebratory scene. Song after song, the band, fronted by Kahn himself, had guests singing and dancing along — and capturing the electric performance on their phones.

Other entertaining spots where guests snapped pics for posting were a make-your-own flower crown station — adorned with a sign proclaiming, “I’d rather wear flowers in my hair than diamonds around my neck” — and a Colores Collective monogrammed tote station, backed by a gorgeous installation of bespoke, handmade oversized paper flowers by My Sparkled Life. “KTE and PartySlate are synonymous with luxe events which feature multiple picturesque locales at each event. I felt that all vendors kept this in mind throughout the planning process to ensure that no matter where you were posing for a picture, it was going to perfectly represent the overall aesthetic — not to mention, make those absent envious.”

In addition to all of the informal spots for perfect posing, the soirée featured a custom photo booth from Ham and Cheese Photobooth, which framed guest’s images with a beautiful watercolor-style floral surround. While guests photographed themselves and each other, Chris Bailey Photography turned a professional eye to the scene, capturing every little thoughtful detail and smiling partygoer. Meanwhile, 31FILMS beautifully captured the energy of the scene on film.

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