PartySlate Marks 3rd Anniversary with Chic Chicago Celebration
On Friday, November 9, several hundred tastemakers, event professionals, and friends gathered at the industrial modern Venue West Chicago to féte PartySlate’s third anniversary and its Co-founder and CEO, Julie Novack’s milestone birthday. The event celebrated PartySlate’s continued rise to become the go-to resource for event inspiration, party venues, and top local event professionals. From weddings to galas and Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations to corporate parties, the platform has quickly amassed more than 300,000 inspired photos from event professionals in 43 states and 12 countries.
Jodi Wolf of Paulette Wolf Events planned a soirée filled with gorgeous spaces for gathering, lounging, and dancing. The contemporary Venue West was a perfect setting for the swanky-chic aesthetic conjured by Erin McDonald Co. The team created a luxe emerald green and copper palette with black and gold accents.
Over-the-top gorgeous florals included hydrangea, roses, orchids, mums, and more, in dreamy updated fall colors of amber, butterscotch, copper, umbers, yellow, russet, soft ivory, and whites. The blooms were elevated on six-foot open gold and copper risers and were illuminated by golden uplighting for maximum drama. Event designer Erin McDonald tapped Luft Balloons to create an installation that organically flowed from the ceiling and provided an elegant emerald focal point over the cocktail area. Guests were encouraged to don black — Novack’s favorite wardrobe shade — which added to the stylish city vibe.
Jordan Kahn‘s Taylor Pace Orchestra from Dallas kept guests entertained with a nonstop setlist of crowd-pleasing and dance floor-filling tunes. An oversized bar, perfectly located between the dance floor and lounge area, served party-goers Big Machine Vodka cocktails, a selection of Terlato Wines, and ice-cold bottles of Corona Extra and Corona Light.
Gathered around tall cocktail tables festooned in glam gold and black sequin linens from La Tavola Fine Linen, guests enjoyed passed hor d’oeuvres from J & L Catering. Bites included mouth-watering short rib egg rolls with horseradish cream dip and delectable bruléed figs with pistachio and goat cheese. Three food stations offered fare from the catering teams at Chicago’s top restaurants. The iconic Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse offered mini filet sandwiches with maitre d’ butter on house-made buns, as well as Sea of Cortez shrimp served on a stunning custom ice tower. The Sunda New Asian sushi station served six different crisp, fresh rolls, including the “tail of two tunas” roll with spicy yellowfin tuna and walu, pickled jalapeño, and fried shallots. RPM Steak curated an enticing spread that included burrata & fig crostini, dry-aged steak burgers, and Sardinian gnocchi with Caciocavallo cheese and black pepper.
The fun soirée was well-documented by Kent Drake Photography, who beautifully captured the amazing décor, delectable food, rocking entertainment, and black-clad guests. Meanwhile guests captured — and printed and texted — silly moments at the TagPrints Digital photo booth against a custom PartySlate backdrop.
Evening revelers were treated to late-night hot dogs from Chicago’s much-talked-about The Wiener’s Circle and yummy bars and pops from the Pretty Cool Ice Cream cart. And just as the band played their last few notes, DJ Kareem of Flow Entertainment entered the dance floor. He kept guests hopping with energetic tunes and his equally-energetic stage presence. VIP Valet Service returned vehicles and hailed cabs for tired party-goers at the end of the epic evening.
Already a strong presence in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles, this year PartySlate officially launched in New York and San Francisco and will be welcomed into Palm Beach later this month. Next year, the company is poised to launch in seven more cities, including Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boston.
event planner PAULETTE WOLF EVENTS
design/decor/floral ERIN MCDONALD CO
photographer KENT DRAKE PHOTOGRAPHY
venue VENUE WEST CHICAGO
caterer SUNDA NEW ASIAN
caterer RPM STEAK
caterer GIBSONS BAR & STEAKHOUSE
caterer J&L CATERING
balloon decor LUFT BALLOONS
entertainment FLOW ENTERTAINMENT, INC
entertainment JORDAN KAHN MUSIC COMPANY
treat cart PRETTY COOL ICE CREAM
late-night bites THE WIENER’S CIRCLE
valet V.I.P. VALET SERVICE INC.
cocktails BIG MACHINE VODKA
beer CORONA EXTRA & CORONA LIGHT
wine TERLATO WINES
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