Blog

I am so excited about our first ever Wedding ,Event & design  Showcase! Our entire Designer Affair team has been working hard bring you New York and New Jersey’s premier Event Specialists.

Join me on Tuesday, March 13th from 6 – 10pm at (you guessed it) The Brownstone in Patterson, New Jersey.

Looking forward to meeting and inspiring you.

Cheers!

Click here Learn more and conveniently purchase your tickets through PayPal.~ Dina Manzo

I am so excited to let you know that Designer Affair is hosting it’s first ever Wedding and Event Showcase. My team and I have been working hard to bring you New York and New Jersey’s premier Event Specialists.  You will have the opportunity to meet and speak with the ‘Dina’s Party’ (on HGTV) Team and a few of my favorite and well respected colleagues from Stuffed Cupcakes of Nutley, Creatively Engaged and Dazian Fabrics.  Our collective goal is to share our talents and creativity to leave you truly inspired for your next big affair!

Join me on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – 6:00 to 10:00 pm at (…you guessed it) The Brownstone 351 W. Broadway, Paterson, NJ. Admission for Guests is only $25.00 for On-line Purchases and $30.00 at the Door.

Bring your friends and join us for an fun-filled memorable evening.

Cheers!
Dina Manzo

Click here for more information and on-line ticket purchase.

Tis the season for over-the-top Christmas trees, flashing lights and Sparkle!! And I don’t just mean our very own Kenny Sparkle, but Designer Affair’s favorite decor accessory, Glitter!!  My team and I had the pleasure of outfitting NYC hotspot Lounge 48 in Winter Wonderland decor for HGTV’s Holiday soiree.  It was such a magical evening, illuminated by the breathtaking decor and talents of our vendors and my team

Diana’s 50ish Birthday Bash was hot, hot, hot, reaching a Saturday Night Fever pitch. Diana Ross is a very close friend of mine and not only shares the same name with one of music’s biggest stars, but also the singer’s love for the fabulous life in New York City. From inside the doors of the exclusive Studio 54, to the streets of America’s most luxurious shopping spot, 5th Avenue, we bring you inside Diana’s head to let loose and enjoy the party!

Diana loves to get down on the dance floor and actually used to win competitions with her husband, so we thought it only appropriate to invite guests to boogy woogy inside NYC’s most famous nightclub, Studio 54, aka, Studio 50ish. To create the celebrity crawling club we first laid down an LED dance floor, courtesy of Base Entertainment Group, www.basedjs.com. This dance floor was programmable to recreate the quintessential disco feel with blinking lights-think John Travolta in his white suit.

To accent the dance floor and create an all around disco haven, we added a variety of illuminating features, including illuminated high top tables, a two-piece bar, and two projected silhouette dancers hanging on the back wall. We rented these elements from PBG Events, www.pbgevents.com. The silhouette screens hung in front of an LED blinking backdrop from Dazian Fabrics,www.dazian.com. To brand the room, we added two final touches, a BoGo light that projected Studio 50ish on the wall and, the real party starter, the music, both of which were provided by DJ Paul Knox and his team at www.soundconnectdj.com. The disco ball chandelier was created by Kenny with a hoola hoop and some fishing wire suspended from the their existing ceiling fan.

Diana adores Audrey Hepburn and the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s so we had so much fun conceptualizing the movie into party decor. The obvious color choice for this room was tiffany blue. To drape out the room, we bought a bunch of fabric from the fabric district, for about $8-$10 a yard, in all different hues of blue. We dressed each cocktail table we different linens and chair covers from Wildflower Linens (www.wildflowerlinens.com) and Cloth Connection (www.clothconnection.com) to give each setting a different personality, bringing variety to the rooms decor.

I designed beautiful floral centerpieces, which broke up the blue in the room with fresh white flowers that traveled down the glass like a waterfall. Jamie from Anna Rose Floral Design, www.annarosefloral.com, in North Haledon NJ arranged the exquisite, eye-catching flowers. I then added pearls, tiaras and diamond sprays to add that touch of Tiffany.

The black and white silhouette that hung on the back wall, was to emulate people looking through the Tiffany window. Henry at Unique Designz, www.uniquedesignz.net, really pulled through in a pinch to help get us these posters on time and they were a great contrast to the room.

Across the street from Tiffany and Co. was another 5th Avenue window with the famous looks of all of Diana’s favorite Icons including, Princess Diana, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and the disco queen, Diana Ross. We wanted to bring in authentic pieces from the decades these women were at their celebrity peak, so we went to South Paw Vintage, www.southpawvintage.com, right off 7th Avenue in NYC. They have so many beautiful pieces from every decade! This was a popular feature of the party, having a piece of history in the room. I created the look of beautiful fashion inspired table linens by using a simple satin clothes with various tweed and houndstooth fabrics on top finished with leather and sequin belts adorned with vintage broaches as buckles. All the fabric and trimmings were purchased at Joanne fabrics.

While the party was underway, we had two very special surprises for Diana…Audrey Hepburn and Liza Minelli, of course. Gigi Monroe, played the Studio 54 regular to a T! He looked just like Liza, Halston jumpsuit and all. It was so wonderful to watch the look on Diana’s face when we introduced her to these legendary women. Impersonators are an interactive way to engage guests and make them feel like there in the company of the actual star. Find Gigi Monroe on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GigiMonroe.

The Brownstone, www.thebrownstone.com, provided a huge spread for the party. From pasta to chicken to salad, it was important to keep the guests energized so they could dance all night long with the birthday girl. We also had some of Diana’s Brooklyn favorites delivered especially for her!

Before last call we sang Happy Birthday to Diana with a specialty cake donned with the famous images of Diana’s favorite ladies. Christine at Design Cakes, www.designcakes.com, decorated this “iconic” cake that created a huge buzz amongst guests.

Last but not least it took only one trip to Homegoods to get all of the new furniture and accessories I needed to give Diana her dream Ladycave and bathroom oasis. I started with that beautiful Ralph Lauren bedding and went from there. I was so happy to give her a new vanity area and a place for her to sit and write in peace away from the day to day chaos of everyday life. She is a great woman who does so much for others so it felt really good to do this for her…to me, she is THE Diana Ross!!

Xperience Outreach, www.xperienceoutreach.com is a non-profit organization founded by NBA great Allan Houston and International Children’s Foundation Founder, Richard Mahler. This organization was “created to ensure that all the most recognizable championship level sporting events offer alternative events that reinforce positive, healthy values”. In August, Joumana Kidd kicked-off the newest Xperience Outreach collaboration with the 2011 World Police and Fire Games, and we were on-hand to help bring awareness to the foundation and, of course, throw a championship size event.

We were challenged with this event to create a high-end soiree for Joumana’s VIP guests, while still staying true to the root of the organization with sports inspired décor. So…. get your head in the game, while I give you an exclusive play by play of how we brought it all together!

Guests were welcomed into the backyard by a giving-tree, which is a unique way of acquiring donations. Contributors pull a leaf from the tree and meet the suggested donation price. In the case of Xperience, donations would contribute to any element that makes the organization possible, from transportation for the kids from and to events to lunch during their outings. We even gave a donation from Dina’s Party and sponsored the catering for the upcoming 9-11 events. The giving tree was specially made my our carpenter Joe from wood and was a gift for Xperience Outreach.

Just beyond the entrance, was the pool area. Here, guests were invited to sip cocktails besides the glimmering water. To draw attention to this beautiful, natural element of the backyard, we placed pin-spot lights along the pool. This illumined the water that we filled with basketballs, baseballs, tennis balls and soccer balls to add to the theme of the event.

On the patio area, In Thyme Catering , www.inthyme.com set up their beautiful spread of food. Having the food at the highest point of the party invited guests to explore the whole backyard space. Enjoying each element. In Thyme impressed the guests with not only their food display, but also the delicious flavors of their fare.

Making their way down to the main tent, guests encountered bright yellow day beds. This created a lounge area for guests to relax and mingle. We rented these from Jersey Street Furniture Rentals,www.jsfrental.com, and draped yellow fabric though the frame. This acted as a second party space outside of the main tent and for eating. We pulled some gorgeous pillows from my pillow extensive pillow collection to add that pop of color that tied in the gorgeous colors of the fabric on the bistro tables.

Arches led Joumana’s guests down to the party tent. We wanted them to feel like they were coming out onto the field through a stadium tunnel. Once outside the arches was the main event, a large tent for all the guests to mingle, dance and dine. Set on the level area of her yard, we erected a clear-top tent. This way, guests traveling to the main tent could see the excitement from the elevated deck and pool space.

All the décor elements inside the tent tempted guests to let loose and celebrate the wonderful mission of Xperience Outreach. From LED uplighting, to globes decorated as different sporting balls, to the dining tables and a dance floor, PBG Events, www.pbgevents.com, helped us create the perfect environment to bring the guests together for a great cause.

The flower centerpieces were so intricate. They were made to emulate the various sporting balls, like basketballs, baseballs, and tennis balls- all made out of flowers. They sat high above the tables, creating eye-candy for guests as they scanned the room. The beautiful, fresh flowers were arranged by Anna Rose Foral Design in North Haledon NJ and our very own, Kenny Sparkle.

Guests were moving and grooving all night to the popular sounds of DJ Cubby Bryant of New York’s radio station, 103.5 KTU. It was such an honor to have him DJing at the event; he was so sweet and fun. Cliffhanger Productions, www.cliffhangerproductions.com also provided entertainment for the attendees with interactive games of basketball and football.

A wonderful contender in the fight for the guest’s favorite décor element was the LIVING bronzed basketball statue by Ten 31 Productions. Everyone was so enamored by how much the man looked like real bronzed carved artwork. Ten 31’s statues are so authentic, they fool everyone! You must search them out, www.ten31productions.com.

Surrounding the tents were various lounge areas for guests to rest their feet and enjoy the company of other minglers. Chris Liconti of M2M Media Productions, www.m2mmediaproductions.com, was kind enough to provide the white leather furniture that was donned with the Xperience Outreach logo. The white furniture created a Miami style cool and calm environment.

Devotion Vodka, a protein-Infused Vodka, was the evening’s liquor sponsor. The popular mixologist, Martini Mark, concocted so many delicious cocktails for Joumana’s guests and had them sipping savory drinks all night. Get a taste of the new Vodka at www.devotionvodka.com.

Park East of Hazlet, NJ provided the upbeat, on-point wait staff and bartenders. They were great fun and very professional. They are available for you next soiree, just visit www.park-east.com.

Stuffed Cupcakes scored tons of point with their end of the evening treats. They’re always a game clincher. You must try, www.stuffedcupcakes.com.

We were so grateful to be able to work with Joumana for this very worthy cause, my favorite events after all are those that give back.

The Hamptons not only is MY favorite summer escape, it’s the ultimate place to enjoy all that is natural. From fresh flower marts to the small shops in Sag Harbor to the quite sounds of the ocean, I absolutely love everything about this NY shoreline. I was so excited to show my team its splendors, most of them are Jersey shore peeps, so this was exciting for me!

The social scene contributes a great deal to the Hamptons experience to most, so it was only appropriate to assist Socialite Devorah Rose, Editor-In-Chief of Social Life Magazine, in hosting her “Midsummer” soiree. Devorah was so used to planning big parties with decor consisting of only a step-and-repeat & some magazines, so I wanted to show her how to create an intimate affair that allows her to connect with her guests amongst beautiful natural décor.

The backyard of the home had tons of open space, but lacked the beautiful flowers and plants that are synonymous with the hamptons. So we called on The Laurel Group of Watermill, NY to help us give the space a facelift with hydrangeas, black eyed Susans, and beautiful ceramic garden accessories.

The Laurel Group was so gracious to allow us to film in there store and I was able to get so much inspiration from walking through. I pulled so many fabulous items to bring life to the home’s living area. The mermaid above the fireplace and the adjacent underwater art by local artist Eric Striffler created an ocean serenity in the room, welcoming the guests in to relax while mingling and sipping cocktails. Next time you’re in the Hamptons area, you must stop by The Laurel Group, get a preview at www.thelaurelgroup.com.

In creating our dining areas I wanted to keep it organic and open, so we formed a long communal table that not only created a large foundation for an amazing tablescape, but also allowed for conversation amongst the guests. Same was so with the cocktail tables and highboys we placed on the lawn and lower patio area. Guests were invited to this gathering to mingle, and the seating areas welcomed them to do just that. We dressed the tables with a bright striped linen, which was inspired by the colors of the wild flowers, as well as burlap, which is used for both decor and functionality in the shops and homes in the area. All of these items were delivered by Party Rentals, ltd. They are a provider for a number of events in the Hamptons, but can be seen all throughout the Tri-state area, visit them at www.partyrentalltd.com.

We took the guests for a ride with the lounge swing we placed near the bar area. Our friends over at Dodds and Eder, located at 11 Bridge Street, Sag Harbor, NY, were gracious enough to allow us to rent the swing for this soiree. I imagine such places as The Hamptons, with beautiful views of the ocean and landscape, be viewed from a porch swing, so I thought it only appropriate to have one on-site for guests to get great views of the party. And it was fun! Find Dodds and Eder online at www.doddsandeder.com.

The most precious part of this party was the animal canal. I’ve worked with Last Chance Animal Rescue for many years now and wanted to introduce Devorah’s guests to the local organization. Having them as a feature not only brought awareness to the rescue, but engaged the attendees and sparked conversation. Guests were playing with the dogs and cats and some were falling in love. Our own Design Assistant, Corinne, adopted the the newest addition to her family, Nora, the day of the party! It was so rewarding to see Nora find a new home, and we get to see how she’s doing all the time-see picture below! Please contact Last Chance Animal Rescue when your on the search for your next pet! www.lcarescue.org.

This show was actually taped the last week of my month long retreat to Sag Harbor, so I spent the entire 3 weeks prior to the party shopping for props (and watching the sunset of course) I picked all of the tablescape containers by hand, everything from shells, Mason Jars to that HUGE silver love cup. Flowers and produce from Pike Farms, www.pikefarms.com, a local produce-mart located in Sagaponack added that beautiful pop of color found in nature. We were lucky enough to film in their flower field and take in the sights and smells which only inspired me more. I made sure to have all of those natural scents incorporated in the table design with the use of lots of herbs like Basil and thyme. We set the table with finds from local shops as well. Raffia chargers, disposable bamboo dinner plates, linen napkins and of course nautical rope to act as napkin rings. We finished of the setting with small mason jars to enjoy that perfect summer lemonade.

How adorable was that mini beach? The idea of creating a “beach in a box” was a perfect way to bring that sandy clam bake to our event. My sister cookie along with our carpenter Joe repurposed the space into a mini herb garden for Devorah to enjoy long after the party was over. I’m sure she’s enjoy that for years to come!

This party for Devorah and her guests was absolutely beautiful and it was bitter-sweet to return home. I hope you all enjoyed it and felt like you were back amidst the summer breeze.

Until next week…..

Here are two videos from our favorite DJ, DJ Paul Knox.  http://soundconnectdj.com/team/paul/

The video below is a compilation of behind the scenes photos of the Moroccan Party we threw for Alyssa and Mark.

This second video is some behind the scenes photos from the premiere of Dina’s Party, and it’s Cookie’s Birthday too! Check it out!

One of my favorite decor pieces from the Moroccan party, that wasn’t on the episode, were these fabulous camels. When we purchased them at HomeGoods these were bright orange and frankly, we thought they were a bit too much. So, we decided to jazz them up a bit with some gold spray paint and a beautiful bright glitter.

We started by laying newspaper down to control the mess. We used an inexpensive spray paint from Michaels Craft Store and generously sprayed the whole camel, even under the belly. We then painted glue around the hump of the camel with a half-an-inch brush. Lastly, we rolled the camel in a beautiful rainbow glitter we also purchased at Michaels.

The finished product- these beautiful blinged out Moroccan camels perfect for any middle eastern inspired party!!

We have traveled to so many wonderful places in the first season of Dina’s Party: Vegas, San Francisco and even the Wild West; but nothing quite compared to the colors and culture of Morocco!

For  Alyssa and Mark Hall’s 6th Anniversary we took them on a magic carpet ride right into a Moroccan dream with beautiful tents, illuminating lanterns and all the tastes, sounds and traditions of Morocco’s rich culture.

The vibrant colored tents were a special delivery from Raj Tents in California. The tents created an automatic flow for the party and housed the main elements to the event: the dance floor, the hookah bar, and the sweetheart lounge. The detail on these tents were beautiful and they authenticated our Moroccan excursion. Visit www.rajtents.com to view all their Moroccan inspired tents.

The oversized circle chairs acted not only as additional seating for guests, but two great focal points around the bar area. The bamboo bar blended in so nicely with the organic backdrop of trees and hanging lanterns. Rentquest provided all these elements as well as the colorful umbrellas that helped in creating a cohesive moroccan paradise. Rentquest has so many exclusive rentals, find them online at www.rentquestnyc.com.

We had so many great accessories for this party. From hand-painted wood tables to hand-stitched carpets, bright colored poofs, pillows and brass table tops, we had so much fun recreating the sights of Morocco. Both rental companies, Moroccan Prestige of Jersey City, NJ and Imports from Marrakesh from Hoboken, NJ, had wonderful assortments of authentic Moroccan decor. There was so much to choose from, so we were particular on what we selected based on the Hall’s backyard space and the scenes we were looking to create. Imports from Marrakesh, www.importsfrommarrakesh.com, and Moroccan Prestige,www.moroccanprestige.com, were two key vendors to bringing my vision to life. Believe it or not most of the smaller accessories came from my favorite place to escape… HOMEGOODS!

The hookah bar had actual, functional hookahs for guests to enjoy while partying, offering them real tastes of Morocco and the eastern culture. Benny and his crew at Moroccan Prestige were on hand to assist and even educate the guests on how to correctly smoke a hookah. There were so many delicious flavors, everyone was tempted to try. A hookah bar is such a unique element to the evening and can easily be arrange for your next affair by visiting Benny at www.moroccanprestige.com.

As I’ve mentioned throughout the blog, color is such an important part of the Moroccan culture, so we just couldn’t get enough. To bring new life to the tents and sitting areas we placed these luxurious pink and blue linens throughout by way of draping, hanging, and laying. These linens from Amita at International Mercantile, added the perfect pops of color throughout the party. Check out more of this company’s product at www.brass4u.com.

Rose water has such an important place in Moroccan culture, offered to guests as a symbol of hospitality, so roses for the event’s flower was the perfect choice. We created bunches of the orange roses, red roses and yellow roses we purchased at Morningside Florist in Haledon, NJ, and placed sporadically amongst the decorated areas. I got creative with vases, using large colorful glass pieces and even lanterns, both of which we purchased at Home Goods for an amazing price. Find Morningside at www.morningsidegreenhouse.com.

Amira Mor’s seductive belly dancing was the perfect entertainment for the guests. The original middle eastern music she brought, got the guests excited to dance and just let loose. She engaged the audience and was an awesome surprise for the Halls. Amira was so beautiful inside and out. Book her through www.amiramor.com.

Henna Artist, Ambreen Rab was on hand to treat guests to a little wearable art. The women were so excited to take part and kept them coming back for more. Ambreen was so talented, search her on facebook.

When selecting the menu for this party, it was important for Cookie to not only touch on the many flavors that exist in Middle Eastern cultures, but the foods that have now transitioned into American Culture. The Brownstone’s culinary range made them the obvious choice, from hummus to figs, to baba ganoush and kefta, guests were partying and dining in true Moroccan fashion. The Brownstone always gets it right, no matter the affair, visit them at www.thebrownstone.com.

Maureen at Stuffed Cupcake always impresses us with her creative cupcake interpretation of our events. The cupcakes had a bite of Moroccan spices and were decorated with bright colored icing and edible accents. Stuffed Cupcakes are always the perfect treat for guests. Contact Maureen at www.stuffedcupcakes.com.

The guests were partying into the wee hours of the morning, thanks to DJ Paul Knox. They were breaking it down on the dance floor all evening and took breaks here and there just to eat or stop of at the hookah bar. This crowd was so fun and really embraced the excitement of Morocco, making this one-trip we’ll never forget! Contact DJ Paul at www.sceeventgroup.com

My dress for the event was purchased at Calypso in the Hamptons! Speaking of Hamptons, tune in to next weeks Dina’s Party to see my Hamptons!

Stay-at-home moms, Denise and Pam started their collection of handmade jewelry and accessories, Oak Lane Designs, earlier in the year and we were honored to help them throw a launch party to celebrate their joint venture. The key to the parties decor was pulling from the beautiful, vintage elements of the collection and enhancing the room with the rich hues of fresh flowers and antiques.This party was not only the first episode we shot of Dina’s Party it happens to be my favorite. I adore the vintage feel and the ladies were so grateful for our help. Be sure to visit them at www.oaklanedesigns.com to check out their line.

To create an old world feeling we rented amazing furniture and props from Props for Today and Olde Good Things, both located in NYC. The mirrors, tables, couches, and chairs created the perfect ambiance we needed to change the room and create a great flowing party. Find them at www.propsfortoday.com and www.ogtstore.com. I could spend hours a day in both, prop houses are a perfect place to get inspired for just about any event.

My good friend and Florist extraordinaire Grayson from Prudence Designs created the amazing flower arrangements throughout the room, we share a love of that worn weathered vintage feel so I knew he would be perfect for this event. How gorgeous is his line of gowns by the way? Find Grayson and his team at www.prudencedesigns.net.

How incredible were those invitations? Don’t forget that invitations set the tone for your event. The small oak trees that held the hand made invitations were created by the very talented florist, Michelle from MDS Floral Designs, located in Manahawkin, NJ. Visit her at www.mdsfloraldesigns.com.

The printed invites were from an awesome paper store, Parcel in Montclair www.shopparcel.com. We personalized them by burning the edges to give them that antique feel, attached them to our recycled screen door oak leaves and once in the mini oak tree we had them hand delivered to their guest. Can you imagine the surprise when not only are you invited to such a special event but you have this wonderful arrangement too!

The wow factor in the entrance was so fun to create. The large oak tree was the perfect element to welcome guests into the party. We found a great assortment of real and artificial foliage from American Foliage and Design Group of NY. Visit them online www.Americanfoliagedesign.com. I then added gilded oak leaves, purple uplighting and crystals to make it really magical. Add some gorgeous models in amazing vintage inspired gowns modeling the jewelry who is our guest of honor for this event and you’re all set!! We hired models from Axis Models and Talent. They also walked amidst the guest, wearing Oak Lanes jewelry and hair accessories. A perfect way to show potential buyers how the pieces look on. Learn more about Axis at www.axismodels.com.

The beautiful textured linens that created an eye-catching table-scapes were from Wildflower Linens and Cloth Connection, two of our favorite linen rental companies. Visit Wildflower at www.wildflowerlinens.com  and CC at www.clothconnection.com. I chose burlap mixed with lush satin and delicate lace to create that vintage feel. We even had some custom made out of antique fabric finds, everything from old napkins to a wedding gown. I added vintage broaches to add that extra special focal point to wow the guests.

We chose to display some of their accessories WITH the food which I normally don’t like to do but I really wanted the guest to see every detail! The food was pretty good looking too! Palermo’s Bakery created the delicious and equally appealing cupcakes, which were decorated to mimic the broaches in the Oak Lane collection. Check out their talents at www.palermobakery.com.

The Brownstone in Paterson, NJ never leaves our guests hungry and always tantalizes the taste-buds with their delicious menu. Contact them to cater your next event at www.thebrownstone.com.

Musician Robin Filippone set the mood with her smooth jazz sounds. Explore her musical talents at www.robinfilippone.com.We always like to add interactive element to their evening, so we called on Smash Entertainment for the retro cigarette girls and Charlie Chaplin impersonator. Find them at www.smashpartyentertainment.com.

I had so much fun building the work room for these ladies, I couldn’t see them make this beautiful jewelry off of their sons ping pong table for one more second!! Our Carpenter Dave did an amazing job using recycled oak wood to create this space. It was actually therapeutic for me to organize all of their antique finds and fabric. Terry Fisher from Closet Gallery in Medford, NJ helped find some of the vintage finds that accessorized the ladies new work space. What better to organize vintage finds than an antique sewing box? The rest of the accessories I found at good ol Homegoods! Most of my clothes on the field trips were from Coco Boutique, check them out here www.cocoanexperience.com. The military jacket that everyone went gaga over was by Yoana Baraschi. The Jeans were Joe’s Jeans and my boots were by Tori Burch. The gorgeous vintage inspired dress I wore for the party was by the amazing Angel Sanchez. The necklace was by Juicy and the shoes were Jimmy choo.  Till next week xoxo