Party Like a Rock Star

When A-listers like Elton John, Star Jones Reynolds and J. Lo throw shining shindigs, be it for a birthday, wedding or perfume launch, they turn to celebrity party planner David Tutera. If you haven’t yet seen Tutera’s touch, simply turn on the TV (to Discovery Channel’s Party Planner with David Tutera), open any lifestyle magazine (Cosmo, InTouch Weekly or Star) or browse the bookstore (his third book, The Party Planner, hit shelves earlier this year). His work is everywhere.

Including Atlanta. In fact, the New Yorker recently orchestrated a birthday bash for Atlanta resident Elton John’s partner, and he frequently travels to A Town. Tutera said that while every region of the county has its unique style of entertaining, Atlanta is known for (no surprise here) its southern hospitality.

“I know it’s sort of trite by saying that, but it’s true,” he said. “I think that [Atlantans] have a wonderful social grace with their guests. It isn’t just about throwing a fabulous party. It’s about making sure everyone is comfortable from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.”

And if anyone knows what a party is all about, it’s Tutera. During his 21 years of party planning, he estimates he has planned nearly 2,000 events, including Jennifer Lopez’s Still fragrance launch, two official post-Grammy parties in New York City, and private parties for Barbara Walters, Kenneth Cole and the Rolling Stones. Tutera also is a regular guest on ABC’s The View and TBS’s Move And a Makeover.

Though Tutera has been planning parties for more than two decades, he is never short on ideas. That’s because he draws inspiration from unexpected places: art museums, theater and traveling. He explained that like a play, a great party needs a healthy dose of drama.

“It isn’t too far fetched to think that a good host is like a choreographer, director, producer or casting director,” he said. “Your guests are your cast of characters, and you choreograph your party with the theatrics of a beginning middle and end. It’s very dramatic. And if it’s dramatic, it’s memorable.”

While Tutera takes some party-planning cues from the stage, fashion trends play a bigger role in how he plans events. He often takes colors, patterns and textures from the fashion world and adapts them to party planning. “You translate fashion by color. You translate fashion by the way a party should feel, whether it’s heavy and dark or light and airy,” Tutera said.

Tutera has somewhat of an advantage by living in New York, which is home to some of the world’s most well-known designers and to Fashion Week. “People in the party world tend to be about four seasons behind. By the time it influences the look of a party, it’s already a season of fashion that’s two years old,” Tutera said. “I immediately go for what’s in now.”

While he is famous for creating cutting-edge celebrity parties, some of which cost nearly $200,000, Tutera has a few tricks up his sleeve for Atlantans who want to throw second-to-none holiday soirees that won’t break the bank. For starters, make sure the party appeals to guests’ five senses: Sumptuous food and drink are givens for tastes and scents. For sound, choose upbeat holiday music. Decorating with traditional shades of green, red and white, or frosty hues like light blue and silver, will appeal to guests’ sight. And for touch, Tutera recommends using textured fabrics like velvet and faux suede to drape across a tables, chairs or mantels.

“With the five senses, if guests collectively experience them all at one time, they’re experiencing a great party,” Tutera said.

Here, Tutera reveals more party-planning pointers.

INVITATIONS

All great parties start with a great invitation. Armed with some supplies from the nearest crafts store, anyone can create eye-catching invitations that hint at festivities guests can anticipate.

Tree Ornament Invitations

Supplies: Styrofoam balls, decoupage glue, tissue paper cut into squares, Christmas tree hooks, small mailing boxes in which to send the ornaments

How to assemble: Adhere brightly colored squares of tissue paper onto the Styrofoam balls using decoupage glue. Attach one tree hook into each ball. Print invitations with the text: “Here’s a holiday decoration for you home. Come join me for my holiday celebration.”

Icy Invitations

Supplies: loose jewels in silver, white and light blue; panel cards; glue

How to assemble: Using a computer and printer, print invitation text in the cards’ center. After printing, glue the jewels around the edge. “These have a glitzy, festive, icy look,” Tutera said.

A HOSTESS GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

A host’s job is to make guests feel welcome and comfortable. As a guest, bringing a small gift that allows the host to do his or her job is most welcome. Wine is a safe choice, but for something more creative, Tutera offer this sweet solution:

M&M Wreath

Supplies: large Styrofoam wreath; red, green or blue ribbon; green cellophane cut into 4” x 4” squares; custom red and green M&Ms (from www.mymms.com) printed with a festive phrase.

How to assemble: place a small pile of M&Ms into each cellophane square. Tie the squares with ribbon. Attach the bags of M&Ms to the wreath so it is covered with candy packets. Place a large bow on the wreath and give it to the host. “That can be a gift that they can put on their front door,” Tutera said. “And as people leave their party, they can pull off a packet of M&Ms and have a little favor to take.”

MENU DOS AND DON’TS

“Often people think that food for the holiday season needs to be meatier with lots of dressings and sauces,” Tutera said. “It’s fine for a sit-down dinner, but things need to remain light when entertaining. When you’re entertaining on a larger scale, you want the food to be light so people don’t get tired.” To that end, Tutera recommends that party planners:

Do use recipes that call for ingredients representative of the holiday season, like pumpkin, turkey and cranberries.

Do serve warm soups and hot ciders.

Don’t serve all the food at the beginning.

Do create a change of pace with food and beverages by serving a different specialty drink or hours d’oeuvres every 30 minutes.

Don’t stock a full bar.

Do serve specialty drinks. Doing so allows guests to experience new drinks and keeps the host’s expenses down by not offering a full bar. Specialty cocktails can include a champagne drink, vodka drink and hot cider drink (See Creative Cocktails).

DÉCOR DO’S AND DON’TS

Remember fashion when decorating the event site. For instance, Tutera said, “consider the style of fabrics for your tablecloth or elements you’d use to decorate your Christmas tree, with color, fabrics and texture.”

Don’t forget about the sense of smell when decorating. Fill the air with fragrances like cinnamon, cloves and peppermint. Inexpensive scented candles strategically placed throughout the event site allow mild aromas to permeate the air. Be careful not to overdo it, though.

Do consider decorating with textured fabrics that guests can’t refuse to feel, such as velvet, faux suede or fur.

Do trim a tablecloth with a brightly colored, fluffy feathery boa for a “naughty Santa” look.

Don’t go overboard with expensive trinkets and decorative pieces. Instead, choose a holiday-themed object and use it in abundance. Spill rock candy (available in bulk from candy stores) onto silver trays for an icy effect. Hang smooth glass ornaments, or drape strings of plump cranberries throughout the location. Hook red-and-white striped candy canes all over the Christmas tree.

Do create contrast. Mix design elements with different textures to wow guests. Try filling large, tall cylindrical vases with alternating layers of chunky, white rock candy with slick, round, red cranberries. Continue the contrasting theme from room to room. Use these as table centerpieces arrange them on a mantel.

Do use bouquets of ragtime amaryllis, a bold, red flower that blooms in December, in floral arrangements. Place the stems, which can reach 20 inches in height, into water-filled vases. Wrap a wide, red ribbon around the center for a dazzling centerpiece.

Creative Cocktails

(Excerpted from The Party Planner by David Tutera)

To sweeten the spirit of a holiday soiree, try serving these specialty drinks:

“Passionate Pink Christmas”

1 ounce Alize Red Passion liqueur

Moet and Chandon champagne to fill

Star fruit soaked in pomegranate juice (to color red) for garnish

Pour Alize liqueur in a champagne glass. Add champagne and garish with star fruit slice.

“Elfin Magic”

5 ounces warm hard apple cider

1 ounce Southern Comfort

Green candy cane for garnish

Pour warm cider into a glass mug. Add Southern Comfort and garnish with a candy cane. Add a splash of spiced rum.

“Snowy Cosmopolitan”

1½ ounces Belvedere Cytrus vodka

¼ ounce triple sec or Cointreau

¼ ounce white cranberry juice

¼ ounce lime juice

Apple for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients, shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an apple slice cut in the shape of a snowflake.