I still have to pinch and remind myself that this was an *engagement party*!
Lilly and Abbos’ engagement celebration was truly one for the memory books. Held at Lilly’s family home on Lake Osceola, it was elegant, intimate, and so very glamorous.
When Lilly approached me about planning, she had a few pieces of the event together already. She knew it would take place at her family home, she had organized catering by Arthur’s Catering, and she had a clear vision of what she wanted: a large tent in the backyard filled with chandeliers.
All of which was a resounding “yes” from me! From there, I met with Lilly and her mother, Zohreh, both of whom have impeccable taste, and the planning process began.
So first, let’s set the scene. This party happened to fall on what seemed to be the busiest night in Orlando. Everything was booked, from rentals to hotels to valet services. The DJ we flew in from Toronto? DJ equipment throughout the region was reserved for Electric Daisy Carnival. Hotel blocks for the guests arriving from out of town? We called 15 different hotels before we found space for everyone. And then, just before the big day, a hurricane rolled through. A hurricane. In November! After we had just recovered from Hurricane Ian. We moved heaven and Earth to make this party happen and I am so grateful to both my twenty years of experience and my amazing vendor contacts because we truly pulled it off in the end!
I was also grateful to Lilly’s very brilliant Engineer father. On the day of the party, all of the neighbor’s docks were heavily affected by the storm– but not theirs! Years ago, he had the foresight to elevate his, without which part of our event space would have been underwater!
Back to the design, we have all heard the phrase “bring the outside in,” – our philosophy was to bring the inside out! The family’s beautiful back patio was transformed into a tented reception space which created an indoor-outdoor flow. Guests entered the home where they were greeted with champagne and hors d’oeuvres, before venturing outside to the patio where we placed lounge seating, before entering the tented space for dinner, dancing, and bar.
Lilly’s original vision of multiple chandeliers but even with the largest tent possible for the space, it left limited space for them. So, we created a design pivot that really upped the wow factor– giant baby’s breath “clouds” which we hung from the ceiling. They were installed with a backdrop of string lights and a large crystal chandelier over the dance floor.
We took inspiration from France with long wooden tables and chairs, all lined in white floral arrangements. This was my first time working with The Floral Way and it will certainly not be the last! Their work is truly beautiful.
Lilly and Abbos spent the evening greeting guests and receiving heartfelt congratulations. Could they be any cuter? I could not be happier for this lovely couple.
After posting this evening on my Instagram, I received no less than ten comments swooning over Lilly’s dress. It was a showstopper!
I also believe we should take a moment to acknowledge that Lilly and Abbos’s guests were perhaps the most stylish group of all time! Many flew in from across the country and even internationally to attend and celebrate the couple and *everyone* turned a look for the occasion.
During dinner, Classern Quartet played before they turned the entertainment reins over to DJ Borhan, who was flown in from Toronto for the event.
The joy in the air was truly palpable and contagious as guests celebrated and danced until the early hours.
Credits:
Planning + Design: Lisa Lyons Events
Photography: KT Crabb Photography
Floral: The Floral Way Studio
Lighting: FyerFly Productions
Catering: Arthur’s Catering
Quartet: Classern Quartet
DJ: DJ Borhan
Tent: EventWorks
Rentals: Event Effects
Linen: Over the Top Rental Linens
Valet Service: Elite Parking Management
