To aid in the complex choreography, Occasions implemented a system of discreet, colored lapel pins affixed to servers' tuxedos. The colored pins corresponded to color schemes in various gallery areas, providing “an easy way for a supervisor to visually verify that the waiters were each picking up the correct china,” Nielsen explains. Guests making their way through the Corcoran were aided in their efforts by a two-hour cocktail reception — double the cocktail hour at typical dinner events, Nielsen says. The extra time was necessary, though, for taking in the breadth of design schemes in the various galleries, which included everything from contemporary stripes and polka dots to floral-embroidered silk and cherry blossom branches amid a palette of coral and turquoise.

SNEAK PEAK

Having worked on the Corcoran Ball for the past six years — and tapped to handle the event again in 2008 — Occasions recognizes the marketing value of the vaunted gala. “It's great exposure,” Nielsen notes.

But the ball itself isn't the only exposure Occasions enjoys. For the past three years, “We have been trusted to the point where we are allowed to use the setup for this event as a showcase for clients,” Nielsen says. That means the catering firm can use the hours before guest arrivals to take its top clients on a tour of the galleries.

And while the 2007 tour group didn't get to sample the Corcoran Ball's menu, the visitors did enjoy some sumptuous visual treats: “We show our clients all these phenomenal looks,” Nielsen says. “This is not an event we make money on, but the [tour] gives value to us.”