After a crazy weekend, we can officially say the LifeWorks 16th Annual Academy Awards Gala was a huge success. LifeWorks, with its mission to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success, has been such an inspiration to the Kennedy Creative team. Last year alone, the organization provided aid to over 10,000 children. The Annual Gala is a major fundraiser for them and, Sunday, LifeWorks raised approximately $400,000 that goes directly to further assisting children and families in need. Michael Hancock was honored at the Gala for being a driving force for the last three years. Michael has been instrumental in raising over 1 million toward Lifeworks fundraising effort. In addition to recognition of Michaels efforts, the guests were inspired by Carmela Lucero, a speaker at the Gala. Carmela was a child that was assisted by Lifeworks when she was homeless and had no one to turn to. She has since become a successful student at St. Edwards, a proud mother of two children and an intern at Lifeworks assisting other youth in achieving their dreams.
Guests enjoyed a delicious sit down dinner as the Academy Awards show played on the large screens above the stage. The live auction, kicked off by Brett Barnes’ rendition of “Big Spender,” included one-of-a-kind experience auction items for guests to bid on which turned out to be a huge part of the amazing success in raising money toward the Lifeworks goal. Following dinner, guests were able to further explore the Behind-the-Scenes theme which included three interactive studios on the second floor of the venue, Austin Music Hall: Shakespeare in Love with a photo booth, Fantasia with a caricaturist, and Fame with a Guitar Hero stage. Ilios Lighting, a Kennedy Creative favorite, was one of the sponsors of the event by offering their amazing lighting services. The lighting they provided completely transformed the room and made the decor pop. Other fabuolous companies who truly made the event sparkle include BBJ Linen, who provided the glamorous linens, and Delish, who provided the to-die-for cupcakes and desserts for the Gala.
We had a wonderful time working with this incredible organization, as well as the excellent vendors that sponsored and offered their services to this event.
Tomorrow is a really exciting day for the Kennedy Creative team, the LifeWorks 16th Annual Academy Awards Gala is here! We have had the pleasure of working with LifeWorks to design and produce their 16th Annual Academy Awards Gala.
LifeWorks is an Austin non-profit who’s mission is to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success. This year’s Gala, with a Behind the Scenes theme, will be a fabulous mixture of genuine back-stage props and Oscar-worthy details from the movies Fame, Fantasia, and Shakespeare.
Last year’s Gala, shown in the images below, was so much fun from beginning to end. The partnership between Kennedy Creative and LifeWorks has turned out to be a absolutely outstanding one and we look forward to working with them again!
We are so excited to post pictures from a recent event that was a total blast to design and produce. With only two weeks notice, the client requested a custom design centered around “navigating new waters” and was thrilled when we came up with a pirate theme. The event took place on the 33rd floor of an unfinished sky rise in downtown Austin, giving us a challenging yet interesting space for the design. We brought in our fabulous lounge furniture and light-up bars for a totally modern vibe. Black and white striped linens and pops of pirate-red brought the theme to life. The event included custom lighting, pirate-themed backdrops and props, specialty signage and a 360 degree view of our beautiful city.
Special thank you to Kim Francois Photography for sharing the event photos!
Okay, so we admit… Valentine’s Day makes us a bit dessert obsessed but what’s wrong with a little sugar-rush? Valentine’s Day may have passed but with all the birthdays coming up in the approaching weeks, these cake pops might just take the not-so-figurative-cake. Bakerella.com provides perfect step-by-step directions to create the perfect home made treat for your friends. Just to make sure we are promoting really great ideas, we decided to try this DIY recipe for ourselves (it had nothing to do with how much we have been craving cake). We can say, from experience, they are as easy as they sound. You must employ some patience and a bit of time but these little cake-poppers are sure to please, impress, and delight. Enjoy!
It may be too late to order these for Valentines day, but they are so darn cute we couldn’t resist. Parker’s Crazy Cookies is based in California, but they are willing to ship their goodies – so get excited. After graduating from the University of California, Dave Parker traveled abroad baking for local shops. Upon his return to the States, Dave turned his love for cookies into a business – the birth of Parker’s Crazy Cookies. Parker and crew make totally custom and completely adorable cookies. With a picture and $20 (plus the cost of cookies), they will custom design a cookie to look like just about anything – even you! Don’t take our word for it, take a look at their creative cookies below.
If you’re planning any kind of party this spring, a super cute and festive color scheme we have fallen for is a pink and yellow. This sweet color palette is perfect for a bridal party, baby shower, or anything in between. The combination of the soft pink and bright yellow is a perfect spring-time fit with a flirty flare that can be pretty easy to accomplish.
Pink and Yellow Diamond Desserts [Amy Atlas], Hand Fan [asianideas.com], Yellow Slingback Pumps [Stuart Weitzman], Pink and Yellow Invitation [weddingpaperdivas.com], Pink Lemonade Cocktail [brides.com], Flirty Lace Dress [Betsey Johnson], Yellow Dinnerware [Macy's], Tea Cup Floral Arrangements [projectwedding.com]
Looking for an alternative to a dozen red roses for your Valentine this month? We all know treats and sweets are the way to anyone’s heart and we have some favorites to recommend. We love our local companies and not just for their Austin spirits, they also are some of the best tasting treats we have found yet.
If you’re looking to surprise your sweetie with a delivery, these divine deserts are the way to go:
Mary Louise Butters has been serving Austin for some years now, but more recently the rest of the country has gotten a taste of Ms. Butters’ gooey and self-proclaimed “feisty” brownies because of their promise of efficient and secure shipping. Rachel Ray has referred to these squares of heaven as the “snack of the day” and The Today Show included them in their “8 Best Mail-Order Brownies” list, getting extra points for originality. A box of 6 brownies will cost about $26 plus shipping.
Lammes Candies has been an Austin favorite since 1885 and they haven’t lost any steam. From pralines and toffee to their “Longhorn” clusters and peppermint kisses, Lammes has almost anything your Valentine loves. With gifts starting at only $24, you can get two boxes (we doubt your beau will want to share). The candy boxes can be wrapped, by Lammes, in any holiday wrapping paper and adorned with personal greeting.
If you’re a local Austinite, check out these pick-up only favorites:
Our favorite cupcake shop is Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop on South First Street. Considering ourselves cupcake-connoisseurs, we can honestly say Sugar Mama’s is one of the best. With totally unique flavors baked fresh daily, it’s impossible not to find something amazing. Sugar Mama’s is also known for never taking shortcuts. There is never any shortening, preservatives, or mixes used in these fabulous treats. Even more Austin of them – this bakery is wind powered and they use unbleached chlorine-free bakery boxes. We can’t say enough great things about this little shop (unless they are interested in appeasing a late-night sweettooth, they’re near perfect). The cupcakes run $2.50 each or $27.00 per dozen and it’s well worth the trip.
If you have a Valentine with a hankering for the frozen treats, Amy’s Ice Cream is by far the Austin winner. With 7 standard flavors, daily creations, and seasonal favorites there is something for everyone. While the traditional Sweet Cream may be our all time favorite, we’ve never been disappointed with any of the sometimes cooky flavors. With 14 locations, there is bound to be an Amy’s Ice Cream by you – but we don’t suggest trying to wrap this one, it might get messy.
We were fortunate enough to sponsor a fabulous event here in Austin called the Lakeway Wedding Soiree. The beautiful Lakeway Resort & Spa was only made even more magnificent by the perfect weather, giving the event a breathtaking view. Our lounge furniture was displayed in two large lounge areas with décor and floral design accents by Strong Productions, Brenda Abbott Floral Design, Floral Renaissance and Exquisite Petals. Wedding and Event Planners from Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas attended and were able to mingle while enjoying the fabulous menu by Lakeway Resort & Spa. A gorgeous cake design that emulated the bodice of a wedding dress was created by the always impressive Simon Lee Bakery.
The room was divided into three separate themes….an outdoor chic foyer, a white with orange and fuschia accents theme and a black with silver, green & fuschia accents. This was such a fun event to sponsor and participate in, we look forward to next year!
As promised a few months ago, we are finally posting one of our favorite weddings. Michelle and Mike were not only a totally amazing couple to work with, but their style was completely unique and fantastically glamorous. We also must mention, they were pretty darn smart too because they secured one of our favorite photographers, Jennifer Lindberg, to capture every magical moment of their special day.
The design for Michelle and Mike’s wedding was contemporary with accents of magenta and papaya. Florist Coby Neal emphasized the use of magenta and white orchids, mango callas, apricot roses and colored aluminum wiring to create structural and massive floral designs. Each floral arrangement, particularly the Bride’s bouquet, was absolutely breathtaking.
The ceremony, held at Rough Hollow Yacht Club, included incredible views, artistic floral arrangements, and custom details. As the Bride made her way down the aisle, Divisi Strings played her favorite song by Iron & Wine, “Sunset Soon Forgotten.” After the ceremony, the newlyweds had a quick costume change and arrived at their reception (at the Lakeway Resort and Spa) only to be surprised by their favorite DJ entertainer, Sammy T. Sammy T got the party dancing for the rest of the night with live songs mixed with club and electronica vibes.
At the end of the night, an amazing fireworks display from the Vistas Ballroom balcony offered the perfect closure to a perfect evening.
Thank you Michelle and Mike for including us in your special day!
Planning a Valentine’s Day themed wedding? Red is not only the traditional route for this wedding style, it’s also a color that is totally versatile. This hot hue can be a part of any kind of wedding from modern and edgy to rustic and relaxed. We love red for it’s ability to give a huge amount of color, even when included in the smallest details. It’s also an ideal wedding color because it can be paired with almost any color and look totally fabulous.
The Getaway Car [Martha Stewart Weddings], Red Hot Centerpiece [Tic Tock Couture Florals], Wedding Stationary [Martha Stewart Weddings], Bridal Party Gowns [Stacy Reeves], Red Feather Flower on Clip [Sweettooth Bags], Table Setting [Martha Stewart Weddings], Red Velvet Cake [Houston Wedding Blog], Chair Ties [The Knot], Chambord Margarita [Hostess with the Mostess]
