This was THE special event for the summer of 2009…it sold out faster than a rock concert, and featured Chicago’s newest and most innovative meeting and event ideas. This VIP event was for event and meeting planners and DMC’s to showcase the Best of Chicago aboard the newly renovated Anita Dee II cruise ship each level had a different theme filled with music, specialty drinks, food, prize giveaways and goodie bags for everyone!

The event was produced by HeresChicago.com, Anita Dee Yacht Charters, and Industry Elf Marketing.
Live music entertainment was provided by http://www.upbeatmusicproductions.com 

Photography and Video was provided by Joanna Kozek View photo gallery at http://gallery.joannakozek.com/g/the_…

Here is a complete list of all the producers, sponsors and exhibitors who really brought this event to life:

http://www.hereschicago.com
http://www.anitadee.com
http://www.industryelf.com
http://www.upbeatmusicproductions.com
http://www.brazzaz.com
http://www.eskape.us
http://www.uspokerseries.com
http://www.flowersbyarrangement.com
http://www.statestreetentertainment.com
http://www.celebrationauthority.com
http://www.edventurepromotions.com
http://www.hardrockcafe.com
http://www.lsav.tv
http://www.cubbybear.com
http://www.jewelleventscatering.com
http://www.jandlcatering.com
http://www.cateredbydesign.com
http://www.benmahoneyproductions.com
http://www.bespokecuisine.com
http://www.designereventchicago.com
http://www.jazzbandchicago.com
http://www.upbeatjazztrio.com

Hereschicago.com reaches the desktops of meeting and event planners annually searching for Chicago event production companies, Chicago event producers, Chicago Meeting and Event Sites/Locations and Chicago Meeting Service Providers.

Visit Hereschicago.com for your next meeting or event in Chicago

M&M is one of the premier providers of event services in the country.  Our full-service Environment Design department carries an essential collection of tables, chairs, linens, serviceware, event furniture and tents.  In addition, M&M offers an in-house Design Studio for customized theme elements, floral pieces and branded platforms.   Our Strategic Services team delivers the extra level of service to any planning process at any stage. Product launches, sales meetings, incentive programs, employee recognition functions, as well as Weddings, Mitzvahs, Anniversary and Sweet 16 parties, virtually any kind of live event can be managed at M&M.

Our customers primarily consist of Corporations, Country Clubs, Hotels and other event venues, Caterers and Food Service, and Charity Accounts, as well as a steady stream of social clients planning their important life celebrations.

Business History

In 1982, Michael and Marcia Berk established M&M Parties, primarily an event planning entity catering to social and corporate clients.

In April of 1992 they expanded services and purchased Naperville Rental, primarily a homeowner tool rental store with some party rental business in the western suburbs of Chicago. They operated out of a 1,500 sq ft store front with a 2,000 sq ft annex for storage and cleaning of the party rentals. They shared the upstairs bedroom as a general office with the bookkeeper and 3 person outside sales team. A 6’ Santa Claus was stored in the bath tub!

In 1994, M&M purchased Party Plus in Elmhurst, Illinois from Taylor Rental mostly for their extensive inventory of tenting and party rental equipment. The business was moved to a 10,000 sq ft warehouse for our party rentals.

In 1995, M&M added 10,000 additional sq feet of warehouse, office and showroom space in the same building.

In 2000, M&M moved to its primary location a 43,000 sq ft showroom, office and distribution center in Carol Stream. The team grew to more than 60 full time event professionals.

In 2006, Rick Luckow and Eileen Boone, the owners of The Party People, a theme décor and floral company joined M&M as our Creative Director and Senior Producer bringing their following of customers and expertise to the M&M team.

In January of 2008, Bonnie Hansen Rybicki joined our team as V.P. of Strategic Development with the intention of helping our business evolve into a fully integrated event planning, production and rental supplier to the industry.

M&M The Special Events Company Description of Business

M&M is one of the premier providers of event services in the country.  Our full-service Environment Design department carries an essential collection of tables, chairs, linens, serviceware, event furniture and tents.  In addition, M&M offers an in-house Design Studio for customized theme elements, floral pieces and branded platforms.   Our Strategic Services team delivers the extra level of service to any planning process at any stage. Product launches, sales meetings, incentive programs, employee recognition functions, as well as Weddings, Mitzvahs, Anniversary and Sweet 16 parties, virtually any kind of live event can be managed at M&M.

Our customers primarily consist of Corporations, Country Clubs, Hotels and other event venues, Caterers and Food Service, and Charity Accounts, as well as a steady stream of social clients planning their important life celebrations.

M&M The Special Events Company Unique or Innovative Approaches

Michael Berk asked himself, why would people utilize M&M when there were already a number of good companies in the market supplying equipment rentals, linens, flowers, décor, lighting, tenting…?

He decided to create a company that would provide a comprehensive approach by providing ALL of these elements from a single location, all utilizing the efforts of a experienced and well trained group of company employees who could help fashion the best end result for the client using the broad array of products and services as opposed to being fully dependent on any segment and being better equipped to satisfy the clients wishes, time frame and budget.
“With the economy slowing down, some companies with a $50,000 budget for an annual event might have to scale back their parties this year, but with us, they might still be able to get that $50,000 party for $30,000.” Berk says. “That’s because we’re a one-stop shop. Some of these companies have to contract with four or five people to get everything done, whereas we have the staff to handle it all for one price.”
G. Customer Service

The biggest piece of feedback that M&M gets from clients about their customer service is how responsive and flexible everyone is.  The M&M Team knows that events can be plagued by the little details falling through the cracks and then the mad scramble to try and remedy the problem before the guests start showing up.  M&M has decades of anticipating these types of snafu’s and jumping to help when the unexpected inevitable arises.

Naperville entrepreneur Cindy Shanholtz, who runs her own event planning business, Effortless Events, raves about the last-minute service from M&M. Shanholtz said she has called on them at least 100 times.
“The M&M people are a team effort who work together and are all about customer service,” she said. “… When I’ve called on them at the last minute, they’ve never let me down.”

Shanholtz said that once she was an event planner for a funeral. The meal service afterward was her responsibility, but a family member of the diseased “dropped the ball on ordering the furniture rental.”
“It was 10 o’clock at night, and I sent an e-mail to M&M so at least they would see it first thing in the morning since we needed the stuff that day,” Shanholtz said. “The next morning, I called M&M at 9 a.m., and they told me not only did they get the order, it had just left three minutes ago on the truck.”
H. Community Involvement

In the past M&M has worked with such organizations as the National MS Society, The United Jewish Defense League, the Gateway to Cancer Research, Naperville Garden Walk, Naperville Ribfest, The Edward Foundation , The Chicagoland Aids Foundation, and the Illinois Catholic Women’s Association, among many many others. Each group is given a very generous discounting of all of M&M’s equipment and services to support their cause and keep their event costs to a minimum. 

M&M routinely donates to community groups and houses of worship.

In 2008 M&M implemented an internal program for recycling paper and plastic to do our part to reduce waste.

M&M The Special Events Company Unique or Innovative Approaches

Michael Berk asked himself, why would people utilize M&M when there were already a number of good companies in the market supplying equipment rentals, linens, flowers, décor, lighting, tenting…?

He decided to create a company that would provide a comprehensive approach by providing ALL of these elements from a single location, all utilizing the efforts of a experienced and well trained group of company employees who could help fashion the best end result for the client using the broad array of products and services as opposed to being fully dependent on any segment and being better equipped to satisfy the clients wishes, time frame and budget.

“With the economy slowing down, some companies with a $50,000 budget for an annual event might have to scale back their parties this year, but with us, they might still be able to get that $50,000 party for $30,000.” Berk says. “That’s because we’re a one-stop shop. Some of these companies have to contract with four or five people to get everything done, whereas we have the staff to handle it all for one price.”

M&M The Special Events Company Customer Service

The biggest piece of feedback that M&M gets from clients about their customer service is how responsive and flexible everyone is.  The M&M Team knows that events can be plagued by the little details falling through the cracks and then the mad scramble to try and remedy the problem before the guests start showing up.  M&M has decades of anticipating these types of snafu’s and jumping to help when the unexpected inevitable arises.
Naperville entrepreneur Cindy Shanholtz, who runs her own event planning business, Effortless Events, raves about the last-minute service from M&M. Shanholtz said she has called on them at least 100 times.
“The M&M people are a team effort who work together and are all about customer service,” she said. “… When I’ve called on them at the last minute, they’ve never let me down.”

Shanholtz said that once she was an event planner for a funeral. The meal service afterward was her responsibility, but a family member of the diseased “dropped the ball on ordering the furniture rental.”
“It was 10 o’clock at night, and I sent an e-mail to M&M so at least they would see it first thing in the morning since we needed the stuff that day,” Shanholtz said. “The next morning, I called M&M at 9 a.m., and they told me not only did they get the order, it had just left three minutes ago on the truck.”
H. Community Involvement

In the past M&M has worked with such organizations as the National MS Society, The United Jewish Defense League, the Gateway to Cancer Research, Naperville Garden Walk, Naperville Ribfest, The Edward Foundation , The Chicagoland Aids Foundation, and the Illinois Catholic Women’s Association, among many many others. Each group is given a very generous discounting of all of M&M’s equipment and services to support their cause and keep their event costs to a minimum. 

M&M routinely donates to community groups and houses of worship.

In 2008 M&M implemented an internal program for recycling paper and plastic to do our part to reduce waste.

Contact M&M The Special Events Company for your next meeting, wedding or event.

Special Event Planning by Otis Productions

At Otis Productions, we custom create special parties given your specific event, desired location, and audience. We believe that effective event planning requires a blend of creativity, attention to detail, strategic planning, and experience.

Otis Productions transforms ideas into spectacular productions to help you entertain, inspire, and inform your audience. From start to finish, we plan and manage:

Bar Mitzvah
Corporate/association meetings 
Corporate parties
Corporate Golf Outings
Product introductions
Award presentations
Fund-raisers
Theme parties
Public image awareness campaigns
Picnics
Conventions
Trade shows
Weddings

We handle every detail from site selection and negotiations to stage entertainment to décor and costuming to music and specialty acts to food and beverage.

Chicago Speakers’ Bureau by Otis Productions

Otis Productions also maintains an internationally recognized speakers’ bureau offering you a wide variety of well-known lecturers, seminar hosts, and celebrities for informative, entertaining, and educational presentations. We help you determine appropriate speakers given your event, audience, and objectives. In addition, we manage all negotiations and contract details on your behalf.

Chicago Destination Management by Otis Productions

Otis Productions provides comprehensive destination management services to ensure that your guests enjoy themselves. We can coordinate all details for you and your group from prepared itineraries to private tours. Our services include:

Site selection and hotel accommodations
Meet-and-greet services
Air and ground transportation
Registration services
Welcome packets
Room gifts and giveaways
Unique, off-premise venue selection
Tours, workshops, and city outings
Sporting events
Foreign language guides and translators

Production Services by Otis Productions

To round out your event, Otis Productions offers complete production services to keep your audience engaged and to make your event memorable. As part of our production services, we:

Develop concepts and ideas
Write scripts and speeches
Handle staging and room decor
Coordinate lighting, sound, video projection, and technical support
Design and execute speaker support slides, multi-image productions, film, and videotape
Coordinate live business theater incorporating performers, music, original lyrics, choreography, and special staging and effects
Speech coaching, media training, and progressive learning programs
Provide access to effective and economical teleconferencing and distribution systems

Contact Otis Productions

Classic Party Rentals

Chicago Casino Rentals

Looking for an exciting new twist to your next occasion? Deal us in. Classic Party Rentals’ entertaining casino events add fun and flair to corporate parties, special gatherings, holiday celebrations and fund-raising activities. As a fully licensed casino event supplier, we can advise you in the proper methods of operating a successful casino night and outfit you with the highest-quality equipment, accessories and services.

Casino Games in Chicago available with Classic Party Rentals

Black Jack Tables
Texas Hold’em Poker Tables
Roulette Tables
Slot Machines
Craps Tables

Casino Gaming Requirements

According to Illinois Gaming Laws, casino nights held for charitable fund-raisers must obtain the following three licenses: Charitable Games License, Charitable Providers License and Charitable Suppliers License. All licensing must be complete at least 30 days prior to the event. Upon request, Classic Party Rentals would be happy to guide you through the process.

Visit our listing on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s event planning directory for casino tables and casino games for your next event in Chicago.

Chicago Event Production Services

To round out your event, Chicago Event Production Suppliers offers complete production services to keep your audience engaged and to make your event memorable. As part of Chicago’s Planner Preferred production services, they offer the following production services in Chicago:

Develop concepts and ideas
Write scripts and speeches
Handle staging and room decor
Coordinate lighting, sound, video projection, and technical support
Design and execute speaker support slides, multi-image productions, film, and videotape
Coordinate live business theater incorporating performers, music, original lyrics, choreography, and special staging and effects
Speech coaching, media training, and progressive learning programs
Provide access to effective and economical teleconferencing and distribution systems

Visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Directory of all Chicago Event Production Companies

Chicago Watercraft small boat custom cruises for northerly island concerts, bachelorette parties, corporate events, unique client outings, and more.  10 - 12 people on your own boat on Lake Michigan!

Enjoy a Northerly Island concert and hear a great show surrounded by all your conveniences of your CW party boat! It’s like Ravinia on the water. Why spend $100+ on tickets, parking, drinks? Listen to Your favorite music on the lake with spectacular views. Charter a CW party boat/yacht; use our caterer or BYO food and beverage. Spilt costs!

Visit Chicago Watercraft and ask for Captain Vernon Patrick.  Tell em Hereschicago.com sent you!

Cooking is an Art. We Make It a Party.

A unique culinary combination of a hands-on cooking experience and a pampered dinner party, Bespoke Cuisine’s Cooking Parties are a big hit with epicureans and beginners alike.

Chefs from the Bespoke team lead groups through preparing a four-course meal. After the lesson, participants retreat to the loft-like dining room and enjoy being served the meal they created.

All through the lesson and meal, the team imparts tips, facts, and guidance about the food, methods and preparations used. It’s a fantastic opportunity to ask the experts and to learn the tricks of the trade.

Parties are held at Bespoke Cuisine’s location on Restaurant Row where clients have the opportunity to learn in a working commercial kitchen and then retire to the gracious dining room. In warm weather, our doors open onto Randolph Street for a wonderful city dining experience.
 
PRIVATE COOKING PARTIES in Chicago with Bespoke Cuisine - Our signature cooking parties are private social or corporate events, and are popular for for:

Chicago corporate team-building events
Chicago birthday parties & anniversaries
Chicago girls’ night out
Chicago showers and bachelorette parties
Chicago rehearsal dinners
Chicago group dinner parties

Cooking Party Menus: Click here for our Cooking Party Information & Menus. To have this information emailed or faxed to you, or to discuss a customized menu, please contact us.

Minimum/Maximum # of Guests: Minimum: 15 persons (20pp in December); Maximum: 35-40 persons depending on menu.

Pricing: $100 per person - includes professional hands-on instruction, 4-course meal, recipe packet, mini spice box, and soft drinks. Pricing for customized menus, including those with a competition component, will be slightly higher. Does not include food tax or gratuities.

Alcoholic Beverages: Bespoke Cuisine is BYOB. We would be happy to suggest wines, beers or other drinks to accompany your menu. Binnys and Kafka Wine Co. are two vendors who will deliver your order to Bespoke for a $10 fee so we can pre-chill your selections and have your beverages set up when you and your guests arrive. Kafka offers 15% off your entire order when you mention Bespoke!

Take aways: Each person leaves with a menu/recipe packet and a customized tin spice box.

Attire: We suggest wearing comfortable clothing and shoes. Aprons are provided to wear during the event.

Dates/Times: Cooking Parties are about 3-1/2 hours long and are held anytime in the afternoon or evening. Most parties start at 6:30pm and end at 10:00pm.

Other Services/Options:

“iron chef”-style competition
wine pairings or an accompanying professional wine tasting
take-home apron (can include personalization with notice)
customized menus

For more information and to contact Bespoke Cuisine for your next Chicago corporate team-building events, Chicago birthday parties & anniversaries, Chicago girls’ night out, Chicago showers and bachelorette parties, Chicago rehearsal dinners, Chicago group dinner parties

Visit our Bespoke Cuisine details page on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s group event planners resoure directory.

Threats of federal regulation and sensational coverage are creating a paralyzing environment where companies across the country are canceling meetings and events for legitimate business purposes.

After three strong years, Chicago’s downtown hotels are facing tougher times as businesses cut travel budgets and tourists stay home. Because more businesses and groups are canceling meetings at hotels or spending less on food and drink, hotel owners are looking for ways to cut costs.

Business-related travel – including meetings, events and incentives – is a vital part of our national economy and essential to sustaining well-paying American jobs, the health of large and small businesses and the solvency of public services supported by federal, state and local tax-revenue. Broadly, business travel creates 2.4 million jobs, injects more than $240 billion into the national economy annually and generates $39 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue.

Specifically, meetings and events:

Create 1 million jobs to the American workforce in local communities – from big cities to small towns – across the United States.

Many of these jobs support working families in the hospitality and food service industries.

Generate $27 billion in wages for hardworking Americans that are critical to local economies across
the United States, and can play a critical role in our nation’s economic recovery.

Provide $16 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local level.

Contribute $101 billion in spending to the U.S. economy.

Support over 200 local convention centers around the county

Are responsible for nearly 15 percent of all travel in the United States.

When businesses cancel productive meetings and events, the American worker and local communities from coast-to-coast are the unintended victims.

Without the jobs generated by meetings, events and incentive travel, the current unemployment rate of 7.6 percent would rise to 8.2 percent and cost the average American household an additional $136 in annual taxes.

Critics have mislabeled many meetings and events as unnecessary and frivolous – causing companies that have received federal government support and many that have not – to cancel planned and future activities.
Whether a company has received emergency government lending or not, its inclination is to avoid the prospect of being ridiculed like AIG, Wells Fargo and others.

No region of the country is immune to the economic impact of canceled meetings, events and incentive programs. American workers and local communities pay the price as meetings, events and incentives decline.

The U.S. Labor Department reported a loss of nearly 200,000 travel related jobs in 2008 and Department of Commerce data predicts a loss of an additional 247,000 travel-generated jobs in 2009.

The meetings and events component of business travel is responsible for nearly 15 percent of all travel in the United States, drives $101 billion in spending, generates one million jobs and creates $16 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local levels.

Without the one million jobs generated by meeting and event travel, the unemployment rate in the United States would jump from 7.6 percent to 8.2 percent.

As meetings and events decline, local communities – nearly all of whom are dependent on visitor taxes – struggle to pay for essential services such as education, public safety and social services.

Business travel and events are a smart and cost effective way to retain and develop employee talent, generate ideas and share knowledge that drives future business growth.

Meetings, events and incentives are essential tools for companies to strengthen business relationships; align and educate employees and customers; and reward business performance. Members of Congress share this practice when convening their annual retreats at resorts outside Washington, DC

Incentive programs are two to three times more effective than cash at motivating employee performance. Companies can spend less on incentive travel than on cash compensation to achieve exceptional productivity from employees.

The recipients of incentive travel programs are typically hardworking middle class Americans who have earned trips for their exceptional performance.

According to a recent survey of Fortune 1000 Chief Marketing Officers, meetings and events provide the highest return on investment of any marketing channel.

Companies using taxpayer dollars must abide by best practices for meetings, events and incentives.

Companies that have received emergency government lending have an obligation to operate in a transparent and accountable fashion.

The travel community has addressed an urgent public need by developing clear, workable guidelines designed to ensure responsible business travel practices within companies that have received emergency government lending.

Additional punitive policies to limit meetings, events and incentive travel will unite business, labor and local government leaders in opposition.

The demand for face to face meetings is strong and the importance of having them is greater than ever in our history.  For example, within one week of sending the invitation for our Here’s Chicago Meetings and Hospitality St. Pat’s BASH event taking place on March 2, 2009 we are at capacity with the most meeting and event professionals registered in the history of this event with over 400 registered attendees and another 100 on the waiting list. 

“Business, Meetings and Incentive Programs are what built this economy” and “Our industry is being punished for the mistakes of a few”

“In Obama’s defense, I don’t believe he knows that the meetings industry contributes to “mainstreet”, the exact market he is trying to help. Bus boys, waiters, bellman, sedan drivers, etc.” says Jim Grillo, CMP of Hereschicago.com. 

Meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and incentive travel generated $122.3 billion in direct spending in the United States last year, according to the Convention Industry Council’s Economic Impact Study, released in September. Corporate meetings and events comprised one-third of that, or $40.3 billion; association events accounted for the rest.”

The industry employs 1.7 million people on a full-time basis, and is the 29th-largest contributor to the country’s gross national product.

Looking at types of meetings, conventions and exhibitions account for $67.9 billion, or 55.5 percent, of the total direct spending pie. Corporate and association meetings generated $48.1 billion in spending, or 39.4 percent of the total, while incentive travel made up the remaining 5.1 percent, generating $6.2 billion in spending. (Conventions and exhibitions are defined as events where exhibitions make up the largest component of the meeting, while meetings have a larger meetings component.)

The largest share of the convention and exhibition dollar, 35 percent, is spent in hotels. The rest is widely distributed throughout local economies, with 24 percent spent on air transportation, 14 percent in restaurants, and 12 percent on business services.
 
It is our responsibility today to communicate the positive messages from our industry and how we all directly contribute to the future growth of our economy.
 
Let’s make history together,
 
Jim Grillo, CMP
President
Hereschicago.com
Chicago’s Meetings and Events Resource Directory
 
Emmy Award Winner, Alternate Media/News 2008
Hall of Fame Supplier, Illinois Meetings & Events 2008
President, Meeting Professionals Internatio, nal Chicago 2003-2004
President, Hospitality, Sales & Marketing Assn of Ill. 2001-2004
Committee, Meeting Professionals International 2004-2008
Mentor/Ambassador, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, 2000-2002
Member, MPI International Student Advisory Council 2008-2009
 
For a P.R. Toolkit, visit the U.S. Travel Association (USTOA)

Parties That Cook stages deliciously fun cooking class parties and corporate team building events. Whether you´re interested in cooking up collaboration at a team bonding activity, planning a private chef demo or a memorable 40th birthday party, Parties That Cook will provide you with the ultimate gourmet gathering.

Parties That Cook has mastered the recipe for unforgettable corporate team building events. Our hands-on team building cooking classes encourage teamwork, boost morale, build culinary confidence and foster camaraderie.

Parties That Cook’s exciting hands-on cooking class parties are perfect for all occasions:

Chicago corporate team-building events
Chicago birthday parties & anniversaries
Chicago girls’ night out
Chicago showers and bachelorette parties
Chicago wedding rehearsal dinners
Chicago group dinner parties

How It Works:

Parties That Cook’s culinary staff will greet guests with hors d’oeuvres and beverages, then welcome everyone to mix and mingle while listening to music tailored to your group.
 
Your Parties That Cook chef then presents a lively and interactive cooking demonstration chock full of kitchen tricks and techniques. We take time to respond to your cooking questions. Afterward, guests are divided into teams to create their mouthwatering dishes at fully equipped cooking stations.
 
Each recipe and cooking station has detailed instructions and all of the necessary ingredients and cooking tools. Throughout the cooking, our chefs are on hand to coach you. Parties That Cook takes care of serving and cleaning up so you can enjoy the party!
 
Choose the party format that fits your occasion:

- Small Plates is a cocktail-style appetizer cooking class party (2 hours).
- The Chef’s Table offers a four-course sit-down meal with hands-on cooking class (3 hours).
- The Kitchen Challenge is an Iron Chef-style competition and extremely popular corporate team building event (3 hours). The Ultimate Kitchen Challenge includes an additional workshop with business coach and facilitator Starla Sireno (4 hours).
- A Feast of Chocolate and Cheese is dedicated to cooking with two sinfully delicious ingredients (3 hours).
- Chef Demo is a lively lesson in cooking tips and tricks from the professionals. Includes food samples or meal (1 hour).

After the party, we will send all guests all of the recipes you followed, along with a link to digital snapshots of the fun.

Pricing:

Chef Demo: $45 per person
Sumptuous Small Plates: $75 per person
Chef’s Table: $95 per person
Feast of Chocolate and Cheese: $95 per person
Kitchen Challenge: $115 per person
Ultimate Kitchen Challenge: $185 per person

The cost includes our professional culinary instruction, service, menu, recipes, ingredients, music, kitchen equipment, setup, and cleanup. Please note that this does not include a venue rental fee, party rentals or optional services.  

Minimum/Maximum # of Guests: We can accommodate any party size from 1 to 300 guests.

Dates/Times: Cooking class events are held any time of day, based on availability of venue and staff.  Depending on the type of event selected, parties last 1 to 4 hours, with the option of adding on additional time for speeches or presentations.

Take Aways & Attire: Each guest will receive a copy of recipes and digital photos from their event. Aprons are provided to wear during the lesson or may also be purchased as party favors to take home.

Alcoholic Beverages: You may BYOB at most party locations, or Parties That Cook will suggest one of our fine wine/alcohol purveyors, depending on your chosen location.

Visit Parties That Cook on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Event Planning Resource Guide to Chicago’s Planner Preferred.

The awards honor the dedication and creativity of event professionals who have earned the respect and admiration of their clients and peers. The award winners were selected through an online reader poll. The winner are:

Best Attraction – Navy Pier
Best Audio-Visual – The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc.
Best Banquet/Reception Venue – Tie between Galleria Marchetti and River East Art Center
Best Boats/Cruises/Charters - Kanan Cruises
Best Caterer – Blue Plate Catering
Best Conference Venue – Gleacher Center
Best Convention & Visitors Bureau – Chicago Convention & Visitors Bureau
Best Destination Management Company – On the Scene
Best Eco-Friendly Supplier – Greg Christian Catering and Events
Best Entertainment – Just for Fun Entertainment and Events, Inc.
Best Décor – Kehoe Designs
Best Florist – The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc.
Best Golf Resort – Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
Best Historic Venue – Chicago History Museum
Best Hotel with Meeting Space (less than 440 rooms) – The Blackstone Hotel
Best Hotel with Meeting Space (more than 440 rooms) – Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Best Photography/Videography – Tie between Promax Productions and Studio T Photography
Best Rental Service – Classic Party Rentals
Best Teambuilding Facility/Organizer – Corporate Event Interactive
Best Transportation – Windy City Limousine
Best Unique Venue – Chicago Illuminating Company
Best Venue Outside Chicagoland – Pheasant Run Resort
Editor’s Pick Best Event Décor – Ivan Carlson & Associates
Editor’s Pick Best New Intimate Event Space – Vertigo Sky Lounge
Editor’s Pick Best Casino – Horseshoe Casino Hotel
Editor’s Pick Best Experimental Event Expert – Minding Your Business

New this year, Illinois Meetings + Events magazine recognized its first-ever Hall of Fame, chosen by the magazine’s editorial advisory board.

Lifetime Achievement – Bill Pry, Partner – BBJ Linen
Best Special Events Planner – Andrew Schorr, President and Principal – In the Loop
Best Meeting Professional – Kimberly LaBounty, President – Apex Management & Special Events Inc.
Best Up-and-Coming Meeting Professional – Justin Rhodes, Associate – Corporate Events for Jones Lang LaSalle, Chicago
Best Supplier – Jim Grillo, President – hereschicago.com
Best Up-and-Coming Supplier – Renee Barricklow, Event Producer – Kehoe Designs, Chicago

“We are pleased to recognize the outstanding contributions of these organizations and individuals to the meetings and events industry, which plays an important role in Illinois’s vitality and economy,” says Lauren Hurley, editor of Illinois Meetings + Events magazine.

Thank you to our event partners; Underground, The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. and Classic Party Rentals.

Illinois Meetings + Events magazine is one of eight regional meetings and events magazines published by Tiger Oak Publications, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.  The idea-driven magazine focuses on the issues facing today’s meeting and event professionals in Illinois and beyond and looks to address all aspects of the industry through in-depth feature stories, insightful departments and helpful news and updates on tips and trends. For more information and to view photos from the event, visit www.ilmeetingsmag.com.

Visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s event planner resource guide featuring Chicago’s top Planner Preferred vendors for Chicago meetings and events.