Ojai Wedding: Kristin Banta Events Blends California Cool with Nashville Soul

Gala Award-winner Kristin Banta Events creates a beautiful wedding in Ojai, Calif., that blends California cool with a splash of Nashville soul.

Rustic Romance: 2016 Emmy Balls to Feature 'Nature's Elegance' Theme

The team behind the 2016 Emmy Awards Governors Ball and Creative Arts Balls gave the media a sneak peek yesterday at what nearly 8,000 guests will experience when they enter "Nature's Elegance."

In the hands of Patina Catering and Sequoia Productions, the three balls--Sept. 10, 11 and 18--will take guests to a dreamy nightscape of flowers, herbs, gleaming linen and farm-to-table food.

For more details on the Emmy 2016 menu, click here.

DMCs Go Big Part II: Big Events from the Special Events 2016 '25 Top DMCs'

Special Events shares even more big events created by some of the companies listed on the 2016 edition of our "25 Top DMCs." Here's how the big players do it!

See Part 1 of our "Big Events from Big DMCs" here.

Big Events by Big Companies: Landmark Events from the 2016 Special Events '50 Top'

Virtual reality, fireworks, and the world's biggest human Coco-Cola bottle--that's how the big companies create big events. Get a preview here, with outstanding events created by companies included on the latest Special Events magazine "50 Top Event Companies."

Not a subscriber? You can download the list here for a nominal fee:

Marking Milestones: Highlights of 13 Great Milestone Events

Nothing marks a milestone better than a memorable special event, and here we bring you 13 fabulous examples--from a silver celebration for 25 years to platinum parties for the 100th!

Roaring 20s for 20th: Catalina Island Conservancy Ball Celebrates its 20th with a 1920s Theme

The Catalina Island Conservancy makes the most of its 20th annual Conservancy Ball by turning to a Roaring 20s theme.

For more noteworthy milestone events, click here.

As You Start Your Event Career: Letter to a Departing Employee

Damon Holditch, founder of Marquee Event Group in Austin, Texas, shared this letter, which he just wrote to a departing employee who is going out on her own as an event planner. We liked it so much that we want to share it with the readers of Special Events. It's great advice for both business newbies and oldbies:

Lakeside Wedding: Danny Marx Ltd. Designs a Stunning Ceremony

For a couple from South Africa, Danny Marx Event Planning & Productions creates a stunning wedding on a lake in Israel.

Photos by Eyal Gaziel (wedding) and Eran Beeri (production)

Emmy Entrees: Preview of the 2016 Emmy Awards Governors Ball Menu, Decor

A sneak peek at the meal guests will enjoy at the 2016 Emmy Awards Governors Ball, slated for Sept. 18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

With catering from Patina Restaurant Group and production/decor from Sequoia Productions, this year's Emmy celebration will feature three separate balls on back-to-back weekends, including the largest formal sit-down dinner--for 3,800 luminaries--on Sept. 18. Two Creative Arts balls will be held on Sept. 10 and 11.

All told, the Emmy celebrations will wine and dine 7,400 guests.