The Fairest of Them All: The Queens Cordial Ball

Reception Banquet Event Order

Reception Managers:
Katie Hoer
Phone:757-876-6499
Email: hoerkj@dukes.jmu.edu
Shelby Lemmon
Phone: 540-550-7304
Email: lemmonsl@dukes.jmu.edu

Reception Vision:
Rows of shimmering lanterns, lining Festivals entranceway
intrigue guests into the Festival ballroom foyer. Guests walk
in under an arch of branches into the dark forest that is
filled with hanging lanterns, ominous branches, crows, and
suspenseful ambient lighting that exaggerates the shape and
shadows of the forest foliage. Guests will be directed to the
registration trees in the front foyer where they will find
their name printed on their apple place cards. A subtle fog
produced by an unseen fog machine, creeps along the forest
floor.
As the guests proceed through this elaborate enchanted
forest, they will be greeted by our staff, dressed all in black,
and offered our sleeping death apple cider, wishing well cran
raspberry fizz, poisoned maple bacon bark, forged stuffed
mushrooms, and get to enjoy the fiery show of our forest
inhabitants preparing our scrumptious yet rustic brie and
apple baguette with balsamic raspberry glaze or honey.
Guests will encounter 3 different environments; the
enchanted forest, the Queens coven where she does her
scourer (complete with a peasant mixing the Queen a special
surprise potion), and the castle entrance, which includes the
wishing well and the magic mirror photo booth. Noises of
the reception space will transition from ambient forest
sounds to soft music playing.
After reception, guests will be ushered into the castle for
the Queens feast. After the feast is over, the forest
undergoes a change. The post reception space is
transformed into a light filled enchanted forest, where
guests can treat themselves to their very own poisoned apple
on the way out to commemorate this special evening in the
Her Majesty.

Event Information:
Name: The Fairest of Them All: The Queens Cordial Ball
Date: September 6, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Festival Student and Conference Center
Address: 1301 Carrier Dr Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Reception Time: 6:00-6:30 pm
Reception Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
Transition into Dining: 6:27 pm
Guest Count: 128

Event Layout:

Entrance from Parking Lots: Entrance

from the double doors at the entrance into
Festival Hallway from parking lots C12 and D3
Registration: Located in outer edge of the
circle by the entrance from the parking lot,
framing pathway into the enchanted forest
Coat Check: Located in the hallway adjacent
to the entrance from parking lots
Action Station: Opposite to the double doors
to Festival ballroom B and C
Beverage Stations: Inner wall Vestibule
Satellite Kitchen: Located Festival Ballroom
B and C
Service Entrance/ Exit into Reception
Space: Double doors connecting to Festival
Ballroom Band C
Bussing Station: Located in Festival
Ballrooms B and C, adjacent to service doors
Pipe and drape: Behind the coat check table
by the entrance. In front of satellite kitchen
entrance/ exit. At the end of the hallway
concealing the first door and the rest of the
Festival hallway.
Photo booth: Gallows by registration and
Mirror by guest door exit
Entertainment: Witch in a coven. Huntsman
by registration then circulating the event
before ending by the dining room entrance.
Dining room entrance/exit: When Facing
the ballroom they will be the set of doors to the
right. When exiting the ballroom they will be
the set of doors to the left.

Reception Materials:
Decor:
Two wood tree-shaped, moss-covered boards in circle
entrance. Vinyl tree wall designs opposite of windows.
Paper tree decorations and gossamer covering windows.
Strung white lights in fake foliage, lanterns, crows, and
moss throughout. Ceiling covered with gossamer and
hanging lanterns. Fog machine. Spell book, potion
bottles, and cauldron at the coven. Empty mirror frame
on stand and assorted props at photo booth. Castle
cutouts backlit by mood lighting at ballroom entrance.
Vinyl castle image above door. Duct tape constructed
door-gate. Wooden cupcake stands for post reception.
Stumps. Vines. Apples. Votive.
Printing:
Coat number tickets. Nametags for employees.
Invitations. Name place cards. Food display signs.
Linen:
6 black round tablecloths to cocktail tables. One black 2
x 8ft fitted tablecloth (will double for action station and
post reception party-favor table). One table black table
skirt. One 2 x 4 ft black tablecloth to cover photo booth
props table.
Dish:
Wood reception platters.
140 small plates from SPEV
200 plastic drink glasses
270 black beverage napkins for drinks, action station
and hors d'oeuvres
1000 black cocktail straws
Entertainment:
Costumes
Props

Time Line:
Set-Up:
By 12:30 pm:
Hang gossamer and lanterns from ceiling.
Assemble and install registration trees, twig
archways, accordion wall, castle cutout, and
mirror frame photo stand.
Apply vinyl wall design and cover windows with
paper/ gossamer.
Lace fake shrubbery (provided by Festival) with
strung lights, covers the bases with prepared
materials, and position lining the walls of the
foyer.
Position and clothe tables.
By 5:30 pm:
Hang signs and position name cards.
Set up and organize coat check space.
Surround forest floor edges (adjacent/
surrounding trees) with stumps, moss, and votive
decor.
Decorate the witchs coven with spell book,
potion bottles, and cauldron.
Prepare photo booth table with props.
Prepare action station and beverage station with
necessary equipment,, cocktail napkins,
stemware and/or service utensils.
Prepare entertainment with appropriate
costumes and makeup.

Reception:

5:15 pm -- Dress rehearsal and role-playing to

reinforce training.
5:30 pm-- Reception will be ready. Staff and
performers in position.
6:00 pm-- Guests will begin to arrive. Begin service of
Hors D'oeuvres based on guests. The Huntsmen will
roam the forest and the Witch will mix potions.
6:27 pm-- Huntsmen ushers guests into the castle (the
ballroom for dinner).

Post Reception Set-Up:

Menu Options:
Item:

Quantity:

Cost:

Maple Bacon

192

$32.59

Stuffed Mushrooms

141

$48.33

Brie and Apple

Baguette

141

$43.72

Apple Cider

141

$31.83

Cran Raspberry Fizz

141

$16.52

Water

141

$0

By 7:30 pm:
Replace magic mirror photo prop and table
with table for party favors.
Move coat check to side entrance area
(adjacent to the ladies room). Use accordion
wall to divide space and repurpose branch
archway to conceal the accordion wall).
Move stump decoration and votives to fill
passageway edges.
Install the appropriate signage.
Arrange poisoned apples on wooden stands on
the table.
Change the mood lights that backlight the
castle to a pale blue.

Post-Reception:

7:55 pm-- Staff for coat check is ready and in position.