Mayesh Wholesale Flowers

As Oscar night draws near , event industry insiders are moving at warp speed preparing for the black tie galas and social fetes, with a volley of Academy Awards after-parties planned for Hollywood's A-list. In the land of $20,000 gift baskets and event budgets that can easily exceed $1million, it's no wonder that event planners and floral designers are the true Hollywood insiders.

Mayesh takes a look behind the scenes at some of the top post Oscar social parties this year, and the designers behind them.

Believe it or not, an invitation to one of the swankiest post Oscar parties can fetch upwards of $300,000.00. That's if they were for sale!

According to published articles, the very need to request an invitation signals the ultimate futility of the effort. But that doesn't stop people from trying. Included among the top post-party soirees for this year's 77 th Annual Academy Awards is the Governor's Ball, Graydon Carter's famed "Vanity Fair” bash and Sir Elton John's post-Oscar party.

Mark Held, co-owner of Mark's Garden and florist to the stars, is one of the west coast's most revered floral designers. Designing for events such as the black-tie post-Academy Awards Governor's Ball, Mark Held is one of Hollywood's favorites. The Governor's Ball is the first stop for Oscar goers on the night's high-voltage party circuit.

This year the Governor's Ball will capture the opulence of old Hollywood in a glamorous, romantic dinner-club setting. The table settings will be done in persimmon, sienna, copper and brick, with accents of jade in the flowers and golden hues of amber from tabletop lamps.

This is the twelfth year that Mark's Garden will create the lavish table centerpieces. The fiery palette will transform the cavernous ballroom into an intimate space. Simple, attractive floral table centerpieces of spice-colored cymbidium orchids -- green, brown, mauve, with bright green moss accents in long,

low graphite metal containers -- will complement the sleek, elegant décor.

Cymbidiums from Mayesh, which includes fabulous varieties like Green Limones, gold Charlie Brown-Oranjer Favorite and Brown Frederika, will grace the table to the stars.

Who gets invited to the after-parties? Bruce Davis, executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hosts the Governor's Ball atop the Kodak Theatre, says...

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