INTERVIEW: Premiere Event Designer, Anthony Taccetta, Talks Bringing European Elements To Your Home This Summer

While public events may be on hold for a while, you can still turn your backyard and home into a special oasis for you and your family. Event designer and floral extraordinaire, Anthony Taccetta of Anthony Taccetta Event Design specializes in bringing each client’s vision to life from the first sketch to the final look. He has built some of the most memorable corporate activations and quite literally brings a brand to life! Taccetta has a theatrical background which contributes to every event he plans which he couples with other personal passions, including film, travel décor, food and fashion.

So where does this creative genius begin? Taccetta’s detailed planning process begins by establishing the mood and emotions he wants to express throughout the event, which sets the stage for decorations, location and entertainment.

Even though we’re unable to gather at events that Taccetta and his team would normally create, there are still plenty of helpful tips to bring life to your home. Plus, you’re probably getting pretty tired of your home by now, right?!

Taccetta splits his time between Manhattan and The Hamptons and many of his clients do too!

I spoke with the creative genius behind Anthony Taccetta Event Design to learn more about his business and how to bring European elements to your backyard/home during these times. If you can’t travel this summer, bring the travel to you!

How would you describe your overall style when it comes to events? What makes your events different from others?

AT: For years I’d been working with some of the biggest event names in the city on some epically extravagant, over-the-top events, but now that we have had to scale everything back quite a bit, I’ve become more concentrated on creating a smaller scale experience that still conveys the same lavish energy, but carries a finer focus on attention to detail. A lot of my style in these recent, more intimate events has been inspired by my travels across Europe. Unique cafés, marketplaces, hotels, street corners, alley ways. They hold so many surprises that help make unforgettable moments.

I’d say my work is different from most designers because I have a distinctive method of working with clients to discover the sensual features (sight, taste, sound, touch, smell) that are most memorable and stimulating about these far-off places; then using those elements as a foundation to create an experience reminiscent of them, but that is distinctive and completely extraordinary.

Since we’re unable to travel at the moment, how can you incorporate European elements into the backyards of Hamptons locales?

AT: Like I said, I am all about engaging the full spectrum of the senses. Everything is carefully considered, from the smell of the food to the taste of the wine, the sound of each instrument to the view from each seat, all the way down to the feel of the napkin against your skin. Whether you want to feel like you’re dining on the terrace of an Italian seaside villa, or having drinks at a casual sidewalk café in Nice, I can help make your concept a reality.

Which style from around the world has inspired your work most as a designer?

AT: I would have to say I am most in love with the Italian coastline. Up until a few months ago, I was visiting several times a year. My family is from Italy, so I have always been fascinated by the endurance of Italian traditions, and of course Mediterranean style is so comfortable, yet elegant. I can’t wait to get back there again.

What’s next for your business? Anything exciting?

AT: Of course! Everything is changing so much in how we think about events moving forward. It is giving us an opportunity to refocus on entertaining fewer, more familiar faces, in more intimate, personal spaces. Since the home has become the most reliable venue, I’ve been helping clients purchase and organize their own stash of party wares, to be able to entertain at the drop of a hat. There is so much to consider (foldable bistro tables, glassware, tabletop decor, platters, kitchenware, etc.), it really helps to have someone with experience managing the bulk of the research and collecting.

In our current situation, it often feels like there are so many restrictions, especially in gathering socially, but I think those restrictions are best viewed as once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Creativity thrives in the face of limitations, and though the world of events has shifted for now, there is no reason we can’t use this time to create experiences that are even more engaging, sensational, and unforgettable than before.

To learn more about Anthony Taccetta Event Design, visit www.anthonytaccetta.com.