CORT announced today that it has acquired the rental operations of Lounge22, including all product and exclusive rights to market the rental brand globally, making CORT’s Trade Show and Events Furnishing division the sole provider of Lounge22 designs to the trade show, event, exhibit and party rental industry. CORT and Lounge22 will collaborate in the long-term development of new and innovative products for the trade show and events industry.

“Lounge22 Powered by CORT means that our customers have access to an expanded selection of unique, luxury furnishings that are now backed by CORT’s unparalleled customer service and reliability,” said Mike Davis, group vice president for CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings. “We are excited for the opportunity to extend our offerings to the high end event market and to collaborate in the design and manufacturing of new product lines.”

“We have long turned to Lounge22 to help create eye-popping decor for upscale events and are thrilled the brand will now be available through CORT, one of our most trusted industry partners,” said King Dahl, Executive Director of Events, MGM Resorts Events. “We could not imagine a more appropriate combination of style and service to help us provide sophisticated furniture solutions that best serve our clients’ needs.”

The trend-setting collection is designed and manufactured in Los Angeles and will be initially available in Southern California and Las Vegas, launching in the New York Metro and Boston areas on October 1, 2010. CORT’s future plans call for a nationwide expansion of the Lounge22 offerings. The original, modern furniture has been featured at high-profile events and meetings from the Academy Awards to the G-20 Summit. Lounge22 is recognized for its commitment to sustainable green design and manufacturing, a tradition CORT will continue.

“The combination of CORT and the Lounge22 rental brand brings event rental customers the most progressive design and unmatched service that the industry can offer,” said Armen Gharabegian, owner of Lounge22 retail division. “We are confident that this deal will enable CORT to deliver the most cutting-edge and comprehensive event rental collection available and we’re excited that Lounge22, powered by CORT, will continue to set the standard for innovation in furniture rentals.”

For more information about Lounge 22 Powered by CORT visit www.cortevents.com

If you rent equipment or décor items or use admission tickets for your functions, you’ll want to check out these cool new sites that cater to planners.

RentalComp
Launched earlier this year in Los Angeles,RentalComp plans to expand into the New York market and other major cities this year. RentalComp provides direct access to the hard-to-find rentals that make a good event great, from heart-shaped sweetheart tables to hot pink carpet and heat lamps. The site allows planners and designers to search a database with more than 30,000 items from vendors like CORT, Pico and Big Time Affairs. Planners are able to email the vendors directly for price quotes. The service is free to planners.

TicketLeap
If you plan small events which use less than 100 tickets per month, you’ll be interested in TicketLeap, a new service that just launched and is being offered free to planners like you. The site is deeply integrated with Facebook and Twitter, making it easier than ever for event organizers to sell tickets online and market their events. Event organizers create an account and import their events through Facebook, while attendees can start a conversation on an event page via Facebook or Twitter. As a result, organizers get to know their attendees before they step in the door. Additional features include in-depth reporting and customizable event templates.

CharityHappenings Ticketing
This is a free service for nonprofits that allows them to list events, promote them and sell tickets using an exclusive online management system. Unlike other ticketing solutions on the market, CharityHappenings Ticketing provides nonprofits with unprecedented exposure to a broad community of individuals who are actively seeking out and attending fundraising galas and cause-related events. The site is an online social hub of more than 75,000 philanthropically-minded, event-going individuals across the U.S.

The NY Metro Chapter of ISES raised $7,845.00 for SEARCH at its 9th annual Big Apple Awards Gala on June 30 in New York City. This eclipsed the previous record of $6,800 set by the Dallas chapter after Hurricane Katrina.

While a silent auction generated $2,845, it was a heart-rending video about SEARCH and the people it helps that spurred another $5,000 to be pledged on stage by one of the Hall of Legends inductees.

“We are lucky that the individuals we honor in New York City are of such high caliber that they have the financial stature to be able to make those kind of impromptu donations,” said Howard Givner, president of the chapter. “This is testament to the power of the event community in our chapter, and we are honored that we could harness it for the benefit of SEARCH.”

Michael Cerbelli, president of special events for Total Entertainment, and chairman of SEARCH said, “We know that once people really get what SEARCH does, they can’t help fast enough. For us, the video enabled us to bring SEARCH to life, by having the direct recipients of our aid go on screen to tell their stories, which are truly heart-warming.”

The SEARCH Foundation supports event professionals confronted with a catastrophic occurrence and fosters, develops and promotes educational initiatives for the advancement of the industry. Founded in 1997, the SEARCH Foundation supports special event industry professionals in times of crisis through fundraising, volunteer services and donations. The foundation’s industry-wide alliances and collaborative efforts with charitable organizations have helped fuel the mission for over a decade.

For more information, go to www.searchfoundation.org.

E-News Alert!: Don’t miss the Event Solutions SEARCH fundraiser at the Idea Factory in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 27.

So you’ve received an invitation to a coworker’s Buddhist wedding. Or perhaps you’ve been asked to help plan a Bar Mitzva, and you’ve never set foot in a synagogue before. What can you expect, and what will be expected of you?

The first rule of thumb, say the experts, is to relax and enjoy yourself. It’s likely that no one will notice or care if you commit a faux pas—after all, you’re a close enough friend to have been invited. But even event professionals may be able to use a few guidelines when they’re in unfamiliar territory.

Keep in mind that rituals, traditions and ceremonies can vary greatly depending on the hosts and locations. But one thing is bound to be the same—the feasting, music and dancing that accompany celebrations of all cultures.

A Buddhist Wedding
• A Buddhist ceremony is not viewed as a religious event, but a social one. A monk may be present to bless the couple, but is not required.
• Ceremonies are typically simple and custom designed for each couple, who are free to use readings from any source they like, including Buddhist scriptures. Vows are often written by the couple.
• One tradition is for the couple to walk down the aisle carrying strands of 21 beads (or juju) which represent Buddha and the couple’s families.
• The ceremony can take place indoors or out, and does not have to be in a temple. Typically, the venue contains a Buddha statue or picture which the couple decorates with flowers, candles and incense.
• Another tradition is the couple sharing a cup of sake.
• The bride and groom generally kneel for the ceremony. Guests typically sit to observe the rites.

A Jewish Bar/Bat Mitzva
• Usually a two-part event with the religious service followed by a luncheon and/or party. In reform or reconstructionist synagogues, the service runs an average 90 minutes to two hours. In conservative congregations, it can last up to three hours.
• Men may be asked to wear a kippah or yarmulke (head covering); most synagogues will have these available for non-Jewish guests.
• In Jewish services, prayers are said while standing and sitting. Just follow the lead of those around you, and you’ll be fine.
• Appropriate gifts for the honored person may include money, religious books or articles or jewelry for girls.
• It’s customary to wish the honoree “Mazel Tov” (congratulations and good luck).

A Muslim Wedding
• Although some aspects of an Islamic wedding are fairly consistent among Muslims (specifying a gift to the bride [mahr], signing a marriage contract [nikkah] and hosting separate receptions for women and men are a few examples), Muslim marriages often reflect the diversity of the Muslim population, which has segments in Africa, Asia, the Arab world, Turkey and other areas of the world.
• The bride’s hands and feet may be decorated with elaborate henna painting.
• Although the celebrating can last for days, the ceremony itself is often quite simple and brief. The bride...

From May 27 to July 9, 2010, thousands of people were treated to a unique spectacle in eight cities across the country, which included two model cows and a giant pint of chocolate cookie dough ice cream.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream’s “What’s Inside Tour” invited Americans to take a peek at the values behind the company. With a 7.5-foot Ben & Jerry’s ice cream container turned on its side and a scale model of a dairy farm built inside, the company knew its campaign would be a major draw for foot traffic. It wanted a fun and unique way to not only engage consumers on site, but also keep the momentum going after the ice cream was gone.

The company enlisted the help of PhotoTouch, a turnkey photo-marketing solution that combines photographs and social networking. The PhotoTouch system offered Ben & Jerry’s a way to expand beyond simply offering visitors free ice cream. They would now be able to share the memory of standing in the dairy farm with their friends, both online and off.

The PhotoTouch system works by taking a picture with a digital camera that instantly uploads to the internet and sends the person being photographed an email letting them know their photo is ready for viewing. Each photo not only featured a Ben & Jerry’s branded photo border, but the customized emails also included specific login information for the Ben & Jerry’s website where visitors could view, download and share digital versions of their photos online and through social networks such as Facebook. Since visitors supplied an email address to have their picture taken, the company was able to easily capture visitor data and contact information.

Thousands of Photos
During the eight-city tour, Ben & Jerry’s took more than 3,300 branded photos, resulting in more than 12,000 visits to the company’s website to view them. More than 4,500 photos were sent via email and more than 4,600 photos were shared on social networks.

“Our use of the PhotoTouch system not only helped to streamline the photo taking and giveaway process, but it also provided us a fun way to interact with our fans online after they leave,” said Jay Curley, integrated marketing manager at Ben & Jerry’s.

Housing the photo login area on BenJerry.com has ensured that all consumers who log in to view the digital version of their photos are driven to a site where they can learn more about the values that go into Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, including Fair Trade ingredients and rBGH-free dairy from family farms. The PhotoTouch tool is created, customized and maintained by PhotoTouch’s in-house web and technical support team.