Dallas' finest party planners honored on elite list of America's best

Dallas knows how to party, and now there’s proof that we’re really good at it. Several Texas event venues, planners, and companies have been deemed the best in the nation by entertaining website The Salonniere.

Authors of the website's new Les Pages list spent months compiling the nation’s only merit-based system that dictates the country’s top event businesses and venues in 17 major U.S. markets, including San Francisco; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; and New York. Texas, with picks from Dallas, Austin, and Houston making the list, has plenty to be proud of.

VIP honorees in Dallas include Todd Fiscus’ duo of companies, Todd Events and Avant Garden flower shop. Fiscus’ planning company designs everything from weddings to galas to corporate events with in-season and specialty blooms.

To determine who made the list, The Salonniere engaged influencers, such as society editors, fundraiser event planners, caterers, and event designers, and combined their industry expertise to pick the top florists, designers, caterers, and venues in the nation.

“Les Pages is based entirely on feedback from the nation’s most discerning party hosts and most knowledgeable event experts. Companies cannot buy their way onto the list. They must earn and retain their spot,” says Carla McDonald, founder and editor-in-chief of The Salonniere.

Throwing a shindig? Call up Diamond Affairs, DFW Events, or Emily Clarke Events, who all picked up spots within the best event designers category.

For a florist who can handle bouquets, centerpieces, and boutonnieres for every occasion, turn to Bella Flora, Bows and Arrows, Garden Gate, Grange Hall, Jackson Durham, Leeny’s Flowers, and Tami Winn, who were all named top floral designers.

Cassandra Fine Catering’s custom menus, with the likes of white truffle-infused custard and antelope tenderloin, helped it gain praise as one of the nation’s best caterers. Food Company, comprised of the inventive chefs behind Nonna restaurant, also scored a spot on the best caterers list.

A slew of the city’s most exquisite venues were also named to the list, most of which would be no surprise to CultureMap’s Real Weddings couples.

Arlington Hall at Lee Park, Belo Mansion and Pavilion, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Dallas Museum of Art, DEC on Dragon St., Hotel Crescent Court, Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Garden, Nasher Sculpture Garden, the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, and W Hotel Dallas are the city’s best spots for weddings, galas, functions and parties, according to Les Pages.

The list also shines a light on the people in America who are the absolute best-of-the-best where parties are concerned, McDonald says.

Proving there’s no party like a Texas party, Austin and Houston picked up several honorees in each category.

Les Pages is a natural follow-up to The Salonniere 100, and together the two shine a light on the people in America who are exceptional at leveraging the power of social gatherings to enrich the lives of others. The Salonniere 100 celebrates the gifted connectors who host parties, and Les Pages honors the exceptional professionals who bring events to life.