Illusions of Grandeur

09/11/2025

Saddle up, folks! We transformed the ballroom into an authentic Wild West Saloon for a boot-scootin' night of fun.

Our team designed and custom-built a saloon entrance. Mahogany bars, teak tables with rope, and a variety of custom signs were incorporated to personalize the event. Classic pool tables were a perfect way to create an interactive experience. The space was draped in warm, lush velvet to complete the ambiance.

Ready for a Hoedown!!!

09/04/2025

Oktoberfest...Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit..."Toast to Coziness!"

As a German living in the United States, I have to admit it was a lot of pressure to recreate Germany's most iconic and largest festival inside a ballroom!

We were ecstatic to custom build many of the important pieces to create this Oktoberfest like Beer, Pretzel and Gingerbread Houses, Ribbon Trees (Maypole) Tables and much more.

This event is not just for October...but any time of year!

08/29/2025

💛 🍋 🍋 🍋 💚

When life handed us lemons, we didn’t just make lemonade! We created a lemon themed party that was zest what the doctor ordered. Picture a whimsical gathering infused with the vibrant and zesty essence of lemons. From dazzling tableware adorned with lemon motifs to exquisite floral arrangements reminiscent of lemon groves in bloom, this soirée promises to be a citrusy extravaganza like no other. So, grab your lemon-themed decorations and get ready to immerse yourself in a lemon themed party.

06/13/2025

Illusions of Grandeur 40th Anniversary Celebration would not have been the same without the incredible talent that helped to elevate the experience!

Our special thanks to John Kelly of Kelly Productions who provided great entertainment includ​ing a local DJ, live duo and trio bands, stilt walkers with various costume changes throughout the evening, an amazing drummer group, a fantastic magician, an incredible tarot reader and a fun dream analyzer.

Shout out to Wild Plum Cafe and her team for creating amazing bites, House of 8 Media for his videography skills and Carmen and her talented staff at Heartbank Deposits for her roaming still photography and photo booths.

06/05/2025

Illusions of Grandeur celebrated forty years in business at the Monterey Fairgrounds and Event Center on May 8. After enjoying a trip down memory lane in the Monterey Room to pay homage to the history of Illusions, circus performers (on stilts!) led attendees to the Salinas Room to remind us that is "Life is but a dream"...an illuminated room complete with a dessert carousel, interactive booths with tarot readers and a dream analyst. Guests were also entertained by a strolling "mentalist". Decor featured circus drum tables, illuminated cocktail tables, and a special interactive candy wall.

05/22/2025

Announcement of new ownership and Monterey Room Photos post:
Illusions of Grandeur celebrated forty years in business at the Monterey Fairgrounds and Event Center on May 8. It's almost impossible to think that our very first event took place on May 17, 1985 at The Beach and Tennis Club at Pebble Beach. The decor environment was" looking back and moving forward" which centered around the history of the company. Of course, being Illusions, we hosted a celebration of life for the event industry. Notably, our founder, Kristin Markus, announced her retirement while passing on the baton (naturally a "circus baton") to Alison Baguio, who will take over the ownership of the company.

Starting in the Monterey Room, Illusions hosted a fun happy hour providing our guests with the opportunity to mingle while learning more about our four decades in business. Featuring photos and stories from the past, each ten year period highlighted the parties most often requested during that era. And, in homage to our connection with the Hispanic community, the center of the room featured a Fiesta with bars pouring nitro Margaritas as well as champagne, beer and wine.

05/19/2025

We wanted to share a little glimpse of what happened behind the scenes as we prepared for our 40th anniversary party 🎉 .

We wanted to share a little glimpse of what happened behind the scenes as we prepared for our 40th anniversary party.

05/15/2025

It takes a village to make an event come to life. We are extremely grateful to OUR village for helping the vision for our 40th Anniversary Celebration come to fruition right before our eyes! Thank you for your passion, hard work and collaboration the vendors shared with us!

We look forward to sharing more soon...stay tuned!

04/24/2025

Earth-tone flowers offer an understated elegance that can be truly captivating. Brown Toffee Roses paired with rustic bronze Cymbidium Orchids create a beautiful, earthy palette that is both sophisticated and naturally appealing.

04/17/2025

Illusions of Grandeur designed this event around our Cannery Row collection, drawing inspiration from Monterey's rich history.

The Dolphin Room and Upper Plaza at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa offered the perfect setting for this event. Glowing "sardine can" label designed dining and cocktail tables, complemented by a large wood wall, featured a Cannery Row sign, and playful floral centerpieces detailed with sardine shaped cans.

04/10/2025

The Historic Large Barn and the Patio Barn at Mission Ranch in Carmel offers the perfect atmosphere for any occasion. For this corporate golf event we were proud to have surrounded the space in lush sienna colored velvet drape filled in with natural pub tables topped with golf basket light pendants and golf club tripod floral arrangements. Oversized picture frames adorned with specialized golf images and glowing grand Tiffany inspired chandeliers completed the look.

04/03/2025

The transformation of a ballroom is always interesting to capture.

For this event in the Cypress Room at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, the decor elements included red velvet drapes, black velvet love seats, oversized black urns with palm leaves, cymbidium centerpieces and illuminated gold glitter bars.