Creating Unforgettable Experiences
By Sonia Salim

Event planner Maneesh Goyal hit the jackpot when he organized P. Diddy’s legendary 2001 New Year’s Eve Black and White Ball. Since then, within three years, the very talented Goyal has established a hot, New York-based event planning business that is well regarded and in-demand by fashion’s and entertainment’s elite. For any given event, MKG manages everything from the invitations to the silverware. Ask Goyal, and he will tell you that he creates not parties, but “experiences.” And his clients, who include Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson, Calvin Klein, and Esquire magazine, certainly agree.

Where did you grow up?
MG: I grew up in Dallas, Texas and my parents, immigrants from Punjab, still live there. I left Dallas when I was eighteen to go to college in North Carolina and then went to Yale for graduate school.

Planning parties for celebrities seems a long shot for someone at graduate school.
MG: I planned my sister’s wedding in 2001, which was for over 500 people. And it really worked. Afterwards I thought, “I’ve gotta find a way to make money doing this.” Six months later I found myself doing an event for Puffy.

How did that happen?
MG: Honestly, it’s just really a testament to what you can achieve in New York City. I’m very gregarious, and I’ve built a business in a short amount of time.

What inspires you to create the events the way you do?
MG: It depends. Sometimes the host decides the theme and we’re brought on to do more execution. For example, with Puffy, the first event we did for him was his Black and White Ball in Miami, which was supposed to emulate Katherine Graham’s very famous Black and White Ball. At that time, it was December of ‘01. Puffy was very cognizant of what the nation had just gone through. My job as the planner was to figure out how to translate the elegance of the event while adding a theme of family and camaraderie, a kind of looking ahead. Usually, I have a lot of artistic liberty to really create an experience.

	MKG Productions

Do you draw from your Indian heritage when planning parties?
MG: Definitely, when possible. We just did a big event for Estée Lauder. For events such as that, we stick to the identity of the brand and there’s little room for experimentation. But for other occasions, when I can draw on my heritage, I definitely try to do it.

How is the experience of throwing parties for megastars like Janet Jackson?
MG: Great! There are a lot of different aspects to parties we do for celebrities. Not only do we work on making the space look sexy and different and engaging, but we spend a lot of time thinking about how to create an experience that’s buzz worthy and press worthy. Once the party starts, you have to have a structured method of making sure the right people get into the party and the wrong people stay out. So we deal with everything from security to lighting to décor to menu and beverages.

So if I want to throw a fabulous party in New York, how much would that cost? A hundred thousand dollars?
MG: No, it doesn't have to cost that much. You can do it for less by getting some strategic partnerships. Getting a lot of items sponsored for the event really lowers your cost but also gives brand visibility to the partner you bring on. I'm hesitant to use any numbers, but we've done events that range for half a million dollars for one night to ten thousand dollars for a night. And we run the gamut from doing the events for two thousand people to doing events for twelve people. So it depends.

What do you think makes an event successful?
MG: The entrance to the event is key because it sets the stage for the occasion. Secondly, there should be something unique in the presentation that is memorable and creates media hype. For example, we recently did an event for British fragrance queen Jo Malone. We wanted to embody the fact that it was Jo Malone and very English, so we served fish and chips in her little bags—the very small, miniature bags that Jo Malone uses as actual shopping bags. The next day, Fashion Wear Daily covered her event and talked about how cute it was. The third thing is the mix of people. You’ve got to control your guest list. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about having sexy women at the party, but about having interesting people from different walks of life.