Event Planning

Michael Russo

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

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One of my fondest memories is from last summer, when I appeared on the Style Network’s Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? This particular job took me to beautiful Hawaii, where I planned a wedding between Survivor winner Earl Cole and his fiance, Shelley. Since the show centers around competitions between the bride-and-groom-to-be to decide on attire, venue, music, food and the like, it was certainly a challenge for everyone involved (myself included)! However, the wedding went off without a hitch, and I think the ceremony represented a perfect and harmonious compromise between Earl and Shelley. Though I barely had any time to soak up the sun and enjoy the scenery, I still look back warmly on these pictures from the set:

Kathy Griffin’s Holiday Home

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In addition to working with Sherri Shepherd on her holiday-themed home decor, I also paid my friend Kathy Griffin a visit to decorate her home for the holidays. As per usual, my time spent with the inimitable Ms. Griffin (and her mother, Maggie) is never short on laughs! The E! entertainment channel was there to catch some of the action for E! News, but for those of you who missed it, here are some of my behind-the-scenes shots from that day:

And here are some pictures of her decorated kitchen and dining room:

Celebrity Holiday Homes with Sherri Shepherd

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Several months ago, I participated in another HGTV special called Celebrity Holiday Homes. I teamed up with the amazing Sherri Shepherd (The View) to create a jazz-themed holiday decor for her home. I had such a blast working with Sherri, and I’m so proud of the final result! Here are a couple of behind-the-scenes pictures:

And here’s a picture of her transformed living room:

To see the rest of the episode (and, really, why wouldn’t you want to?), just play the embedded video below!

Celebrations.com Holiday Decor Feature

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Around the holidays, I was featured on Celebrations.com for my work on the homes of my high-profile clientele. Here are a few of my personal favorites:


The above two photos are from the home of Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage). Inspired by traditions from both Christmas and Chanukah, I transformed Emmanuelle’s dining room by decorating her table and place settings with a Menorah and Stars of David, as well as an ornate Christmas tree. I used a color palette that included metallic golds, silvers and ivory, which created an air of elegance without being too holiday-specific.

This photo is of Joey Fatone’s dining room, where the vision was inspired by the painting of his daughter, Brianna (above the fireplace), which I had created. Once I saw the vibrant colors in the painting, I instantly knew that a monochromatic theme in shades of green would be the central focus.

To check out the rest of the feature (including the homes of Lance Bass, Shaquille O’Neal and Beverley Mitchell, click here!

HGTV Halloween Block Party

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Last fall, I had the pleasure of participating in HGTV’s Halloween Block Party special. For the show, I teamed up with a family in San Francisco and transformed their house into a Haunted Mansion. It was an amazing experience that I won’t soon forget! Here are Before and After pictures of the family’s living room, taken on my iPhone:

Before:

After:

For those of you who missed this special the first time around, you’re in luck! Watch the entire episode below: