16th Annual Minnesota Star Awards — Cosmic Fantasy

Date: July 24, 2020

Venue: Virtual // Quincy Hall

Director: Rachel Geertsema

The 16th Annual Minnesota Star Awards was held virtually on Friday, July 24, 2020, as attendees unlocked the mysteries of the universe and fulfilled their cosmic fantasies.This evening of celestial opulence included a ceremony that showcased the amazing work of that year’s Star Award nominees and honored the winners live.

The event had originally been produced to be an in‑person celebration of our industry’s innovative and exceptional accomplishments throughout the year, and would have included networking, scrumptious food and drink, a hosted bar, fabulous fashion, impressive décor, a professional awards ceremony, and a banging after‑party. However, due to COVID‑19, the in‑person portion of the event was creatively re-imagined.

Images by Coppersmith Photography

2020 Winners

View all winners and nominees here!

Best On-Premise Catered Event - Star Tribune Taste 50 - Brenda Thrower, Slate & Stone Catering / Culinaire International

Best Off-Premise Catered Event - Circus Juventas Annual Gala - Julie Teran, CRAVE Catering & Events

Culinary Innovation and/or Solution - Night & Day : A New Debut - Christie Altendorf, D'Amico Catering

Best Event Design/Décor – Budget under $25,000 - BIG Night - Jen Hansen, Event Lab | Lindsay Frank, Mystic Lake Center

Best Event Design/Décor – Budget $25,000 & over - Mystical Menagerie - Ryan Hanson, BeEvents

Best Use of Specialty Decor - Makerspace Rocket - Steve Dahl, Event Lab

Best Use of Floral - Cultural Center Grand Opening - Caitlin Duncan, Festivities

Best Use of Marketing/Design Collateral - Patterson Companies 2019 Sales Summit - metroConnections

Best Event Photography – Wedding - Timeless & Romantic, A Cyclone Wedding - Mark Fierst Photography

Best Event Photography – Non-Wedding - Field Leadership Strategy Conference - Joe Szurszewski, Joe Szurszewski Photography LLC

Best Event Filmmaking (Videography) - The ONE Forum - Walk the Moon Media

Best Event Logistics – Non-Tent - Fargodome Gala - Andrea Bach, Après Event Decor & Tent Rental + Katiee Wandmacher, Après Event Decor & Tent Rental

Best Event Logistics – Tent/Temporary Structure - Board of Trustees Community Dinner - Andrea Bach, Après Event Decor & Tent Rental + Susan Byrne, Après Event Decor & Tent Rental

Best Technical Production - 15th Annual Minnesota Star Awards (ILEA) - Heroic Productions

Best Entertainment Production - Plunge - Justen Pohl, Enticing Entertainment

Best Corporate Event - BIG Night - Lindsay Frank, Mystic Lake Center + Jen Hansen, Event Lab

Best Non-profit Event - Dream 2019 - Sarah Ober, Children's Cancer Research Fund

Best Public Event - Amy for America Presidential Announcement Event - Jeannette Cleland, North Star Events

Best Social Event – Non Wedding - The Golden Night; A Formal Ball - Ariel Gutierrez, Augsburg University

Best Wedding – Budget under $75,000 - A Dream Wedding at the Bride’s Family Farm

Melody Hall, Events by Melody

Best Wedding – Budget $75,000 & over - Molly McElroy and Dan Ordway Wedding = Rachelle Mazumdar, Style-Architects Weddings & Events

ILEA Team Effort - The ONE Forum 2019

Jodi Collen, CSEP, Be The Match

Ryan Hanson, BeEvents

Heroic Productions

Laurie McVean, Lauren B. Photography

Volunteer of the Year - Emily James

Partner of the Year - BeThings

Watch the full ceremony here!

Thank You to All of Our Generous Sponsors!

2020 Minnesota Star Awards Committee Members