Graduations usually mean a time of celebration. But with long, hot robes, drawn out ceremonies and sometimes nagging family on hand, glam may not be the first word that comes to mind when thinking of the day you turn your tassle. Not the case for Dr. LaToya Carstarphen who pulled out all the stops for the celebration of her doctoral degree. “First off, I knew I wanted glam! I chose a color palette of deep purple, fuchsia and red because of how regal and lush the colors are together . I definitely wanted something outside of the norm in regards to a graduation party,” LaToya said. She says event planner Valia Rose took that color palette and ran with it, conquering her elaborate party look effortlessly! “My planner is known for taking dated facilities and giving them a breath of life. I knew with this venue she would be able to do her magic and give us a wow factor; and she did!” LaToya said. The Valia Rose concierge team assisted with the guest of honor’s custom gown fittings, food tastings, grad photos and more. And speaking of those photos, one was displayed on the dance floor at the party making LaToya truly the center of attention for her big night!

The term Black Girl Magic is used to celebrate the beauty, power, resilience and accomplishments of Black women and Dr. Therese Morrison found a way to do just that with her Black Girl Magic themed birthday and graduation celebration. However, disaster threatened to strike when the dress that she ordered to reflect her theme, was a total fail. Luckily, five days before the event, she found the perfect dress! It was an off the shoulder, rose gold sequined dress that seamlessly complimented the white and metallic color palette of the event. “There’s nothing more magical than a little sequin and lots of sparkle, to evoke a whimsical feeling for the guests, and I believe it did just that,” she explained.