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Neighborhood Report

No glitz, glam at this annual gala

Soirees in Style plans a lavish party to benefit Tampa General Hospital and dazzle guests with an Old West saloon theme.

By JONATHAN MILTON
Published May 12, 2006

From weddings to fundraisers, Lauren Berner and her team at Soirees in Style strive to add a magical touch to any event.

Raised in New Orleans, Berner knows what it's like to party on the lavish side. Her family always took part in Mardi Gras.

With the help of local connections and simple word of mouth, Berner's business has taken off since it opened 2½ years ago at 1101 W Swann Ave.

Her company does everything from creating invitations to staging parties, including tonight's ninth annual Tampa General Hospital Foundation's Moments in Time gala.

"It's just a matter of telling people what you do and letting people know how much you love what you do," Berner said. "You really get to know people and you get to be part of a very monumental part of their lives."

Located in a 2,900-square-foot house in Hyde Park North, Berner's business has a display room of table setups, flower arrangements, cloth samples and other party accessories. Berner says the key to making her services work is matching her clients' creative visions to their budgets.

Her goal: keep a client's stress to a minimum.

"I always focus on the bride, but, of course, it's the whole family: the bride, the groom, everyone,'' she said. "Their job on that day is to do nothing but celebrate."

For the past few months, Berner and her staff have been putting their energies toward tonight's hospital foundation gala.

For Berner, it's more than just another party. It's a chance to thank TGH for the care provided to her and her family during the loss of her father, Lawrence Berner, in 2003.

"They just took wonderful care of him. In a situation like that, that is all you can hope for,'' she said. "They were just so wonderful to us."

This is the third year Soirees in Style has worked on the gala.

Last year's benefit highlighted the grandeur of Ybor City in 1905. The event, held at the Columbia Restaurant, raised money for the hospital's trauma and emergency center.

This year's gala, themed the 1840s Gold Rush Saloon, will benefit the hospital's Fund for the Future.

Berner has planned a western saloon style motif with gaming tables, western bands and an area where guests can pan for prizes.

"This party is really different from other galas,'' she said. "It's going to allow people to really have some fun.''

[Last modified May 11, 2006, 14:06:55]