A world famous annual carnival, and considered to be one of the most beautiful! Fantastic costumes are displayed in St Mark’s Square, and Venice is the perfect back-drop.  

The Enchanted Palace party is a Venetian Grand Ball with a twist, a hint of mystery, an ancient legend, a little dark and eerie! While the Grand Masquerade Ball welcomes you to a sumptuous, decadent, lavish night just as the nobles liked to party during Carnival.

 The ideas for the two Balls, ‘Enchanted Palace’ and ‘Grand Masquerade Ball’ came about when Venice Events and its partner company found an opportunity to rent a small palace over the Carnival period. “Over many brain storming meetings, ideas were thrown in, to offer guests something different to the traditional balls that have been going on for many years,” says Jayne Seddon of Venice Events. These parties included a Roman theme night, elegant and classic, to a 1000 Arabian nights, and then the Enchanted Palace and a classic Grand Masquerade ball to suit clientele who come to Venice to experience the classic historical masked ball.

The two grand balls are completely different, and there is a challenge in setting up and taking down the various decorations and elements that differentiate the two events. The palace, if you like, is being dressed to suit, in its fancy dress. The Enchanted Palace is dark, mysterious, a Venetian ball with a twist, an ancient legend, a little dark and eerie. The Carnival Grand Masquerade Ball is colourful, lively, traditional, entertaining, lavish and so very Venetian.

The Enchanted Palace

On the 5th of February, the palace is turned into a mysterious ambiance, with unusual decorations. It becomes a palace that has almost been left to ruin, strange and hair-raising. The evening starts with welcome cocktails and musical entertainment, in costume and your host the 400 year old Count welcomes you. “The story starts and the guests become part of the story. In his lifetime he started researching and testing strange potions which he experimented with on his closest friends. The results were sometimes positive, sometimes dramatic and sometimes decadent,” says Jayne.

As the guests arrive in their gorgeous costumes and the drinks are served, they will be invited by their host up the grand staircase, and will be shown into the Salone Giuseppe Sardi, which will be an amazing experience. The room is stunning and the tables lavishly decorated, with candelabras and candles. Their dining experience will commence, while entertainers and actors pass through the tables and the theatrical experience will take place

The Grand Masquerade Ball

The theme of the Grand Masquerade Ball on the 6^th February, is a colorful Masquerade ball, classically Venetian, a party just as the nobles did during Carnival. The typical characters of the Commedia del’Arte will be present, Arlecchino, Colombina and of course the host is Casanova himself. The guests are encouraged to wear bright and colorful historical costumes.

Similar to the Enchanted, the guests are welcomed by Casanova, entertainment begins and then the main Piano Nobili will be opened, set up completely differently to the evening before. A great deal of effort and time goes into the decorations and theme.

 There are so many important and memoreable moments during both events, and this is what keeps everyone in suspense. “We like to keep these a secret which makes it all the more enjoyable for the guest,” says Jayne.

The Enchanted Palace, is dark, following the era of 1700 with a touch of rock. The Grand Masquerade Ball is traditional with elegant hand made costumes. With both events the guests wear Venetian masks.

Jayne concludes, “We have brought in especially for both events several beautiful hand blown Murano glass chandeliers made by the young glass master Fabio Fornasier of LU Murano. Our art director has designed each event with a different look and a completely different feel. Different colours of lighting and smoke machines all create the perfect atmosphere downstairs, while upstairs we have beautiful table settings which we change for each event with candelabras, candles and unique table decorations.”

The Venice Carnival is on the 10 events list that people want to do in there lives.

Who is behind the mask?? Not knowing is the secret of all masks.