Art of throwing a party

Oct 9 2007 by Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post

Emma Pinch meets a party organiser who has her sights set on Cheshire’s footballer belt

IF EVER an invite lands on the mat signed “Nellie Shepherd”, accept immediately because Miss Shepherd, who has recently decamped from West London to Wilmslow, Cheshire, is a woman who knows how to throw a party.

Boasting a client list topped by pop queen Madonna, she has thrown thousands of bashes, spanning art parties for the off-spring of A-listers to circus-style spectaculars for blue-chip companies.

Now, after moving in with her equally entrepreneurial partner, Cheshire-based cosmetic laser specialist Andy Charlton, she is setting her sights on the footballer belt.

Her party trademark is getting guests stuck into making art, dance, music, anything creative in fact, which offers an alternative to simply sinking drinks and munching nibbles.

Her childhood passion for creative arts saw her first training as an actress, with a six- year stint in the West End and starring in TV shows such as Silent Witness.

Along the way, she started teaching children crafts in her North London kitchen at weekends.

The idea caught on and saw her hiring out the local church hall in Camden at weekends, and packing it with thousands of kids, aged from two up to 15. Jude Law’s kids came, the Ross’s kids came and Paula Yates brought her girls, under the guidance of Royal College of Art students, showing them painting, mask-making, pottery, theatre and movie-making workshops.

Eventually, Penguin commissioned a series of children’s art books from her – and in 2003 put her in touch with a client who wanted a children’s book launch party. The client was Madonna.

“She had written a book called The English Roses, which was beautifully illustrated,” says Nellie.

“I created a 3D world from paper, so when you walked onto the roof gardens of the venue in Kensington, it was like stepping into the book, with hundreds of graffiti roses suspended on fishing wire, and butterflies.

“She was really busy doing all the publicity, and I was given free rein. There was a floor they all collaged, including her children. She came in a beautiful Prada dress to match the theme and in fact loved the party, which was nice, and I ended up interviewing her on stage. It really, really helped me with my business.”

One of her biggest to date was a lavish £275,000 summer party for a London law firm.

An ice-rink was built in the atrium of its Thames-side offices, and Cirque du Soleil aerial artists performed on specially-erected scaffolding, along with music and dance performances and workshops, jewellery, and hat and bag-making classes.

It took three months to organise.

She says: “Over 1,000 people gets stressful, but I’m really into the guests creating something or learning something and coming out and feeling good about themselves, and everyone joining in and coming out of their shell.”

Home parties generally cost between £1,000 and £5,000. But, for the lucky people with cash, it’s an upscale but personalised night to remember.

A recent pink-themed 18th birthday party kicked off with caricatures and make-up artists at the girl’s mother’s London apartment, then, via a Hummer limo, off to a private club lit up with childhood photos of the birthday girl, for salsa lessons. Then it was dinner at a specially-decorated table at Terence Conran’s Zinc restaurant.

One of her biggest challenges is catering for the steady stream of requests that come from family and friends – she’s done five already this year.

“People do spend a lot on parties, often around £1,000 a head,” she says. “But the problem with family parties is that they all want amazing parties for nothing.

“I’m always being roped into doing them. I recently did my mum’s 70th – a big garden party – and my niece’s fifth birthday which had a mermaid theme. The next was my partner’s dad’s 80th, a really big do which was a bit of nightmare because there was no budget. I can’t say no, I haven’t got the heart.

“A good party in the company of friends and family and colleagues, is the stuff lifelong memories are made of.”

VISIT www.nellieshepherdevents.com

Tel: 07710 479852 or 0114 2630998