At Engage!25 Peru, we had the honor of celebrating an important milestone. Fifty events. Fifty adventures. Fifty gatherings filled with ideas, connections, and unforgettable moments that have not just redefined an industry, but created a global community. So it was only fitting that this golden anniversary unfolded in Cusco, a crossroads of cultures and histories. Just as gold has shaped Peru’s story, from Incan treasures to gilded chapels, so too has Engage! been a shining thread weaving people together across the luxury wedding and event industry, #BecauseOfEngage!
But this was not only about honoring the past. It was also about looking to the future, to the ways we’ll continue to rise higher, dream bolder, and blaze brighter still. And so, when it came time to honor this extraordinary journey, ‘Azul and Gold’ was the only fitting theme. Gold for the bonds forged, the lasting glow of friendships. Blue for the sky and the stars, for the brilliance of the ideas shared. In a place the ancients called the center of the world, our past, present, and future were celebrated in one luminous, once-in-a-lifetime evening.
50 Engage! Events: A Golden Legacy
Of course, Engage! has always been about more than just events. From the very beginning, our gatherings have been about people. Those brilliant minds and fearless dreamers have become part of an Engage! family around the world. What started as a one-day summit in Celebration, Florida, with embroidered directors chairs and Hershey’s kisses, has grown into a globe-spanning tradition. It has enriched our lives in ways we could never have imagined. Over the years, we’ve dined under palace ceilings, toasted in cathedrals, danced through city streets, and ticked off bucket-list adventures in every corner of the globe. More than 500 speakers, countless memories, and so much inspiration later, Engage! has become a tapestry of culture, creativity, and connection.
Cocktail Hour: An Inca-Inspired Prelude
Before the gala dinner even began, guests were transported into another realm. Monasterio’s courtyard became a stage for the Show de Dioses, an Inca-inspired spectacle by the performers of 6SENS. To the pulse of drums and the pipe of pinkuyllu flutes, warriors appeared, armored with chackchas, macanas, and shields, leaping into battle stances before forming a human tower against the Cusqueñan sky. Then came Pachamama herself, embodying the spirit of Mother Earth. She welcomed revelers and reminded us all of the sacred bond between people and planet. She then called on Tayta Inti, the sun god, and Wiracocha, creator of all. They appeared on stilts, the warriors’ chants summoning them into the square.
With cocktails in hand, guests watched spellbound as the performance reached its crescendo in the lively Wallatas dance. Each movement told an ancient story as it was performed by the artists, who then invited the guests to join in too. It was a symbolic blessing, a special moment of culture and community that ushered us toward our golden feast.
Setting & Décor
There could have been no more beautiful or fitting setting for our golden anniversary gala dinner than the luminous San Antonio de Abad Chapel, set within Monasterio. Once part of the former Jesuit seminary, the chapel is a masterpiece of 17th-century Andean Baroque. Guests entered via a red carpet lined with flickering hurricane lanterns, led in by hooded monks, and found themselves in a magical world. From floor to ceiling, the chapel glowed with ornate gold leaf, while candlelight illuminated intricate carvings and precious centuries-old artworks.
Midnight blue crushed velvet draped the tables, evoking the night sky. At the center of each, a custom designed wax dome glowed softly like the full moon, its light mirrored in the orbs of candles floating above. Cascades of bright blue florals were suspended from the rafters, their simple brilliance contrasting with the opulent gilt that surrounded us. At one end of the room, the altar glowed especially brightly. Below it, a tiered bank of candles recalled the tradition of lighting a votive in prayer. Here, handmade sweet treats were displayed like offerings, both feast and benediction. Together, these elements created an otherworldly atmosphere that made the night feel more like a rite of passage than a party.
The Stationery
Designed by TPD Design House, the menus were miniature works of art. Baroque in style, their ornate borders and gilded lettering echoed the chapel’s golden leaf. Placed atop opulent plates, the stationery became a bridge between centuries-old splendor and modern artistry, reminding us that dining Engage!-style is as much about feasting with the eyes as it is about flavor.
Food & Beverage
The menu for our golden night was nothing short of a pilgrimage through Peru’s landscapes and flavors. We began with avocado ravioli, delicately filled with cocona and chonta, followed by grilled shells dressed in leche de tigre with Ausangate cheese and pearls of trout roe. It was a nod to both mountain and sea, with the third element coming in with a rainforest short rib for mains, its richness balanced by the brightness of local ingredients. Dessert was a constellation all its own: chocolate mousse with Ausangate ice cream, sweet Sacred Valley peaches, maras salt, and macambo crumble.
Drinks were no less inspired. Guests toasted with Oqre Punches (pisco laced with Campari and cherries) or ventured into bold, savory territory with the Tomatillo, blending cherry tomato, limo chili, and maras salt. Espresso martinis also kept the energy high well into the evening.
Entertainment
As dinner was served, the room swelled with music. An operatic soprano sang from the pulpit, her voice filling the chapel like incense rising toward the heavens. It was truly one of those ‘pinch me’ moments. Later, the celebration spilled into the courtyard and bar, where the night transformed from reverence to revelry. Guests danced, cocktails in hand, with the night sky as their canopy.
The Attire
The dress code for the evening matched the palette of the décor: Azul and Gold. And of course, our guests rose to the occasion in dazzling style! The chapel shimmered with gilt and sapphire gowns that caught the candlelight, velvet suits, sequined detailing, and glittering accessories that echoed the gilded altarpieces. It was a sea of deep blues and luminous golds, a celestial tableau that extended the décor into every corner of the room. Fashion became part of the spectacle, seamlessly complementing the other details.
As the final notes of music drifted into the night and the last candles flickered low, we took a moment to reflect on how the Engage! 50th Golden Anniversary Gala Dinner was a reflection of everything we have stood for these past fifty events. Past and future, tradition and innovation, artistry and community. Here’s to many more years, as the Engage! community continues to gather, to dream, and to create golden moments for the next fifty events and beyond.
Visit our gallery to see more from this special event.
