Following the star-studded telecast of the 78th Emmy® Awards, television’s elite will step into an enchanting world of structural beauty and culinary artistry at the official post-show celebration: The Garden After Dark.
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Photo courtesy of the Television Academy
This year’s gala flips the traditional landscape design on its head. Attendees will be greeted by a striking, formal geometry anchoring the ground level, while an intricate, theatrical ceiling grid draws the eye upward into a deconstructed garden maze. This layered, suspended sky canopy features cascading greenery and silk florals expertly designed to subtly incorporate the prismatic tones of this year’s key art for the Emmys — weaving rich moments of red, orange, green and soft blue throughout the entire environment.
“This reflects the stellar year of television and the excitement of bringing the industry together to celebrate a magical moment under a one-of-a-kind magnificently suspended canopy,” said Governors Gala Committee Chairs Robert Malachowski Jr. and Kimberly Wannop.
Bringing this breathtaking architectural illusion to life is the legendary lead event designer Cheryl Cecchetto, founder and CEO of Sequoia Productions, the visionary team behind many of Hollywood’s most spectacular evenings, who recently produced and managed the Los Angeles Host City’s FIFA Fan Festival™ during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“With The Garden After Dark, we wanted to challenge spatial boundaries and create a living, breathing canvas that completely envelops our guests,” said Cecchetto. “By suspending a deconstructed garden maze overhead, we’ve created an intimate yet grand sanctuary. The geometry groundside balances the theatrical complexity above, utilizing thousands of meticulously treated silk stems and rich, prismatic lighting shifts to ensure television’s biggest night ends with an unforgettable sensory experience.”
The Landscape in Numbers: Floral and Rigging Masterpieces
Bringing this gravity-defying botanical illusion to life requires an unparalleled engineering and design feat. The venue’s transformation includes over 100 dedicated man-hours to prep, build and apply flame-retardant treatments to a massive botanical inventory. The landscape features:
- The Greenery Canopy: Two custom-built 14-foot-tall trees spanning 12-feet wide (weighing 450 lbs. each), 19 towering 14-foot Cypress trees, 6,750 square feet of camouflage netting and an additional 3,500 square feet (700 pounds) of lush greenery embedded with 250 accent flowers.
- The Silk Floral Palette: A vibrant, meticulous arrangement of 5,450 premium silk stems, including 2,000 marigolds, 750 dahlias, 600 spray roses, 600 classic roses, 500 French marigolds, 350 Mokara orchids, 300 ranunculuses, 200 Cymbidium orchids, 150 calla lilies, 100 Oncidium orchids and 50 striking pin cushions.
- The Technical Infrastructure: Illuminating the garden are 480 light fixtures — including 100 dynamic moving lights — powered by 15,000 linear feet of DMX control cable. The stunning ceiling maze is securely suspended utilizing 156 half-ton motors and 2,800 linear feet of heavy-duty truss.
A Curated Gastronomic Journey
The evening’s menu presents an elevated, highly interactive culinary narrative. Savore Cuisine anchors the evening, serving an astonishing 12,000 pieces of meticulously handcrafted hors d’oeuvres.
Guests will also experience a uniquely curated lineup of specialty food and dessert partners:
- Oysters XO: Providing an innovative “Tide-to-Table” interactive experience exclusively on telecast night, featuring premium oysters shipped directly from the farm to the gala floor.
- The Very Best Cookie in the Whole Wide World: A celebrated woman-owned bakery serving gourmet Rice Krispie treats crafted unlike anything guests have ever experienced.
- All About the Cinnamon: A family-owned powerhouse bakery bridging hip-hop culture and premium baking, showcasing artisanal treats where every single flavor is named after a hip-hop legend.
Exquisite Liquid Refreshments
Guests will cleanse their palates and hydrate with FIJI Water, “Earth’s Finest Water.” In addition, the beverage program features a luxurious selection of world-class spirits and fine wines. Ketel One Family Made Vodka returns with signature serves that are “Made to Cocktail.” The bespoke lineup features elevated martini experiences, such as an Espresso Martini and a Ketel One Martini paired with Roe Caviar, alongside a Strawberry Collins.
Wine enthusiasts will enjoy an exquisite selection of varietals from Decoy across the portfolio, featuring the 2023 Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon, 2025 Decoy California Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2024 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay. A curated array of premium sparkling wines from Italy’s famed Franciacorta region will provide the perfect effervescent toast to the evening’s Emmy nominees and winners.
The 78th Emmy Awards will be held over three nights, Sept. 5, 6 and 14. The Sept. 14 ceremony, hosted by multiple Emmy-winner Mariska Hargitay, will be broadcast live on NBC from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will stream live and on demand on Peacock. Nights one and two will be edited into a single broadcast, the 78th Emmy Awards (Creative Arts), airing Saturday, Sept. 12, on FXX at 8 p.m. ET/PT, available to stream on Hulu the next day.
About the Television Academy
The Television Academy strives to shape and advance the dynamic television landscape, shape the future of the industry, and celebrate excellence through its various programs, including the prestigious Emmy® Awards. Comprising thousands of members across various media disciplines, the Academy recognizes outstanding achievements, promotes diversity and inclusivity, and supports the next generation of storytellers through the Television Academy Foundation. For more information, please visit emmys.com.
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