First Dance, Twentieth Year

Concept and palette were locked two weeks out: china-anniversary ballroom evening, built around porcelain blue, bone china, gilt edge. Florals — blue-white hydrangea in china tureens — were prepared in our studio the day before.

Displaying seventy pieces of heirloom china vertically demanded custom museum mounts rated for twice each plate’s weight.

They opened the floor to a big band as their kids — who planned it — watched from the head table they once sat under.