A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Orchid Ball
Roger Capote's Orchid Ball vision comes to life Feb. 10 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
By
Kayleigh Omang
| 6:00 a.m. February 14, 2018
Black Tie
Share
Getting a ball together, especially one as big as Orchid Ball, takes quite a bit of pre-planning and execution. For this year’s Orchid Ball: Warhol’s Floral Playground, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Senior Director of Special Projects Roger Capote has been planning since last summer. We joined him the day of Orchid Ball to see how Capote organizes the venue. As this year’s Andy Warhol exhibit is displayed in the gardens, Capote put thought into each aspect of the design to create an event which would make Warhol proud. “We all wanted to do an experience throughout the event, because Andy Warhol was about the experience,” Capote says.
Capote laughs with everyone helping to get set up the event. The boxes were filled with the Andy Warhol “Flowers” books.
350 books were given out, one for each couple, on their chairs.
The night before Orchid Ball, Capote wrapped each table in plastic to keep the condensation off the white tablecloths.
Besides the colorful lampshades, against the white decor background and decor of the tent, the "guests become the color," Capote said.
Throughout the day, Capote checked the time make sure they were running on-time. With only five hours left until guests started arriving, everything needed to be perfectly prepped for the night.
When someone asked Capote what his favorite part of Orchid Ball is, he replied, “Seeing guests walk in.” He said he likes to see the look on their faces when they see his work for the first time.
The most difficult part according to Capote was the timing and orchestration.
Getting Orchid Ball set up was an all-hands-on-deck project. In all, putting the event together was a five-day installation. Capote says there was over 200 hours of labor all-together.
There were 666 guests who attended Orchid Ball.
Capote took pride in each detail of getting the scene set-up. He says he plans Orchid Ball a year in advance. In fact, he already has a vision set for next year’s ball, again revolving around the theme of the new art installation.
The after party room was filled with more than 800 "silver clouds" or balloons. “I just want to jump in all the balloons,” Capote said as he saw the pile of balloons for the first time.
Phil Mancini helped plan the menu for the evening, which included a deconstructed tomato soup, a hamburger and main lobster with French fries and a naked banana cream stack to top it off.
The menu was Capote's favorite detail of the night. “Although everything was so fantastic, but women in beautiful gowns and men in tuxedos eating a hamburger, you don’t see that," Capote said.
