CHAPTER III
Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall
Kelly and her friends Lydia Calhoun, Lindsey
Gibert, and Meredith Mentz were fêted by their
parents at a large-scale soirée last December. The
themed shindig —The Four Seasons —was planned and
produced by Susan Zackin, the award-winning founder and
creative director of Z Event Company. With New Orleanssize
extended families and daughters at four different
colleges, the guest list of relatives and friends easily topped
1,200. But with Susan's savvy choice of the venue and clever
use of the floorplan, the party felt personal and welcoming.
The fabulous invitation was directly inspired by the Art
Nouveau movement made popular by Alphonse Mucha in
Prague during the early 1900s. "We crafted all original
artwork representing each girl with seasonal florals,"
Margaret Jones of Scriptura explains. "Irises for Spring,
tropical plants for Summer, Fall leaves for Autumn, and
icicles and a snowy owl for Winter." Comprised of six
panels held together with a tassel, the elegant invitation
opened and shut to form a working fan, harkening back
to the elaborate style of early carnival ball invitations. I
loved the nod to a style that was popular in New Orleans at
the dawn of the 20th century.
(l ef t to right) K el ly, Lindse y Gibert, Lydia Ca lhoun, and Meredith Mentz
Photos by Josh Brasted
28 ADORE • MARCH 2020