Debutantes to the Festive Fore
Love-liness
“Courtside Cocktails” was scripted in gold on the emerald green invitation that named as honorees Courtland St. Paul, Lucy Normann and Maggie Roos, respective daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Rene Cooper St. Paul, Mr. Frank Barret Normann and Ms. Lisette Elaine Milham Normann, and Mr. and Mrs. Christopher James Roos. The evening ado took place in the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club’s upstairs ballroom, The 1876. The invitation featured a crest designed by Lisette Normann that included a brace of crisscrossed tennis rackets with the letters C, L and M, the honorees’ initials. The invitation’s emerald and gold colors were repeated decoratively throughout the room.
The dual colors also appeared in the dresses of the mothers and the debutantes, while the fathers sported matching green ties with embroidered gold tennis rackets. Designers for the young threesome were Rebecca Vallance for Maggie; Waters Design, Courtland, and Amanda Uprichard, Lucy.
Specialty drinks with tennis terms also tied into the debs, thanks to Courtland’s Grand Slam (Old fashioned), Lucy’s Love Cocktail (French 75) and Maggie’s Match Point (espresso martini). As for the fine food, chef Brack May of the NOLTC provided the many passed hors d’oeuvres, the beef filet station and roasted portobello mushrooms, among other taste treats. JCB Creations did the deserts and a special late-night menu occurred at 10 p.m. with hardy eats.
Among the many reveling in the “Courtyard” caper were Maggie’s parents Chris and Rebecca Roos; her siblings, Leo and Jack, and her grandparents, Bob and Julie Murphy and Bess Roos Holton. Also, John and Holly Gordon, Chep and Paige Morrison, Rob and Amie Stassi, Joel and Gretchen Dondis with daughter Hailey, Hal and Dierdre Moffett with Claire, Randy and Maria Argote with Evelyn, Noel and Maria Johnson with Emily and Larry, Justin and Mary Schmidt with daughter Conery and son Calder, David and Meredith Picou with William, Charlie and Rebel Caplinger, Bobby Bailey, Chris and Leigh Ellen Puckett, Storey and Anne Lynne Charbonnet with John, and Pierre and Susie Villere.
Deb Lucy’s brother, John Marshall Barret Normann, figured in the partying, as did Elizabeth and Grey Redditt, Andrea and John Milham, Catherine and Peter Freeman, Suzie and Stephen Winston, Karyn and Bill Kearney, Barbara and Clark Fitz-Hugh, Chris Carbine, and Jacque and Julie Kuchta.
For the music making, the name to know was the New Orleans Music Company, directed and planned through Dr. Brice Miller. The New Orleans Jazz Band played for the first hour, followed by the two hours of House Band and special guests Big Sam and Tonya Cannon. Each deb had a favorite song.
Socializing with the St. Pauls, and the other host families, were Marcelle Landry, Sara and Michael Landry, Todd and Coco Johnson, Amy Johnson, Cole Johnson, Lauren St. Paul with Luke Stanford (from Houston), the Eric Browns with Emi, Hayden and Karyn Matheson, the Gregor Hoffmans, the Clay Gearys, the Fred Mentzes, the Haden Lafayes and the Wayne Zeringues.
As the party wrapped, more treats awaited. A lively second line with the Mahogany Brass Band and Mardi Gras Indians led guests to transportation buses headed to F&M’s Patio Bar, where Courtland, Lucy and Maggie were the celebrated set.
Blooms with a View
Butterflies, divers pink flowers and greenery framed the message of the invitation extended by Mr. and Mrs. Justin Burton Schmidt, Mary and Justin, and designed by Katie Rafferty (Rafferty Studios). It stated “Blooming Elegance honoring Conery Schmidt” with the New Orleans Country Club as the site and black tie, the attire. Rafferty also did the paper flowers/floral decorations, along with the “Conery” party emblem.
As they entered, guests were gobsmacked. The country club was transformed into an enchanted garden, thanks to trees, an abundance of pink and white flowers (roses, lilies and amaryllises), chandeliers draped with flowers and greenery, candles on tables and mantelpieces, and grand pink paper dogwoods — a tribute to Conery’s love of Virginia and North Carolina — arched above the doorways. Steven Baker did the “real” flower arrangements and See-Hear Productions, the shades-of-pink lights, staging and backdrop, while John Parker Jazz Band “designed” the reception music. Elizabeth Kelleher, with In Any Event LLC, rated raves as the party planner.
More color and cut occurred in the honoree’s strapless frock that had an overlay of pink lace with re-embroidered organza flowers on fuchsia net, and that of her mother, Mary, which also featured richly embellished lace. Both were the creations of Royal Design House.
The fried oysters seemed to fly off the serving trays as they were passed, along with, among others, onion and goat cheese tarts, and crawfish beignets. In stationary locations, a beef tenderloin carving station, mac and cheese, ahi tuna and sushi (Rock-n-Sake Metairie) lured the lot. So did the sundae bar with NOCC’s celebrated peppermint ice cream, as well as the floral pink and purple Joan Farrell-Mathis cookies. An ice sculpture served as a vodka “luge” for super-chilled martinis and cosmopolitans.
Appreciating these gustatory pleasures were deb brother Calder Schmidt with Winnie McCarthy, sisters Ellie and Anna Schmidt, and grandmother Beth Hassinger. Also, Marguerite and Jimmy Kock, Helen and Tim Young, Michael and Nancy Walshe, Helen and Kim Butcher, Elly and Merritt Lane, Wendy and David Joseph, Doug Holmes and Janet Morse, and Dee McCloskey. College and camp friends of Conery also joined in.
Party favors were a bonus hit. Cups, light-up martini glasses, koozies, and napkins all featured the party emblem, and bright pink “blinky” leis were handed out on the dance floor.
Making their “Blooming” rounds — quite a few of the deb set accompanied their parents — were Heather Hammond, Laura and Paul Politz, Anne and Edmund Redd, Anne and Jody Guillot, Rachael and Christian Gambel, Ashbrooke Tullis, Kelly and Bill Ellis, Cinny and Andy Anderson, Miriam and Ned Henry, Caroline and Murray Calhoun, Cathy Drennan with Jeff Amann, Betsy and Woodie Van Horn, and Sheldon and Michael Schmidt. For chatting, they sat in the lounge areas.
As the merry momentum moved from “Elegance” to electric, Big Bling & the Funk Machine charged the dance floor. Meanwhile, late-night noshes fueled the fun and energized the crowd, who boogied to “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Brown Eyed Girl” with Conery leading the levity.