’Tis the season to be merry

Press, 1 December 1987, Page 24

’Tis the season to be merry

MARQUEE ON THE LAWN

COVER SHOT DETAILS.— Wendy Smolenski (Spotlight Agency) and Warwick Iversen (Pieter’s Agency) photographed by Peter Bannan. Hair and make-up Fiona Fletcher (Phoebe’s make-up studio.) Mr K dress, Oroton earrings and gold metal handbag supplied by Quinns Fashions. Dinner suit from Mr Sergios hire service, wing collar shirt courtesy of the Court Theatre.

SUE HAMPTON

"This,” said Ken Ellis, “is what a pup-tent looks like when it grows up.” As master of ceremonies, he was referring to the three-roomed, silk-lined and chandeliered marquee, venue for Paynter Corporation’s seventy-fifth anniversary ball. Set in the grounds of Deans Bush, guests were chauffeured to it up the long drive in a pair of London taxis, while a wedding party, held in Riccarton House itself, enjoyed the spectacle of blacktied men and sequinned women making their way to the marquee. Past the reception line, guests were greeted by Taitinger and orange juice, and mingled before the jazz band which lined up to one side of the dance floor.

Red-clothed tables, each

with a tall centrepiece dripping with white carnations, stood at either side of the dance-floor, and in true tradition, there was no table number 13.

Women took advantage of the opportunity to dress, and although hemlines varied, from full-length to balletlength, the over-all effect was dazzling. Silks, taffetas and sequins dominated, and although black was still popular, the all black and gold combinations of a few years ago had all but vanished. Setting the tone for the evening, Susie Paynter wore a spaghetti-strapped sequinned sheath that shimmered to her ankles. Her mother, June Miller, followed suit in a squarenecked evening gown in glittering blues with a slanted dropped waist. Gillian Wess, Paynter’s public relations co-ordinator,

looked like an enchanting Alice in Wonderland, in an emerald taffeta, calf-length gown, finished with a bow. The effect was complete as she darted among guests making sure everything was just as it should be.

Apart from the Paynter Corporation’s own staff, guests were an interesting mixture of bankers, architects, news media and public relations people, and past employees.

A third room of the marquee held two long tables of food, presided over by an eagle and a camel, both beautifully executed in butter. Fortunately the camel was not a sign of things to come, the champagne flowed freely, and all 225 guests, under the benevolent eyes of the'Paynter family, were set to have a very special evening.