Black Tie & Tales

+ A fairytale proposal
If you were strolling along the beaches of Longboat Key Sunday, April 7, you might have thought you were walking into the scenes of a romantic movie. However, it was the big finale of Matt Buchanan’s romantic (and well-planned) proposal to Diana Kelly. The couple, who have been dating one-and-half years, celebrated their engagement during a party at the home of Matt’s parents, Vern and Sandy Buchanan. Little did Diana know … the party was actually for her.

After two months of planning, the surprise evening finally arrived. Matt told Diana the evening’s event was to be his mom’s surprise birthday party (her birthday was actually March 27), so Diana would need to take Sandy for a girls’ day and have her back to the house by 8:15 p.m. When the ladies arrived, Matt told Diana to bring his mom straight to the boardwalk leading to the beach. At that point, Diana was “slightly annoyed” with the photographer who started singing “Happy Birthday,” because Diana thought she was blowing the surprise. At that point, Sandy let Diana know that the evening was actually for her and Matt was waiting. As Diana walked the boardwalk, two vocalists sang “The Prayer” and Diana’s siblings, Monica and Tommy (brother John is out of the country), and Matt’s brother, James, popped out to congratulate her. After Matt proposed, a firework display began over the water and all of the couple’s friends and family were waiting on the balcony to celebrate.

More than 35 friends and family, who were equally surprised, were gathered to celebrate the newly engaged couple, including Diana’s best friend, Bridget Biederman, who had flown in from New York City for the surprise.

+ Girls Inc. — The real story
More than 800 guests at the April 4 Girls Inc. Celebration Luncheon got a glimpse of the essence or the organization when Zandy Sanders, 13, who was being honored as “Girl of the Year,” lost her composure when it was time for her to speak. A phalanx of women were on the stage in a flash to surround and support the young woman while she pulled herself together and went on to dazzle the crowd. It was Girls Inc. in action; the songs and speeches, lovely as they were, didn’t come close to conveying the value of the organization as well as the sight of the female fortress surrounding Sanders. Board President Susan Jones quickly took to the microphone and said, “I’m sure we can all understand how emotional a moment this is for Zandy and will be happy to give her a few moments.”

The powers at be are reporting $60,000 was raised from the ask and overall an amount of $200,000 raised, with money still coming in. With time running short toward the end of the event, the 25 years of “She Knows Where She’s Going” retrospective video was unable to be shown, so see the video at girlsincsrq.org.
Next year’s Celebration Luncheon is slated for April 3, 2014, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

+ April Fools’ birthday
One invitee was missing in action at the luncheon that friends threw for Helen Sherman, at Michael’s On East, on April Fools’ Day. It was the birthday girl who at the last minute had to miss her own party. She was there in spirit, however, and on the phone saying, “I was going to ask whether you were all here because you like me so much … or because you like Michael’s On East food so much.”

+ Tidbits
… A message from above? … Marcia Jean Taub wore a lovely skirt inherited from her fashionable late mother, Ethel Taub, to the March 29 opening night of “The Game’s Afoot,” at the Asolo Rep, in honor of the third anniversary of her mom’s death. Completely unaware of the significance of the date, Margaret Wise was also wearing something from Mrs. Taub — a green pants tailleur purchased at Designing Women Boutique, to which her family consigned much of her estate … Once burned, twice learned … their Jewish customers gave Kim Duffy and Sandi Wagner a hard time because their popular Toasted Mango restaurant had Christmas decorations but nothing for Hanukkah last winter. Come Passover, however, the women who run this wildly popular breakfast-and-lunch place were spot on: there was Matzo Brei on the menu all week … Midnight at the Oasis … The guests’ desert finery was on full display at this year’s Orchid Ball, April 6, at Selby Gardens. Kelly Engel looked fabulous and very “Queen of Jordan,” and Jacqueline Morton made her hat from a scarf and antique lace — hopefully fashion designer Adrienne Vittadini, who was in attendance, approved of all the garb … Date night … Orchid Ball was also the first night out alone — without Saks Marketing Director Sally Schule — for Saks GM Joel Ellzey and his partner, Bryan Felker … Tales from Winefest … Nikki Logan was seen beaming, with fiancé David Curran in tow, at Winefest’s April 5 Balloon Glow Dinner. The couple is planning their Dec. 1 wedding, to be held at the Postcard Inn, on St. Petersburg Beach. Logan is also celebrating a new job — after seven years as Whole Foods’ marketing and community outreach director, she will be moving over to Mattison’s as community outreach director. Best wishes, Nikki!