White Hot Dinner

Secret Dallas party inspires 1,600 to dine in white on downtown bridge

When the inaugural Le Dîner en Blanc Dallas was announced back in July, the secrecy and global cache associated with the pop-up dinner whipped Dallasites into a frenzy.

Securing an invite to the exclusive gathering quickly became the No. 1 priority for as many as 8,000 people, but only a lucky 1,600 were shuttled to the Continental Avenue Bridge on September 17 to dine in the shadow of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

Guests rendezvoused at the Hilton Anatole and other locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth before boarding buses, which whisked them to the pedestrian-friendly bridge. With the sun setting, the bridge looming, and the lights of the Dallas skyline sparkling, the effect was just as majestic as co-hosts Rachael Kissel, Marti Fox, and Karen Raehpour had hoped. Sponsors Southwest Airlines, Celebrity Cruises, and Apothic Wine, along with dozens of volunteers, helped ensure the night went off without a hitch.

To be part of the chic picnic, guests were required to bring with them a table, chairs, china, flatware, glassware, centerpieces— all white, of course — and a gourmet meal. The dress code was strictly "elegant white," and half the fun of the night was seeing how that was interpreted. Gowns, feathers, sequins, fringe, fascinators, top hats, parasols, and even wigs could be spotted parading around the dinner.

Once the dining was done, a DJ turned the bridge into a dance party, and fireworks by Pyrotex capped off the evening. Plans for 2016's Le Dîner en Blanc are reportedly already underway but, of course, the possible locations are top secret.

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