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Like the most memorable Fall 2017 fashion shows, the best wedding receptions leave guests wanting more. If you get a little creative, you can certainly deliver that with your post-reception bash.
But if you've got to think beyond late-night drinks at the hotel bar. “In general, what the weddings world could borrow from the fashion world is the [element of] surprise,” says Alexandre de Betak, who’s produced events for the likes of Alexander Wang and Maria Grazia Chiuri. “It takes a lot to surprise our audience, so that's a big part of my life. I look for weird places people would never think of going. I serve people foods they would never normally eat; I show them fun activities they would never normally do.”
Something to think about as you start scouting venues and dreaming up menus for your own fabulous soiree. In the meantime, here are nine ideas to borrow the best of the past month‘s fashion month after-parties.
Instagram-Worthy InvitationsThe right invitation will build intrigue for what comes after the last dance. After its Paris Fashion Week show, Chloé treated guests to cocktails—and a surprise performance from Solange Knowles— at the pop-up “Chloé Club.” Like the event’s custom signage, the invitation glowed with neon light.
A Playful Dress CodeLure your crew to the after-party with a dress code or accessories that invite them to kick off their heels and loosen their bowties. During London Fashion Week, guests at Vivienne Westwood’s “Mad Max” bash donned thematic hats that made for quite the photo ops. And at Diane von Furstenberg’s New York Fashion Week dinner, Sofía Sanchez de Betak proved that pajama sets can make for charming party attire.
A Unique Setting
Who said the whole event can't take place at the church? For a late-night event with Heavensake, revelers took over the American Cathedral in Paris. For one night, a bonsai tree sprouted from the main altar, its branches holding green sake bottles in place of leaves. There was also a Japanese drumming performance that harnessed the venue’s celestial acoustics. Other memorable settings for fashion month parties included a penthouse apartment and a pop-up caviar restaurant.
A Bit of Naughtiness
Why limit the saucy entertainment to the bachelor and bachelorette parties? Held at a Peruvian restaurant, Balmain’s Paris Fashion Week bash had a burlesque theme. The crowd was treated to cabaret acts and hoop dancing; afterwards, R&B tunes had Olivier Rousteing and his muses dancing friskily on banquettes.
An Art Film
A slideshow makes for a sweet rehearsal-dinner moment. But the wee hours of your wedding night beg for something a little more intimate. Why not hire a cinematographer to create a custom film that lets your nearest and dearest in on your inner life as a couple? Vera Wang did something similar for an evening event celebrating her Légion d’Honneur award. At the Paris Fashion Week soiree, guests watched a short film that alternated clips of Wang practicing ballet with artistic shots of golden feathers and footage of her Fall 2017 collection.
Carnival Games
The throwback appeal of a fun fair is nearly universal—and that goes for wedding guests as well as for the hard-to-impress fashion set. At Valentino’s recent eyewear launch in Milan, guests made their way through a trippy mirror maze. And during London Fashion Week, Kristin Scott Thomas read fortunes at Natalia Vodianova’s Fabulous Fund Fair, which also featured an airplane toss and spin the bottle.
Eye OpenersIf you want your crowd to stick with you till the next morning, you’ll need to keep them alert. At Prabal Gurung’s New York Fashion Week party, guests such as Misty Copeland woke up with Grey Goose-espresso martinis before—presumably—hitting the dance floor.
Fast FoodThe mix of high and low, or what De Betak calls “sleek and rough,” is on the menu at all the best fashion parties. At Vodianova’s fair, guest washed down hot dogs with chilled Dom Pérignon. And at Burberry’s London Fashion Week party, Belvedere cocktails accompanied a midnight snack of mini cheese toasts.
Flowers to Go
Consider plucking this idea from Erdem’s London Fashion Week party: as guests left, they gathered flowers to create their own, custom bouquets. Jenni Kayne also distributed personalized bouquets at a dinner celebrating her Fall 2017 collection. Just think: Apart from giving your guests a beautifully-scented last impression, this could be a clever reuse of your wedding arrangements.