Vizcaya Museum and Gardens welcomed more than 250 of Miami’s most charitable patrons for the 14th Annual Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon – a sold-out celebration of Vizcaya’s Garden Centennial.

The luncheon earns its notable nickname, “the hat luncheon,” due to the guests’ fashionable hats, ranging from the classic to the avantgarde. A natural fit for this cultural hotspot, the hats added a touch of flair and whimsy to the fundraiser, which addresses the important issue of historic preservation. The topic is made even more timely as the Garden Centennial counts down to major improvements, including the restoration of the maze and theater gardens, its many fountains and more.

Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception in the historic Rose Garden, filling the space with colorful chapeaus and fashions as if the flowers themselves had come to life in honor of this momentous occasion. Following the reception, guests flocked to their tables throughout the formal gardens for a seated luncheon among catered by Thierry Isambert Catering and Design.

The program kicked off with remarks by Vizcaya Executive Director Joel Hoffman and Emmy-awarded anchor Laurie Jennings, who returned once again as our Emcee. For the annual hat contest, an illustrious panel of judges included Suzy Buckley of shapoh.com, John Grisham of Chanel Fine Jewelry, international supermodel and actress Karolina Kurkova and Elias Synalovski, General Manager of Neiman Marcus Coral Gables. Contest winners included: Guerline Gelin-Eisner for Most Elegant Ensemble, Alexa Wolman for Best Hat and Gigi Whitman for Most Avant-Garde.

The 14th Annual Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon’s Co-Chairs were Eilah Campbell-Beavers, Swanee DiMare and Christy Martin. The committee included Tatiana Arteaga Teo, Suzy Buckley, Sandra Fiorenza, Sonia Gibson, Linda Levy Goldberg, John Grisham, Marile Lopez, Ariel Penzer Milgroom, Morgan Shara, Josie Wang, Alexa Wolman and Patty Zhang.

Sponsors for this event were Shapoh Designer Millinery, Neiman Marcus Coral Gables, DiMare Fresh, Terra Group, Nexxus Wellness and Shaw-Ross International Importers. For more information about the Preservation Luncheon, visit www.vizcayapreservation.org.