The first time we met Nikki, we hit it off instantly–she was articulate and witty but never annoying. We were challenged by her choice of theme for her party–the auteur Wes Anderson. As a longtime fan of the film director, she wanted her debut to revolve around some of his films. She preferred a certain color palette reminiscent of “The Darjeeling Limited”—hues of orange, red, sky blue, and emerald green. These were the obvious color choices reflected on the party invitations. At the foyer of the ballroom, stylist Teddy Manuel dropped little hints—from the photowall to the cocktail tables—about how the reception would look like. Still, guests were wondering as to what would greet them inside the dining area. They queued at the registration table to get their seat assignments which were indicated on mint candies in color coordinated packages.