FEATURES

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The contrasting turquoise was gleaned from a Moroccan glass chandelier in Foster's dining room. "The color palette is so important," Bean says. "Inspiration can come from anything—the landscape, china, or a chandelier. You should make it special to reflect you."

For the menu, Crokos turned to NYC-based Creative Edge Parties, owned by Bob Spiegel and Carla Ruben, who advises, "An event should be planned for your guests, not just for you." Even so, Ruben suggested cuisine that would fit the "informal but elegant" evening Foster wanted, as well as her wish "for her guests to get up and dance." That meant starting with cocktails—in this case, Watermelon Basil Coolers that were served on the house's covered porch instead of around the pool, as it had started to rain. A mix of hors d'oeuvres—chicken summer rolls, goat cheese tartlets, prosciutto pizzas and yellowtail sashimi, among others—were passed on wasabi green trays, matching the color scheme. The appetizers were so popular they attracted an unexpected visitor. "A guy crashed the party," Foster says. "He was cute, but I kicked him out anyway."

After cocktails, guests made their way by lighted walkways to the barn, which was bedecked with large Chinese paper lanterns hanging over long rows of picnic tables and benches with wasabi green cushions. "Colleen wanted to sit everyone together," Bean says. "The guests were surprised at the intimacy and sophistication of the décor." The tables were draped with white linen tablecloths and set with Riedel stemware, lime green chargers and white linen napkins with green edges.

Dinner began with lobster Napoleon garnished with artichokes, purple potatoes and cheddar pastry fish with balsamic syrup. As plates were cleared, guests moved toward the buffet table. "They could mingle as they stood up to serve themselves a beautiful, fresh summer menu," Ruben says. "The buffet was designed at different heights to create a feeling of abundance." And it wasn't just a feeling: diners could choose from Flatiron steak, mustard-crusted tuna and toasted Israeli cous cous, among other dishes. Dessert included a three-tiered vanilla cake with lemon filling—frosted in green, of course.