Jazz Age Preservation Ball | crashing nightingale

So here we are, at the Jazz Age Preservation Ball hosted by the Art Deco Society of Virginia. The event was at the historic Bolling Haxall House. Talk about a grand place to put on such an elegant event. The historic building is an 1858 Italianate Mansion. If you read my recent post about Second Empire style, you can figure I was about to have a heart attack when I entered the place.

The event was to benefit the historic Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. The Art Deco Society of Virginia aims to raise funds through the Jazz Age Preservation Ball for one of Virginia’s selected Art Deco preservation projects. The Byrd Theatre definitely had the classiest-looking benefactors to raise awareness about it’s preservation. The night kicked off with some dance lessons by two of the Art Deco Society of Virginia’s board members. Guests grabbed their partners and learned the Charleston to get them ready for dancing the night away.

Everyone danced to the sounds of the Blue Crescent Syncopators, a jazz and swing band that brings back the music from the 1920s to 1930s. There was a silent auction that had a bevy of jazz age items for guests to bid on. Guests could sign up to get their photo taken by photographer Lynn Redmile so they could capture their twenties look. There was plenty of food and drinks for everyone to enjoy while mingling among each other.

Towards the end of the evening there was a burlesque performance by The Garter Snaps. The Garter Snaps are burlesque-duo that treated the Jazz Age Preservation Ball guests to a hot little number to the music of 1933’s “We’re in the Money.”

We were so glad we got to experience such an extravagant event. It was such a sight to see everyone dressed up to celebrate their love for this era and help raise money for Art Deco preservation. It truly was the cherry on top to our weekend and we look forward to next year!

First thing first, happy new year!

I’m a little belated on my happy 2014 exclamation. I did have a fun and entertaining New Year’s Eve celebration and kissed 2013 goodbye.

Currently, my husband and I are getting ready for the next big event on our agenda, the Jazz Age Preservation Ball in Richmond, VA. We are SO excited! The Jazz Age Preservation Ball is created and presented by the Art Deco Society of Virginia. I stumbled across the non-profit organization and found they put on this extravagant event. So my husband and I thought, let’s go! This will be their second year and by the looks of the photos from their inaugural event, it’s going to be a grand time.

I am a Jazz Age and Art Deco enthusiast and love to get my hands on anything from this era. My husband and I love this time period so much our wedding was 1920s themed. (See article on this here ☞ Saying ‘I do’ Roaring Twenties Style.) I’ve always had a dormant obsession with the twenties. Unconsciously admiring the structure of finger waves and secretly falling in love with the flapper style. I love many decades between the 1880s to 1960s, but if I had to choose, hands down the 1920s win. This time is just intoxicating for me. The colors, style, architecture, and the way America was after the Great War and before the second one. When we became engaged and I was going over the theme of our wedding with our photographer, she suggested I start a Pinterest board to give me wedding ideas. At the time we had not decided on a 1920s-themed wedding, but knew we wanted a vintage-theme event. I started my search and started to come across couples who had done this. Thus began my (so far) 1, 777 pinned images of the 1920s style. I could literally live my life in this style, no joke.

So we’ve prepared for our trip to Virginia and are ready to attend the Ball. We’re looking forward to meeting other Jazz Age and Art Deco enthusiasts. Keep your eyes peeled for details on this event!

Here’s a sneak of my dress ☞