International Yachtsman's Bash at Villa Ferrari

To celebrate the Miami International Boat Show, International Yachtsman magazine co-hosted a V.I.P. event for the South Florida yachting community, employing the talent of The Agency to plan and produce the evening. Held at Villa Ferrari, a palatial waterfront estate on the market for approximately $15 million on posh Palm Island, the 18,000-square-foot home was the ideal location to accommodate several hundred attendees as well as showcase the unveiling of a new luxury yacht by Bertram boat manufacturers. The site of the revelry was also significant because the developers of Villa Ferrari and Majestic Properties, which has the listing on the home, had an ulterior motive in mind—they were looking for a buyer.

At the front gate, employees of Mac Parking Inc. greeted arrivals with complimentary valet service. As cars were parked, gift bags filled with goodies supplied by sponsors Elemis Spa, Lincoln Road magazine, Bertram and Dewar's were subtly placed in passenger seats. Two guest houses flanked the main driveway, which was lined with a half dozen Ferraris and Maseratis on loan from The Collection, a luxury auto dealership in Coral Gables. At the top of the drive, guests wound up at the grand foyer, where a solo violinist played and Pete Diaz Productions used gobo lights to project the Bacardi and Dewar's logos above a bar. Romero Britto art, also on loan and for sale from Britto Central in South Beach, filled the walls.

Beyond the entrance—spanning 72 feet in length—was the great room where models wearing couture dresses by designer Julian Chang posed under additional Britto artwork while sipping cocktails and nibbling cheese and pâté from platters by Le Basque Catering. Christina's Party Rentals supplied the chairs, tables and linens that were assembled throughout the property, while White Tulip decorated the tabletops with floral arrangements. Caterwaiters made the rounds throughout the mansion as well as on the main grounds where more spectators wandered by the pool, patio and dock awaiting the unveiling of the 63-foot luxe-liner. After the ribbon cutting, wannabe skippers, captains and their lovely companions kicked off their Prada and Manolo Blahnik shoes to climb aboard and admire the boat.

"We got a tremendous audience we wouldn't ordinarily get locally," said Jeff Morr of Majestic Properties, by tapping into the subscriber database of co-host International Yachtsman magazine for the guest list. "We want these people. They're extremely affluent, into waterfront property and luxury cars."

The rest of the evening was spent indulging—on gazpacho and pâté, on great Latin music by Latin Fever Productions, on striking views of the water and the Downtown Miami skyline and, of course, on the stunning people all around.

—Jose Gomez