Have you ever been to Boca Grande in Florida? Palm Beach and Miami everyone knows, but elite Boca Grande is another thing entirely. It’s one of the last remainders of the state of Florida as it was originally conceived as a vacation paradise. And the historic Gasparilla Inn there, built in 1913, may be the most paradisical spot in the resort with its beach club on the Gulf of Mexico, compound of charming cottages scattered about, a grand golf course, a croquet court and a pavilion. It was on this croquet court that that beautiful couple — I mean really beautiful — Ashley Dodd and Ogden Phipps were married with a pink sun setting over the golf course on one of those perfect tropical evenings that keep people coming back to Florida.
Adorable Ashley loves to ride and adorable Ogden loves to hunt. They are both tall and fair and every wedding guest agreed they were the best-looking couple to tie the knot in ever so long. Ashley wore an exquisite long dress designed by Monique L’Huillier. The bridegroom’s father, Ogden “Dinny” Phipps, was his son’s best man and the bride’s friend, Kate Maloney, was her maid of honor.
After the ceremony the happy guests swept into the Gasparilla Inn to sample the local crab claws, Gulf shrimp and oysters, accompanied by enough champagne to disrupt the trade balance between the U.S. and France, if that sort of statistic engages you.
The groom’s lovely mother, Ande Phipps, was a picture in peach chiffon and the bride’s mother, Kathe Dodd, was another one in pale blue. Uber art dealer, Bill Acquavella, and his wife, Donna, flew in from New York, as did Liz and Damon Mezzacappa, Alejandro Santo Domingo with Eugenia Silva, Tinsley and Topper Mortimer, Patricia Herrera Lansing and Gerrity Lansing, the model Ines Rivero with her husband, Jorge Mora, and the groom’s three sisters, Lily Phipps, Daisy Phipps and the recently married Samantha Phipps-Alvarez with her husband, Matt.
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Golfing legend Raymond Floyd flew in from Palm Beach with his wife, Maria, and their daughter, Christina. Ramona and Lee Bass of the Bass billions flew in from Texas and Kelly and William Farish, horse lovers and breeders extraordinaire, flew in from their vast farm in Kentucky. Ogden’s cousin Emily Janney; Jon Ylvisaker and his soon-to-be-bride Eleanor Lembo; Lourdes and Pepe Fanjul; Paul Wilmot; Emilia and Brian Pfeifler, racing hall-of-famer Claude “Shug” McGaughey, and others too sun-tanned and horse-y to mention were part of the throng. (Who doesn’t know that the Phipps name is one of the most illustrious in the horse world?) Will Farish’s family owns the Gasparilla Inn, so he was only too happy to recount to all who would listen the lore of Boca Grande.
As for the bridegroom, his great-great-grandfather was Andrew Carnegie’s business partner. Wily old Andrew sure knew how to pick a partner. And so does his great-grandson.
Hugh Grant and the love of his life, maybe, Jemima Goldsmith, the mighty heiress, are looking for a place to live in New York. Hugh has always loved the city and his older brother James lives here. The lovers are also said to want some relief from the London photographers who have been relentless since Grant and Khan started their romance. Perhaps even more important is the fact that Hugh fell in love with the golf course at Piping Rock, the exclusive Long Island Private Club, and has played there since 2002, when he discovered the club’s elegant course while making “Two Weeks Notice” in New York with Sandra Bullock.
One of the world’s richest bachelors now that his daddy Stavros Niarchos has gone on ahead to that great shipping empire in the sky is his son Spyros Niarchos, who is eligible again after breaking up with longtime girlfriend Isabella Borromeo of the aristocratic Italian family. Now Isabella is reportedly four months pregnant and has announced her engagement to the father of her child, the impossibly rich oil man Ugo Peretti. Mamma mia.
You’ve all heard the stories that George Clooney has outdone himself by putting his pet Viennese pig, Max, on a strict diet and an exercise program supervised by a veterinarian. George has been quoted over and over as saying, “Max’s stomach isn’t dragging on the ground now like it used to,” but apparently there’s still more work to be done. George’s stomach isn’t dragging on the ground either because he’s lost eight pounds on his diet, inspired by his lady friend Lisa Snowden. No matter what the diet does for Max, he probably won’t end up looking like sexy George. Has “Extreme Makeover” heard about Max?
You know the stork has come to Claudia Schiffer again, who gave birth on Friday to an adorable baby girl weighing 7 lbs. 2 oz. Now Claudia wants to go back to work as soon as she loses the weight that she gained during her pregnancy. Would she think of using Max’s nutritionist? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Two great figures of international society, both beautiful women, are now visiting New York — the Countess Aline Romanones from Spain and Princess Manni Wittgenstein from Austria. They are being entertained right and left and the good news is that Aline Romanones’ book, “The Spy Wore Red,” based upon her life as a seductive American spy in the O.S.S., will now be made into a movie. And maybe a series of movies, because Aline has written five novels about this particular spy.
Bunny Williams and Sydney Shuman will preside over the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House’s Holiday Bazaar Preview Party at Sotheby’s tonight. Featured at the party will be gifts designed by Albert Hadley, CeCe Cord, Mario Buatta, Lisa Jackson, Richard Mishaan and Albert Capraro using luxurious fabrics donated by Scalamandre. The bazaar will open on Thursday and run through Saturday. The committee includes Tobie Roosevelt and her sister Nancy Baker, Felix and Elizabeth Rohatyn, John Rosselli and the co-chairmen Eva Dillon and Mireya D’Angelo…. Can you believe there are only 38 days until Christmas?