Grand Ballroom Prepared for Cele

A ballroom laid for the evening. Nine crystal chandeliers hang from a coffered gold ceiling, and tall arched windows show a night sky with a crescent moon. Round tables in cream linen fill the parquet floor, each ringed with green velvet chairs and set with glasses, gold candelabra and red-and-white flower arrangements; tiered stands hold macarons and small cakes. A raised stage at the right carries a grand piano, a gilded harp, cellos and violins on their stands with music desks between them. Guests in evening dress gather in twos and threes by the columns at the back, and long banners in green, red and gold hang between the windows. Cream linen, green chairs and dark parquet repeat around the room in a rhythm that keeps every table its own workable island.