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I n the annals of grand soirées, The American Friends of Versailles' A Legacy of Light gala will surely rank among the summer's most glamorous. Just ask the posh clutch of European nobility, social swells, and Texas gentry who flocked for the evening. Designer gowns, black-tie finery, and high jewelry were de rigueur as 280 guests entered the Sun King's Palace for an evening of fanfare, fireworks, and a seven- foot birthday cake celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States and the alliance between the U.S. and France that facilitated independence. Trumpets heralded the arrival of the throng that strolled first through the Royal Apartments and on to the famed Hall of Mirrors, where they were greeted by the gala's distinguished honorary chair, native Texan/Paris resident Becca Cason Thrash, recipient of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. She is known for her remarkable fundraising prowess, so it was no surprise that the evening reaped $3.5 million — funds allocated for restoration of the Salon de Diane, where the recently restored ceiling, created during Fête ACCOMPLI THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF VERSAILLES GALA, ORCHESTRATED BY THREE TEXANS, ROCKS THE NIGHT A LEGACY OF LIGHT RAISES $3.5 MILLION. the reign of Louis XIV, enthralled guests. While champagne was served in the Hall of Mirrors, The American Friends of Versailles president Alicia Bryan, scion of one of Texas' leading energy families, visited with France's minister of culture Catherine Pégard and Laurent Salomé, director of the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon. Rounding out the trio of Texas leadership was Texas-transplant-to- Paris Lucas Somoza, creative director and event planner extraordinaire who created and executed the grand tableau. The distinguished clique moved on to the vast Galerie des Batailles for cocktails until trumpeters sounded the call to dinner. A gustatory highlight was the presentation of the remarkable seven-foot-tall birthday cake by renowned French cake designer Bastien Blanc-Tailleur. The towering pastry required 300 hours of preparation by a team of 10 pastry chefs. An Auction Like No Other As dessert was served, the auction of wildly extravagant lots commenced. The pièce de résistance was a one-of-a-kind David Yurman white-gold Liberty Cable bracelet set with more than 25 carats of diamonds. By Shelby Hodge. Photography François Goizé, Catalin Vutcariov. This beauty, provided by the event's grand patrons, Sybil and David Yurman, commanded a generous $260,000. French designer Christian Louboutin made the high bid on the beachfront escape to the Zanzibar Collection's Baraza Resort & Spa. Bidding was also enthusiastic for a cruise from Luxor to Aswan on Louboutin's luxury sailboat; a private South African safari; and a behind-the-scenes experience on the set of Netflix's Emily in Paris series. With fundraising sealed, the crowd moved to the terrace overlooking the Versailles gardens for a lavish fireworks display accompanied by classical music. The hardier among the celebrants then moved on to the after-party in the Galerie Basse, where a DJ kept the revelry churning until 1 am. For the diehard Texans, the party continued next door at Airelles Le Grand Contrôle, where New York/Palm Beach interior designers Lance Scott and Cecily Waud had booked a suite for the occasion. The Versailles evening was the grand finale of several days of The American Friends of Versailles activities in Paris that included launch at Hôtel de Talleyrand, dinner at Quai d'Orsay, and brunch at Château de Champlâtreux — three spectacular venues not typically open to the public.