From his small town roots to dominance as one of Northern California’s top event planners, Robert Fountain has remained charming, sharp, and a man of impeccable taste. Elyce Melmon speaks with Fountain about fundraisers, over-the-top parties, and weddings.
He wears a New York Giants baseball cap achieving “cool” understatement as he sips a healthy protein smoothie. In his running shoes, sweats, and t-shirt, he might be any young man from Manhattan on a school break. Wrong! The sophisticated surrounding of his home studio and his personal ingenious style lend credibility to his reputation. He is Robert Fountain, architect of extraordinary social events throughout the city, wine country, and right here on the Peninsula. Home is the small town of Thomastown, Georgia, where he rebelled against academic expectations and excelled in all the arts. In 1995, with a dream in his pocket and a pittance in his wallet, he came to vacation in San Francisco and never left.
It all began before Fountain was out of his teens. As a rather bored high school student, Fountain sought employment. He noticed an ad for a floral designer. The young Fountain knew little about flowers at the time, but in his own words, “I faked it until I made it.”
By 19, he was on a challenging career journey. Floral work led to landscaping and interior design. One of his first clients said, “You really should do parties.” The opportunities of a big city tempted him to move to San Francisco where he landed a job with Podesta Baldocchi and was soon on his way to proving that the biggest risk in life is not taking a risk.
Today Fountain is known for his magical fundraising productions that open the San Francisco Opera and Ballet, and most recently, the new Asian Art Museum. Fountain personally creates the ambiance to match each occasion. When Hamlin School hosted a benefit supporting their retrofit, a gala called the “RetroFete” filled the bill. To commemorate the 70th year of the San Francisco Ballet, participants recognizing auspicious roots danced “Back to the 30s.”
When one of his clients sought a special way to celebrate her husband’s birthday, Fountain indulged her whimsical desire to temporarily acquire an elegant horse ranch in Arizona. Some guests parachuted in to the unique locale, and the fun stretched over a hot weekend.
One of Fountain’s personal favorites was a recent Bat Mitzvah that transformed the glass palace in the Presidio into an enchanted forest where fairies flew on trapezes, huge metal trees hung upside down, beaded butterflies buzzed over tables and, best of all, everyone got into the act. People plucked fresh strawberries from the gown of the Strawberry Girl. Each young guest was outfitted with a movie set costume and then primed to entertain the adults with an authentic, pre-dinner, New York-style fashion extravaganza. The rite of passage culminated with fireworks splashing over San Francisco. Fountain happily admits he began to collect ideas for the celebration two years in advance, though generally most functions are formulated within three months.
“I feel so lucky to be asked to throw one fabulous party after another and be paid for it,” Fountain exudes. And he is paid well. His clients are among the most generous philanthropists in the area. They also love a good time!
Fountain choreographs all the details of the event from invitations to the choice of dessert and music. NO aspect is too small for his critical eye. Although he has been responsible for major civic functions, he loves to do a wedding – even a small, romantic one. With avuncular humor, he advises the happy couple to begin planning at least nine months in advance. Most decisions should be settled three months ahead of the event. He firmly tells the bride to follow her dreams. While parents, grandparents, and siblings all have an opinion, the result may be 12 conflicting perceptions. Fountain insists the bride have the last say. He is aware that budget dominates choice and recommends cutting the guest list so that everyone attending will have a special, splendid time. Unusual invitations and memorable favors need not be extravagant. One favorite wedding ended with the guests receiving cookies and milk before departing. He loves autumn weddings in San Francisco; the warm seasonal colors compliment the perfect weather. “Avoid a Valentine’s Day wedding,” he cautions; flower prices are at their peak.
Like the shoemaker whose children have no shoes, Robert Fountain has little time for giving his own parties. He worries that his friends will have high expectations and if he doesn’t have fireworks, they might be disappointed. But watch out – in two years, Robert Fountain will turn 40 and that merits some artistic splash. He hasn’t decided on a theme yet, but those Georgia wheels are turning. He loves the music of the 70s, and you can be assured his guests will have to come in costume. As the most touted party creator in San Francisco, Robert Fountain no longer, “fakes it!”