Kentucky Derby Party: Ballet, Bourbon, and Bowties

On Kentucky Derby day, I went to "Ballet, Bourbon, and Bowties."  It is a fundraiser put on by the Richmond Ballet.

Here's my favorite photo, I found it online from a professional photographer who was floating around the event.  The quality of the photo is amazzzing.  I've decided it's almost time to invest in a nice camera, need to do a little research first.

Versus the sort of photo that comes from my cheap-o camera:

The event was at Rockett's Landing from 4pm-10pm, the same location where my half century bike ride started earlier in the same day.

Tickets were $75 and included an open bar with wine, beer, and of course mint juleps.  I stuck to white wine, but many of my friends tried the juleps and loved them.  I just am not a fan of bourbon.

That's the pretty James River in the background of the photos.

I got my pink dress at Target last week for $39.99, it's part of the Calypso for Target line.

Click here for the link to the dress (and to check out other Calypso dresses.)  Apparently, they're a super nice brand that has collaborated with Target for this line.

At the end of the night, it became humid and I stuck on this cool flower headband (also from Target):

Oh wait, I almost forgot to include my pre-outting photo in the front yard:

So all in all, successful night!  Weather was GORGEOUS, view was absolutely spectacular, and the event far exceeded my expectations.

At the end of the night, a few of the ballerinas from the Richmond Ballet came by and I chatted with one of them (and her mom) for a while.  It reminded me of black swan, except neither of them were off the wall, but she does work super hard.

Tappan and I were the last people to leave, good times!  I never like to dance, but I had to be peeled from the dance floor that night.

So does anyone have any recommendations for a reasonable SLR camera?  
Linds Loves Miles recommended one, but I had to repost this (due to the Blogger Blackout of 2011) and lost the comments.