Imagine a dinner in which guests must cart in their own tables, chairs, decor, food and drinks — and pay for the privilege of attending. Such is the beauty of Le Diner en Blanc that last summer’s inaugural white-themed dinner drew 750 guests. This year, $37 tickets for 1,300 guests sold out in one week in May, and 3,000 more are on the waitlist for the event, which takes place Saturday at a mystery location that will be texted to guests just a few hours before the dinner begins.

Guests are asked to wear white — not cream, not ecru, not eggshell and certainly no rebellious pops of color — from head to toe.

White, of course, is the color of summer dressing because its light-reflective properties generate little heat, helping wearers to stay cooler than they might in a darker color.

Yet, many people have reasons to shy away from white because it has a tendency to make objects (or you) appear larger, and the messier among us know that white is a dirt magnet.

But the brave are willing to give it a try for the fashionable dinner event.

"White is not my color, so I’ve gotta go and buy something for the dinner," said Dylan Peckenpaugh, a Realtor with LIST Sotheby’s International Realty, who will be attending the event for the first time.

"I’m just so used to wearing black," said Peckenpaugh, who moved home to Hawaii after six years in New York, where he worked for Dior Homme and Burberry. "Black and darker tones were the uniform.

"I think it’s easy to find white shirts here, but it’s harder to find white pants."

Also with Sotheby’s, Christina Laney Wycheck was part of a party of 10 relatives and friends at last year’s Le Diner en Blanc. This year her group has expanded to 16, but she says logistics will be easier now that they know what to do.

"Last year it was all girls. This year we’re mixing it up so we can have men carrying everything," Wycheck said. "Last year we brought in so much stuff. We brought fish in fishbowls. One of my aunties was so into it. We’re Japa­nese, so she really wanted to create an all-white theme with kimonos, but that was too much work."

After seeing the decor set up last year, people are becoming more inventive and more competitive, according to one of the event hosts, Malie Moran.

"Groups of people are getting together for themed collaborations. I heard one group is bringing a chandelier. I don’t know how they’re going to put that up," she said.

Moran, who was inspired to bring the global event here after hearing about its roots in Paris, said, "I’m really glad its turning into a little community phenomenon."

In the aftermath there is cleaning up to do, and Carl Patton, plant manager for dry cleaners Haku­­y­osha Hawaii, said that when it comes to whites, cottons and linens tend to clean up more nicely than other fabrics. If washing at home, use an oxygen bleach such as Clorox 2, which he says is safer for clothing than chlorine bleach.

Silk is much more difficult to keep pristine because of its fragile structure. "Silk reacts to chemicals and you can’t use bleach. It can fall apart," he said.

Whites are prone to show the yellowing from oxidation that comes from exposure to pollutants in the air, body oils and any kind of light, so he recommends storing cleaned whites in the dark, in a nice cool chest, wrapped with a clean sheet, or using vacuum storage bags or Ziploc Space Bags that allow you to remove the air so oxidation cannot take place.

"That’s how wedding gowns are preserved," he said.

And, if you’re not up to the task of returning your white to pristine condition, dry cleaners will gladly help.

"We know how to handle each fabric," Patton said.

Knowing most stains are temporary allows him to feel confident about donning light colors, though he’s an unlikely candidate for them.

"I’m the type of guy who, when I go out to eat, always spills something on myself. Always. Right now I’m wearing cream khakis, and it’s already dirty."

Wreath will top it off

Paiko will offer a Tropical Floral Crown Workshop at 5:30 p.m. Friday, with Le Diner en Blanc’s white theme in mind.

The cost of the head wreath workshop is $40. Sign up at bit.ly/1LcYv7u and use the promo code “dinerenblanc” to register.