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    Expert Wedding Advice

    The perfect wedding: 5 tips guaranteed to make the big day go smoothly

    Shelby Hodge
    shelby hodge
    Feb 1, 2014 | 9:20 am

    One of the highlights of the recent Bridal Extravaganza at the George R. Brown Convention Center was the presentation given by Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. She shared wedding advice and trends with the room full of eager brides-to-be. The focal point of her wedding wisdom were five tips guaranteed to make the big day go smoothly.

     

     * Get organized and stay organized

     

    The details of wedding planning are countless from such major decisions as budget and that special gown to the wedding minutia of what to give the flower girls and ring bearers. The only way to control the mammoth undertaking is by staying organized.

     

     * Pick a palette

     

    Miller advises that brides should choose a pair (or a narrow range) of wedding colors, a move that will facilitate tying the details together. For palette inspiration, she suggests starting with colors that are already present in the wedding venue, such as blue if it's an oceanfront wedding or the dominant wall color in the room where the marriage will be performed or even what flowers will be in season.

     

     * Make it personal

     

    Little details that are meaningful to both the bride and the groom can be incorporated into the festivities in order to reflect the couple, making their wedding more than a cookie-cutter event. For example, Miller recalled a bride who loved elephants so much that she commissioned a cake topper in the form of an elephant. A couple married in Ireland had a wedding cake made from Baileys Irish Cream, Irish biscuits (cookies) and chocolate fudge.

     

     * Keep your guests in mind

     

    The wedding is not just about the bride and groom. It is about all who attend. Guests should be cared for in style, well-fed and comfortable. No one has fun when too hot or too cold. (Like those outdoor weddings in Houston in summer when it's blazing or the Carmel destination wedding in August when it's freezing.)

     

     * Be in the moment

     

    On the wedding day, the bride should let go of the details (hopefully all the planning is done). Don't sweat the little things (i.e. your sunset wedding is clouded over). Keep in mind that at the end of the day, you will be wed to the one you love, surrounded by loving friends and family.

    Be in the moment on your wedding day as were Kevin Kushner and Brittany Sakowitz Kushner at their destination wedding.

    57, Wonderful Weddings, Brittany Sakowitz and Kevin Kushner, February 2013
      
    Photo courtesy of Chris Bailey Photography
    Be in the moment on your wedding day as were Kevin Kushner and Brittany Sakowitz Kushner at their destination wedding.
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    Ode to Heidi

    Versailles-themed luncheon celebrates Houston nonprofit's record season

    Joel Luks
    Jul 4, 2025 | 11:30 am
    Houston Symphony League Versailles luncheon 2025
    Photo by Jacob Powers
    Angelica Ximenes Chapman, Tracy Faulkner, Mahzad Mohajer, Fatimeh Mehdi, and Parissa Mohajer.

    She dreamed aloud of goals so high, With passion shining in her eye.

    Houston Symphony League Versailles luncheon 2025
      

    Photo by Jacob Powers

    Angelica Ximenes Chapman, Tracy Faulkner, Mahzad Mohajer, Fatimeh Mehdi, and Parissa Mohajer.

    So began the tribute to Heidi Rockecharlie, president of the Houston Symphony League, during the annual President’s Luncheon. Held in the shimmering ballroom of Lakeside Country Club, the event — this year themed Bienvenue à Versailles — blended regal French flourishes with a heartfelt spirit, and capped a record-breaking season with flourish and flair.

    League supporters turned out in full fashionable force, with chairs Beth Wolff and Saula Valente orchestrating a picturesque après-midi amid lavender-and-white floral candelabras by Simply Saula. The atmosphere struck a delicate chord: Equal parts elegance and intimacy. Guests laughed, mingled, and clinked glasses, while the hosts alternated verses from a custom-written poem that honored Rockecharlie’s tenure. It was both lighthearted and lyrical, just like its muse.

    She led with heart, with fire, with flair. And left her legacy everywhere.

    The highlight, as always, came with the president’s address, when Rockecharlie shared the year’s financial gift to the Symphony: A donation of more than $193,000 net of expenses.

    That figure is thanks to a series of strategic moves under Rockecharlie’s leadership: A cost-cutting sponsorship program, expansion of the league’s icon event, and a fresh push for membership.

    She said, “Let’s grow, let’s aim anew.” And guess what? That dream came true

    She then passed the baton to incoming president Leslie Nossaman, who previewed her board and vision for the upcoming term. And Donna Mello, 2024's Ellen Kelley Volunteer of the Year, introduced this year's honoree, Susan Osterberg.

    The celebration closed with an avalanche of gratitude and gifts. Rockecharlie received a magnum of Le Chemin du Roi Champagne by 50 Cent, a Hermes Brides de Gala en Fleurs scarf, and a crystal award featuring artwork from the Icon event.

    Among those in the crowd were Farida Abjani, Hallie Vanderhider, Ellie Francisco, Lesha Elsenbrook, Betty Tutor, Alicia Maguire Smith, Heidi Turney, Andrew Cordes, Kathi Rovere, Diane Gendel, Sharon Brier, Jerre Parsons Williams, Diane Roederer, Susan Binney, Kinga Ferguson, Elizabeth Condit, Helen Shaffer, Mary Sage, Anna Dean, Astrid Van Dyke, Cheryl Byington, Kim Padgett, Nick Rockecharlie, Yoon Smith, and Danny Nguyen.

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