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    Always a bridesmaid

    Bridesmaid confessions: 24 dresses (worn only once) and lots of colorful wedding memories

    Larina Chen
    Larina Chen
    Mar 2, 2014 | 2:30 pm

    This is one girl's real-life tale of always a bridesmaid, never a bride. I am just three dresses shy from being Katherine Heigel in 27 Dresses, except Ed Burns doesn’t show up in my version.

    When you’ve reached my age (let's say a healthy mid-30s something), you will undoubtedly have been invited to countless weddings, have attended more than half and maybe even have been asked to join the wedding party as a groomsman or bridesmaid. I have been that lucky two dozen times and have found myself wearing everything from a lavish Vera Wang satin gown to an ill-fitting teal blue dress and carrying a bundle of lilies in one hand.

    A bridesmaid's fiancé chose that moment to inform her that he had been having an affair and their wedding was off.

    You don’t fully know how much responsibility the job of bridesmaid bears until you are knee deep in it. And you are never just a bridesmaid. You’re going to wear many hats: event planner, art teacher, even therapist.

    And then there is the expense of this coveted role. There is the dress, alterations, jewelry, then come hair and make up, dying the shoes to match the dress that you’ll wear only once. That tally does not include gifts, showers and the bachelorette party, which might include airfare. Welcome to my world of taffeta.

    My experiences have been colorful. There was the bride who had not one but three showers. Then came the humiliating moment of unwrapping gifts revealing that I had bought a single place setting of flatware, not knowing that those should come in twos. That was a rookie mistake during wedding number one.

    While at church during wedding three, a bridesmaid's fiancé chose that moment to inform her that he had been having an affair and their wedding was off. Talk about stealing the bride’s thunder. The bride spent the rest of the night tending to her frazzled bridesmaid rather than her guests.

    How about the bachelorette party when our bride-to-be passed out face down before we even made it to our first bar?

    For wedding number six, I tried to get out of attending a shower, claiming I had car trouble. But the bride volunteered another bridesmaid to be give me a ride.

    For wedding number nine, I dragged a bridesmaid to the bathroom to clean her up after her projectile vomiting (Bridesmaids, anyone?) on the dance floor during the chicken dance. How about the bachelorette party for wedding number 10 when our bride-to-be passed out face down before we even made it to our first bar?

    Cut to more recent times, I came home one night after happy hour and I remembered that I needed to record my well wishes for the wedding video montage. Other members of the wedding party did funny skits, whereas I slurred a freestyle poem with a laptop cam five inches from my face.

    I’ve even had two weddings to attend in one night, in different cities, leaving one reception right after dinner and arriving at another reception just as it was winding down.

    The weddings that I’ve participated in blend together, some brides and grooms I’ve lost touch with post-nuptials but the memory of me is preserved somewhere on their mantel or tucked away in a photo album.

    So brides, go easy on your ladies-in-waiting. We want your special day to go well. I have never had the pleasure of being the maid of honor, but when that day comes, I’ll be ready to paarrtyyy.

    Tina Agustin, from left, Larina Chen and another bridesmaid.

    Tina Agustin, from left, Larina Chen and NAME Wonderful Weddings Always a Bridesmaid February 2014
      
    Courtesy photo
    Tina Agustin, from left, Larina Chen and another bridesmaid.
    unspecified
    news/society
    series/htx-wonderful-weddings-2014

    long live the king

    Texas Renaissance Festival founder George Coulam has died at 87

    Jef Rouner
    May 21, 2025 | 1:50 pm
    Film still from Ren Faire
    Film still from Ren Faire
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    George Coulam, the founder and owner of the Texas Renaissance festival, was found dead in his home on Tuesday. He was 87, according to media reports.

    Coulam’s death comes two weeks after a Grimes County judge found against him, forcing the sale of the festival to new owner Meril Rivard. Although untimely, Coulam’s death is unlikely to affect the new ownership deal, according to Anthony Laporte, lead counsel on the case.

    “Because this deal is primarily with corporate entities, everything should progress without too much interruption,” Laporte tells CultureMap. “Obviously this is a sad day for those of us who knew George. We all mourn together, but it is unlikely to affect the way the new Renaissance Festival deal proceeds.

    Rivard issued a brief statement following the news.

    “We are shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the death of George Coulam,” it reads. “Our thoughts go out to his loved ones. Like everyone else who loves the Texas Renaissance Festival, we remain committed to ensuring that the festival lives on, and we are working steadfastly to make that happen.”

    The Texas Renaissance Festival also issued a statement.

    We are deeply saddened by the loss of George Coulam, founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival. For more than 50 years, he built a community that has become a cherished tradition for generations of performers, staff, and guests.

    At this time, we ask for respect and privacy for Mr. Coulam’s family and the extended Texas Renaissance Festival family as they grieve. As this is a deeply personal matter, we are not offering additional comments at this time.

    The cause of death is currently unknown. Grimes County sheriffs were notified of his death at 9 am Tuesday morning. Bystanders reported seeing an ambulance leave Coulam’s home, which is known as Stargate Manor. The Navasota Examiner, which was first to report the news, includes an account of gunshots being heard near the home.

    Regardless of the circumstances, Laporte said that after the recent judgment that forced the sale, everyone, including Coulam, seemed relieved and happy that the matter had been resolved.

    Coulam’s death ends a long and sometimes toxic reign over the Texas Renaissance Festival. Over the past two decades, Coulam was sued multiple times for sexual harassment of employees. The HBO docuseries Ren Faire showcased Coulam’s mercurial nature in dealing with potential buyers of the festival while also offering glimpses into his “sugar daddy” dating life.

    Following the release of Ren Faire, several corporate entities sued Coulam for breach of contract. The case came to a close this month, with a judge saying the $60 million sale must go through. Coulam also owes Rivard and the other plaintiffs $22 million in damages and $1 million in lawyer fees.

    As CultureMap has previously reported, the Texas Renaissance Festival is expected to proceed as planned, with an opening in October 2025.

    obituarydeathstexas renaissance festival
    news/society
    series/htx-wonderful-weddings-2014
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