Once upon a time, Houston’s A-listers decided that happily ever after could use a little mischief.
And who could blame them? At Children’s Museum Houston’s Once Upon a Time: A Fairytale Fashion Gala, Prince Charmings mingled with villains, Cinderella had competition, and yours truly arrived as a fallen angel. Even heaven has a naughty list — apparently.
Held at the Corinthian, the storybook soirée invited guests to unleash their inner child, with black-tie tradition taking a back seat to fantasy. The enchantment began before anyone reached the ballroom. A carriage offered photo opportunities, while a fog-filled entrance summoned characters both delightful and dark.
The fashion? Forget playing it safe. From whimsical costumes to sophisticated eveningwear, creativity ruled the kingdom. Some guests embraced their heroic sides; others clearly preferred the wicked chapters.
Presiding over the festivities were chairs Jessica and Michael Bertuccio and Bahareh and James Flavin, joined by underwriting chairs Lauren and Max Barrett and Lilly and Harrison Cullen. Auction chairs Alex Butt and Claire Virga helped ensure the evening’s generosity had a happily ever after finale.
Auctioneer Brittany Franklin worked the room as guests pursued a Mexican estate getaway, a Riviera Maya retreat, VIP Houston sports experiences, and the chance to throw an Astros ceremonial first pitch. The silent auction offered a dizzying assortment of temptations, including plenty for the gentlemen. Cassie Brothers scored diamond earrings in the raffle, while Nina Rand claimed diamond studs in a paddle sweep.
But what happens when grown-ups are encouraged to channel their inner children? They dance, naturally.
The Avondale Orchestra kept the ballroom moving, while late-night chicken and waffles and truffle fries provided fuel for anyone unwilling to let the clock strike midnight. No pumpkins.
More than 500 guests helped raise a record $1.3 million for the museum’s educational programs and outreach.
Making the rounds were Kat and Ryan Pressly, Julia Morales, Alex and Jeff Butt, Andrew and Rochelle Deiso, Brad and Brittany Dinerstein, Annabel and Alex Florescu, Devorah and David Krieger, Liz McIngvale Mackey and Matt Mackey, Monica and Brad Radoff, Britany Sakowitz Kushner, Mona and Andrew Sarofim, Lily Schnitzer, Lexi Sakowitz Marek, Ashley and Jonathan Sloan, Natalie and James Steen, Krystal and Garrett Thompson, Jessica and Fletch Trammell, Mayleen and Michael Tsang, Allison and Ivan Chavez, Virginia and Cramer Williams, Frances Lummis, Lauren Zlotnick, Winnie and Nic Phillips, Morgan and Cameron Neal, Anna Hobby, Kendall and Andrew Strait, Rebecca and Bill Adler, June and Steve Barth, Kathryn and Travis Boeker, Meredith Flores-Baker, and Rekha Muddaraj and Neil Badlani.
