Editor's note: This year, readers fell hard for our stories about fun and fabulous Fort Worth weddings. And if you want to know where the city's busiest social butterflies were this year — and what organizations benefited most from their partying, er, charitable ways — then look no further than these most-read society stories. Also popular with readers? Jerry Jones' spectacularly swanky new yacht.
1. Fort Worth couple's whimsical country-club wedding is a floral fantasy come true. "I want everything to look like this,” Hannah Persia told her wedding planner Abbie Oswalt after showing her a picture of a very feminine, floral-motif gown from Carolina Herrera’s fall 2018 bridal collection. The incredible dress became the inspiration for Persia's wedding to Kevin Smith on August 25, 2018, at Shady Oaks Country Club.
2. The 10 most fabulous fall fêtes that every Fort Worth socialite should attend. Fall social season was here, and that meant benefits and fundraisers galore. In September, we scoured the social calendar through the end of the year to come up with a list of the city's 10 must-attend philanthropic fêtes. They ranged from a casual day of barbecue for breast cancer causes, to a new fundraiser starring a sports legend.
3. RSVP for these 11 must-attend spring charitable events in Fort Worth. In February, Fort Worth's spring social season was gearing up to be one for the diaries. Spring is when most of the major arts groups throw their fundraising balls. the most glamorous galas in town. Aiming to shake up their routines, a few of the major events moved to exciting new venues. We presented the 11 dates to circle on calendars early.
4. Fort Worth gala-goers savor supper and singing at elegant Southern soiree. Proving that a fun and fabulous gala doesn't have to be big affair, the Fort Worth Opera welcomed 140 guests to its intimate Southern Soiree on May 4. This year's benefit took place in a new locale, Stonegate Mansion, and featured the cuisine of acclaimed Fort Worth chef Juan Rodriguez, as well as performances by renowned Met soprano Jennifer Rowley.
5. Jerry Jones buys $250 million superyacht that’s as long as a football field. Jerry Jones, the high-flying billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, lassoed one heck of a Christmas gift last year: a $250 million, helipad-equipped superyacht bearing the name of his wife. Websites that cover the yachting industry report that Jones took delivery of a nearly 360-foot, Dutch-built yacht on December 20, 2018 somewhere in Scandinavia.
6. Fort Worth couple throws opulent spring wedding at historic downtown venue. For Chelsea Mocio, The Fort Worth Club had always been special. Her parents are longtime members of the historic private downtown city club, and her sister Courtney held her wedding reception there. So when Chelsea became engaged to her boyfriend, Jacob McMillan, she knew the club would be the ideal location for her own reception on April 27, 2019.
7. Junior League's chic Western gala kicks off Fort Worth rodeo season. Before the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo came barreling into town, the Junior League of Fort Worth rolled out the virtual red carpet for its 2019 Grand Entry Gala. More than 800 guests, clad in their best Western chic, descended on "the dirt floor" of Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum on January 12 for a night of food, fun, and fabulous community support.
8. Glitter-obsessed bride sprinkles Fort Worth wedding with sparkle and glitz galore. Alexis Nabors loves glitter — so much that friends, family and even work colleagues know her as “Sparkles.” So when she became engaged to boyfriend Tanner Belt, a sparkly ceremony and reception were in order for their October 19, 2019 event.
9, Fort Worth film buffs make a splash with swanky red-carpet bash. The annual Lone Star Film Festival has not only become a Big Deal in the cinema world, but it's given Fort Worth a reason to throw a glamorous gala every fall. This year's fête, held November 14 at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel downtown, was no exception. More than 200 guests walked the red carpet, posing at a step-and-repeat and hobnobbing with stars of screen, stage, and song.
10. Teacher-sweethearts' Fort Worth wedding is a dreamy night at the museum. A few days shy of the couple’s one-year anniversary, Landan Juarez proposed to Summer Lenton, and the planning for their wedding on July 13, 2019 began. First task: choose a reception venue that needed minimal décor. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth fit the bill.
Summer Lenton and Landan Juarez were married July 13, 2019.
Claire Messerle, Betsy Price, Katie MesserlePhoto by Savanna Romano
Guests bid in the live auction.Photo by Savanna Romano
Champagne Yacht Club Band kept the dance floor lively.Photo by Savanna Romano