It was a banner weekend for Bayou Bend as hundreds of guests visited the gardens at Ima Hogg’s historic River Oaks estate, raising more than $1 million for the operating budget over three days of events.
First was the fourth annual Bayou Bend Fashion Show and Luncheon, a 160-guest affair on Friday, April 5 with a runway show featuring 42 looks from designer Adam Lippes’ Fall 2019 collection. The Events Company/Richard Flowers transformed the luncheon space with a garden tent, stunning fresh flower wall, and light blue linen table settings with complementary centerpieces by Stems Custom Floral. City Kitchen catered a lunch of poached salmon, veggies, and new potato parfait with a pecan ball a la mode dessert.
The fashionable crowd was full of familiar faces, like supermodel Kate Upton—who is, of course, married to Astros pitcher Justin Verlander—and other ‘Stro WAGS including Daniella Rodriguez, Kara McCullers, Amy Cole, and Whitney Crane, the latter married to team owner Jim Crane.
Guests heard from MFAH director Gary Tinterow, event chair Elyse Lanier, and Lippes, the designer who rose to fame for his work with Oscar de la Renta. The event raised $307,000 for Bayou Bend.
Two days later, the annual Garden Party garnered another $665,000 when 380 guests gathered at twilight. Johnny Steele and The Events Company/Richard Flowers again set that scene, marked with blooming chandeliers, soft pink table linens, intricate floral arrangements, and elegant china all beneath an ethereal garden tent.
City Kitchen catered that affair, too, this time serving salad, lamb, and corn soufflé. The David Caceres Band provided live music, and Tinterow offered remarks along with event chairs Terry and Tommy Smith.
Another $67,200 came between the two events on Saturday during Bayou Bend’s annual Children’s Party chaired by Nicole Katz, Alyssa Kilpatrick, and Holly Radom. This year’s theme, “Land of Wonderment and Magic,” featured fantastical activities for little ones like magic shows, potion- and wand-making, an enchanted wishing well, and even unicorn rides. Grown-ups could partake in the fun, too, thanks to a catered lunch, cocktails, and a DJ.
Abby Ledoux traded Canada’s border for Mexico’s when she moved to Texas from northwestern Vermont in November 2017 to join the staff at Houstonia.
An alumna of Emerson College’s journalism program in Boston, Abby was previously associate editor of three weekly newspapers in her home state of Vermont. There, she covered everything from Bernie Sanders to the heroin epidemic and won numerous state and regional awards for her work, including the Vermont Press Association’s 2014 Rookie of the Year. She was also an investigative reporting fellow at the New England First Amendment Coalition.
Today, Abby is excited to explore Houston’s vibrant, diverse culture (and shopping scene). Aside from fashion and design, she’s passionate about politics, hip hop and Mexican food. She believes leopard is a neutral and red lipstick can fix almost anything.
