MARRY GO ‘ROUND

MARRY GO ‘ROUND

by | Feb 28, 2024 | Spring/Summer 24, Editor's Letter

Weddings are back. Heck, we’re all back. Like never before. In full force. And we are so excited to be celebrating the very special wedding occasions of some of our favorite families across Texas in this issue. No matter the location or style, we feel like there is something for each of you to be inspired by as we celebrate and elevate across these pages. This issue isn’t just about weddings. It’s about witnessing the kind of spectacle that makes fireworks at a rock concert seem like child’s play. We’ve spared no satin, lace, and certainly no expense. If your definition of ‘wedding goals’ includes swans as ring bearers, a guest list longer than the Great Wall of China, and a dress that requires its own zip code – you’re in for a treat.

We’ve had plenty of experiences over the years covering larger-than-life weddings. We once sat down with a groom over martinis who insisted on getting married in a medieval castle. Suit of armor included. Apparently, he figured that if he was going to make a lifelong commitment, he might as well do it with a sword by his side. Chivalry isn’t dead; it’s often dressed simply in a snazzy tuxedo. Another groom we encountered wanted to arrive at his ceremony by helicopter because why walk down the aisle when you can make an entrance worthy of an action movie hero?

One bride, quite a lovely lass, we met along the way wanted to make her grand debut on a boat adorned with enough flowers to put the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to shame. Practical? Maybe not. But hey, it’s all about the pizzazz and heart-stopping memorable moments, right? We also understand one bride demanded her bridesmaids undergo a rigorous boot camp to achieve ‘wedding-worthy’ fitness. We can only hope they at least got a slice of the twelve-tiered cake as compensation.

On the topic of love, and there’s been plenty written about it in these pages now and over the years with how our nuptial participants met, fell in love, proposed, planned their weddings with families, made things very public or kept them private, honeymooned and then settled into their lives together officially as newlyweds. We are here to guide you through that labyrinth of love, lace, and some ludicrously expensive ceremonies. So, our wildly talented editorial, publishing, and design teams have risen to new heights with this issue. And through those efforts, we have wrangled thousands of participants, stories, and images to create what you are looking at right now. If you’re in the throes of planning your own nuptials or just living vicariously through the extravagant fantasies of others, our luxury weddings offer inspiration for everyone. For a dose of reality amidst the tulle and tiaras, we offer an array of impressive, Texas-sized ceremonies on a silver platter.

This issue promises an adventure into a world where love knows no limits and wedding planners have magical powers. Whether you’re single, taken, or just here for the free planning tips (we don’t judge), we’re here for you. So, grab a copy, find a comfy seat (preferably on a throne made of roses), and prepare to be swept away by the grandeur, glitz, and sheer audacity of love. Let’s toast to the extravagance, boundless creativity, and undeniably stylish chaos that is often the biggest day of our lives. We bid you adieu, still knee-deep in cufflinks and confetti…

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

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Portrait photography by Romy Suskin

THIS WAY FORWARD

THIS WAY FORWARD

by | Dec 28, 2022 | 2023 January February, Editor's Letter

Happy New Year with all the excitement it promises. And what an opportunity to make it the best year it can be. A wise sage once told me…be mindful of the energy you bring to any situation or room. It’s something I think about often as we here at Society Texas enter so many of your rooms, ballrooms, and lives. With that in mind, we always do our best to bring you the energy of renewal and refreshment–something, someone, or some place you haven’t seen before. With the beginning of a crisp new year and certainly, with all the weddings we are celebrating in this issue, we love seeing how new lives, formerly separate, form as one.

 

Being in so many rooms and lives like we are, I believe we owe it to others, and ourselves, to be as interesting as we can. It’s something I learned at a relatively early age from my family and surroundings. To be well-read, well-cultured, and well-exposed. With the world at our fingertips these days, often on the phone, it’s never been easier to incorporate the best of what the world has to offer to help us curate our in-person conversations better.

 

To me, it’s all about the real-time connectivity we all are able to possess. It’s those savored moments where we share valuable lifelong relationships. It’s about the people, not the flash and the dash. Shiny experiences and shiny things come and go. Silver tarnishes, and gold can melt. Yet, our people…families, friends, and colleagues are in it forever, hopefully. We sure think so around here. Case in point, we are mighty grateful for our editorial, design, and publishing teams who continue to dazzle in every issue with their remarkable talents. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, they create stories, find people, and astonish me at every turn in our printed and digital platforms.

 

In this new year, we wish you only the best life has to offer and that you seek more role models rather than movements. To seek people who are the real deal and lead by example and actions, not with maliciously divisive words and actions. So, pick up a torch and shine your light as a beacon of hope for others. We’re all in it together, and we’ll see you soon in the ballroom, on the web, and in person to share more great moments together.

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

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Portrait photography by Romy Suskin

BRING ON THE JOY

BRING ON THE JOY

by | Oct 30, 2022 | 2022 November December, Editor's Letter

At this time of year, we’re all a little more reflective—reflective on the past, and indeed, reflecting on how we can project our future, too. I think of all the Christmas antecedents in my own past, and the memories that swirl about begin with the holiday trees my family had, which also reflected progress in many ways.

 

Very on trend, we kept up with the prevailing holiday decor tastes at the time, especially with the Jetsons–Esque aluminum trees that were accompanied by a colored light wheel (ranging from red, blue, green, and amber) to change the branches’ colors. That was an early favorite in my household until it wasn’t. Then, the large pine tree emerged, with a wingspan of a double refrigerator and more sparse limbs, leaving room to highlight the significance of favorite ornaments like those from the Seven Dwarfs and the Peanuts Gang.

 

As time marched on, the mighty Douglas Fir trees became adorned with hand-painted wooden ornaments, aptly accessorized with gingham bows and popcorn garland, an austere nod to the hit vintage series, The Walton’s, perhaps? Bidding the somber 70s farewell, with its energy crisis and strikes, with not even a fare-thee-well adieu, the Dynasty-inspired trees would rise to rival any in a department store. They would tower, all glistening in gold and strand-upon-strand of twinkling bright lights, a relatively newish trend then.

 

Of course, the coveted tree would alternate from a spare corner in the den, to a more prominent place in the formal living room for an occasional faux tree, to the front plate glass windows, flanked by taffeta drapes, below a glittering chandelier, that said, Hey hey–look at me. Who could miss it? As the opulent 80s gave way to the more Bada-Bing 90s and 2000s of an amalgamation of themes, sentimental favorites, grandparents’ vintage ornaments, and Christopher Radko collectibles were in vogue, but now like so many things in the world, anything goes. The holidays reflect our own, as well as our families, progress in age, taste, and worldly point of view.

 

The main thing, as I see it in the here and now, is to create lasting memories with loved ones, tree or no tree, especially since the several-year pandemic impeded so many recent holiday plans, and perhaps all year ‘round instead of just these two months ahead. In essence, congratulations on the progress of 2022, for which we are all full of gratitude, and how about we start making those New Year plans ahead of time because 2023 will likely be the most extraordinary year yet. See you around the tree…and in the ballroom.

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

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Portrait photography by Romy Suskin

LARGESSE OBLIGE

LARGESSE OBLIGE

by | Aug 31, 2022 | 2022 September October, Editor's Letter

There’s just something about a gala…with so much work that goes into celebrating and supporting an organization for just one night. No gala is perfect mind you, yet I have seen many that have come quite close. I’ll never forget when I donated my time to raise funds as a dancer for the Center For Child Protection’s very first Dancing With The Stars in the mid-2000s. None of my fellow dancers who terpsichored on stage for the maiden voyage of the gala (that now regularly raises well over a million dollars in one evening) knew what to expect while dancing in a ballroom of over a thousand contemporaries.

 

There was one life lesson I acquired in the arduous final days of the months of rehearsing a dance production number that I still think would rival the scope of work of anything you might see on an episode of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars hit series. The lesson was so simple and shared with me by my professional dance partner, who helmed our competitive dance duo. Go out there and do your best. No one in the audience will see you’ve made a mistake…because they don’t know your choreography. It was a pivotal moment that I absorbed and have often applied to life since, and certainly life while chronicling the social scene.

We’ve all attended so many wonderful galas, and some that, well, had the potential to be wonderful. Our cover story feature this month shares an insider’s look at one of the grandest galas in years, Houstonian Becca Cason Thrash’s series of events to support the Musée du Louvre. It has previously occurred mostly in Europe, yet due to the pandemic, she brought the action closer to home, in Los Angeles. “What is so majestic about an event hosted by Becca is that you have the most wonderful mix of familiar faces and interesting people you would never meet otherwise,” noted Society Texas COO Rob Giardinelli, who was in attendance. “The combination of these two elements creates fabulous, unforgettable experiences you will remember for the rest of your life.” It was a three day tour de force of parties and unforgettable rare, private art collection viewings to remember, as you’ll read about and see, which might inspire your own gala planning.

Along with that story, we catch up with another Texas luminary, legendary media professional Neal Spelce. He witnessed and reported on, as much as anyone, many events that have shaped our world. His new book, With The Bark Off, is a true page turner for true Texans. And don’t forget to enjoy our one-of-a-kind feature on fall shoes to set you on the path to fun.

 

Along with our wildly talented lifestyle experts, writers, editors, designers, and publishing teams, we love all things Texan as we continue to celebrate and elevate the finer things in life for you to also enjoy. Now that we’re all back in the saddle this fall season, let’s get out there and be as spectacular as always. Until then, see you in the ballroom.

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

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Portrait photography by Romy Suskin

FOCUS & FLOW

FOCUS & FLOW

by | Jun 29, 2022 | 2022 July August, Editor's Letter

Where focus goes, energy flows. It’s a physics law that we well understand here, thanks to our talented team who make the wheels turn in the engine to create and produce the Society Texas print magazine, its digital brother, and a host of social media outlets.

 

This summer, the first one in years of feeling free again post-pandemic, we all have a sense of feeling unleashed and rarin’ to go for good times ahead. In fact, that started this spring across the state, and we are very proud to present a look at how so many philanthropies have made a difference in their communities and beyond. Many are newer organizations, and some are over a century old, such as San Antonio’s weeks-long Fiesta celebrations. We salute Fiesta, which is steeped in a long line of Texas tradition, in this issue with an homage to this year’s Order Of The Alamo coronation court, themed The Court Of The Grand Tour. The gowns and accoutrement are a year in the making, and you can bet that 2023’s outfits are already being designed and made to behold next year. Fiesta is one of those Texas legacies that is a culmination of biography, behavior, and backstory….one that we appreciate greatly.

 

Socially, the sheer fact is philanthropists have made up for lost time (even though donations were generous during the pandemic) in giving back. A gala that raises $10, 11, or even 12 million in one evening, thanks to its spirited patrons, isn’t rare anymore and happens in almost every single major city that we cover. The work that happens behind the scenes of the talented organizations, who create the gala experience are to be commended, for they are tireless and often not rewarded. We proudly salute them in every issue.

 

As the summer progresses, If you’re like us, you’ve been up to your necks in planning several warm weather excursions. One of our favorites is Budapest, which Ashley Dobson so eloquently helps unfold with her many insights of VIP things to do when you get there. You’ll want to travel in style, so why not grab a new handbag for the trip, with our inspiring feature on the prettiest ones in this issue? Plus, all of our talented team have again assembled to bring you as much lifestyle, fashion, beauty, automotive, and cultural insight and how-tos on every single page of this issue. We hope it inspires you as much as it does us. 

 

So, from beach to mountains, we’re with you every step of the way until we meet again in the ballroom. Happy travels for a sensational rest of the summer.

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

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Portrait photography by Romy Suskin

JUST PICTURE IT

JUST PICTURE IT

by | May 1, 2022 | 2022 May June, Editor's Letter

As the seeds were planted and the stars aligned, welcome to our annual Art+Jewelry issue. For admirers and collectors of both, we realize that both canvas and carats can each be very subjective. Jewelry is always a correct choice, and spoiler alert: in 2023, when the remake of 1963’s Cleopatra, starring Gal Gadot, debuts, expect a flurry of massive jewels to become more popular than ever. Plus, the old adage art is long, life is short, seems more accurate than ever thanks to the ongoing robust interest in traditional art, and its newcomer little sister, NFT (Nonfungible Tokens) digital art bought with cryptocurrency. Both have set the auction and technology worlds on fire. With records continuing to be surpassed in both realms, collectors can continue to be buckled in for the wild rides ahead.

Recently, while screening the new series on Netflix, The Andy Warhol Diaries, based on the 80s bestseller, it’s remarkable how much has changed in the contemporary art world of Warhol’s day and how much it has well, not. After all, deep down, don’t we all want to discover The Next Big Thing,f ind artful pieces we can’t live without, and perhaps have an option of a potential return on the investment if we should decide to sell? Investment in art is the most subjective shell game there is. The advice from most collectors and gallerists? Buy what you love. Rinse and repeat. In fact, I’d wager to predict that in our era of when a moment can become a movement, expect the digital NFT art realm to explode with lucrative possibilities to own and track the provenance of future masterpieces. In that case, in a twist of events, life would imitate art instead of the other way around. And, it would make for one heck of a movement.

In this issue, as we move forward and summer refreshes us with sun-drenched opportunities, you’ll see plenty of shining examples of optimistically vibrant art, jewelry, fashion, and stylish ways of living your best life as things get back to normal again. Spending time with family, friends and traveling to make up for the lost time becomes a priority.

Additionally, our feature on the French Riviera by Ashley Dobson should inspire your Mediterranean desires like never before. We’re confident your summer will be all that you want it to be, from pool to coast to exploring foreign ports of call. So, be sure to pack an issue of Society Texas with you to stay in the know. The first one into the water gets to yell Marco Polo. We’ll see you at the swim-up bar. 

 

Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief &

Creative Director

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

Facebook, Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portrait photography by Romy Suskin