Heartfelt Debut Party For Caroline Kelleher And Maggie Kelleher
By Jake Gaines Photography by Jenna-Beth Lyde
THE SETTING: Valentine’s Day was the chosen theme and timing for this colorful San Antonio debutante party. The honorees Caroline Kelleher, a graduate of The University of Texas and the daughter of Lisa and Mike Kelleher, and Maggie Kelleher, a graduate of Southern Methodist University and the daughter of Kathy and David Kelleher, made sure the theme of love was in the air. The cousins and their families welcomed guests to a red-turfed entrance under a pathway of bronze star-shaped light fixtures hung from the trees at The Argyle.
THE STYLE: A red, six-foot LOVE sculpture, inspired by artist Robert Indiana, greeted the attendees. The main tent entrance included a red, white and pink floral wall with the honorees’ names in neon lights. A large red heart made from over one thousand fresh long-stemmed roses adorned the back side of the wall. Continuing into the main tent overhead were hanging structures adorned with hundreds of ribbons tied with inverted red long-stemmed roses. The floral ambience was orchestrated by Danny Cuellar and his team at Trinity Flowers, so there was no shortage of social media photo opportunities with it as a backdrop. The guest libations included a heart-shaped espresso martini ice luge, and a White Russian bar, as an homage to the Kelleher brothers’ favorite movie, The Big Lebowski.
Red Southwest Airlines Co. heart-shaped drink stirrers honored the debutantes’ late legendary grandfather, Herb Kelleher, the airline’s founder. Guests grazed on exquisite Argyle cuisine that included a sushi and raw bar (oysters, crab legs and shrimp) with sparkling and regular sake options. Lobster bisque, tenderloin, chicken-fried quail, mini chicken-pot pies with heart-shaped cut outs in the crust were served. Champagne and desserts of biscotti, chocolate-covered strawberries and mini berry crumbles were found at other stations. Heart-shaped Linzer cookies with raspberry filling were offered as party favors. The dance floor remained packed into the night with live music by the talented Professor D Band.