This year's hottest headlines

Glamorous Dallas weddings take the cake in our hottest society stories of 2019

Editor’s note: This year, readers fell hard for our stories about fun and fabulous Dallas weddings, including the nuptials of a 'Real Housewives' star. And if you want to know where Dallas’ 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. Real Housewives of Dallas star LeeAnne Locken lifts the veil on her $4 million wedding. Take away the TV cameras, the million-dollar tiara, and the People magazine reporter, and LeeAnne Locken and Rich Emberlin were just two people pledging their love in a heartfelt wedding on April 27, 2019. But simple “I do’s” just won’t do when you’re a star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Dallas.

2. Dallas bride marries her Prince Charming in glamorous brunch wedding at The Joule. It was all eyes on Gina Ginsburg and Grant Farmer last spring, as the couple said I do under the watchful gaze of The Joule’s iconic 30-foot-tall “Eye” sculpture. The newlyweds met in 2015 through a mutual friend and wed on April 20, 2019, in an event that was nothing less than a modern Dallas fairy tale.

3. Dallas' best dressed sparkle in mosaic of magnificent gowns at Crystal Charity Ball 2019. The best-dressed women in Dallas stunned in their sumptuous gowns as they sashayed into the Hilton Anatole Hotel for Crystal Charity Ball on December 7. The annual fête is considered not only the grand finale of Dallas' fall social season — raising millions of dollars for local children's charities — but also the biggest fashion moment of the year.

4. Preschool sweethearts crowd-surf and shoot tequila at fanciest frat-party wedding in Dallas. If frat parties had professional event planners, they might look something like Josh and Courtney Katz's wedding. For their big day on November 17, 2018, the bride and groom envisioned throwing “the fanciest frat party of all time.” Event planner Jeffrey Kollinger delivered with countless details reflecting the couple's playful personalities.

5. Dallas' favorite fall party packs in pretty young professionals with charitable prowess. If you're a young professional in Dallas and had to choose only one party to attend this year — this was it. Dallas Autumn Ball, held November 8 at Hotel ZaZa, is known for its lively crowd, packed dance floor, and for being a crazy good time.

6. Keith Urban electrifies crowd at Cattle Baron's Ball 2019 in Dallas. One of the biggest country music stars on the planet, Keith Urban, kicked Cattle Baron's Ball 2019 into high gear when he took the stage under the big tent at Gilley's on October 19. But even before the Entertainer of the Year jammed for the crowd of thousands, the 46th edition of the big American Cancer Society fundraiser proved once again why it's the premier Dallas mega-party of fall.

7. 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.

8. Meet 6 wealthy Texans who, like Jerry Jones, set sail in swanky yachts. Dallas billionaire Jerry Jones isn’t the only wealthy Texan who belongs to the yacht club. Other millionaires and billionaires from the Lone Star State are in the same luxury boat.

9. Actress Laura Linney captivates crowd at trailblazing Dallas charity's fall luncheon. More than 800 guests filled the Omni Dallas Hotel ballroom on October 4 for The Family Place's 23rd Annual Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon. And while the cuisine and table conversation were lovely, the room was positively abuzz with anticipation for the keynote speaker, actress Laura Linney.

10. College sweethearts set the bar high on fun at their downtown Dallas wedding. Sara Lavi and Brock Webberman set a high standard when they began planning their wedding on May 26, 2019. Their goal: Host the most fun wedding anyone in attendance had ever been to. And their guests were not disappointed.

Marjon Henderson, Laura Linney, Samantha Wortley, and Marisa Howard at the Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon.

Marjon Henderson, Laura Linney, Samantha Wortley, Marisa Howard

Photo by Tamytha Cameron and George Fiala

Marjon Henderson, Laura Linney, Samantha Wortley, and Marisa Howard at the Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon.

Hot to trot

Equest Dallas patrons pony up record $700K at blue ribbon-worthy ball

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Honorary co-chairs David and Natalie Taylor, Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand, and Gala co-chairs Kristin and James Hallam

A sold-out crowd of 570 supporters stampeded into Gilley’s Dallas on April 25 for the 44th Annual Equest Blue Ribbon Gala. The Western-chic affair, always one of the most highly anticipated galas of spring, would have a record-breaking night.

Co-chairsKristin and James Hallam and honorary chairs The Sam and Helga Feldman Foundation and Natalie and David Taylor welcomed patrons decked out in cowboy boots and hats to Gilley's, which had been transformed into a shimmering celebration of all things Equest by event designer Steve Kemble. A “disco saddle” centerpiece even hung from the ceiling.

Emcee Calvert Collins-Bratton welcomed the crowed with a hearty "yee haw!" Equest founder Susan Schwartz presented the Founders Award to Carol Chamberlin, whose three decades of service as volunteer, donor, and barn manager have made her an Equest organization legend. The Citation Award went to Donna and Tim Weber and their daughter Katherine, an Equest client.

New CEO Eric Lindh took the stage to underscore Equest’s mission to provide equine-assisted learning, therapies, and counseling (much of it free of charge) to children, adults, and veterans. He shared the nonprofit's bold vision for the future, focusing on the number “22,” a call to action inspired by the 22 percent of Dallas County residents living with a disability, the 22 veterans lost to suicide daily in the U.S., and the 22 percent of Americans living with mental illness, while less than half of those receive treatment.

His pledge to expand services to first responders struck a chord with the crowd, as did the moving testimonials from Equest clients.

Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand urged the crowd to “Bid boldly. Bid big. Bid with heart,” and patrons did that in spades. Auctioneer Louis Murad encouraged bidders to raise paddles stridently, starting from initial $10,000 bids onward. Bidding got fast and furious live auction packages that included fabulous trips (with destinations such as France, Antigua, and Montana) and more. The most memorable moment came when a guest insisted Murad - ever the showman - auction off his own sparkling jacket. It fetched $2,000, a purchase by Tim Weber (who clearly loves a good statement piece).

In total, the gala raised $700,000, the largest fundraising amount in Equest’s 44-year history. The Blue Ribbon Ball's proceeds go directly to equine-assisted therapies and other services provided by Equest; for more information, visit the organization's website.

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Honorary co-chairs David and Natalie Taylor, Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand, and Gala co-chairs Kristin and James Hallam

After a night of sipping, dining, and fundraising, patrons tried their luck at casino games and danced the night away to Jordan Kahn’s Manhattan Orchestra.

Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the evening, were Donna Weitzman, Nancy Greenbach, Natalie Taylor, Therese Rourk, Anne Seanor, Courtney Conley, Maggie Spiegel, Tyler Bridges, Lea LaFortune, Lee and Paul Michaels, Ryan and Kelly Casey, Christina Eubanks, Megan Pharis, Julie Bagley, Laura Johnson, Parker and Katy Brooks, Sharon Lee Clark, Max Clark, Jordan Glasgow, Anna Gresham, Khaki Christopher, Jessie Dornak, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Sarah and Trey Pederson, Luis Araujo, Amy Green, Kayten Elder, Sila Grogan, Melissa Placet, Tayler Reiter, Danny and Tanya Rice, Tina and Michael Beasom, and hundreds more patrons and supporters.