It was a little over 30 years ago when the Dallas Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma came up with adding an event leading up to their annual Kappa Home Tour. They had heard of a successful Fort Worth fundraiser featuring tables decorated by a variety of people sponsored by the Fort Worth Kappas and the Pi Phis. The Home Tour co-chairs met with the Fort Worth Kappas, who shared ideas with them.
They came up with a plan for something called “Tablescapes” in which guests would arrive at 10, browse the presentation of the 60″ decorated round tables for eight, attend a talk and then take their places at the tables for lunch. Within just six months they had not only lined up decorators and underwriters, but they had a sold-out event.
That first time out success was so great that organizers decided to add Tablescapes by Candlelight the night before to accommodate the demand for the second year. In 2009 honorees were added to the program, including this year’s Heather Elmore Furniss as the 2024 Platinum Key Honoree, Ann Barbier-Mueller as the 2024 Honorary Chair and Jeanne Johnson Phillips the Tricennial Chair and Honoree.
More recently, other “warm-up” events on the day before were created due to demand. And, taking advantage of technology, designers were able to post QR codes at their tables allowing guests to purchase items on display.
Ironically, Tablescapes eventually replaced the Home Tour as the Kappas’ signature fundraiser, hosting such speakers as Carolyne Roehm, James Farmer, Alex Hitz, Lela Rose and Jan Showers on all types of topics ranging from design to entertaining over the years. The 60′ tables were replaced by tables of all shapes and sizes and creativity flourished. More recently, the program and luncheon were combined in the ballroom after guests have had the opportunity to tour the rooms of tables at “a local country club.”
This year’s guests not only viewed the array of tables throughout the club by Agave, Amy Lafitte, Avant Garden, Ballard Designs, Branching Out Events, Caitlin Wilson, Carolina Herrera, Cataline Gonzalez Jorba/Dondolo, Cathy Kincaid, Central Market, Chambers Interiors And Associates, Collins And Sweezy, Concepto, Courtney Petit Design, Don Lino, Elle Cole Interiors, Ellis Hill, Emily Miller Decor, Forget Me Not, Garden Gate, Heritage Auctions, Herstory, John Phifer Marrs Studio, Kate McLeod Studio, Lucky Dog Barkery, Maidson Dallas, Misette, Nardos, Neiman Marcus, Noel Pittman Design, Olivia G, Peyton Riley Design, Preston Hollow City Lifestyle X Top Tier, Sharon Lee Clark, Shayna Fontana Beyond The Word And Bottega De Flores, Studio Thomas James, Studio White Interiors, The Ivy House and Trunk Curated by Kimberly Schlegel Whitman at Tablescapes by Candlelight on Monday, October 14, and the luncheon on Tuesday, October 15. But they also celebrated the 30th anniversary by checking out a special feature — Parliament Hall, a 30-year visual history of partnerships, donors and volunteers since Louise Spence Griffeth, along with Barbara Barton, founded the event in 1995. Guests perused black and white photographs, media clips, unique favors and memorabilia compiled, “with the help of dozens of volunteers,” by Luncheon Tri-Chairs Frances Cannon Mitchell, Elizabeth Carlock Phillips and Katherine Helms Sunby, who were just in grade school when the first Tablescapes debuted 30 years ago.
Another addition this year was the trio’s inviting designers to post QR codes at their tables, allowing guests to purchase items on display.
As the luncheon guests made their way into the ballroom decorated in vivid colors inspired by Carolina Herrera Creative Director/author/keynote speaker Wes Gordon’s new book, “Colormania,” they discovered a copy of the book at their places, thanks to longtime sponsor Central Market.
Before addressing the guests, Wes captured the attention of several VIP guests backstage, when he referenced, as a parent, the importance of the event’s beneficiaries.
“As a father of two children, Henry Eduar and Georgia Rose, the money that these women will raise today means so much to the five charities that will benefit from this extravaganza,” said Wes as he was preparing to speak to the sold-out crowd celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Kappa Gamma signature philanthropic event. “It makes the whole charity thing come full circle,” he added. Gordon, and his husband Paul Arnold, live with their two young children in New York City and Roxbury, Connecticut.
The Philanthropy Committee selected five beneficiaries, all of which provide important funding for five children’s charities, including Aspire, Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer, Scholarshot, West Dallas Community School and Young Women’s Preparatory Network.
Over the past 30 years, Tablescapes has provided more than $3M to more than 100 Dallas County organizations and programs.
Looking to the future, the ever-chic Shelby Goff has signed up to chair the 2025 event!
For more servings of the table creations, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.