Children’s Museum Houston's storybook soirée casts a $1.3 million spell

Once upon a time, Houston’s A-listers decided that happily ever after could use a little mischief.

And who could blame them? At Children’s Museum Houston’s Once Upon a Time: A Fairytale Fashion Gala, Prince Charmings mingled with villains, Cinderella had competition, and yours truly arrived as a fallen angel. Even heaven has a naughty list — apparently.

Held at the Corinthian, the storybook soirée invited guests to unleash their inner child, with black-tie tradition taking a back seat to fantasy. The enchantment began before anyone reached the ballroom. A carriage offered photo opportunities, while a fog-filled entrance summoned characters both delightful and dark.

The fashion? Forget playing it safe. From whimsical costumes to sophisticated eveningwear, creativity ruled the kingdom. Some guests embraced their heroic sides; others clearly preferred the wicked chapters.

Presiding over the festivities were chairs Jessica and Michael Bertuccio and Bahareh and James Flavin, joined by underwriting chairs Lauren and Max Barrett and Lilly and Harrison Cullen. Auction chairs Alex Butt and Claire Virga helped ensure the evening’s generosity had a happily ever after finale.