Sharon Popham is planning on breaking things come Thursday, April 9th… like records. With Dallas Symphony Orchestra League pals like Women’s Council President Marena Gault and Announcement Party Co-Chairs Dixey Arterburn, Allison Brodnax and Ginger Sager, she’s already working to establish a new record breaker for the Dallas Arboretum fundraiser, the 2015 Mad Hatter’s Tea.
Marena Gault*
First step, she’s decided on a French theme. That was obvious at the Brook Hollow Golf Club announcement soiree from the champagne and delicious French ooh-la-a theme. There were delicious French decorated cookies at the table in the Oak Room and French champagne flowing.
Sharon had hoped for pink roses but ended up settling for Texas yellow roses.
Sharon Popham, Yanni Kyriazis and Sherwood Wagner
Sharon had also lined up her honorary chair to be adorable Sherwood Wagner. According to Marena, “Sherwood is a beautiful, energetic, stylish young woman, modest and humble. She embodies everything about A Woman’s Garden, epitomizing the complexities of the essence of women with all their virtues and strengths. She is the new Dallas ‘It Girl’.”
According to insiders, “she grew up in Midland and graduated from Hockaday and TCU and worked for PSI, a public relations firm. She is involved with various charities in Dallas and West Texas and served as president of Girls Inc. Auxiliary. She is a board member of Ellen Noël Art Museum in Midland, which is named after her grandmother. She has graciously donated a heart-shaped pulpit to A Woman’s Garden at the Arboretum that will be named The Ellen Noël and Lissa Noël Wagner pulpit, in honor of her mother and grandmother.”
To celebrate the announcement, “Sherwood’s mom Lissa and a plane load of women from Midland flew in for the special occasion. 10 ladies filled the plane which left only the jump seat for Lissa to sit on for the trip.”
Front row: Sherwood Wagner in blue and Lissa Wagner in green*
To add that touch of gold to the occasion, Sharon had jewelry designers David Lee Holland and Yanni Kyriazis on hand and revealed that they’re creating a special piece of jewelry for the Mad Hatters to auction off. Should be very interesting, since David and Yanni specialize in “botanically themed jewelry.”
Sherwood volunteered to model “a stunning 110 carat orange zest necklace of natural colored Bolivian amethyst and diamonds valued at $92,000″ created by David Lee Holland Fine Jewelry. Tough assignment!
Sherwood Wagner’s Alexander McQueens*
And talk about being dressed from top to bottom, Sherwood’s Alexander McQueen stilettos with six-inch heels were eye catchers with “jewel-encrusted skulls sporting mohawks.” (Please note her toenail polish matched her truly blue dress.)
As for Sherwood’s own spectacular jewelry, Marena volunteered to “babysit it” for the evening. ‘nother tough assignment.
When asked about the judges, Sharon implied that there would be a French flair on hand. The fashion show will be coordinated by Jan Strimple with clothes from Betty Reiter, Canary, Nardos Imam and V.O.D.
Stay tuned and get your berets warmed up.
* Photos provided by 2015 Mad Hatter's Tea