A Gathering of Blue Bloods, A-Listers and Fresh Movers & Shakers: This River Oaks Bash Glows as a Holiday Spectacular

The guest list for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Pilgrimage preview party read like a Who’s Who of Houston society with beloved Isla Reckling, the honoree, and husband Tommy Reckling leading the silk-stocking clutch. Add party hosts Terri and John Havens, the New Orleans ex-pats who, since arriving on the tides of Hurricane Katrina, have jetted straight to the highest ranks of A-listers. Conclude with the impressive credentials of the sorority alumna.

In short, the party was spectacular not only for the grand holiday decor, the primary point of the fête, but also for the venerated assembly of more than 400 cocktail-attired guests.

The pilgrimage, aka home tour, is today (Friday) and Saturday with two Tanglewood and two River Oaks residences decked out for the holidays by Rob Smith of Events in Bloom, Mark Ruisinger of Mark Anthony Florist, Lucia Jaklova of Park Flowers Atelier and Susie Miller Florist. Jonathan Sage dressed the Havens’ home for the party. Ticket information is available here. Tickets are also available at Bering’s, Cornelius, Out of the Box, Paisley House and Back Row Antiques.

The tour is on target to raise a minimum of $400,000 for several Houston charities.

The entire Reckling family was embraced for its philanthropy on this night that was themed “Celebrating Traditions of Giving.” Isla Reckling’s Kappa legacy extends to her daughters, Christiana McConn and Randa Roach, and to her granddaughters Isla McConn Jornayvez, Mary Kelly McConn, Randa McConn, Addie Reckling, Lauren Reckling and Christiana Reckling and Kappa daughter-in-law Angie Reckling. A Kappa dynasty, indeed.

City Kitchen provided royal holiday fare in food stations that were scattered throughout the John Staub-designed house and across the terraces.

The biennial fundraiser is chaired by Cathy and Ed Frank, Amber and Cary Gray, Lynne and Brian Johnson and Claudia and Gregg Laswell while Kimberly and David Dominy and Ann and Mike Jobe chaired the preview party.

PC Seen: Jennifer and Tadd Tellepsen, Linda and Barry Hunsaker, Allison and Dan Parsley, Kara and Ray Childress, Molly and Ken Delery, Vivien and Scott Caven, Stuart and Chris Hudson, Hallie and J.J. McDermott, Joan and Culver Stedman, Adele Reckling, and underwriting chairs Susan and David Miclettte and Marilyn and Chris Winters.