I loved Kimberly the minute I found out that she wrote Dog Parties: Entertaining Your Party Animal. You have to be super sweet and tons of fun to dedicate a book to celebrating our precious pets, right? I admire her entrepreneurial spirit and her love of celebrating life. She’s one of Dallas’ most admired Southern sweethearts and everyone’s go-to gal for entertaining with style and grace! Her fifth book will be out in August from Gibbs Smith and will be an event planning workbook titled “The Party Planner”. All of her books are “must haves” and offer useful information for everyone’s budget. I’ll keep you informed about book signingopportunities as the release date approaches!
With a talent for making the ordinary extraordinary Kimberly Schlegel Whitman has taken her original and clever take on parties and created an entrepreneurial empire. While planning her own Idlewild Debutante Ball in Dallas, Texas, Kimberly found an undiscovered opportunity—a lack of quality goods for party rentals. In 1998, a quick thinking Kimberly launched her own event company, RSVP Soiree Luxury Event Rentals, and, after building up a wonderful business, she sold it in 2006. She also took the century old RSVP Social Calendar online in 1999 and continues to maintain this comprehensive list of Dallas’ finest charitable events at www.RSVPcalendar.com. Her success in this field led to the publication of four books on entertaining, countless television appearances and a daily radio segment on Dallas’ number one morning show. She was recently named editor-at-large for Southern Living and will release her fifth book, The Party Planner, in August.
Kimberly and her flourishing business have been featured in national publications such as Vanity Fair, Elle, Vogue, Town & Country, Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, Businessweek, Traditional Home, Canadian House and Home, Animal Fair, Southern Lady, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Martha Stewart’s Blueprint, Doggie Aficionado, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and many more. She has been featured in the books, “Texas Women” and “Texans and Their Pets.” Kimberly has been coroneted and “Entertaining Expert,” a “Style Expert,” an “Etiquette Expert,” and an “Arbiter of Taste and Style” on the following television programs: The Early Show, The Tyra Banks Show, Fine Living and HGTV, WB in the Morning, Designing American, Designing Texas, Good Morning Texas, Good Day Dallas, NBC’s iVillage Live and was a featured event planner on the Style Network’s hit show “Whose Wedding is it Anyway?”
Kimberly is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with an Honors degree in Art History. Her community involvements are numerous and include: Christie’s Education Program in New York City, Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Debutante, Idlewild Debutante and The National Debutante Cotillion. Kimberly donates her time to many charitable organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association, The Salvation Army, The Tiffany Circle of the American Red Cross, The President’s Council of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, The Advisory Board of the Brinker International Forum, Best Buddies, and was honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award by the American Heart Association. Kimberly resides in Dallas, Texas with her real estate developer husband, Justin, their son, JR, and their Chihuahua, Lola.
Tobacco Leaf China from Mottehedah
“I am obsessed with anything “Tabletop” but Tobacco Leaf China is my absolute favorite.”
Kimberly McDonald Jewelry
“I love jewelry and I am completely obsessed with Kimberly McDonald’s pieces right now. I got to meet her when she was visiting Forty Five Ten and she is so charming that it makes me like her work even more! She is a chihuahua lover just like me!”
Natura Bisse Hand Silk
“You can’t understand how perfect it is until you try it.”
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Camera
“We originally bought this to take photos for my books and blog entries but I treasure it because we have captured the most treasured photos of our son with it. It is impossible to take a bad photograph with this camera!”
Leontine Linens
“Sometimes I just want to re-paint a bedroom so that I can place a new order from Leontine. The monograms are fantastic and the look is so classically southern. I am a bit obsessed!”
Another inspiring list! Find all of Kimberly’s books here. Each one is beautiful and full of inspiration that will help you plan your next event with ease and create magnificent memories for your friends and family…including the pets! Be sure to visit kimberlywhitman.com to follow her blog and her RSVP calendar.
Thank you, sweet Kim! I knew your list would be amazing and it did not disappoint! We will all look forward to celebrating your new book in August! Keep us posted! Thanks for all of your inspiration! You make Dallas proud! XO!
