We’ve been on cloud freaking nine for the last few days following our Get Booked Ball, and I’m not sure we’ll ever be returning to Earth. We’ve share a bit about our experience putting this bookish event together with the Dallas Observer, but there’s still so much to say.

It’s important to note that we could not have done any of this at this scale, on such a tight timeline, and with virtually no budget without the trust the book community placed in us. This isn’t just a feather in our caps; the success of this event belongs to everyone who participated, donated, and believed in what we were building.

Book Festival Cancellation

We purchased tickets to the Dreamers & Readers (D&R) Festival in the fall of 2024, which was around the same time as the inception of Always Booked. Like so many others, we paid full price to be attendees. We were so excited about a multi-day fantasy book festival in North Texas, right in our own backyard. We were looking forward to the expo, the balls, the fashion show, and meeting so many book lovers from across the globe.

As Always Booked continued to grow, we made the decision in early 2025 to join Dreamers & Readers as vendors. We spent time dreaming up the perfect book merchandise and booth setup…we wanted something that would not only appeal to attendees but also truly reflect us as people and as a business.

How a Single Comment Sparked a Magical Book Event

When we received the notification that the D&R festival had been cancelled, we spent a couple of minutes in absolute shock before moving into solution mode. It all started with a simple comment on Fantastique’s Instagram post. We posted about how bummed we were and put out feelers for a make-up bookish event. The comments and messages started rolling in immediately. Originally, we were thinking of a vendor market so authors and vendors could move the inventory they spent a fortune on in preparation for D&R.

That evening, Hailey Doyle from The Springs event venue in Arlington, TX, saw our comment and offered us a dreamy location we could actually afford. In less than 24 hours, we announced that we were throwing the Get Booked Ball, a free fantasy book ball for displaced D&R attendees.

We had hosted a fantasy book ball, Court of Villains, just a few months earlier, so our gears were already oiled, so we knew we could pull together something meaningful and beautiful. Hosting the Get Booked Ball felt like a natural way to give back and create something special.

We were so overwhelmed by the immediate excitement (in the best way). All 300 tickets were claimed within three minutes of registration opening. From there, it was, as they say, off to the races. We were flooded with DMs and emails from readers, authors, creators, and small book businesses wanting to help support. It was so beautiful and encouraging. Honestly, if we think about it too much we’ll cry.

If we’re being honest, the rest of the two weeks were a blur. We connected with vendors, created custom drinks for the bar, designed floral arrangements in our kitchen and so so much more. It was a type of crazy that feels exciting and magical at the same time.

Book Ball Highlights

Setting up the ball was a whirlwind! We were all hands on deck to make the venue whimsical and special. This is kind of our bread and butter. We LOVE creating a magical space. When everyone arrived, they received a cutie welcome bag filled with bookish goodies, including paraphernalia from displaced authors, a free audiobook credit from Libro.fm, and cookies. Everything in the goodie bags were donated 🥲 and that made them even more special. There was a grand staircase that quickly became the perfect spot for portraits thanks to Fae Isle Floral adding a gorgeous floral install. Inside the ballroom, tables were decorated with lush florals and glowing candelabras that set the tone for the evening. It was dreamy! Around the room, guests could visit flash tattoo artists, a live illustrator, permanent jewelry, charcuterie, and the bar. Somehow, everything and everyone came together perfectly.

Did we mention there was a fashion show?! Whimsy Forge had originally designed a collection of gowns to debut in a fashion show at the Dreamers & Readers Festival. When the festival was canceled, we partnered with them to bring that fashion show to life at the Get Booked Ball instead. We had collaborated with them during our Court of Villains Ball promotion, and they sent a couple of ambassadors to that event, so we had no doubt they would bring the professionalism, creativity, and quality we strive for at Always Booked events. Every gown, model, and designer involved in this show was absolutely stunning. Whatever you’re picturing, it was even BETTER.

Following the fashion show, desserts were served, and the dance floor officially opened. We’ve used the same DJ for both of our book balls, and at this point, we plan to keep hiring him until he’s sick of us. The night was so perfect is flew by!

On the way out, we passed out single-stem florals to every attendee, a keepsake from the night and a small thank you for spending the evening with us. Let’s just say we’ll never forget the smiles on everyone’s faces as they left.

There’s something truly incredible that happens when you fill a room with 300 people who are excited to be there, and even more special when everyone shares the same common thread: a love of stories and a love of community.

We love you. Thank you for trusting us and partying with us. Thank you for the feedback you’ve given. We hope to see everyone again, and we look forward to welcoming those who weren’t able to attend to a future Always Booked event.

Magic Made Possible By

This night only happened because of the incredible support from this community and the amazing people and businesses below. Truly, we couldn’t have done it without you, and we’re so grateful for each of you who helped make the Ball feel so special.