"I love mushrooms, and I think seafood is a perfect stuffing for them. They are small but oh so full of flavor... 
perfect for an appetizer!
Most restaurants around the New Orleans area have these on the menu as an appetizer.
They've always been a favorite of mine, so it was only natural for me to make my own at home! " - Joy Monnerjahn

With over 70 entries, our first Creative Challenge contest was a huge success and a little overwhelming making a decision! So much so, that we just couldn't narrow down our print winner to just one group of Creatives, we actually chose two groups of Creatives to have their work featured in Vol 7 and one group to be featured online (which the two print choices will also be featured in our online Inspiration gallery as well). 

The main part of the challenge was that creatives had to use at least one or more of Pantone's Spring 2018 Top Colors. 

We truly wish we could feature all of the amazing entries that we received, as they were all fantastic! 
​
Say hello to our Creative Challenge Winners:

Volume 7's issue will be distributed to registered brides at our October Bridal Show in Natchez, Mississippi; a popular destination for weddings in the South!

​You are engaged!! Can you believe it?? So what now? Where do you start after you have made it Social Media official? Who, What, Where,  When and How?
​
First you have to decide on date, budget, vendors, venue………here are a few tips on making appointments with vendors. They will be the first people you will share your excitement with outside of your friends and family.
​
After you have done all of your internet searches and narrowed it down to about 3-4 (or less) of each.  You may have received package information and prices already but, you will most certainly want to meet these wonderful people you have been in contact with. Make sure you have a notebook, datebook, calendar or a program that will track your appointments.
When you call, email, text or contact them through a website or social media, first thing to do is get the name of the person you are speaking with if they have not already offered this information.   
Be direct with your request:  “I would like to set a time for a consultation about flowers, cake, photography etc. “When you say “consultation” they know that you want to sit down and discuss details not just have a walk through.  It will also help them to schedule enough time with you to not rush through the details. Plan to spend at least an hour with each vendor. Always leave extra time for traffic and travel time in between.
Then add what day and time is best for you or a few. That way there is less back and forth on what times are available. Please keep in mind that Friday and Saturday are the busiest times for wedding vendors. Try to find a day that you are off during the week or after work that you are available. Not to say that Fridays and Saturdays are out of the question. Understand that you will more than likely be getting married on one of those days. Wouldn’t you want your vendors to give all of their attention to you on your day?  
​
So, here is an example of what your appointment information can look like:
Date:  Tuesday March 12, 2018  Time: 2:00-3:00
Vendor Name:  ABC Company Phone Number: 888-888-8888
Contact Name:  Sally Jones Personal contact number: 888-888-8888
Address: 123 Main Street,  Perfect Town, Perfect State   (for GPS)
Directions:

​Always ask for the direct number where the person you will be meeting with can be reached on the day of the appointment. Just in case you are running late or need to reschedule. Or if by chance you show up and no one is there goodness knows things happen!
Get the address for your GPS and ask for directions just in case it is hard to find or you are not familiar with the area. They will know about short cuts and road closure that your GPS might not.
So what happens if on the day you are not able to make the appointment? Maybe you are sick and need to reschedule.  ALWAYS contact the contact person as soon as you know. This is just the right thing to do. They will be glad to help you reschedule.  So what happens if you think that you have decided on your vendor before you have meet with them all ??? How do you know if you haven’t met them all? Don’t be pressured into booking until you have explored all the options you have chosen. You were interested in the 3-4(or less) you made appointments with for a reason.  However, if you have, PLEASE contact the other vendors and cancel your appointments. This person has set aside time from their day to meet with you, sometimes they have made arrangements with a baby sitter for instance or arranged their day around meeting you at the shop or venue. Not all wedding vendors are a 9-5 store front. They have families and lives too so as a courtesy to them always contact them as soon as you can.

Now the hard part deciding………I didn’t say that would be easy. My best advice to you is go with your gut, how did the person make you feel? Were you comfortable in the space? Did you feel as though they had your best interest at heart? Did they like your ideas and offer options? It’s not always about price. Your wedding day is all about feelings right? LOVE is an awesome feeling that you want to share. So do your vendors LOVE what they do? If they do you will feel it!

Happy Planning!
Mrs. J
(Southern Celebrations Magazine's In-house Event Planning Expert)

.
Who knew that a country with the word "ice" in it's name could be such a hot destination? Sure it's winter, so the days are short - but that makes conditions ideal for the possibility of viewing the Northern Lights! 

More than 200 volcanoes and numerous glaciers form the country's landscape. It's a frozen land that's always letting off steam. Its U-shaped valleys, jagged lava fields, monstrous ice caps, hot springs and geysers have carved a rugged, bizarre landscape you won't see anywhere else on Earth. But you don't need the fortitude of a Viking to enjoy Iceland. In fact, you can experience many of its extremes in relative comfort.

Iceland appeals to travelers who enjoy outdoor activities, rugged scenery, brisk weather and a relaxing, invigorating vacation (anyone who enjoys Alaska would be a prime candidate). The capital, Reykjavik, offers an array of overnight accommodations, from luxury hotels to youth hostels. There is an abundance of cafes and bistros in addition to fine-dining establishments. Reykjavik's nightlife is an all-night adventure, with some pubs and clubs staying open until the wee hours of the night. 

Among Iceland's main attractions are hiking, fishing, river rafting, geysers, horse trekking, whale-watching, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, Viking ruins, puffin-watching, volcanoes, lava fields, the Midnight Sun, northern lights, hot springs, museums, glaciers and waterfalls.

The average temperature in Reykjavík is around 33-35°F in wintertime and around 54°F in summer. The temperature in Reykjavík can drop down to 14°F in winter, or go up to 50°F, and during summertime it can drop down to around 44°C and go up to 77°F
Reykjavík is in the south part of the country, and the further north you go there is a greater difference in the temperature.
Summer time is the high season and when most people come to Iceland. The weather is milder, the days are longer and it's truly a spectacular time to visit Iceland. If you're coming to Iceland for the first time, we would definitely recommend coming in the summer time.
Some attractions are only available during winter time, such as the elusive Northern Lights and spectacular ice caves in one of Iceland's many glaciers
3 things that make this place a romantic destination for honeymooners:
​
Romantic adventure – discovering a new place, glaciers, hiking, ice caves, northern lights
 
Blue lagoon –one of the 25 wonders of the world geotheromal sea waterlagoon
 
Cooler/cold weather means snuggling

Planning a trip to Iceland involves many details and using a travel professional for a trip like this for such a special occation is highly recommended.

'Tis the season for crawfish boils here in south Louisiana! And boy do we have something delicious to share with you that Chef Lisa Boudreaux-Lecoq, owner of The Gilded Artichoke Catering Co, has created! 

​​Crawfish Boil Rolls
This Cajun twist on a New England classic, the lobster roll, is an easy and fast way to use leftovers from a southern crawfish boil. Serve in a roll or if entertaining with small bites, serve on a cracker as a dip!

Tips For A Successful Destination Wedding 

Anything is possible, and everything goes, when you plan a destination wedding. That’s why so many couples leave home in search of the world’s most beautiful places where they can tie the knot.

If getting hitched in an exotic location sounds like your perfect day, staying organized will streamline the planning process. So even though destination weddings can be a lot of work, with strong planning and a bit of determination, you can have the day you've always dreamt of. 

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a handy destination wedding checklist. This tool will help you maintain your sanity along the way, so only your future mother in law will be remembered for going nuts. 

First Off: Give Yourself Extra Time To Plan

Destination weddings are more challenging to plan than local weddings, so it’s a good idea to give yourself some extra time to actually nail down all of the details. While you may be able to plan a local wedding in six months, consider giving yourself at least a full year or more to plan a destination wedding.

12 Months Out

1. Set Your Budget 
Set your budget so you’ll know how much you can comfortably spend to make your ideal wedding come to life. In doing so, you’ll also be able to figure out what destinations you can afford. After all, some destinations are pricier than others.   
Once you’ve set the budget, you and your spouse can decide on your top three priorities. Maybe it's the number of guests, maybe it's the gown, and maybe it's the food. The point is that, once you have your priorities in order, it will be easier to keep your budget in line.
When planning international destination weddings, a lot of couples make the mistake of failing to factor in currency exchange rates. Even though these exchange rates change constantly and will likely be different by the time you have to pay your venue and vendors, use an accurate exchange rate calculator to get an estimate of how your money will convert and whether or not the conversion will work in your favor. 
Pro tip: If you use https://www.ofx.com/ to make your international wedding payments, you can use a Limit Order to lock in an exchange rate for up to 12 months, so you’ll never get sticker shock if the exchange rates fluctuate while you’re planning.
2. Compare Visa Requirements 
Lots of countries have relaxed their visa permissions in order to cash in on revenue from destination weddings, but visas are a factor you’ll want to check in every destination you’re considering. Keep in mind that if you’re planning on marrying someone of a different nationality and eventually living in the country where you’re getting married, the requirements may be different than those that usually apply to destination weddings. It’s always wise to contact the consulate, if you’re unsure.
3. Research, Research, Research…and Travel!
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you may already have a destination or two in mind. For example, if you met in Montreal, you might be ready to tie the knot there too. Or if you love vacationing together in a tropical location, Hawaii might on your radar. 
About a year before your big day, research not only your preferred destination and its wedding venues, but also the local vendors and planners that are available. Start contacting them to get quotes and to figure out if that destination is feasible in terms of your budget.
Once you’ve found a beautiful destination and venue online, it’s time to travel. Seeing a venue in person and speaking with the planner face-to-face will give you a whole new perspective on whether or not you’re headed in the right direction. 
After all, a venue can be made to look modern, clean, and beautiful online, but when you see it in person, it might be a completely different story. So rather than booking blindly, based upon what you see online, take a vacation to meet with the right people before signing on the dotted line. 

10 Months Out

1. Book Your Vendors and Officiant
After doing your research into local vendors at the destination of your choice, you can list out their pros and cons and decide which ones you want to book. As well as the cake, flowers, music and catering, you may want to incorporate some traditions native to the locale where you’re tying the knot. At the same time, if you want to incorporate important family traditions from back, it may be more difficult to do so in an exotic island locale. Start your research early, so you know what you can reasonably expect.
Like all good things, the best vendors will book up quickly, especially if they work on a lot of weddings throughout the year, so nail them down as soon as possible. Don’t forget to choose an officiant to conduct the ceremony. 
About 10 months before your wedding, sign contracts with your vendors, such as your photographer, videographer, officiant, and baker. Some hotels provide wedding packages where all the details are included, which can really simplify your planning. But no matter which vendors or providers you choose, it’s worth asking about payment options. Paying by credit cards may incur substantial foreign transaction fees. If you can pay by bank-to-bank transfer (international wire), using a provider like OFX might save you enough cover the cost of the cake.
2. Get Your Bridal Party Together 
Think about the people in your life that you hope will be a special part of your big day and start organising your bridal party, from your best man and maid of honor, to your ring bearer and flower girl. Keep in mind that a destination wedding can be prohibitively costly for a number of your guests, relatives and dear friends, so it’s important to give your favorites plenty of time to plan and budget for the event, if you’re expecting them to be there.

8 Months Out

1. Send Out Save-the-Dates
Save-the-dates aren’t always necessary, but when you’re planning a destination wedding that will require guests take time off from work and travel to be a part of your day, it’s best to let them know well in advance. Send out your save-the-dates after you’ve set your wedding date and confirmed the venue. A good rule of thumb is to send these announcements at least eight months before your wedding.By this time, you should have your hotel room booked and your transportation sorted as well, so you can be confident in letting your guests know about your upcoming event.
2. Shop for Your Gown 
You may have already started looking at bridal gowns, but now is the time to head to local bridal salons, try on some gowns, and make a final decision. It could take a few weeks to get your gown in, and then you might need to have it altered, so give yourself some extra time to say yes to the dress.
3. Build Your Wedding Website
For a destination wedding, a website is particularly helpful, so you don’t have to field the same question from countless guests. Guests will want to know about flights, hotel rooms, transport, dress codes, and a website is a great place to share the story of why you chose your special locale. It’s also a great way to share suggestions for activities in the days before and after your event.

4-6 Months Out

1.  Send Out Your Invitations 
Once everyone is aware of your plans, you can then send your official invitations with even more detailed information roughly 4-6 months before your big day. You may want to include an additional insert to provide your guests with information on the hotel where they can stay, direct them to your website, and discuss any group arrangements you’ve made with an airline. This will give your guests plenty of time to RSVP, book their hotel room, and plan additional holidaying side trips.
2. Take Care of the Smaller Details
Phew, you’ve come this far, and you’ve nailed down all of the major details! But there are still a few other wedding details that you’ll need to take care of, such as:

• Purchasing or renting your groom’s tuxedo.
• Finding the perfect wedding shoes and accessories, if you haven’t done so already.
• Planning your bridal shower and your bachelor and bachelorette parties.
• Choosing your bridal party’s tuxedos and gowns .

It’s also a good idea to come up with a specific schedule of activities that your guests can enjoy together once they arrive at the destination. You can even plan to give each guest a goodie bag filled with welcome gifts to show your appreciation to them for traveling to your wedding.

1-3 Months Out

Expect the unexpected. Save this time for troubleshooting last minute inquiries and cancellations. After signing contracts with your wedding venue and vendors, you’ll likely be required to give a deposit, make payments along the way, and maybe even provide the balance on the day of your ceremony and reception if you don’t have to pay the full amount in advance. How you pay can make a big difference in how much you end up paying, so it’s worth a bit of research to understand your options. Now is also the time to apply for your marriage license—the last step in preparation for your new life together! 

A Few Days Before Your Wedding

You’ve done it. Enjoy the fruits of all your hard work. Take a deep breath, take it all in, and remember that the focus of the day is about love. Even if the cake falls on the floor or the best man spills red wine all over your dress, it all just adds to the romance of the story you’ll tell for years to come. To find out more, view our comprehensive guide to getting married abroad. 

If you have a question or need some advice, click the button below:

​Most brides, when coming up with the colors and relative theme of their wedding, forget to take into consideration, the already established ambiance of their selected venue. This is why one of the first steps any bride should do after announcing their engagement is to visit and select their venue.
Why?
Not only will choosing your venue set the wedding date, but it will also set the tone for your color scheme.
If a bride is thinking that she wants a rustic theme with neutral colors, a hotel venue wouldn’t necessarily be the best location for that theme. If the bride is thinking eclectic and vivid colors, maybe a church wouldn’t necessarily be the best location.  For example: if a bride wants a spring themed wedding with plums, pinks, purples, and silvers, but the venue has walls that are a bright vivid burgundy, with dark wood and gold trim, tables that are dark cherry and gold and burgundy chairs;  this would not work with her color scheme that she had in mind. 

​Keep in mind that older churches tend to have older style carpet and decor. So if the church has vivid red carpet and the bridesmaids dresses are an emerald green, the wedding can end up looking Christmas themed in the middle of June. 

Before you set your date, check out the venue first and make sure that particular venue and its decor will work with your color scheme.  It can already be an overwhelming process to pick a venue,  but it’s still super important that a bride takes the venue's decor  into consideration when she's planning.

Remember:
If the venue is neutral, you are not limited with your color scheme.
​If the venue is anything outside of a neutral background, be selective. 

1. Do Not leave the very next day after your wedding.

This is for those of you that are planning a honeymoon.  Most couples are so excited to go they want to leave the very next day on the first flight out.  This is usually a 6 am flight.  This means you have to be at the airport for 4 am.  This means waking up around 3 am.  You get the picture. You have a late night and then a very very early morning. I know how excited couples are to go as soon as possible but traveling can be exhausting.  You do not want to arrive at your paradise completely drained.  If there are unexpected delays the day gets even longer and you get even more tired and cranky.   So relax.  Spend the first night at a hotel in a nearby city.  Sleep in, order room service and leave the following day.  You’ll be rested and in a much better mood to travel.  You’ll arrive at your destination refreshed and ready for any and all honeymoon festivities.
 
      2. Stay focused on the marriage and not the wedding.
This make the honeymoon even better than you can imagine, because this is when you START the marriage.  The moment the ring is on the finger the real planning starts.  The bride puts in endless hours of shopping, attending bridal shows, planning, discussing, researching, interviewing , cake sampling, phone calls, pintresting (is that a word?), Facebooking (another new word for urban dictionary).  Some young ladies even start a dieting and working out just so everything will be just perfect for the wedding and the reception after.  So hours upon hours, day after day, month after month the time is filled with the planning of the wedding.  The day arrives, anticipation has built up, energy is building to that moment.  The moment when she walks down the aisle and he sees her.  They say “I do”.   They kiss.  The celebration starts with family and friends for a couple of hours after.  Then the wedding is over.
According to Bride magazine most engagements and the planning of the wedding last for 18 months.  That is a considerable amount of time spent in planning a wedding.  Remember this is also a time to focus on each other and the upcoming marriage, not the upcoming wedding.  The wedding is one day.  The marriage is forever, right?
Enjoy the engagement.  By doing this this keeps things light and not all business for the wedding.  Then when it is time for the honeymoon you know you can really play laugh and have fun and not wonder what to talk about since the wedding planning is all over.  One tip I give to engaged couples is at least 1 night a week there should be no talk of the wedding.  Only speak to each other about the future together.  Share your hopes, dreams and visions that you have as a couple.
 
       3. Have an open mind
This is a new experience for both of you as husband and wife.  Maybe you have traveled together as a couple, however this is the first time traveling together as a married couple.  This trip may also be your first time together in a new country.  You want your honeymoon to memorable in a good way.  Keeping an open mind about things that may happen unexpectedly will keep things humorous and avoid unhappy feelings and memories.  For example you may be expecting nice long walks on a beautiful sandy beach.  Laying out on the beach and soaking up the sun.  You arrive and see the beach is filled with seaweed!  Ahhh… you can’t walk on the beach, the smell is yucky.  So what do you do?  Pout?  Get mad?  Blame the resort?  The best thing to do is to keep an open mind.  Play at the pool, walk in the gardens, have a “do it yourself couples” seaweed wrap – haha! Make the most of the situations and you will have more “fun” on your honeymoon and more memories to cherish.
 
        4. Unplug – for real!
No cell phones, no laptops, no tablets.  Change your profile picture to DO NOT DISTURB!  Couples are allowing themselves to be in the present moment with each other while spending time on their honeymoon.  Enjoying each other’s company as well as be completely aware of their surroundings brings relationships to another level.  By having real conversations with each other, meeting new people, reading real books while relaxing at the beach or by the pool the reality of the real world seems to fade away.  You become more relaxed, you feel a freedom that you may have not felt in a long time as an individual and as a person.  This freedom allows you to grow as a person and a couple by being able to allow thoughts and feelings to surfaces with that little ding constantly going off with some sort of notification to distract you.
 
 
        5. Plan a special honeymoon or a vacation gift for each other
The gifts can be simple or extravagant.  The point of the gift is to put thoughtfulness into the gift for each other.  You can forgo the wedding gift and wait until the honeymoon.  I had one bride do a photo shoot of herself in all of her lingerie that she received at her lingerie shower.  She made a little album for her husband and gave it to him on their honeymoon.  He loved it!!!  I’ve had grooms plan surprise candlelight dinners and the butler or server bring a covered dish and when the lid was lifted a beautiful bracelet was on the plate.  There are lots of fun easy things you can do and have set up before you leave for your honeymoon or romantic trip for each other.
 
           6.  The new tradition-the honeymoon letter
You know the old tradition of saving the top tier of your cake and freezing it for your 1 year anniversary.  I suggest that couples add to this tradition.  I suggest couples actually take a little time to themselves on the honeymoon write a letter to each other.  Make fun, make it serious , just make it genuine, make it about your real and authentic feelings.  Seal them up in an envelope and stick it in the freezer with the cake when you get home.  1 year later as you are toasting and enjoying the cake read the letters.   This can be a very special moment and continue to bring you closer.  You can also do this if this is your babymoon… read the letters when baby turns 1 (in between the diaper changing) and if this is an anniversary vacation (aka honeyversary)  then read them on the next anniversary maybe at your next  stop in paradise!
 
        7. Hire a travel professional
Talk with a Travel Professional.  While you have done your research online remember the internet is for looking the travel agent is for booking.  Travel professionals have knowledge and expert advice on destinations and resorts.  Even though you may find something that “looks great online” a travel professional will give you an unbiased opinion on the resorts and destinations.  They are working for you and want to insure that you get the best value and experience.   Travel professionals will make the planning process so much easier for you and will offer you peace of mind while traveling.

I hope you enjoy these 7 tips and that your honeymoon will sizzle!

​You spend countless hours pinning cakes on Pinterest, flipping through bridal magazines, and scrolling through wedding blogs; but you have no idea what to actually ask your cake designer! We've came up with a list of quick questions to ask your cake designer, once you've narrowed down your choices:

Of course, there are a ton more questions that you should be asking your cake designer, but we wanted to give you a good starting point. Just remember to do your research, read reviews, use a PROFESSIONAL (you can find some awesome ones here), and make sure they have a contract. If they don't offer a contract, move on to the next cake designer. 

​We're looking for talented, established Creatives to join our Family as a guest blogger!

Here at Southern Celebrations Magazine, we strive to provide our readers with meaningful & inspirational content; therefore we've been a little busier than normal in creating awesome content for our next two print issues; our special edition, The Food & Drink Issue (launches end of February) and Volume 7 (launches in May). 

With that being said, it's time to also expand our Blog section. 

On average, we receive 17,000 - 20,000 weekly views to SouthernCelebrationsMag.com. (Check out that real time screenshot!) In order to keep up with the demand of our readers both in print and online, we need to expand our blogging family!

We are looking to fill 3 guest blogger spots. You will be provided with access to the blog section of our website, after a 90 day trial period. 

​What we're looking for:
-Creative Entrepreneurs who are eager to not only share their knowledge about their trade, but who are eager to Market their own business as well! 
-You must have outstanding written communication, no slang use please! 
-You must be an established business owner, having owned your business for 2+ years. 
-You must write a guest blog once a week.

What we're NOT looking for:
-Someone who wants to use our platform for politically fueled content (this is not the space for that).
-Someone who is not passionate about Southern Celebrations Magazine. 
-Someone who is not passionate about weddings, celebrations, events, and the South! 


Categories We Are Recruiting For:
-Event/Wedding Planniners
-Photographers
-Fashion Enthusiasts
-We are also open to other Creative Business Owners, just let us know what you do!

Compensation:
You have the option to contribute once a week for 6 months or once a week for the entire year. Compensation is as follows:

On the west of coast of the island of Jamaica is the quaint beach town of Jamaica.  A scenic 45-minute drive from the Montego Bay airport and you will find yourself in Paradise.
Here are 5 reasons I recommend Negril to Honeymooners:

1. Weather- Warm and sunny all year.  You may have an occasional afternoon shower, however they only last about 30 minutes, just enough time for a quick afternoon nap.  For those that are more budget conscious travel there is better during August and September.  It is hurricane season and Jamaica has managed to dodge hurricanes for many years now. 

2.  3 Things that makes Negril a Romantic Destination:

1. 7-mile Beach:  a gorgeous 7 miles stretch of white sand and turquoise waters inviting you to stroll along hand in hand or dive in for a refreshing swim
2. Sunsets:  Possibly the most breathtaking sunsets you will ever see.  Enjoy viewing the sunsets from a local establishment in the cliffs over dinner and drinks.
3. Attitude: or the lack of, Negril is laid back and relaxed.  There is no need for a watch here.  Living in the moment is a way of life here.  

3. My Favorite thing: The beach and living on island time.  There is also a great little hidden gem tucked away from the beach that I like to visit. A charming local resort, farm and restaurant called the Zimbali Retreat.

4. What are resorts in Negril like?  There is a variety of resorts ranging from boutiques, villas and all-inclusive resorts.

5. The Culture is rich with friendly natives excited to welcome tourist.  The food in Jamaica is tantalizing with spices and flavor.  Jerk chicken and pork are the most popular foods that Jamaica is known for and there are fantastic jerk shacks along the way into Negril.  Along with the jerk shacks there are local beach grills grilling up fresh lobster.  The local beer red stripe goes great with the jerk meat or the grilled lobster.  There are many other native exotic foods for you to experience in Negril. 

​As you can see Negril has so much to offer for couples that are looking to escape to a tropical oasis offering scenery, ambiance, rich culture and more.  Negril as a honeymoon is a great way to start your happily ever after.
 

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATASHA MARIE BRIDAL​
​Natasha's life long dream has been to custom design wedding gowns, so for the first 7 years of Natasha Marie Bridal that is exactly what we did. From sketch to pattern to construction, we made a bride's dream of her perfect wedding gown a reality. But designing dresses is a very time consuming process, which made balancing family life and work a bit of a challenge. So after a lot of thinking and praying, we decided to re-brand Natasha Marie Bridal in to a bridal boutique. From there it became clear that this was God's plan, as the perfect location became available at the perfect time. For years it was an antique shop, but after the Great Flood of 2016 the building was bought and completely renovated. That's when we came in and interlaced this whole idea of something old with something new, bringing life to our  new home in the historical Denham Springs Antique Village. We have hand selected top quality designer gowns at bridal market, each of which is either completely customizable or comes in numerous fabric and color options. This way we are still able to offer our brides the opportunity to make their gown unique to them. We even have a line of separates so that you can try on different tops and skirts, pick your favorite combo, fabric, and color; and then you can order it as one whole dress for your big day. We also offer formals for prom, homecoming, pageant, Mardi Gras balls, mother's of the bride or groom, and pre-wedding event attire and accessories perfect for the bride's engagement party, bridal shower and bachelorette party.

​ Natasha has 9+ years of experience in the bridal industry and 20 years of sewing experience. She has a Fashion Design Degree from LSU's Apparel Design program, has interned with New Orleans couturier designer Suzanne Perron St. Paul, completed a fashion field study in China, designed for former First Lady of Louisiana Supriya Jindal, and donated a custom red gown for the American Heart Association, Baton Rouge Chapter. 

Photo Credits: Amy K & Co
Amy K and Co is a team of professional wedding photographers that have been offering photography services since 2009. The studio is an active member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and an active member of the Livingston Parish Chamber or Commerce. You can find the studio nestled in the Historic Antique District in Denham Springs, Louisiana. Amy and her team is available world-wide. 

We believe in the sanctity of marriage. We believe in spending quality time with our spouses. We believe that your spouse should always come first. You should always make your spouse a top priority in your life.  We believe that you should always communicate with your husband/wife, you should NEVER keep secrets, you should never hide things and lie. You should always give each other the space they need, without alienating them. You should never give someone else the same attention that you give your spouse, your spouse deserves your attention more. You should always support one another in all aspects of life, you should never down them. You should never talk about them in a negative manner. You should make love to your spouse and often (Yes, we said that!). A healthy relationship should consist of all of these things, just not some. 

We've been told for decades that half of all marriages will end in divorce, with a small portion of couples being permanently separated. How did we even get to this point?
​We won't bore you with the numbers, because the numbers aren't actually important. What's important is cultivating your marriage, so that you don't become another statistic.

There are several factors involved when a marriage starts to go bad. We can't let those bad things outweigh the good. Marriage is a beautiful thing. Each person brings something unique to the relationship. It can be rewarding and fun; it should never be frustrating. 

If children are involved in your marriage, it can be easy to shift your focus from your spouse, especially if your children are young. Don't make your family all about your children and their activities. You will alienate your spouse and this could be detrimental to your marriage. We should always love and honor our spouse.

There will be plenty of times throughout your marriage when you start to feel stuck in a rut. No one said that your marriage would be a fantasy walk. Marriages take hard work. We should never run from those hard times, we should grab each others hands and face those problems together.  Embrace the good times and create new memories together. 

Take your husband/wife out on a date, instead of going out with your friends, take your spouse out. We're not saying to ignore your friends, but if you're spending more time with your friends than with your spouse, it's a recipe that could potentially lead down that road to divorce. 

So whether you're a newly wed, or a veteran in marriage, or plan on getting married one day, remember that getting married will be one of the best things that will ever happen to you, but it'll never be a cake walk to get there. It'll take hard work from the both of you, but marriage can bring you closer to one another and bring out the best in each other. 

​In a society that glorifies selfishness, fight to preserve your marriage. 

Hosting a celebration can be tough business, especially when doing it yourself. We've come up with a handy list of what you need to stock your bar. (This list is for a guest list of 100.)

Where has the time gone?! I started Southern Celebrations Magazine in 2014 after being turned down from a major retailer on another magazine project, Amour de Mariage (some of you may remember this venture). 
I took this "big box" retailer's suggestions, which included changing the name and Southern Celebrations Magazine was born. It took nearly a year to develop the first issue. The layout needed improving, but I was determined to get it off the ground!

Creating Volume One taught me that I did not know what I was doing in the magazine industry and that was okay, because I knew about weddings, I knew about parties and celebrating, and I had a strong sales background (in my previous life before the wedding industry, I sold cars for commission ONLY).   Volumes Two and Three allowed me to continue to develop our brand while strengthening our online presence. Our readers wanted both a print option and an online experience. 

Volume Four, with the help of LanieBird Designs, came a more cohesive look with a simple logo change! Volume Five was about changing up our cover photo, we wanted one  that symbolized more of celebrations than weddings and we are super excited that we did so! We LOVE weddings, but we want to make sure that our mission is seen through our covers as well; that we are more than just a wedding magazine, we are a celebrations magazine that loves all things Southern! 
Volume Six was about expanding our vendor relationships across the South, while strengthening our current relationships. 

On to 2018, this is the year that we roll out new marketing as a way to inspire the South! We introduce a Special Edition at the end of February that will be our tastiest issue yet, The Food & Drink Issue! 

THANK YOU to our Southern Celebrations Community! Without you, we wouldn't be here 4 years later, to continue to spread inspiration across the South! 

I look forward to many more years and many more blissful relationships with such amazing wedding and event professionals across the South! 

Help us spread Southern Celebrations Magazine across the South, so that everyone has the opportunity to be inspired for their next celebration!

Distributing a print publication to a large market comes at a much higher cost than our current budget allows for. We’re extremely humbled by the organic support and love we receive from our local vendors and advertisers, along with the high number of requests to supply the magazine to areas of the South where we currently don't distribute. We would love to be able to reach these readers! Your support here will help us find new distributors and/or readers to spread inspiration to.

With a wider market to distribute to, comes the need to create a more diverse magazine that appeals to all readers for all celebrations across the South. 
To achieve this, we are aiming to reduce our reliance on paid advertising spaces as a primary source of income, to allow more time and production to take Southern Celebrations Magazine to the next level, bringing our readers more inspirational content. Your support here would help us to cover the costs of production and printing, so we can focus on our mission!

​Getting married? Congratulations! Now to choose a date for your celebration. Here's a list of the worst holidays to get married on. 
​{these are in no particular order}

1. Christmas Day/Weekend
Christmas day is a time that is spent with family and friends. Do you really want to share your anniversary with a holiday that already involves gifting, good food, and celebrating? And if you have little ones, that means also splitting your anniversary with them as well. We can understand wanting to celebrate your wedding during a time when out-of-town relatives may be visiting, so if you must schedule your wedding during the Christmas Holidays, try for the weekend before, because the weekend after, brings us to our next Holiday to avoid getting married on. 

2. New Year's Day/Eve
Now don't get us wrong, we have witnessed tons of gorgeous, fun weddings that have taken place on New Year's Day, and this day may very well be one that you'll definitely want to have. Just keep in mind your guests. They may already have plans for the New Year and asking them to attend your wedding as well, might cause your head count to be on the low side. And if they don't have plans on New Year's Day, they may be recovering from New Year's Eve. 

3. Religious/Cultural Holidays
Out of respect to your guests, it is best not to plan your wedding on a religious Holiday,  just like Christmas. Some religious Holidays to avoid when planning your wedding include: ​ Easter, Palm Sunday, Ramadan, Lent, Passover, and Hanukkah. 

4. Mother's & Father's Day/Weekend
Avoiding this Holiday is simple: you don't want your guests to choose between spending time with their parents and attending your wedding. 

5. Independence Day/Weekend
What's not to love about this day?! But for your wedding, you might want to avoid it because most because of annual traditions with family & friends. So it's best to avoid the first weekend of July, if possible. 

6. Thanksgiving Day/Weekend
Even though you may have tons of family and friends coming in to town for Thanksgiving, you'll also have tons of family & friends packing their bags to go out of town. 

One Holiday we are all for having your wedding on is Valentine's Day! But please keep in mind that rentals, floral, catering and all things geared towards celebrating will be much higher around February 14th.

Although this next one is not a Holiday, it's still significant enough to avoid it all together. Big Sports days and most definitely home football games. I know here in Louisiana, LSU football is a pretty big deal and planning your wedding during a home game near Death Valley, is a big NO NO! You can bet that your attendance for your wedding will be slightly low and if it's not, some of your guests might arrive a tad bit tipsy form tailgating! So it's always best to avoid home games, even if you're not a big football enthusiast!   

Creatives must design a styled shoot using one or more of Pantone’s Spring 2018 Top 12 Colors. The styled shoot must contain several styled vignettes such as the tablescape, cake/dessert table, and fashion. Remember that we are a Southern celebrations publication, so the styled shoot does not necessarily have to be a wedding shoot. Submission deadline for the Creative Challenge is February 28th, 2018. One submission will be chosen for Volume 7 (launches May 2018) and one submission will be chosen for an online editorial.
**If chosen, you may not submit to any other publication/blog.

CREATIVE CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ENTERED!

The very first step in having a great honeymoon is to realize that it is a very important part of the wedding and deserves just as much attention to details as the wedding and the reception.
Here are 26 ways to make your honeymoon even better:

1. Hire travel professional to plan it
2. Upgrade your room- you only honeymoon once go for the best
3. Buy a honeymoon gift for your fiancé
4. Plan a couple’s massage
5. Do one excursion together that you have never done before (ex. Zipline, skydiving)
6. Write a hand-written love letter to each other at the end and read on the plane ride home
7. Go off the grid.  Lock your phones in the in room safe!
8. Schedule a private driver or limo to bring you to and from the resort
9. Choose the destination that is right for you and your fiancé, not the destination your bff went to or your co-worker said you should go to.
10. Plan a scavenger hunt for the trip
11. Take turns choosing one activity per day.
12. Invite another couple that you meet for drinks
13. Do not leave the day after your wedding
14. Have one day with no plans at all
15. Order room service
16. Plan a surprise
17. Arrange to have the house cleaned while you are away
18. Start a honeymoon registry/fund
19. Arrive home one full day before you return to work
20. Make a playlist ahead of time
21. Bring a camera (not your phone)
22. Be romantic
23. Play a board game (some hotels and resorts keep them around for rainy days)
24. Read a book to each other
25. Sexy lingerie
26. Have a honest discussion with each other about honeymoon expectations

 Honeymoons are the perfect way to relax and unwind from all of the wedding planning and events.  It is the beginning of your happily ever after.  Remember how important this occasion is.

While resisting the urge to start decorating for Christmas, my boys and I still wanted to bring a little bit of the Christmas spirit out! With Thanksgiving prep fixing to take over my kitchen, I knew today was the perfect day to create something red, white,  green and delicious! So gather your little ones (or yourself) and break out the Oreos!

The best thing about decorating Oreos, is that you don't have to be perfect at doing it! Today was about making memories in the kitchen! We dipped in them all the way and half way and sprinkled liberally! These are a quick fun treat to add to any celebration! 

You can customize them to any holiday or event. If you want to make them for your Thanksgiving festivities you can use the pumpkin spice or caramel apple flavored Oreos and be sure to switch out the white candy melts for yellow or/and orange. Contrasting colored sprinkles will work best!

XOXO,
Virginia 
Editor-in-Chief

I know, I know........you're not supposed to hate anything about weddings; a wedding is all about love! We get it, it's not about you as a guest, it's about the wedding couple! And as a guest, we shouldn't really complain, because let's face it, we were invited, we didn't have to accept! But we accepted and we're here and I'd like to look at this as room for improvement for wedding couples to take into consideration when planning their next celebration! Read below to see what guests have to say:

"-Those awfully small food plates 
-Guest who take pictures during the ceremony. They make me fume. 
-When a member of the immediate family or bridal party looks miserable walking down the isle. 
-Laughing during a non-church wedding. It takes the seriousness out of the ceremony if people are constantly talking/laughing about things." -Shelby

​​"-People holding their phones and cameras in the way of everyone that just for the sake of having it to post before anyone else. -Parents who don't parent at weddings/receptions." - Jackie

"Awkward long speeches." -Nina
 
"Not enough chairs for guests for the ceremony - this happened at my own wedding and I was appalled. The venue apparently couldn’t count and shorted us 2 rows of chairs on each side of the aisle. Also, I hate when the bar doesn’t open until the bride and groom arrive."      - Erica

"Rude and critical guests. It’s a wedding, there’s usually free food and alcohol. Enjoy it! Guests who consistently complain and make their voices heard are my biggest pet peeve!"       -Courtney

"Waiting on the reception to begin while the bridal party takes pictures." -Shunta

"Not being able to see or hear the ceremony (use mics please!) Being invited to more than one pre wedding shower, long food lines, waiting around with nothing to do while wedding party takes pictures. Missing cutting the cake, bouquet toss and first dance and other highlight moments because they are scheduled too late in the evening." -Michelle

"​I don’t like it when there’s downtime between the ceremony and reception. If the wedding ends at 4 and the reception isn’t until 7, what do you do in the meantime?! Another one is the trend of so many flowers and decor on the tables that guests can’t see across or find a spot for an extra drinking glass." -Rachel

"Ceremonies that don’t have any flow to them. Very uncomfortable for the guest. To me it’s cringe worthy." -Kelsey

​"I️ understand the traditions behind all the dances (first dance, parent dance, money dance, etc) but when half the reception involves your guest sitting the entire time so you can go each and every planned dance is annoying. For that reason, we had a first dance & parent dance (we did FOB & MOG at one time) and was done!" -Ashley

Remember: at the end of the day, a wedding is about two people only: the wedding couple. Some of the above "complaints" from guests can be easily fixed by hiring a professional wedding planner and having them execute a proper timeline. 
Other complaints can be addressed with the proper wedding vendor before your celebration even takes place, such as the size of the plate.

"​Ending a relationship , especially an engagement, can be difficult  if not downright traumatic for a bride. Plans have to be cancelled, friends & relatives informed of the change and then, of course, there’s the problem of what to do with that gorgeous Oh-So-You-Dress that you’ve spent a small fortune on but won’t be walking down the aisle in. Former bride & Sweet Things DFW owner, Mallorey Bradford was faced with exactly this problem when she called off her impending June wedding earlier this year but had a unique vision for a way to sweeten up her situation."

"​When her dress didn’t resell the way Mallorey was hoping, Kasey Vaitekunas, photographer & owner of One Sweet World Images, contacted her about doing a trash the dress shoot ...underwater. But not just any underwater bridal session -  she wanted to use an Alice & Wonderland theme. Kasey, an experienced underwater photographer with an undergraduate degree in theatre, is always looking for an out of the box, fun concept for shoots. Knowing that Mallorey is a fun, free spirited person, Kasey knew she would be the perfect fit for a whimsical photoshoot and a great way for Mallorey to make something beautiful out of this transition.
“Underwater Photography is not only a chance to be weightless and free, but it is also a quiet serene experience. There is a certain euphoria in an underwater world that is like no other. Fabric, hair, and props take on a whole new dimension” said Kasey Vaitekunas, One Sweet World Images."

"When Mallorey jumped on board with the concept, Kasey reached out to the Design Team at Fête & Frivolity Events to help her build a story line for the shoot & create effective, intentional props that would bring Wonderland to life in a whole new way. From jeweled flamingos and tiny teacups to a garden of giant underwater flowers each scene highlights iconic images from the original tale in a fresh new way. The assembled creative team (One Sweet World Images, Spivey Lane Bridal, Sweet Things DFW, & F?te & Frivolity Events) has collaborated to tell an imagined story of Alice Returning to Wonderland to prepare for her wedding day – Getting an invitation to return to Wonderland from the Caterpillar in her garden, Falling through the Looking Glass to meet up with her dearest friend, the Hatter, Sharing Tea,  & Preparing for her Big Day.
“One of the most special parts of a wedding day, outside of the romance that surrounds the couple, is the bonding that happens between the bride and her best friends as they prepare for the day together,” said Amanda Travis of F?te & Frivolity Events. “Using the friendship between Alice and the Hatter to inspire this Trash the Dress Shoot felt so natural to our team as we built the story line. Mallorey was about to head out the following day on what would have been her Honeymoon but had become a week long trip with her best girlfriends. We wanted to help her tell the story of the amazing bonds that exist between a woman and her best friends, the kind of bonds that stand the test of time, relationships that come and go, or even feeling like you exist in two separate worlds...yet through all those changes your friendship remains the same.”

"For Mallorey, the shoot was a dream come true and the perfect way to bring something beautiful out of a hard experience.
“It was an incredibly magical experience on my end,” said Bradford. “There's something so serene and peaceful about shooting underwater - especially with the situation at hand. It was a truly one of a kind shoot that helps tell my story through photos and I will treasure it for a life time.”

Creative Team:
Photographer: One Sweet World Images
Event Planner: Fête and Frivolity Events, LLC.
Beauty: Spivey lane Salon
Bakery: Sweet Things DFW

So why host a Launch Party in Atlanta? 
Southern Celebrations Magazine was launched in 2014 in Louisiana (outside of Baton Rouge), as we continue to grow, we knew we had to start making a presence in another Southern city.
Biggest of thanks to our ​namazing Launch Party Sponsors {check them out below}!
XOXO,
Virginia 
Editor-in-Chief

Sponsors: