After dinner, when Leslie and Chris arrived at her grandparents house to pick up a boat, she found that Chris had set up a tent down by the lake with a collage of photos of their courtship and lots of flowers. In the midst of of all the photos was an envelope with a question mark. When she opened the envelope there were the words "Quieres Casarte Conmigo?" (Will you marry me in Spanish).

In ninth grade, Leslie took her first Spanish class and took her first mission trip to Mexico. She immediately fell in love with the language and is now a Spanish teacher. She and Chris started dating her senior year of high school and were married in the church she grew up in, First Baptist Church Brookhaven, MS. The church is a special part of Leslie's life and help mold her into the woman she is today. Check out some of our favorite shots captured by Jeff Chao of Chao Photography.

One of the couple's favorite moments came when they had their "first look." After spending so much time planning their wedding and getting ready, it was such a special moment to see each other for the first time on the actual wedding day and spend time together.

Chao Photography | Fresh Cut Catering and Floral | Cake by The Cotton Blossom | Imaginations Bridal | First Baptist Church of Brookhaven | Mary Jane Lampton Auditorium

On Sunday, Frozen took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and for Best Original Song, but the movie had already inspired a group of local artists here in Mississippi as they collaborated to create a series of images inspired by the hit film.

Inspired by the white-hot look of the massive hit film, freelance hair and makeup artist Kristina Myers turned the models into modern day versions of Elsa and Anna.  The looks were achieved using makeup hues of muted pinks and purples with merlot lips on “Elsa” and burnt oranges, deep browns and nude lips on “Anna.”  Their hair was styled to resemble elements of the film with texture, body and a braid detail. Models Molly Gee and Kaitlyn Estep perfectly portrayed their character’s essence with their respective composed and playful expressions.  

The photos were shot by Brian and Hollie Hull of Hull Portraits Studio in rural Flowood. The Hulls created a winter landscape using bare tree limbs, mossy greens, saturated light, and icy-colored architecture to achieve the look of a cold, stark terrain. 

Through their creative collaboration, the artists were able to capture the essence of the heroine’s looks in a fresh and fabulous way.

Soiree, LLC | Hull Portraits Studio | MOD by Kristina

Here at Inspire, we are all about personalizing your wedding. After all, your big day is just that, YOUR big day!

One of the most fun ways to make a wedding personal is by picking foods that reflect the bride and groom and the family and friends that they have chosen to celebrate with them. We sat down with Wendy Putt, of Fresh Cut Catering and Floral, to talk about food ideas to make your day a true reflection of you as a couple! Wendy recommends picking foods that you not only like, but that represent the places you love and the culture of your guests. She takes pride in getting to know her couples and what makes them unique.

Here are some tips for making your menu your own.

{Taste of Home} Make sure to include foods that reflect where you and your guests are from. Wendy says that many of her clients choose their Mississippi Bar with items such as fried catfish, bar b q and black eyed pea salsa to wow the out of town guests with the flavors of our great state. She suggests also considering regional foods to help the out of town guests feel at home, like a cajun dish and beignets for guests traveling from Louisiana.

{Making Memories} Another idea that Wendy gives for making your food personal is to choose items that reflect special memories in your relationship. Do you love to go out for sushi? Have a sushi bar! Was your first date was at an Italian restaurant? Why not have a pasta bar with each of your favorite sauces.  Were you got engaged in New Orleans? Why not have fresh oysters shucked in front of your guests by Chef Bruce, himself.  Whatever the memory, what better occasion to celebrate it!

{All Inclusive} When considering food items, Wendy suggests trying to include items to suit the needs of your guests. If you know that a lot of children will be present, consider setting up an area with kid-friendly foods like chicken tenders, PB&J or mac-n-cheese. What kid, or adult for that matter, can resist those delicious items? She suggests also making sure to have items like fruit and cheese for any guests who may have dietary restrictions. Having at least one to two items that anyone can eat will ensure that none of your guests leave hungry.

{Team Spirit} Are you and your fiancé die-hard fans of your alma mater? Wendy reflects on one of her favorite set ups, where they served tailgate foods out of the actual tailgate of a vintage truck! Make it even more personal by decorating your “tailgate” with team gear. Getting married during football season? Why not stream the game live so your guests don’t miss out!

{All About Service} According to Wendy, another important part of personalizing your menu, is deciding how the food will be served. The way you choose to serve your food can set the mood of the evening. Are your guests the types who are ready for a cocktail upon arrival? Consider passed appetizers like crab cakes or bacon-pudding bites during your cocktail hour. Do you want to make sure that everyone spends plenty of time on the dance floor? Buffet style is probably your best bet. Want a more formal feel? How about a sit-down dinner? Have a family tradition of eating every Sunday at Grandma’s? Why not take a sit-down dinner in a different direction by having the food served home-style in the center of the table.

These days, weddings are less about traditions and more about celebrating your unique relationship. Choosing a menu that reflects you both is sure to have your guests leaving with a feeling that they experienced a day that was as unique as you are. Wendy takes such pride in being able to help couples achieve this for their event. There’s no wrong way, only the way that best fits you!

David Legg Photography | Fresh Cut Catering and Floral