“Buying a home can be very emotional and exciting.  It is where your future begins and we love being a part of that.”  With the support of devoted family and their faith placed firmly in God, Amanda and John Polles began Polles Properties, LLC, on February 1, 2014.  Set up on a blind date and married less than two years later, the delightful couple is truly changing the real estate industry.

Polles Properties, LLC can support you with any real estate need!  They specialize not only in residential properties, but also recreational and commercial properties.  They even provide excellent property management services. 

With over eight years of experience as a real estate agent, Amanda has a true passion for helping people with the biggest investment of their lives.  John’s background in product development helped shaped his career-driven mind and his desire for working with people.  Amanda says, “Our strengths and weaknesses are combined to make a unique power team that is concentrated on getting the job done.  Whether it is selling your house and maximizing profit for your hard earned equity, or buying a house and making a great decision that is comfortable for your fixed income, we are there to make the process as easy and personable as possible.”  Amanda and John believe that preparation, knowledge and communication are key.  Amanda smiles, “It is the memories, the losses and the milestones that come with selling a home that we are prepared to understand.  Our clients are top priority and they are truly part of our family.” 

Polles Properties’ Advice for Purchasing Your First Home:
1.     Get approved for a mortgage!  Find and meet a great mortgage lender specialist.  He or she can prepare a budget based on your needs and help navigate you through understanding the numbers. 

2.     Narrow your search by area.  Research what is important to you!  Whether you prefer being in close proximity to work, excellent schools or family, or simply desire to live in a neighborhood you love, doing your research is critical to making sure you are happy with your choice long term.

3.     Talk to Polles Properties, LLC.  We are your one-stop shop to know and learn the house buying process.  We work hand-in-hand to make sure you are aware of each stage of the process including writing an offer, negotiating the contract, and setting a date to close the transaction.  We are here to help through inspections and repairs, and prepare you for the next step.

“We love people.  Our family is here to help you and we are always available to serve you!” 

Thank you, Amanda and John, for sharing your invaluable tips!  For more information on Polles Properties, LLC, please visit their website here.

A special thanks to Mary Moment Photography for the lovely photograph!  Click here to visit the beautiful Mary Moment Photography website!

Are you looking to buy a home? We are proud to host an incredibly insightful event with Metropolitan Bank on Tuesday, April 28!  Whether you are becoming a homeowner for the first time or you are a repeat buyer, buying a home requires thoughtful planning and decision making. Working with an experienced team is your most important step!

Join us TOMORROW - April 28, 2015, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for a complimentary event at beautiful Metropolitan Bank, located at 1069 Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland. The smart, experienced Realtors behind Polles Properties, LLC will join forces with the accomplished mortgage lending team of Metropolitan Bank to guide you through 10 Steps to Buying a Home.  We guarantee their tips will be invaluable.

Impressive Catering and spirits will be served by Georgia Blue Catering - Mississippi's favorite laid-back restaurant, famous for their sophisticated fare!

Click here to register for this exciting event!

Double Decker Arts Festival is one of Mississippi’s most treasured weekend events.  On Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, the charming square in Oxford will be bustling with tourists and shoppers enjoying live music and booths full of incredible art.   This year Double Decker will celebrate its 20th anniversary!

Mary Allyn Hedges, Director of Visit Oxford, says, “The festival was started by a group of community members who wanted to celebrate all Oxford has become known for: arts, food and music. The name comes from the double decker bus.  The City of Oxford imported two buses from England, in honor of Oxford’s namesake.”

We are always blown away by the talented musicians and artists involved in Double Decker.  But how does it all come together?  We reached out to the brains behind the event, as well as one of the participating artists to find out what makes Double Decker so spectacular. 

Mary Allyn Hedges and her team at Visit Oxford get to work around 4am on Saturday to ensure the square is perfectly prepared for over 55,000 visitors.  We spoke with Mary Allyn to see how she seamlessly pulls this event together each and every April:

When does planning begin for each Double Decker?
“We begin working on Double Decker in October when we send out art vendor applications. Raising sponsorship funds also begins at this time, so planning for the festival happens about 9 months out of the year.”

How are the vendors chosen?
“Art Vendor process: The art vendor selection process is done through a jury that is composed of local artists that the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council selects. The jury then ranks the artists. This year, we have 155 art vendor participating with many new art vendors as well as several that have participated in the festival all 20 years! As for music, we work with a production company who helps with our talent buying.”

How is Double Decker growing and changing?
“The festival has grown, particularly in the last 5 years with the expansion of the festival going to a day two-event.  Friday evening kicks off the festival weekend with a special edition of Thacker Mountain Radio on the Double Decker stage (check out our website, www.doubledeckerfestival.com for specific times and bands). Saturday features an entire day of art vendors, local food vendors and music throughout the day. Plus, the children’s Square Fair area and the Oxford-Lafayette County Humane Society Best Dress Pet Contest. The Chamber of Commerce also puts on the Double Decker Spring Run with a 10K, 5K and 1 mile kids fun run (www.doubledeckerspringrun.com).”

Britton Yerger, a talented young artist living in Oxford, will be selling her work for the second year in a row at Double Decker.  She is a Mississippi artist working as a graphic designer and painter.  Today, we are excited to share more about Britton, her beautiful pieces, and what makes Double Decker such a special place for an artist:

Tell us about your childhood in Madison.  Have you always had an artistic spirit?
“Henry David Thoreau said, "Live the life you have imagined." And since a very young age, I have imagined myself living the life of an artist and illustrator. In fact, my very first career aspiration in preschool was to be an artist for children's books. And even though I’m not doing my preschool dream job, I am living the life I imagined and getting to do what I dreamed of.”

Tell me about the work you are doing now - specifically with the painting and computer images together.  So fascinating!
“I am a graphic designer by day but would not be completely happy if my hands weren’t covered in paint (so I guess I’m a painter by night…and on the weekends!). My watercolor work is a blend of hand-painted and computer-enhanced designs with bright colors. This makes a perfect combination of both of my passions: a marriage of fine art and computer enhanced imagery. It allows me to express myself both creatively and artistically while providing the foundation for a commercial approach in the field of graphic design.”

Also tell us about your pet oil paintings!
“My pet paintings are when I get to experience that passion and magic of creating life on a canvas.  I love expressing each animal’s heart and personality in oils.  Dogs’ eyes are so expressive, and it is my joy to capture and convey the soul of each pet with my paintings.”

How was your first experience as a vendor at Double Decker last year? 
“Last year was my first Double Decker experience as a vendor and it was overwhelmingly amazing. I have always loved going to Double Decker and here I was doing exactly what I’ve always wanted to do and only one year out of college! I was surprisingly successful even though I had never been a salesman for my own work. My fondest memory was seeing my family and friends at such a fun event and seeing how happy they were to get to share in the excitement of my first Double Decker.”

Why do you want to return to Double Decker this year?
“Double Decker was a major accomplishment for me last year because it was my first time to be a vendor, and now I am doing 2 more festivals this spring. I grew so much as an artist and enjoyed meeting other artists and vendors. I also really enjoyed meeting fellow members of the Oxford community that were excited about my art because they share the same love for our special town.”

What can patrons expect to find at your booth (107) this year?
“All of the University of Mississippi’s sorority houses as prints and pillows.  Also I have watercolor prints of Oxford and Ole Miss landmarks.  I now have all of Mississippi State’s sorority houses, which, surprisingly, was a big request at Double Decker last year. And will have giclees (canvas prints) of my pet portraits and the option to have your pet portrait commissioned.”

Thank you, Mary Allyn and Britton!  For more information on Double Decker, please click here.  To view Britton's website, click here!

The 20th annual Double Decker is sure to be extraordinary.  Mary-Kathryn Herrington, a past Director of Visit Oxford, nails it when she describes what makes Double Decker so special.  “I think the atmosphere of Double Decker is hard to beat. The Courthouse Square in Oxford is a pretty incredible place, and on a spring day seeing it filled with artists, families and the sound of music is really hard to beat!”

{Bride}  Jessica Lauren Robertson
{Groom} Michael Cole Bishop (Cole)
{Hometowns} Clinton, MS
{Wedding Site} (name and location) Old Capitol Inn 226 North State Street Jackson, MS 39201
{Reception Site} (name and location) Old Capitol Inn 226 North State Street Jackson, MS 39201
{Bride’s Bouquet} Designed by Dede Dotson from the Olive Branch
{Bridesmaid Bouquets} Designed by Dede Dotson from the Olive Branch

{How did the two of you meet?} We met through my sister 5 years ago.

{What is your proposal story?} He proposed to me on the back of his truck at the place where we always go fishing.

{What inspired your wedding and reception locations?} I have worked at the Olive Branch for the past 7 years and have helped with many receptions there and loved the place.

{What inspired your color scheme/theme/flowers?} The florist. I just let Mrs. Dede (the owner of The Olive Branch) do what she thought was best.

{How did you pick “the dress?”} My sister (Brittany Furlow) actually picked the dress out and I tried it on and I fell in love with it.

{What’s your favorite unique accessory? Is there a story behind it?} My husband’s family gave me a pearl necklace which I wore the day of the wedding. The pearl actually was from his grandmother. It made me feel so special when it was given to me.  It truly made me feel a part of their family.

{What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?} Going and seeing the different places to have the wedding and the wedding reception.  

{Besides the actual wedding, what was your favorite moment of the wedding day?} ?} Seeing Cole for the first time. All day I had wanted to see him and talk to him and when I finally did it was magical. Definitely worth the wait!

{Your favorite picture from the big day?} I love them all! But the picture of us looking at each other in the courtyard with my bouquet down by my side is by far my favorite.

{The picture that represents the two of you best?}  The pictures with us leaving with the band. We were so happy and had such a great time with all the people we love. I think our faces say it all!

Photographer: Barrett Photography 
  Event Planner: Rochelle Bishop
Dress: Imaginations in Brookhaven, MS
Bride’s Jewelry: My hair piece was my something borrowed from my sister (Brittany Furlow), my pearl necklace was my something old, and my engagement ring was my something new.
Hair: Cynthia Blackwell with Tangles
Make-up: Daphne Landrum
Bridesmaid Dresses: Imagination in Brookhaven, MS
Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Videographer: Steve Craven
Venue: Old Capitol Inn
Lighting: Old Capitol Inn
Rentals: Old Capitol Inn
Florist: The Olive Branch
Catering: Old Capitol Inn
Bar: Old Capitol Inn
Band: Al Paris and the Heartbreakers
Bride’s Cake: Lisa Hill
Groom’s Cake: We actually had an ice cream bar that Old Capitol Inn provided.
Print Material: Arrow Printers
Car Service: none

“The Barn at Bridlewood is my DREAM.   This is something that I have dreamed of and have worked very hard to create.  I have tried to add all the things that I was looking for to make my own special day exceptional!” Tori Banks, owner of The Barn at Bridlewood

Tori Banks and her husband, Nathan, were engaged and searching for the perfect wedding venue for their vows.  Unfortunately, Tori realized she was unable to find anything in Hattiesburg that offered everything she had envisioned.  Disappointment turned to opportunity, and Tori had a brilliant idea: she would create a beautiful barn venue.  She says, “We wanted to create something that was timeless, unique and completely different from anything else around!  After many considerations, we purchased a barn out of Cooperstown, New York, that was originally built in 1851.”

Using the beautiful timber frame from 1851, construction of The Barn at Bridlewood began in Hattiesburg.  “We wanted the barn to have a history and a lot of character!” says Tori.  It became a true labor of love.  She and Nathan hand-picked and pressure-washed the reclaimed wood they used for the vaulted ceiling, and adorned the barn with glittering chandeliers, scored concrete floors and lovely light fixtures. 

The Barn at Bridlewood became an extraordinary wedding venue for couples in 2014.  The gorgeous property boasts a pretty Bed & Breakfast, the perfect spot for a bride and her bridesmaids to spend the night before the wedding.  They are also working on a loft above the stables for honeymooners or a groomsmen getaway!

Most brides choose to say their vows outside, beneath impressive, glowing oak trees.  Chandeliers and church pews help create an intimate, romantic setting.  If rain threatens, many brides marry in The Barn, which also promises to be spectacular.   

Brides who have married at the Barn at Bridlewood have had completely magical experiences.  Bride Kathryn White Abell says, “The Barn at Bridlewood is breathtaking. It is nothing like any venue my husband and I looked into before the wedding, the space and accommodations are unparalleled.”  It is even a dream venue for photographers.  Laken E. Photography says the venue is “a bride (and photographer's) dream aesthetically! Everyone is friendly; it's VERY well run.”

Tori perfectly sums up her beloved Barn.  “The atmosphere is relaxed yet elegant, and is the perfect choice for couples looking for a venue as unique as they are. At The Barn at Bridlewood, we can assure every bride, her special day and every wedding detail will be treated with all the care and attention that it deserves.”

Thank you, Tori, for creating such an incredibly special place.  We highly recommend a tour of the beautiful Barn and surrounding grounds for all brides-to-be.  Contact Tori at 601.270.1121 or visit www.thebarnatbridlewood.com

Less than two years ago, Katy Barham was fresh out of Mississippi State University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising, and she set her sights on Nashville.  One day, she was happily working at Nordstrom as a personal stylist when her phone rang.  It was her father and he had a brilliant idea.  As the owner of Fine Eyes Eyewear in Ridgeland, Cleve Barham noticed that the adjacent store, Bella Bridesmaids, was for sale.  He urged Katy to move home and run the business. 

Katy laughs, “My dad found out the owner of Bella Bridesmaids was selling her business.  He went home and told my mom that we should buy the store, and she thought he was crazy!”  She adds, “I was completely thrown off and a little freaked out.  I have always known that I would one day own a store, but I wasn’t sure when or where.  I have always had a passion for fashion design and wanted a store filled with beautiful and unique clothing.” 

Katy visited the Bella Bridesmaids in Nashville and quickly fell in love with the idea.  A few days later, she had formed an LLC, moved home and was on a plane to Chicago for Bella Bridesmaids training.

Bella Bridesmaids is the only store in the United States to exclusively sell bridesmaid dresses.  There are 47 Bella Bridesmaids stores throughout the country, and each location is locally owned.  Katy says, “Bella Bridesmaids is a franchise, but it is run like a local business.  Our branding, logo, look and feel are the same, but when you go into each showroom, you are going to see the owner.”  She adds, “We have 47 locations that can conveniently be used for fittings.  Not all bridesmaids live in the same town as their bride.  Bridesmaids can visit their local Bella Bridesmaids for fittings, appointments, etc.”

Bella Bridesmaids carries unique designers, and boasts several designers that are only sold in Bella Bridesmaids stores.  They also carry precious flower girl dresses, and pretty dresses and gowns for your Rehearsal Dinner or engagement party. 

Cleve's idea sounded far-fetched at the time, but he must have known Katy was the perfect owner of the Jackson Bella Bridesmaids.  She has successfully grown the business in a short amount of time, and recently expanded her elegant showroom from 778 to an impressive 1555 square feet. 

With spring and summer brides feverishly planning their weddings, we asked Katy to share her tips for perfectly dressing your beloved bridal party:

Color – Whether you choose to dress your bridesmaids in the same color or opt for dresses in complementary shades, always choose a hue that will enhance the girls’ skin tones and hair colors.  As an added bonus, consider a color that your friends will wear again, long after the wedding!

Fabric – Consider mixing fabrics in the same hue to create interest.  The result of this textured look is beautifully subtle.  

Style – You want your bridesmaids to look lovely on your big day!  It is perfectly acceptable to choose different styles to flatter each bridesmaid’s figure!

Thank you, Katy, for these wonderful tips, and congratulations on your stunning showroom!  Bella Bridesmaids is by appointment only.  To reach Katy, simply choose one of the following:

Bella Bridesmaids
118 W. Jackson Street
Suite B
Ridgeland, MS 39157
Phone: 601-898-0303
Fax: 601-898-0304
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bellabridesmaids.com
By Appointment Only: Tuesday-Saturday
Closed: Sunday & Monday
Courtesy Fittings By Appointment: Tuesday-Friday

{Blog by Mitchell Walters}