Columbus, MS is well-known to many Mississippians and those throughout the south for its beautiful antebellum homes and the Spring Pilgrimage that is held every year showcasing those historic homes. It is also home to Friendship Cemetery, the site of the first Decoration Day in 1866 which led to the modern Memorial Day observance.

During the Civil War, Columbus served as a hospital town where more than 3,000 wounded soldiers – many from the Battle of Shiloh – were brought for recovery. Thousands more suffered mortal wounds and were laid to rest in the town’s Friendship Cemetery.

In 1866, a group of women from Columbus gathered to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.  These women made no distinction between Confederate and Union soldiers and, thus, began the nation’s healing process following a divisive Civil War.

A newspaper excerpt from April 26, 1866, recounted the deed, saying: “We are glad to see that no distinction was made between our own Confederate dead and Federal soldiers who slept their last sleep by them. It proved the exalted, unselfish tone of the female character. Confederate and Federal – once enemies, now friends – receiving their tribute of respect.”

Judge F.M. Finch, a poet from New York who happened to be in Columbus that day, immortalized the gesture in a poem called “The Blue and the Gray.” 

Today, poignant images of the mass loss of life during the Civil War are evident in Friendship Cemetery.  Rows and rows of marble stones marking the final resting place of 2,194 Confederate soldiers cover the beautiful landscape. Among the graves is a stone recognizing Mrs. Canant, Vol. Nurse, CSA.  She is the only Confederate nurse officially recognized by the United States government.

Columbus, MS is proud to be remembered as the city “where flowers healed a nation.” To learn more about Columbus, MS and things to do there, please visit  http://visitcolumbusms.org/

Reggie Kelly is a former NFL Tight End and CEO of KYVAN Foods.  Such impressive titles might conjure images of an intimidating, arrogant man.  But the opposite is true of Kelly.  Beneath his bulky pads, NFL football uniforms and sharp suits is a remarkably humble man from Aberdeen, Mississippi.  “I’m just a small town country boy,” smiles Kelly.  “Everyone knew each other and I couldn’t get into any trouble!  If I did, my parents gave my neighbors permission to spank me; I was truly raised in a loving community.”   
 
Kelly graduated from Aberdeen High School with honors and married his sweetheart, Sheila.  She recalls, “I remember meeting Reginald (the name everyone called him back in Aberdeen).  We went to the same high school and he was one of the tallest boys in school.  His height, his intelligence, and the fact that he was wearing braces on his teeth were attributes that drew me to him!”
 
The newlyweds headed to Starkville and Kelly became a member of the Mississippi State University football team.  Coach Ricky Black recalls first meeting Kelly.  “I was part of the recruiting team and visited his hometown.  Most people think high school players having big egos, but not Reggie.  He was incredibly approachable and a coachable player,” says Black.  “By the time he was a sophomore in college, he was a very respected guy.  The other players recognized how strong he was in his convictions and he became a mentor.”
 
After graduating from MSU, Kelly was drafted in the second round and played under Dan Rives for the Atlanta Falcons.   “Then I went to the Cincinnati Bengals for eight years, then back to the Falcons for my final year in the NFL,” recalls Kelly. 
 
His football career is remarkable, but Kelly’s compassion for people is even more extraordinary.  “I have a heart for people.  It’s just really that simple,” says Kelly.  “I love rooting for the underdog.  It motivates me to help others.  Even when I played in the NFL, grown men were coming in to play my position, but I still encouraged them to succeed.” 

With a surprising push from his teammates, Kelly returned to his beloved hometown and began hosting free football camps in Aberdeen in 2008.  “I was playing for the Bengals and came back home to reward the Aberdeen kids who exemplified academic excellence.  I invited NFL stars from around the country to help me out as well.  We had a blast!” 

When camp came to a close, Kelly’s teammates and volunteers feasted on savory southern meals, prepared by Kelly and his family.  “I came from a family of cooks, not chefs, and we made any excuse to get together and have a big family meal.  My NFL teammates raved about our cooking!” smiles Kelly.  “They weren’t accustomed to good southern food that touches your soul.  They were adamant about us putting our family recipes on the market.  But I only knew athletics; I didn’t have a degree in the food industry.  We decided to take a leap of faith into unchartered waters.  I gathered my family secrets, pitched my idea to Wal-Mart, and the rest is history.”

KYVAN Foods, a Soul Food Line, was born.  “It is a combination of my kids’ names, Kyla and Kavan.  My wife and I combined the two names to leave a lasting legacy to our children.”  Kyla is eleven-years-old and Kavan is nine, and Kelly is already teaching them the family business.  “I enjoy taking them with me to appearances so they can understand customer service, learn how to conduct a meeting, how to be loyal and do things with integrity.” 

KYVAN Foods hit the market in 2011, and is sold in stores across around the country.  Their tasty Honey Apple Salsa and Sweet Barbecue Sauce are big sellers across the southeast.  Kelly smiles, “Our Honey Apple salsa is made with premium honey, delicious apples, then perfectly paired with cilantro and peppers.  It is ‘Salsa with a Soul.’  All of these are family recipes – passed down from generation to generation.”

When he is not busy promoting KYVAN Foods, Kelly can be found volunteering.  “I coach youth basketball and flag football in hopes that the next generation will be trailblazers as well.  It is all about the heart.  I encourage them and teach them the fundamentals.   As long as you have the right heart and do things with the right intentions, it will all work out for your good.” The confidence and values he instills in others are astounding.  Sheila smiles, “Reggie inspires me to always put God first in everything, give your best and God will take care of the rest.  He is truly a man of integrity who loves the Lord, his wife and his two kids and has a heart of gold.”

Kelly’s attitude even stumps professional athletes.  Recently, a former Bengals teammate sent him an unexpected message.  It read, “I love you big brother.  I appreciate you teaching me how to be a man on and off the field.”  Kelly says with awe, “I was truly blown away by his words.  Even though he was drafted to replace me, I was never upset or angry.  It was a grand opportunity for me to teach and help him grow.  My career has never been about money or being in the spotlight, but it’s about affecting lives.  His message truly blessed my heart.  That is the reason I do what I do.”

Kelly and his family are settled in Atlanta, but return to Mississippi at least twice a month.  Sheila says, “Reggie and I go home to spend time with our parents and my 93-year-old grandmother.”  Reggie adds, “Any time the kids get a break, we go home to Aberdeen.  It is very important for our kids to know their heritage.  We want them to know where their family was born and raised, and understand the great state of Mississippi.”  Kelly smiles,  “Hopefully I will get them to attend Mississippi State University one day!”
 
Coach Black and Kelly still converse at least once a week.  Black says, “We share what’s going on with our families.  Kelly reads the Bible everyday and we talk about different things in scripture.  We have a great understanding of one another.”
 
Kelly laughs, “A lot of people think NFL players are just big, strong brutes.  But along the way, we have had people who have touched our lives.  Don’t settle for mediocrity – be pushed and pulled and stretched out of your comfort zone.  I try to do that for others in a loving way.  I hope people will say, ‘Reggie is hard on me because he sees the best in me.’  In the end, I don’t have to be liked, but respected, and I think that’s what I have to do.”

{Bride}  Shelby Phelon
{Groom}  Miles Jackson
{Hometowns} Bride - Grenada, MS | Groom - Winona, MS
{Wedding Site} Emmanuel Baptist Church in Grenada, MS
{Reception Site} First and Green in Grenada, MS
{Bride’s Bouquet} Sandy Eiland - The Crow’s Nest in Winona, MS
{Bridesmaid Bouquets} Sand Eiland - The Crow’s Nest in Winona, MS
 
{How did the two of you meet?} 
Miles and I were set up by a mutual friend six and a half years ago.  He was a sophomore and I was a junior in high school at the time.  As I was approaching graduation I knew I was going to Mississippi College and he was planning on going to Mississippi State.  Two years into our relationship, God had made it very clear to me that Miles was the one He had set as my future husband.  So the night before I moved to college I looked Miles in the eyes and told him I was going to marry him.  His wide eyes clearly told me that he hadn’t thought about marriage quite yet, but he never ran away.

{What is your proposal story?}
Throughout our relationship, Miles may have successfully surprised me a handful of times.  So it was a running joke that I was going to know exactly when he was going to propose.  But oh man did he get me.  In the summer of 2016, Miles and I were extremely busy and on completely opposite schedules.  I had started my nursing job in Columbus, MS working nights as a nurse and he had been working closer to his hometown of Winona, MS.  After a month of hardly seeing each other and me having 7 days off, I told him we needed/I wanted to go on a nice date. (Miles doesn't mind spending money on nice food so this is a normal thing for us to do).  He called me two days before our date and tells me his boss needs him to go check some fields in Starkville in the afternoon before our dinner that evening (I was not super excited about him being sweaty, but I just rolled with it).  So he made reservations at the Veranda in Starkville and he tells me that it is a "really nice" restaurant.  So naturally I picked a dress to wear!  That Saturday, July 23rd, we leave to go to Starkville.  As we are pulling into Starkville he calls his boss to make sure he was going the right direction, and his boss said something came up and Miles didn't have to check them (all part of Miles' plan).  We ended up being close to the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge and had extra time before our reservation so we drove out there.  There is a boardwalk through some cypress trees that I had visited a few times with my golden retriever and I had been dying to show him.  We get to the lake, we park, and then begin to walk down the boardwalk.  (The entire time I think I am showing him this place for the first time but really he and his mom came a couple of days before and planned out everything!)  We get to the end of the boardwalk where there is a covered place to sit overlooking the lake. We sit and comment on what a beautiful day it was and how pretty the lake was.  He then asked if I was ready to go, we stand, he takes my hand and says "But I need to talk to you first" (he does this often, taking my hands, looking me in the eyes and telling me how beautiful I am and how much he loves me).  It wasn't until after he said "and I want to spend the rest of my life with you" before I realized that this was the proposal!!! He got down on one knee, pulled the ring box out of his boot (bless his heart he is a country boy), and said "Shelby, will you marry me?"!  It was just simply a dream.  After hugging him as hard as I could, he tells me to look down the boardwalk and my best friend, Karen Chan, is taking pictures and his sister, Eliot, was with her!  They came running down the boardwalk and hugged us and squealed with us!  It just kept getting better.  We then went to the Veranda where both of our families were waiting on us, even all of the grandparents!  We ate and laughed and took pictures.  Miles came up with a good excuse to go by my apartment before we headed home to Grenada/Winona.  I walk through the door, turn on the lights and some of my very best friends were there yelling "SURPRISE, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!"  It literally almost brought me to tears the amount of love that was already being showered on us!  There were cupcakes shaped into a ring, a banner that said "Mr. & Mrs. Jackson" and pictures of Miles and me everywhere.
Miles, my family, and my friends were so thoughtful.  Everything was absolutely perfect and more than I could have ever asked for.
 
{What inspired your wedding and reception locations?}
We were married in my church that I have been a part of basically my entire life.  I had always wanted an outdoor reception so our two dogs could be there, but I couldn’t handle the stress of “what-ifs” about the weather.  So I chose First and Green in Grenada because it is a beautifully restored large room of an old building that is on our square downtown.  There are large windows that let in so much natural light so it didn’t feel like you were closed in a room full of people.

{What inspired your color scheme/theme/flowers?}
Most of my friends would say I am a very bland/plain type of girl.  I have never been one to use bright colors or polka dots.  So I chose the color scheme of champagne and gold for bridesmaid dresses.  Miles picked navy suits. I also wanted white flowers and a lot of greenery!  Our reception centerpieces were white candles with gold leafing and greenery.  Our reception venue has tons of bookshelves that they keep decorated with old memorabilia from Grenada so there really wasn’t much decorating needed.  I wanted the day to be simple, elegant, and classic so that when I look at pictures 10 or 20 years from now I don’t ask myself “Shelby, what were you thinking?.”

{How did you pick “the dress”?}
Funny story.  So I had 3 different appointments with 3 different wedding dress boutiques.  The first place, in Columbus, MS where my mom and I both work, was the last place I scheduled an appointment with and I only scheduled it because my mom wanted to go there.  It was really just to get an idea of what I liked.  Also, this appointment was less than a week and a half after we were engaged.  We get there and I show the girl some pictures of things from Pinterest, of course.  So we try one on that was a more full A-line. I liked it but was afraid it was too poofy.  We then try on 2 or 3 A-lines that fell closer to my body, but I couldn’t see myself as a bride in them.  So the girl that was helping me looks at me with a long pause and says, “You might not like it but we just got something in and I want to put you in it.”  I try it on and it is completely opposite of what I would have ever envisioned myself in, but I did not want to take it off!  It was a 2 piece gown, the top was a halter top and was fitted through my waist where the skirt sat. I was so nervous at the end of the appointment but said yes and I am so glad I did!

{What’s your favorite unique accessory? Is there a story behind it?}
I loved my shoes!  There was nothing sentimental about them and by the end of the day I was almost in tears but I loved them.

{What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?}
Honestly, Miles and I dated for six and a half years before we got married and for four and half years I knew I was going to marry him so I really looked forward to lazy days on the couch with him more than our actual wedding day.  However, if I had to pick a favorite part of the wedding planning process, it would be picking out bridesmaids dresses with my sister and sister-in-law.  They were so great and supportive and it made me so happy to be able to do something that memorable with them.

{Besides the actual wedding, what was your favorite moment of the wedding day?} 
1.  Miles and I were able to pray before the ceremony together.  Miles’ one request was that he did not see me until I walked down the isle but he did want to pray for us and our future before the ceremony.  So our photographer, Katelyn, placed us so that there was a door between us.  We held hands and he prayed.  It was the sweetest moment of the day.  2.  Another favorite moment was after the ceremony when all of our bridesmaids and groomsmen hugged and congratulated us for the first time and husband and wife.  Even in previous weddings I have been in, that is always one of my favorite parts!

{What was your favorite surprise detail/moment about your wedding day?}
My favorite detail is the horse and buggy that we used as our getaway ride.  Miles grandfather has a few different buggies that he has had for years and some that he has recently gotten.  He was tickled pink when we asked if we could use then.  Another one of my favorite details is that Miles grandfather and uncle drove us away.  Also, the horses’ names are Dandy and Andy, which are just precious.

{Your favorite picture from the big day?}
This picture is my favorite because you can see just how much joy, love and excitement we have for what the future hold.  Also, the entire day leading up to the ceremony all I could say was I’m ready to see Miles.

{The picture that represents the two of you best?}
This picture was taken as Miles was praying for us after our first act as husband and wife, communion.  At the very beginning of our relationship, Miles and I decided that Christ would remain at the center of our relationship and we wanted our wedding to be a demonstration of that.  We wanted to give God all of the glory and attention.

Photographer: Katelyn Anne Photography
Event Planner: Regina Ingram (family friend)
Dress: The Bride and Groom 
Bride's Jewelry: The Bride and Groom
Hair: Hillary Raper, Changes Salon in Grenada, MS
Make-up: Olivia Worthy Goode (Matron of Honor)
Bridesmaid Dresses: The Bride and Groom
Tuxes: Knicks
Videographer: Harrison Tarabella
Venue: Emmanuel Baptist Church | First and Green
Florist: Sandy Eiland, The Crow's Nest
Catering: First and Green
Bride’s Cake: Martha Faye James (family friend of the groom)
Groom’s Cake: Martha Faye James (family friend of the groom)
Print Material: Zip Print
Car Service: horse and buggy provided by Miles grandfather

“Calligraphy is an art form that uses ink and a brush to express the very souls of words on paper.”
― Kaoru Akagawa

A calligraphy set at a young age and a love for all things pretty grew into a business for Beth Hunt, owner of Beth Hunt Calligraphy. “I’ve always been drawn to art,” says Beth Hunt. “At a very young age, I received a calligraphy set for Christmas. From there what began as a hobby and doing something I love, has turned into a business where I teach others this beautiful art form.”

During college and after, friends would ask Beth to do lettering for them or address wedding invitations. Eventually word spread and what was once a fun, therapeutic hobby became Beth Hunt Calligraphy in 2009. Since then, her business has grown and over the past 3-4 years she has ventured into teaching calligraphy. “People began asking for lessons,” Beth says. “By teaching, I give them the tools to use to learn it and they can go home and perfect it on their own.” Beth continues, “People often think calligraphy is hard to learn and to do, but anyone can do it. It takes practice just like any art form.”

Beth offers several workshops including Intro to Calligraphy, Continuing Calligraphy and Intro to Brush Lettering. She also offers private Intro to Calligraphy classes and a 3-part Private Lesson Package.  She has taught hundreds of people across the state since she began offering workshops.

Beth also sells original art that you can order, print out and hang in your office or home. These prints include hand-lettered quotes, bible verses, and silhouettes. For more information about Beth Hunt Calligraphy or to register for a workshop or purchase products, please visit www.bethhuntcalligraphy.com or find her on Facebook or Instagram.