Mary Miller welcomed her sixtieth year with the sweetest seated dinner.  In lieu of a boisterous surprise party, her husband, daughter and son planned an intimate family celebration, complete with grandchildren and a delicious meal created by their favorite Mississippi chef. 
 
Inspired by Miller’s joyful disposition and passion for fresh food, her daughter, Laurel Donahoo, hosted the family in her home.  Donahoo says, “We wanted to do something extra special for her sixtieth birthday.  She is the most selfless, deserving mother and we wanted to give her an unforgettable birthday party!”
 
Jeremy Enfinger, Executive Chef of County Seat in the Town of Livingston, busily prepared in the kitchen as family members arrived to celebrate.  Donahoo says, “My mom is a very fun, animated person, so she is the perfect person to react to a surprise you have planned!  She makes all of the work put into the event so worth it, because it is easy to tell that she appreciated and enjoyed every little detail.”
 
Donahoo’s tablescape was a warm reflection of the delight Miller brings her family.  Summery florals in shades of marigold, yellow and lavender graced a natural wooden table, and flecks of metallic created a pretty contrast. 
 
Donahoo hand-painted a beautiful watercolor menu, showcasing Enfinger’s selections for the evening.  Guests enjoyed a charcuterie platter, a fresh garden green salad and braised pork shoulder.  Donahoo smiles, “Enfinger’s pork was a favorite dish.  It was the best pork any of us had ever tasted!”  The meal ended with Enfinger’s fantastic crème brulee. 
 
Donahoo smiles, “Although my mama is typically the ‘life of the party,’ we knew she would want this milestone birthday to be celebrated a little more quietly with family, so all of her grandchildren could be present.”  It could not have been a more perfect evening.

Event Venue:  The Donahoo Home
Photography & Florals:  Laurel Donahoo
Catering:  Jeremy Enfinger of County Seat
Print Material:  The Lovely Bee

For the 2nd year in a row, Inspiration Mississippi, Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint, and Brown Bottling have joined together to benefit Friends of Children’s Hospital! During the entire month of July which happens to be National Ice Cream Month, 15% of all ‘Batson Sundae’ sales at Sal & Mookie’s will be donated to Friends of Children’s Hospital benefiting Batson Children’s Hospital.

“Ice Cream with Friends was a great success in 2016 and we hope 2017 is even better,” smiles Kendall Poole Ellis, Founder of Inspiration Mississippi. Not only did patrons of Sal & Mookie’s support this great cause, but our favorite Mississippi sports teams even got involved!  Mississippi State football Coach Dan Mullen and Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze both stopped by for a Batson Sundae, and we had a Millsaps College day to support Batson Children's Hospital! 

To wrap up National Ice Cream Month and Ice Cream with Friends, Inspiration Mississippi, along with Sal & Mookie’s, will host an Ice Cream Party for the patients at Batson Children’s Hospital on July 28th. The Ice Cream Party last year was held in Wiser Cafeteria and many of the patients and their families enjoyed yummy ice cream sundaes from Sal & Mookie's, face painting by the spectacular Fancy Faces by Sherry, took silly photos in Mississippi Photo Booths and even danced to music provided by DJ 51-50.   

Elisha Bailey, Director of Giving and Community Partnerships for Friends of Children’s Hospital says,  “We are always excited to join with great community partners that raise not only money for Batson Children’s Hospital but also awareness of all of the great things Batson is doing for the children in our state.” Friends of Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit organization benefiting Batson Children’s Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  Founded in 1989, Friends works to support and promote Mississippi’s only hospital designed and equipped specifically for the care and treatment of sick or injured children.  Their goal is to raise money for state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and services for all pediatric patients by building a statewide base of community support. Voluntarism, fundraising events and awareness efforts make it possible for Friends to help Batson Children’s Hospital meet the EXTRAordinary needs of caring for its patients. 

We hope that throughout the month of July you will visit Sal & Mookie’s, enjoy delicious food, and have a ‘Batson Sundae’ to benefit Friends of Children’s Hospital! Not only will your tummy thank you, but the kids at Batson Children’s Hospital thank you too!

For more information about Friends of Children’s Hospital, please visit their website at www.foch.org.
For more information about Sal & Mookie’s, please visit www.salandmookies.com.
For more information about Brown Bottling, please visit www.browngroup.net

A special thank you to Katelyn Anne Photography for capturing these beautiful photographs.

Style, Service, Scholarship, Success.   These four words represent the glimmering points of Miss America’s coveted crown.  More importantly, they embody the attributes of the national female role model.  “We expect Miss Mississippi to have the same characteristics as Miss America,” says David Blackledge, CEO and Executive Director of the Miss Mississippi Pageant. “Each contestant is expected to serve her community.”
 
When the glamourous lights of the pageant fade each year, contestants leave Vicksburg teeming with invaluable skills.  They truly emerge as role models.  “They learn incredible interview skills and grow as individuals.  Each contestant is involved in her community and they all raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network,” says Blackledge.   Through their style, service, scholarship and success, each contestant leaves a piece of the Miss Mississippi legacy with every person they encounter.
 
2017 marks the 60th crowning of Miss Mississippi in the historic city of Vicksburg.  Through Vicksburg’s commitment and generous support, an extraordinary number of scholarships are presented each year, encouraging these young women to pursue higher education and start promising careers.  “We are one of the top cash providers of the entire Miss Mississippi organization year in and year out,” says Blackledge proudly.
 
This year’s pageant promises to be spectacular.  “We are going to have former Miss Mississippis involved in every aspect of the week.  The show will celebrate Miss Mississippi 2016, Laura Lee Lewis, and all of our past royalty.  They will make up our panel of judges, perform, sign autographs and host the pageant,” smiles Blackledge.  “This will be a special year and the first of its kind for the Miss Mississippi Pageant!”  

The Miss Mississippi Pageant will be held this Saturday, June 24th, at the Vicksburg Convention Center.  For more information on the Miss Mississippi Pageant, please visit www.missmississippipageant.com

Today is the first official day of summer! We are thrilled to unveil our beautiful summer cover of Inspiration Mississippi Magazine!

“The Mississippi Petrified Forest seems to cast a soothing spell. This place is truly a living, ever-changing wonder, placed as a rare jewel for a man to ponder and enjoy,” raves the Petrified Forest.  This verdant wonderland dates back to the mid-1800’s, and we couldn’t imagine a more romantic setting for a rehearsal dinner and wedding.

This Curtain of Green, an homage to Eudora Welty’s short stories, is a hauntingly beautiful world for a memorable rehearsal dinner and wedding. The wild setting sets the stage for an intimate dinner for the bride, groom and their closest friends. Softly hued florals and flecks of gold simply glow against the lush venue.
 
For the wedding ceremony, the bride and her attendants shine subtly against the greenery in hues of white, cream and blush.  The bride’s gown is utterly feminine, draping with elegance and ease, and her emerald jewels reflect the lush surroundings.  What an affair to remember.

Throughout the beautiful pictures, you will see glimpses of Mississippi.  The pictures were taken at the Mississippi Petrified Forest in Flora, MS, a privately operated park and museum.  Petrified wood happens to be the state stone of Mississippi.  The guest favors by D’Evereux Foods, includes honey, which is a tribute to the state insect of Mississippi, the Honeybee.  The Mississippi-shaped iced teacakes complete the beautiful place setting.

Venue: The Petrified Forest
Photography: Adam + Alli Photography
Jewelry: Albriton's Jewelry
Catering: 4 Top Catering
Linens & Rentals: Eventful
Cookies and Petit Fours: Campbell's Bakery
Florals: Oxford Floral
Hair & Makeup: Molly Gee Designs
Dresses: The Bridal Path
Tuxes: Tuxes Too
Men's Clothier: Great Scott
Bar: Char Bar
Tea: Brown Bottling Group
Print Material: Designs by KPEP
Guest Favors: D'Evereux Foods
Custom Wire Name Plates: Hannah's Hangers