Labor Day marks the end of long summer days and ushers in the early signs of autumn. This holiday weekend, we encourage you to relax, rejuvenate, and rediscover the natural beauty Mississippi has to offer!  

Relax
It is no secret that many of the most profound and talented novelists call Mississippi home.  We reached out to the infamous orange book store nestled on a quaint corner in Oxford, Square Books.  If the idea of curling up and devouring a great book this weekend appeals to you, here are their top 6 picks written by Mississippians, both classic and new:

Rejuvenate
If a day at the spa sounds heavenly to you (and it certainly does to us!), then treat your hair, skin and nails at one of our state's world-renowned spas.  Aqua the Day Spa in Jackson offers incredible packages with facials, massages, pedicures and more.  They can even enhance your eyes with their incredible eyelash extensions!  

The Alluvian Spa in Greenwood is a wonderful escape for both the body and the soul.  The spa menu features therapeutic baths, massage therapy, face and body care, and even a yoga studio! 

The Beau Rivage Spa in Biloxi features a unique, indulgent experience on the Gulf Coast. The spa boasts relaxing massages, deep conditioning hair treatments, and even a luxurious and refreshing pineapple papaya body scrub!

Rediscover 
Mississippi boasts countless hiking, walking, horseback riding and biking trails to enjoy throughout the fall season. 

If you live near the Natchez Trace, you are in luck!   There are many opportunities along the entire trail to hike or take a self-guided nature walk.  You can even ride horses on several sections of the trail.  Learn more here! 

If you are spending the weekend along the picturesque Gulf Coast, you can enjoy breathtaking views with hikes at the Bucaneer State Park, DeSoto National Forest, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Shepard State Park, and many more.  You can even enjoy nature on horseback or take a scenic bike ride!  Click here for more information.

Visit this website to view a list of the top Mississippi hiking trails.  We are confident you can enjoy a glorious day outdoors in any part of the state.

We at Inspiration Mississippi wish you all a happy, healthy Labor Day weekend!

{Photography} Chao Photography
{Location} The Ivy
{Catering & Floral} Fresh Cut Catering and Floral
{Cake Design} Cakes by Iris
{Bartending} World of Wines and Liquors
{Entertainment} The Colonels
{Hair & Makeup} Katie Rouse with Barnette's Salon
(Event Planning Services} Kendall Poole Event Planning

"Looking in the rear-view mirror there are so many things that led me down this path to open Modern Revival. I love moments like this in life where things that seemed so insignificant at the time, looking back are really the road signs leading you to your purpose."

"Growing up I always helped my mom decorate for parties and weddings. She has amazing taste and always thinks outside the box, so each event was more like a fun art project to me. When it came time for my wedding my Mom and I wanted to go all out and create an experience for our guests avoiding the traditional southern wedding decor."

"As we both came up with ideas and our overall vision we started to run into problems finding rental companies that had what we were looking for. Not that they didn't have beautiful inventory, it just wasn't what we had in mind. After much searching we ended up having to make and buy several pieces of our own. That's when we realized Mississippi had a need for "outside the box" event rentals."

"That summer was pretty much the conception of MR, I just didn't know it yet. Several years later as I became more and more unfulfilled with my 9-5 career I started praying for God to show me what to do next. After 8 months of deep prayer God gave me the courage to leave my job of 6 plus years to open the ~rental boutique~ now known as Modern Revival."

"Ever since that leap of faith He has placed several unbelievable and life changing people in my path to help MR come to be. Without people like, my small business advisor, James Bennett and Juanita Martin, the lady who randomly called me out of the blue to see if I wanted to put my Showroom in her store in Canton, Modern Revival would not be where it is today! There is no doubt in my mind God had everything to do with building the relationships I have with all of these fabulous faith driven people I have had the opportunity to meet over the past couple of years!"

"So long story short, Modern Revival was created to provide locals with more affordable, “MODERN” day event rental options. Southerner’s love any reason to host a party, especially in Mississippi where everyone’s spring and summer are booked with showers, weddings, and celebrations galore. Traditional decor is great for some people, but for people like myself who love originality and believe that every event should be a reflection of its maker, I felt our event industry could benefit from a good ole southern “REVIVAL”. What a better time than now? When everything vintage is in, retro’s alive, modern is sleek, and rustic equals true beauty!"

Thank you to Vanessa Case with Modern Revival Rentals for this Insider Inspiration!
Visit Modern Revival Rentals, http://www.modernrevivalrentals.com/

As a high school student in Jackson, MS, Grace Bateman Greene embarked on a mission trip to Peru.  Though she was just a teenager, the experience sparked a great passion for the country and its people.  As Grace reflects, “I enjoyed my time and the people in Peru so much.  I knew I wanted to return.  The missions organization I had worked with was doing great work, so when I had the opportunity to go back [during college and as a young adult] I took it!”

Little did she know upon landing in Peru, Grace began a remarkable journey that turned into a very successful business.  With only $100 and a goal of supporting Peruvian women, Grace started Peru Paper Company.  We had the pleasure of speaking with Grace about her inspiring story and incredible company:

How did you come up with the idea of Peru Paper Co.?
I kind of borrowed the idea!  I've always loved stationery and paper products, so when I saw a British friend doing handmade paper products with Peruvian women, I was intrigued!  My background is in social work and community development, so making a business to help others by producing beautiful paper products was a very fun thought for me!

You started with only $100 and grew the business from there.  That is miraculous.  Tell me how it all began! 
I had a British friend living in Peru who was doing a similar project with some women she knew.  The ladies (who were my friends at church) loved crafts, so we thought it would be fun to have them teach us how to make recycled paper and greeting cards.  We paid the ladies for the lessons in how to make paper, and bought a few craft supplies to get started!  We had no idea people would be so interested in buying them!  Once we started selling them, we wanted to reach more people and decided to make it a business.

These women produce such beautiful, creative pieces.  How do you find women to work for the company?
They are all women we've known through connections through my work in Peru.  Some women have approached us asking for work, and we've sought some out who we know could use the employment and who we think will be an asset to the company. 

How often do you go over to Peru now? 
I wish I could go more frequently!  I went about 2 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter, but haven't made it back since she was born.  We hope to make a family trip down there soon!

How do these Peruvian women inspire you? 
They are very hard workers and very loyal friends.  Some of them have experienced very difficult things in their lives or have lived in great poverty at some point.  Despite these hardships, they have accomplished so much and are very generous and selfless.

What is your favorite thing about running this Peruvian business in Mississippi?  
It lets me be involved in international work from home.  I can be with my family and still have a connection to Peru, even though I can't live there or even visit very often at this stage in life.  

Beautiful, unique creations by Peru Paper Co. are available in many retail stores throughout Mississippi.  Click here to find a list of stores selling their products in your area!  Also, a large selection of handcrafted paper products can be purchased directly through the website, www.perupaper.com

Thank you, Grace, for sharing your story and for changing the lives of these talented Peruvian women!

All photos courtesy of Robby Followell

{Bride} Sara Ward
{Groom} Clifton Cotten
{Location} Oxford, Mississippi

{Ceremony Site} Paris-Yates Chapel on the University of Mississippi Campus

{Reception Site and Catering} Oxford University Club
{Floral Design} Zandra Walker

{Cake Design} Alana Reed Harris

{Photographer} Elle Danielle Photography
{Event Planning Services} Kendall Poole Event Planning
{Music} DJ Michael James