J A C K S O N  ,  M I S S I S S I P P I 

J A C K S O N  ,  M I S S I S S I P P I

            Chef Jonathan has been cooking practically his whole life.  He started by helping his grandmothers in their kitchens when he was a boy, but it wasn’t until he was a senior in high school that he first considered culinary school. “My ‘job’ in the house was to make sure there was food every night for the family when my parents returned home from work. Though this was the start of the idea of being a chef, it was the experience of working in my first kitchen job at The Hil at Serenbe where I realized that this is what I wanted to do.” There he was introduced to farm-to-table cooking, a culinary theme he’d carry with him through his career. “It was special. I saw that true southern food could be elegant and its own niche,” he reflects. ​

J A C K S O N  ,  M I S S I S S I P P I

​        Dreams come true at Woo! Bridal House by Woo, established in 2015, provides a divine selection of gowns for your special day, but what caught our attention was a certain service that they offer.  Bridal House by Woo not only offers gown customization, they also have the option to design your very own wedding dress complete with sketches and fabric swatches. They will handcraft the literal dress of your dreams helping take your big day to the next level. The brain behind all of your custom visions is Samantha Woo, founder of Bridal House by Woo and dress designer.

R I D G E L A N D  ,  M I S S I S S I P P I

L I F E  S T O R Y  :  M E G A N  M A S C A G N I

        There is a long list of reasons why someone who had the privilege of knowing Megan Mascagni is thankful for the opportunity.  People were drawn to Megan because she was the type of person whose proximity made the world shine brighter.  Her positivity was infectious and the love she gave was brilliant.  Most of all, her dedication and endless love for Jesus Christ inspired everyone around her, including hundreds of people she had never even met before. 
       Megan was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, and attended Jackson Academy.  She then continued her academic journey at Mississippi State University where she was an active member of the Kappa Delta sorority.  Megan went to Holmes Community College and earned her degree in nursing.  She went on to become an excellent, compassionate nurse and worked at both St. Dominic Hospital and Runnels & North Plastic Surgery Center.  In the summer of 2006, Megan met Carter Mascagni, the love of her life.  Two years later, in August of 2008, Megan and Carter were married.  In 2012, Megan and carter gave birth to their beautiful daughter Lila. 
        It's difficult to put into words the trial that began for the. Mascagni family in July of 2015.  Megan, a young and vibrant mother, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer.  The prognosis was bleak; Megan was given just two months to live.  "I remember getting the call from Carter that day in July.  I rushed to the hospital, feeling nothing but fear," says longtime friend of Megan, Whitney Harris.  "We had just taken a girl's trip down to the beach, one of her favorite places in the world, not two weeks earlier and nothing seemed different.  It was just shocking," adds Whitney. 

        In short, Megan's survival past that initial two-month prognosis was an absolute miracle.  Throughout her battle, she and Carter were incredibly candid and honest about their experiences on the Megan's Fans Facebook page.  Megan's Fans has an upwards of seven thousand likes and severed as a platform of support for Megan and Carter.  They posted pictures, videos, and updates chronicling their trips to Houston, the ups and downs of the treatment process, and the time spent at home with Lila, family, and friends.  The thousands who liked the page supported the Mascagni family by way of a never-ending stream of prayer, monetary contributions, and everything in between.  Carter Mascagni adds, "I will always be indebted to this 'Facebook fan page.'  You all have blessed our family the last four years and we have added some incredible new friends because of it." As the years passed, one thing remained constant: Megan's unwavering positivity and faith.
        The faith Megan had in Jesus was contagious; it inspired thousands of people to reevaluate their own relationship with Christ or to open their hearts to Him for the first time.  "Megan planted a seed in me that blossomed into the faith I have in Christ.  My sister and her husband saw that in me and wanted the same thing for themselves.  Megan's life truly created a snowball effect of people coming to Jesus," smiles Whitney. "She changed me She changed all of us.  She loved first and truly believed that the only way to live was consuming her mind with positive thoughts.  She is the toughest person I have ever met, and she never gave up.  She kept going," posted Carter on the Megan's Fans Facebook page. 

        Megan passed away on December 17th, 2019, surrounded by her family and loved ones at her home.  By the grace of God, Megan shone brightly in the face of cancer for four meaningful, precious years.  Years Megan spent with her beloved daughter Lila, who was given far more time to make memories with her mother than initially seemed possible at the start of Megan's fight.  Though Megan is no longer here on earth, there is no doubt that her spirit lives on in those who witnessed her testimony.  "I was so inspired by the way she carried herself throughout this journey.  We witnessed Megan never doubt God, not even for a second," says Whitney.  "Megan would want people to understand that true hope must rest in Christ, not in material things.  She believed that every day was a precious gift and an opportunity to praise God and spread His gospel."
        This world is undoubtedly a better place because Megan Mascagni walked with Christ through it.  Megan and Carter Mascagni, and all of Megan's close friends and family, brought so many closer to Christ by virtue of being so incredibly open and candid with their struggles.  We have so much to be thankful for, and the Mascagni family is at the top of that list.