Are you craving smooth, glowing skin for the holiday season?  SKIN the Spa at the Runnels Center recently unveiled an amazing new service, the SKINPEN II.  This revolutionary resurfacing tool promises to improve fine lines, wrinkles, rosacea, pores, stretch marks, hyper pigmentation, tone and texture! 

Mary Helen Thomas of SKIN the Spa at the Runnels Center says, “The SKINPEN II involves skin resurfacing with absolutely no downtime!”  The SKINPEN II can be used on any part of the body, and is safe for all skin types.  With the stroke of this miraculous pen, you can look up to ten years younger! 

The SKINPEN II sounds like the perfect way to enhance your natural beauty, just in time for the holidays!   For more information on SKIN the Spa at the Runnels Center, please visit their website here! You can also call the Spa directly at 601.939.2457.

{Blog by Mitchell Walters}

“We are truly farm-to-table,” says Bridget Engle of Farmer’s Table in Livingston Cooking School. “With the movement that's going on with everyone trying to eat healthier and experience the true meaning of eating something straight from the garden, we are providing that at Farmer’s Table in Livingston.”

In the heart of Livingston’s charming town square, Farmer’s Table is changing the way Mississippians grow, prepare and cook food.  Using eggs from a farm in Bentonia, honey from Mississippi bees in Flora, and vegetables from a local organic farmer, Farmer’s Table offers cooking classes and events using fresh, local ingredients.

“We hired an organic farmer, Taylor Yowell, of The Farmacy.  We have five gardens on three acres of land, and we offer classes around what is coming from the garden,” smiles Bridget.  “Taylor will come and deliver fresh veggies straight from the garden the morning of the classes.   We absolutely love the passion of working with a local farmer.”

Farmer’s Table is thrilled to be a part of the story of the town of Livingston.  “The long term plan is phenomenal and it is really cool to be a part of Livingston,” says Bridget.  Farmer’s Table is not only hosting cooking classes, but is a wonderful venue for weddings, receptions, gifts, birthday parties for children and adults, and even bachelorette parties!  The room can be changed around to fit any type of special event.  Bridget says, “We recently had a bride get married on the town square, then she walked down and had the reception at Farmer’s Table.  Another bride married and we did the catering for 250 people in the town square.  Celebrating under the 100-year-old cedar trees was simply magical.” 

Bridget runs Farmer’s Table, and Matthew Sheeter teaches the cooking classes.  They are both delightful, and worked together many years ago at the Viking Cooking School in Ridgeland.  The cooking school also offers an incredible retail store up front, with wonderful gifts, cooking utensils, and a Bridal Registry! 

“We are so fortunate to be in Livingston.  This town boasts live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and brunch on Sundays.  It's really cool to be a part of something so special that is just starting out.  We are in a perfect spot.”

For more information on Farmer’s Table in Livingston Cooking School, please visit their website here!  You can also views photos of their fabulous events on their Facebook page here.

A special thank you to Adam + Alli Photography for capturing this wonderfully spirited group cooking fresh foods at Farmer’s Table in Livingston Cooking School! Visit Adam & Alli Photography here to see more of their gorgeous photographs.

Today, we are thrilled to share beautiful and romantic photos from an engagement shoot!  Photographed by the talented Jeff Chao of Chao Photography, Jenna Bush and her fiance, Matthew Hughes, were perfectly captured on Veteran's Day. 

We are delighted to tell Jenna and Matthew's story, and share her plans for their upcoming spring wedding!

Jenna Bush & Matthew Hughes
Hometown:  Clinton, MS
Event Site:  The Ivy in Flowood, MS

“Our April 16 wedding is being held at The Ivy in Flowood, MS.  We chose this location because of the grounds surrounded by trees, and the lights already in place for the perfect evening wedding outside. There is also a carriage house that will serve as a back-up venue in case the weather does not cooperate.  We really did not focus on a theme for the wedding, but instead wanted to incorporate several key elements that are special to my fiancé, Matt, and me. A wishing tree, that will be similar to the one in old town Clinton, where Matt proposed to me, is the main focal point of the night, with origami birds made by my grandmother and an invitation to everyone to place their wishes on the tree, just like Matt and I used to do when we were dating.

The color scheme for the wedding is gold and white, with accents of blush pink.  The wedding party will be wearing blush pink gowns, with groomsmen dressed in black suits and bow ties that will compliment Matt's Army Dress Blues.  The reception will have more of a shabby chic feel to it, with a mix of old and new.

My favorite event detail of the wedding is our tribute to the military and our way of honoring Matt's service to his country.  He volunteered for a tour of duty in Afghanistan during the first year of our dating.  We have known each other since grade school and were best friends growing up.  This time apart after committing to a dating relationship made us both realize we never wanted to be apart from each other again.  Our wedding favors of homemade cookies inside a box bearing the name of a wounded warrior and requesting prayer for he and his family will be reminders of how much our military means to us.  Along with the cookies, we will have boxes designated for care packages available for our guests to take if they wish to share our love with soldiers currently serving overseas.

My favorite part of planning my wedding has been picking out my wedding dress.  What girl doesn't like shopping and feeling like Cinderella at the same time?  My mother, sister, aunt and cousin traveled to Low's in Arkansas to help me find my perfect dress.  When arriving at our hotel, we found a bottle of wine, wine glasses and a very sweet note from my cousin's boyfriend who lives in nearby Memphis, wishing us a perfect day to find the perfect dress!  We ended our trip with great success and celebrated in Memphis that evening with dinner, drinks and a breathtaking view of Memphis and the Mississippi River.” 

Photographer:  Jeff Chao    
Event Planner:  Dori Bush, Mother of the Bride
Venue:  The Ivy    
Florist:  BJ May
Cake:  Donna Vinson

“My inspiration comes from so many things all rolled into one.  I am inspired by art and design, old architecture, and any glimpse of an idea I may see,” says Nick Bradshaw, owner of Iron Point Construction in Madison.  “A person's house is usually (and this is pretty safe to say) the most expensive thing they will ever purchase in their entire life.  It is also where we spend the majority of our day-to-day time.  It is the place we raise our kids.  It is an investment.  Therefore, it is imperative that it is built with all of these facets in mind.  Each house should be as unique as the people having it built.”

Nick comes from a long line of great builders.  His father built homes and performed real estate development, and his grandfather and great-grandfather built churches across the southeast.  Nick graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and spent several years in the corporate world working for Civil design firms, gaining knowledge in budgeting, design, structural design, management and site design.  He also obtained his Professional Engineering license.  He reflects, “For some reason, this just never felt like it was hitting my buttons.”

His professional life soon changed course.  Several years ago, Nick and his wife, Rachel, began dreaming about building a home.  Nick drew the plans and built a gorgeous home.  He laughs, “Friends, workers and UPS men would come by and always comment on the home saying how unique and pretty it was.  Over time it hit me.  I thought, ‘I might have something here.  If I can come up with timeless and unique designs, I believe there is a market for people wanting that, and I can fill that void.’”  Things progressed quickly, and Nick started his incredible company, Iron Point Construction.

Nick is smart, kind and confident, and genuinely cares about his clients.  He says, “I care about them, their home, and their experience during the process.  I am not out to try and make a lot of money.  I often tell people that I left a stable and modest-paying job to dive into the wild world of real estate!” 

Iron Point Construction promises a level of professionalism that is rarely seen in the construction industry.  He offers a turn-key package, which can include everything from initial lot purchase to house design and layout, construction, paint colors and interior design.  “I believe clients can expect a smooth process.  I jump in and take the bull by the horns to make things happen, all while working hand-in-hand with my clients to make certain they are instrumental in the process.”  He adds, “A small and fun thing some clients might enjoy is a live-feed camera onsite!  They can check in at anytime, see progress on their home and even create a cool time-lapse video of their house being built!”

Though Nick works solely as the operator of Iron Point Construction, he says, “I rely heavily on my wife’s opinions on the layouts and interior design elements of a house.  She has a great eye for that!  I have worked with several architects in the Jackson area and consider them an integral part of the team.  Another key component to the building process is the bank. I have strong relationships with several lenders in the area and understand that money is always a hot topic when building a house.  Being able to sit and speak with a reliable and trustworthy lender is something I can discuss and set up for any client.”

Finally, Integrity is at the core of Iron Point Construction.  “Without it, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night,” Nick says.  “We are called by God to be honest and forthright and I do not take that lightly.”

Iron Point Construction is the perfect partner if you are looking to build a beautiful home.  Working with Nick is a dream, as is the final product.  “I believe the most satisfying moment is at the end of all the hustle and bustle of construction, standing at the front of a client's dream home with them, cutting the red ribbon to signify the completion, and seeing the excitement and joy on their faces.”  

For more information on Iron Point Construction, please visit their website here.  We will leave you today with one of Nick’s favorite quotes by Theodore Roosevelt.  Nick believes it can truly be applied to many facets of our lives…

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

{Bride}  Caroline Carr Temple  (Present Caroline Temple Smith)
{Groom} Charles Griffin Smith (goes by Griffin)
{Hometowns} BRIDE- Jackson, MS, GROOM Atlanta, GA
{Wedding Site} (Galloway United Methodist Church, Jackson, MS)
{Reception Site} (Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS)
{Bride’s Bouquet} White Hydrangea, Juliet Garden Roses, Patience Garden Roses and Ranunculus
{Bridesmaid Bouquets} Chablis Roses, Lisianthus, Silver Brunia, Ranunculus, Dusty Miller, White Majolica Spray Roses and Seeded Eucalyptus.

{How did the two of you meet?} Griffin and I met in Oxford our freshman year in the spring of 2007.  It was around the time the KA’s, Griffin’s fraternity, went to New Orleans for their Spring Formal.  My friend, Tory McGuire, set us up on a blind date and we immediately hit it off in the bayou.  We made our relationship official in the fall of 2008, our junior year, before we headed down to Baton Rouge to watch Ole Miss beat LSU.  We are so blessed to have met while in school at Ole Miss and share so many mutual friends and memories together.   We now live in Atlanta together, after living in Jackson, WY and Charleston, SC.

{What is your proposal story?}
Griffin proposed to me in the summer of 2013 on a beach trip with his immediate family, including his mom, dad, older sister, brother in law, little sister and 6-month-old nephew in Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina.  Griffin took me on a beautiful sunset stroll down the beach, got down on one knee and popped the question.  We then saw his mom and adorable two sisters hiding in the sea grass who captured it all on camera.  When we returned to the house, the rest of the boys were waiting on the porch that overlooked the bay with champagne to celebrate.  My sweet soon-to-be father-in-law handed me a beautiful red rose and told me how he couldn’t wait for me to be his only ever daughter-in-law.  It was the most wonderful surprise and it meant so much for us to be able to celebrate with family.

{What inspired your wedding and reception locations?}
We wanted to celebrate our wedding by making it personable while entwining the traditional south, with a few modern, elegant aspects and overall fun! Therefore we knew it, our wedding was definitely “mint to be” in Mississippi!  We both felt strongly about marring in the Church.  We chose my home Church, Galloway United Methodist Church.  My Galloway family really holds a special place in my heart and the church itself is gorgeous.  It is a historical church in downtown Jackson across the street from the old capital.  It has a beautiful garden, enormous antebellum columns and stain glass windows.  I had my heart set on the Mississippi Museum of Art because I loved the modern artsy feel.  I wanted out of town guests to get a great first impression of Mississippi.  The MS Museum of Art would show off MS’s creative side.  There was actually an Oxford festival being held the day we visited, which sold Griffin! We fell in love with the beautiful backdrop mural of green and snow topped mountains with wildlife in the middle of our dance floor that reminded of us Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  We also saw a lot of potential in the enormous, relaxing patio.  So there you have it! The MS Museum of Art was “mint to be” our reception location!

{What inspired your color scheme/theme/flowers?}
I wanted a breath of fresh air from winter and bring spring colors early for our late February wedding.  Finding the bridesmaids dresses was first on my list.  Griffin’s favorite color is green and I love pastel looking colors.  My mom and sisters shopped at Bella Bridesmaids in ATL and found the perfect color dress.  It was a mint green; hence where the play on words came from for our “mint to be” wedding and our planning started getting really creative and fun! We had “mint to be” mints to pass out to guests, “mint to be” sparkle sneakers for under my wedding dress, “mint to be” earrings handmade for the bridesmaids, “mint to be” love birds on the wedding cake, and our lighting for the reception was even “mint to be.”  For flowers we used colors of whites, greys, a little greenery, pale pinks, and a pop of bright peach, which complimented the bridesmaids’ mint dresses beautifully.  The groomsmen wore dark grey tuxes.

{How did you pick “the dress”?}
I did not step one foot into a bridal shop.  My mom found her wedding dress up in the attic and it was not in the best condition.  It was from 1978.  The dress was beautifully laced with long sleeves and high neck and had a silky flow at the bottom.  My mom helped me zip it up and it really just fit perfectly.  I knew this was “the dress.”  It needed to be restored and I wanted to change it up a little to have a hint of my personality in it.  We found Sandra Ashford who had restored my mothers’ veil for my sister’s wedding and she made it look brand new again.  We took the high neck off and made it scallop off the shoulders.  It was stunning.  It was so special to me to be able to wear my mothers’ dress, because she is a huge role model for me and has been happily married to my dad for 36 years. 

{What’s your favorite unique accessory? Is there a story behind it?}
My mom and I were driving back home from church and spotted the “mint to be” Antique Ford pickup truck parked on the side of the rode.  We instantly thought that would be awesome for photos for the wedding!  After we left a note on the truck the driver came out from choir practice.  Of course, only in the South he knew some of our cousins and the truck was ours!

I loved my “mint to be” Sparkle Sneakers.  They fit my personality so well.  My feet never felt so good all day and night.  I recommend it to any Bride to be!

Molly Gee Designs:
Mississippi artist who hand makes stunning hairpieces and others.  I have known Molly Gee around Jackson.  My mom and I stopped by her tent at Mistletoe and it was “mint to be.”  I fell in love with this hairpiece.  It has a beautiful combination of silver rhinestones with shades of pink and white pearls.  It’s stunning!

{What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?}
Helping design the Groom’s Cake because it was a surprise.  I loved watching Griffin’s face light up when he saw all his tickets he had collected throughout his life transformed on his pistachio flavored cake.  He collected tickets of all kinds, such as Oxford concerts at The Lyric and Proud Larry’s, Ole Miss and Braves sporting events, traveling in Europe, his favorite band Widespread Panic and many more.  It represented his love for music, sports, travel and our love story.   It was so colorful and propped on top of an antique suitcase with an edible record that sat on top with our wedding song “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

{Besides the actual wedding, what was your favorite moment of the wedding day?}
Both of our families gathered in the small Chapel while guests were filling the sanctuary.  We all held hands while our preacher, Reverend Joey Shelton, led us in prayer. It was amazing and comforting feeling God’s presence.  It was well needed to take a pause and pray together after lots of prepping for the wedding and before walking down the aisle.

My Dad walking me down the aisle was a pretty awesome feeling.  When I was a little girl I loved watching “Father of the Bride” with my Dad. I knew it would be a cherished moment when it was my turn to walk down the aisle with him. I felt very blessed and love him so very much. 

My sister singing our prayer song while playing the guitar was so special.  We knelt down on our prayer quilt that included our new initials and scripture readings.  We made a pillow of the quilt after the wedding and it is now on our bed.  It is such a great reminder of our special day.

I got a little choked up saying my vows, but as soon as I looked into Griffin’s big brown eyes my nerves seemed to disappear.  I knew at that moment that we were becoming one before God, surrounded by all of our family and friends, which meant the world to me.  It was the most wonderful moment that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life.

{What was your favorite surprise detail/moment about your wedding day?}
Walking into our reception was breath taking.  All of our planning came to reality, all thanks to our wonderful wedding planner, Kendall Poole Ellis of Kendall Poole Event Planning, family, friends and my mom!

Photographer:
Followell Fotography
http://www.followellfotography.com/

Event Planner:
Kendall Poole Event Planning
http://kendallpooleeventplanning.com/
She is awesome!! I was so relaxed and could really enjoy my big day because of her!! She blew my socks off!! She is so talented! 

Dress:
Sandra Ashford Designer
The Ashford Collection

Bride’s Jewelry: 
Hair Piece
Molly Gee Designs
http://www.mollygeedesigns.com

Bride and Bridesmaids Earrings
BroqueRevival
Alexandra Long
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BroqueRevival

Hair and Make-Up:
Kristina Myers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristina-Myers/299528236853226

Bridesmaid Dresses:
Bella Bridesmaids of Atlanta
http://www.bellabridesmaids.com/locations/atlanta/

Joanna August, Chiffon, Dani-long, Color-I Want Candy
http://www.joannaaugust.com/dresses/chiffon/dani-long

Tuxes:
Tuxes Too
http://www.tuxestoo.com

Venue:
MS Museum of Art
http://msmuseumart.org/

Lighting:  Davaine Lighting
http://www.davainelighting.com/

Rentals:
Great Southern Events
http://www.greatsouthernevents.com/

Florist: 
Au Courant Floral
http://www.aucourantfloral.com/

Catering:
MS Museum of Art
http://msmuseumart.org/

Bar:
MS Museum of Art

Band: 
The Compozitionz / Jackson, MS
http://www.musicgardenbands.com/find-a-band/general/compozitionz/view-details.html

Bride’s Cake:
Cakes by Iris 
It was Italian whipped and part of my lace on the bottom with two “mint to be” lovebirds on top from Spirit House Glass. 
http://cakesbyiris.com/

https://spirithouseglass.com/

Groom’s Cake:
Cakes by Iris
http://cakesbyiris.com/

Print Material:
Designs at KPEP
http://kendallpooleeventplanning.com/

Car Service:
Phoenix Limo
http://www.jacksonlimousinecompany.com