“The heart, like the mind, has a memory."

 “The heart, like the mind, has a memory. And in it are kept the most precious keepsakes.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Oh my, how the year has flown by...as we are now just a few hours away from a new year

 and fresh start. I have always spent the evening with my husband and a few close friends...the same ones for over 35 years!

On New Years Day my kitchen will be featuring traditional Southern Black Eyed Peas and cornbread. But on New Years Eve it is a thoughtful time to reflect on the wonderful families that have entered our gates, stepped on the front porch and as we gathered round by my grandmother's antique dining room table, decided this was the place they wanted to get married.  

After a year of planning, Buddy and I feel like part of the family
as we share in the day of a years worth of weddings. 

We have been honored to work with some of the sweetest brides and their families alongside finest team of  talented professionals
from photography, musicians, catering and cakes.   

Here is an armchair look back on our fabulous heartfelt year...

 

Mom and Dad having fun

Spring blooms, pearls and roses

 

 

 

The rain stopped for the ceremony!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 
  





Buddy and I wish you all a Happy New Year!
Oh my it has been such a wonderful year! New Years Eve inspires me to pause a moment
and look back and reflect on the year that was...
and to look forward to the fresh year of new possibilities that is just around the corner.

 Ready for 2016 !

Five Things About Wedding Rings

It is said, “Every life shared, begins with a question. Will you?” and it usually is asked as he gets down on one knee with a ring in his hand. An Engagement Ring symbolizes the love of two people and captures the spirit of a life shared together. Placed on the left hand, second finger from the left, it remains there all through the engagement.

When wedding day arrives, let the ring bearer carry his pillow, but not the real rings! The best man should have the brides ring, and the maid of honor has the grooms wedding band.

One question I am often asked on wedding day is “What do I do with my Engagement Ring for the ceremony?” And the answer is the traditional, move it to your right hand, second finger and after the ceremony it goes back on your left hand.

On wedding day, and immediately after the ceremony, move the engagement ring back to the left hand. The engagement ring should now be on your left hand on top of the wedding band.

In the late 19th century, the US jewelry industry started a marketing campaign aimed at encouraging the practice of a double ring where both the groom and the bride wear a wedding ring. Today a double ring ceremony is most common. Outside the United States, it is still practiced for just the bride to wear a wedding ring. 

Wedding rings date back as far as 3000 years ago as being exchanged among a wedded couple. The ring is a symbol of eternity and serves as a never-ending love between husband and wife. Early Egyptians believed the wearing the wedding ring on the ring finger of the left hand, led to a special vein that connected directly to the heart.

Three generations of wedding rings

Today most weddings are sealed with rings, as a symbol of a lifetime of devotion and love by both the bride and groom. “With this ring, I the wed!”

In Grateful Praise

Here at Magnolia Hill our season of weddings has been full of joy and celebrations. Now that our year is coming to an end for outdoor weddings, we rejoice in grateful thanksgiving. In the words of the old hymn,  "all safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin."  This is the time of year when family and friends are gathered round the table and true gifts of love and joy are deeply appreciated. Buddy and I are very thankful for the families that shared a wedding celebration with us, and we offer grateful praise to each and every one of them.

 

 

This November you will find us, Counting our Blessings and Thankful

 for each of our wedding families. 

Sculpting and Cake Decorating with Natalie Madison

There was a time a few years ago that I traveled the country in promoting our silver cake plateaus at ICES cake trade shows and meeting professional artisans with their passion for beautiful cakes. From Sylvia Weinstock in New York to the Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas, I shared my wares and was amazed at the talent behind cakes that were truly works of art. At the Cake Shows, cakes were judged and just looked too real to be cake! 

(Yes, these "leather" shoes and purse are cake!)

Marj Jenkins of Icing on the Cake, Art you can Eat

I think that is what I love about what we do now, is that I still stay amazed at the world class talent right in our own home town of Little Rock. Recently Natalie Madison of Natalie Madison Artisan Cakes, has shared her talent with my brides. Natalie not only makes works of art but also teaches sculpting and cake decorating at Pulaski Tech Culinary Institute from time to time.  After 18 years of baking and decorating for others, Natalie finally opened Natalie Madison's Artisan Cakes, a studio bakery in Little Rock, AR, January of 2013.  As a graduate from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor's Degree in Art, her medium is now cake!

For our couple who got engaged in New Orleans, the bride surprised the groom with this New Orleans inspired chocolate cake! Doesn't that corn look real?...it's not, it is cake!

Here Natalie puts the finishing touches on a wedding cake in the Big Red Barn.

From simple and elegant, "Love Birds" was the theme 
to this wedding.

A Bass Grooms Cake by Natalie

Rose Petals and Pearls

Look closely, the rose petals are edible art!

What groom would go crazy over a baseball glove of chocolate!

For the deer hunter, a sculpted dear head...all edible!

 

of course Natalie knows how to sculpt the perfect Razorback.

Not only is she extremely talented, she is a delightful charming Southern sweet lady, I am honored to call friend. To contact Natalie, 

501-240-6102

 natalievmadison@gmail.com

www.nmartisancakes.com and www.nmartisancakes.net

As Natalie says,

"It's not just cake...it's edible art!"says Natalie

 

A Trade Secret - Handmade Flower Girl Dresses

Pearls for the flower girl and matching headpiece

I’ve made some really special friends through my years of hosting weddings and one of them is Karen Ellis (no relation, although I would love to claim her!) who designs and hand makes the cutest Flower Girl dresses. A couple of years ago, her daughter Hannah was married here at Magnolia Hill. You know how you just "click" with some people, and become instant friends? I think that is what I love about what we do, is that I become friends for sharing in a lifetime event of a wedding.

Mother of the Bride, Karen Ellis looks like she could have been a bridesmaid!

 

Since the wedding, I kept up with Karen and stay amazed at her design talents. She is a kindred entrepreneur spirit and I thought I would share some of her work....Everyone was talking about the cute "Fluff Ball" dress that the Flower Girls wore. The Mother of the Bride designed and made them, including a matching headpiece.

Our banner carrier says "Oh Happy Day" in a Karen Ellis designed dress.

 And for a Rustic Barn wedding...how cute is this?

or this...

A Denim top and cowboy boots complete the outfit for a Rustic Barn Wedding.

And so I am saving my favorite for last....I am crushing on these colors !

 

It was no secret I loved the classic vintage style Hannah and her mother, Karen chose for their wedding. I am so excited to share with all my brides the handmade element of these darling children's dresses...or Fluff Balls as I call them! 

 To contact Karen....

ellisoriginals501@gmail.com 

Or they can FB message me @ Karen Ellis or Ellis Originals 

Or 

can text Karen @ 501-951-2986

Enjoy!