Southern Lady Celebrate Autumn Gatherings 2012

You can feel it in the air before it arrives. Afternoons don’t seem so hot, and mornings have a coolness about them that prepares you for the next season. Fall—it’s a glorious buffet of colors, aromas, and opportunities to join with family and friends. This issue of Celebrate gathers a bushel basket with filled with beautiful ways to highlight fall as you dine with friends, fete newlyweds, or simply decorate your home with the season’s bounty. Once Labor Day passes, everyone is home from the beach, and school is back in session. That’s the time to invite friends over for a fun wine-tasting dinner outdoors. Not only do we have a fabulous menu, but you’ll also find a lovely paper ensemble that takes all the stress out of pulling together the…

“When you celebrate with somebody you love over something that’s wonderful in your life—that’s about as good a s it ever gets.” —John Maxwell As the fall season approaches and the weather cools, our schedules will be changing as well. The excitement of and preparation for the new school year await families with children, and there is the anticipation of another football season. Here in the South, tailgating ranks high on the list of special occasions to celebrate. Check out our easy tailgate recipes on page 61—we stick with the classic hot dog, accouterments, and take-along treats. And who doesn’t love a fall carnival? Our team had a blast pulling together this party package for you, filling it with everything you need and offering multiple ideas to pick and choose from. Our…

Do you ever wonder how to apply social graces to the hustle and bustle of today’s world? with e-mail, social media, and reality TV, it is easy to feel as though the qualities of a lady are falling by the wayside. In her book How to Live Like a Lady, Sarah Tomczak lays out ways to maintain elegance and grace in the modern world. Tomczak offers advice on how to talk, walk, look, and act like a lady. In the first three chapters she explains how a true lady should speak, interact, and dress with grace and charm. The next three tackle common settings in which the modern woman may find herself, such as parties, traveling, and the office. The author includes quick tips, tricks, and checklists as guides, from “Ways to…

HARVEST BOWL Nothing says fall like the classic and colorful produce of the season. Here we simply mix an assortment of eggplant, pomegranates, small pumpkins, and artichokes. CYLINDER WRAPS Take glass cylinders to a new level by adorning them with assorted ribbons, twine, and leather cord. Finish by attaching pinecone flowers with hot glue, and fill with standard column candles. FALL BEAUTY Another fun twist for embellishing a large glass cylinder is to attach Indian corn in the husk around the sides, using hot glue. Complete by wrapping several strings of jute around the top. GORGEOUS GOURDS Take advantage of a seasonal delight, and use gourds for any tabletop, centerpiece, or tablescape. Here, we have cleaned and polished three large dried gourds and combined them with a bit of bittersweet. Get creative with smaller, ornamental gourds that…

“Bless those who brighten your days with an elegant token of gratitude.” —Phyllis Hoffman DePiano This time of year, it’s often hard to see past the calendar and the to-do list to focus on all the blessings we enjoy. Consider those who have surrounded you in holidays past: family, friends, and neighbors who brighten your days and make life sweeter. Let these folks know how much they mean to you by simply giving them a small, elegant token of gratitude. We’ve created six lovely gifts that can be assembled from materials bought in bulk and then finished with a personal touch. All the tags and labels you’ll see are available at celebratemag.com. BOUNTIFUL BASKETS Fill small cellophane bags with trail mix or granola. Close with raffia, add a tag, and then place them…

In a quiet studio nestled in a quaint yet bustling corner of Birmingham, Alabama, row upon row of robin’s egg blue binders sit on shelves. Each binder contains a calendar, a mix of paperwork, notes, fabric samples, color chips, and a list of vendors—all components of a bride’s big day. And Neillie Butler, wedding planner and co-owner of studio Mariée Ami, is solely responsible for crafting that day for each bride and her family. “I always wanted to be a wedding planner,” says Neillie. And owning and operating her own business has been her life-long dream. After overcoming a four-year battle with cancer, she knew that very little could get in the way of making it a reality. She jumped into the industry as an event planner, making contacts and learning the…