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Southern Weddings

Author: Marissa

Y’all may not know this, but I’m completely obsessed with Goldfish, Cheez-Its, and any and all other variations of cheese crackers. When I was a little girl, I went through a month-long stage when I refused to eat anything BUT Cheez-Its! So when Emily and I were brainstorming Southern delicacies, I knew cheese straws was going to be one of my favorites!

Recipe and photo from the Food Network

Cheese straws are traditionally served as a cocktail snack, and pair perfectly with wine, beer, spirits on the rocks and savory mixed drinks. Though they’ve been baked for centuries and enjoyed for a long time in the South, cheese straws have made a comeback in recent years. Which is appropriate, we think, because they’re perfect for the Southern hostess to have on hand — that way, she can be ready with a bite to eat for unexpected guests at a moment’s notice!

Cheese straw recipe and photo from MyRecipes.com and fancy cheese straws from Southern Living

There’s not much history on these yummy little guys, but they are credited as a Southern invention. According to one story, they were dreamed up by a frugal cook who mixed leftover biscuit dough with some cheese, and formed the result into long, narrow strips.

Southern welcome bag (including cheese straws!) from Martha Stewart Weddings and cheese straw recipe and photo from Paula Deen’s son Bobby!

A basic recipe includes flour, grated cheese, a teaspoon of salt, and baking powder, but I think I’d rather try PD’s son Bobby’s recipe!

Beyond serving these cheesy treats at cocktail hour, we love the idea of including them in welcome bags or as a late night treat! Yum!

Are cheese straws one of your favorite Southern snacks? Emily thinks they’re too dry, but obviously I love them!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    oh my stars! cheese straws are my favorite! i ESPECIALLY love when they have cayenne in them for a little bit of heat! i had some homemade ones from a sweet old lady in newbern, al and they were the best i’ve EVER had.

  2. avatar Marissa reply

    Oh, yum!! I bet those ones in Newbern were divine!

  3. avatar Lauren @ Every Last Detail reply

    Ahhh lOVE LOVE LOVE cheese straws! One of my brides had them in her welcome bags, and they were a HIT! Her inlaws actually own a bakery that do them… SO good! You might want to check them out! :) http://www.ritchiehillbakery.com/

  4. avatar Erin reply

    We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cheese Straws here in the South…especially in Georgia! Two amazing Georgia Artisans who make them are Kim’s Cheese Straws in Statesboro and Chinaberry Foods in Thomson, GA. We sell both on our website. Perfect wedding welcome gift or favor, for sure!

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A few weeks ago y’all learned what it’s like to be the Southern Weddings’ Art Director, but I can tell you that life in the Southern Weddings office is a bit different for me than my sweet counterparts. Namely, because I’m not usually in the Southern Weddings office. Sit a spell with me as I walk you through a typical day for Southern Weddings’ Ad Director!

To set the scene, let’s take a look at my workspace:

This is what my “desk” looks like most mornings: clean, organized and ready for the day. However, I should add that my desk changes based on where I am in the USA – sometimes it’s a coffee table, sometimes it’s a kitchen table, and sometimes it’s a picnic table.

And this is what my “desk” looks like by the end of the day. A complete hot mess! Nicole and I share of a love of Post-it notes, but as you can see, mine sometimes get out of control!

3:15am Yes, you read that right! As many of you know, my husband plays minor league baseball, which sometimes means getting up at an absurd hour of the night to “wake up” and pick him up at the field after a long road trip and bus ride back from who-knows-where!

8:50 I try to only drink water, but after a crazy early wakeup call, a little Monster Rehab is much needed! At least I’m keeping it Southern – a Rehab is like an Arnold Palmer with way too much energy! Yes, I actually have to step through a whole boatload of baseballs in my daily routine – they’re seriously everywhere!

9:00 I sit down at my nice and clean desk and prepare for the day. I keep everything organized with my Emily Ley notepads. This one is my favorite – it helps me break down my giant list into more manageable steps.

9:10 I open my email client, and it’s flooded with gorgeous gowns, sparkly baubles and sweet notes from our advertisers. I love days like this!

10:30 Since I work remotely most of the time, I Skype into our team meetings. Let’s just say the background of my “office” always entertains my fellow SW ladies. From random baseball players trying to chat, to my bedroom wall (yes, there’s a monogram there!), to a bloody Nolan Ryan photo (yikes!), the options are always entertaining!

Can you see me in the background? :)

11:30 After gushing over the gorgeous gown options we have for our cover shoot, and narrowing down the perfect bling to accompany said gown, we break from our meeting. I organize my crazy gobbledygook meeting notes into a more legible list, and get started working on V5 prep. Currently, I’m tracking down the perfect cover shoot gown — and requesting diamond rings. FUN!

1:00 I pause for a quick lunch, usually Chipotle or an omelet. After, I head out to drop BDK off at the ballpark for his day to start.

1:30 Back to work. Today I’m working on a proposal for some really awesome new advertisers. I love creating custom campaigns to help our clients grow their businesses and connect with our sweet brides.

3:00 I prepare to write a Real Wedding intro by swooning over the stunning details, then sniffling over the sweet proposal story, then deciding where to start. I’m pretty sure Emily assigns me the prettiest ones! By the way, on a typical day, I’ve already exchanged 15-30 emails with Emily at this point.

4:00 Back to emails to finish up the day. I’m very type A, so leaving a full inbox is not an option for me! BUT, I do love when my inbox is full of newly engaged readers – I get way too excited for them!

5:00 I start wrapping up my day, making sure I let Emily know text for my posts are ready for edit. I email Nicole some lovely V5 ads for editorial review, and I Hey Tell gown options with Lara (one of my favorite things to do ever!).

5:45 I close down my computer and start getting ready to head to a baseball game. Outfit selection is very important and completely based on what will make me the least sweaty in this Southern summer heat and humidity.

I am so thankful that everyday is different and exciting – and I love working with such amazing ladies! From image sizing help, to graphic creation and email editing, Emily, Nicole, Kristin (who you’ll meet soon!), and Lara help me be able to do my best everyday.

Want more behind the scenes? Check out our “In the Office” posts here.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Marissa, your job sounds like so much fun! I love reading these “behind the scenes” looks and seeing all the joy that goes into my favorite magazine! The fact that y’all love your work so much shows constantly :)

    • avatar Marissa reply

      Thanks for your sweet words, Lisa! I really do love the magazine, and we’re so luck to be able to have such great readers like you! xx

  2. avatar Cathleya reply

    These are always my favorite types of posts! Love hearing about your day, M! Isn’t it amazing that when we went off to college, we never realized all the kinds of cool jobs that were out there and that we could be doing? I always thought I’d just work in HR. I have no idea why. Your day sounds so great (and much more organized than mine!)…fun to see a fellow work-from-home’er’s day! xx

  3. avatar Marissa reply

    Thanks for the sweet comment, C! Let’s just say this is a “typical” day! Some are not nearly as organized, and some are all around wild!! CANNOT wait to see you in, NYC! xx

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Hey friends! We’ve already asked for your help once with our preparations for V5 (respond here if you haven’t done so yet!), but today, we’re back with another query!

We’re working on a special feature for the next issue, and we’d love to know: What do YOU love about the South?

Emily was kind enough to volunteer one of her favorite things about the South for this post – deviled eggs! (Both photos from Saveur) Maybe for you it’s front porches, or sweet tea, or peaches at the height of August ripeness. Whatever it is, we want to know! Just leave a comment here telling us what you love most about the South. If you leave your first name, last name, and hometown, as well, we’ll assume it’s okay to print your answer in V5! We’d love to have you join us!

P.S. We had one of our last photo shoots for V5 yesterday at our office, and the set-up was pretty crazy! Here’s a snap:

Can’t wait to share!!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
25 Comments
  1. avatar Kristyn M reply

    Handmade wooden rocking chairs on big front porches!

  2. avatar Kathi reply

    Buttermilk pie!

  3. avatar Katie O’Keefe reply

    Big, lazy trees hanging over a drive full of Spanish moss….love it

  4. avatar Megan Smith reply

    Fried anything…especially pickles!

  5. avatar Theresa reply

    The slow pace to life.

  6. avatar Jess // Curating Style reply

    How friendly everyone is, the history, fried chicken, and the better weather. And of course, my wonderful boyfriend is from the South, and I’d be amiss in neglecting to mention him. :)

  7. avatar Jennifer reply

    heritage. reinvention. the smell of tobacco smoking in a barn in the fall. our dusty rural areas make for some pretty spectacular sunsets. family dinners – oh the cooking!

  8. avatar Rachel reply

    SEC football
    Big hair
    Bigger wedding parties
    “Y’all”
    Lace & burlap
    Monogrammed seersucker

  9. avatar Kelsey B. reply

    I love sweet tea, tailgating during football season, big front porches, beach music and shagging, and the smiling faces that follow “Hey y’all!”

    -Kelsey Ballance
    Columbia, SC

  10. avatar Christina S. reply

    Warm pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla bluebell ice cream :)

  11. avatar Lindsay Heisler reply

    I love how the old mixes with the new so well in the South. In Charleston,SC you can spend the day touring old homes and then have dinner at a new and wonderful restaurant. And there is no place better for Shrimp n Grits and Sweet Tea!

    Lindsay H.
    Greer, SC

  12. avatar Laura reply

    Too many things to count! All the amazing Southern desserts, the word “y’all,” hospitality, seersucker, manners, gentleman who hold open doors for you, the warm weather…the list goes on and on!

  13. avatar Ashley reply

    SEC Football! Family dinners that include 5 generations, sunny beach days on the gulf and hurricane parties. -Ashley Moore, Pensacola, FL

  14. avatar Lauren Winstead reply

    Hands down, my favorite thing about the South is the fierce loyalty we all have to it. It’s full of hardworking people who love and believe in their friends and neighbors, and I’ve never visited a place where home and family are so important. And the food isn’t bad, either! -Lauren Winstead, Raleigh, NC

  15. avatar Kate Collison reply

    I’m a “Southern Transplant” – born in Indiana and getting married in Georgia… I’ve fallen in love with The South quite rapidly! My fiancé calls me a “displaced peach” because I get homesick for southern living! My most favorite part of The South is the genuine, simple hospitality that goes along with every aspect of life… whether it’s daily or for a big occasion! The world needs more of that. Plus, there are southern pines. I love southern pines.

  16. avatar Delaney Gates reply

    I love that in the South, ladies and gentlemen are not the exception, but the rule. –Delaney Gates (Rogers, Arkansas)

  17. avatar Lisa reply

    Where to begin? I love that every Southern state has special qualities that make it unique, but we all value family, kindness, hospitality, loyalty, and politeness above anything else! -Lisa Olson, Warrenton, VA

  18. avatar Victoria Derrick reply

    I love College Football season in the South. SEC all the way, baby! (Columbia, SC) Go Carolina Gamecocks!

  19. avatar Diego Molina reply

    Quality of life low pace, football and most defenitively the foood. Ohhh one more hospitality :).

  20. avatar Samantha Daniels reply

    Everything is simply sweeter in the south…the people, the tea, and the football victories. Samantha D. Matthews, NC

  21. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    My favorite thing about the south would definitely have to be the ‘southern gentleman’.

    My husband has opened the car door for me for FIVE years and counting. Men here are nicer, more polite, and know how to treat a lady!

    Madelynne Moulton – Birmingham, AL

  22. avatar Shelby Thomas reply

    Long words, wide front proches, sweet tea in a Mason jar, pine trees, SEC football, and putting’ on pearls no matter what the occasion!

  23. avatar Katie Bethune reply

    Grandma’s house in the summertime!

  24. avatar Katie reply

    I love the peace that settles in after a summer sunset. The sky is that perfect shade of blue and pink, the lightning bugs are coming alive, everyone feels content and the air smells of fresh cut grass. Now that I live in a more urban (and northern) area, that’s something I miss the most, especially on summer nights when all I want to do is run barefoot through the grass and see who can catch the most lightning bugs.

    Katie Eide
    Meadowview, VA

  25. avatar Ashleigh Farley reply

    I love that in the south your hair can never be too big, tea can never be too sweet and you can never give too many hugs.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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