Now that V5 is out on shelves, we get asked quite frequently if things have slowed down a bit and all of us SW gals are relaxing. Well, we are quite relaxed, but the V5 hubbub has not died down. (Especially with surprise collector’s editions sprouting up throughout the South!) Nope, we’re still on the post-print high, soaking in the gold foil on our cover and the love in our pages. We still can’t believe this magazine is ours!
That’s why, in celebration of five years of publishing, of great love stories and of amazing friends, vendors and readers, the V5 Launch Party was a must-do! We were blown away by how many people came to celebrate with us last month. Over 200 of y’all! We had a blast at the Carolina Inn hugging everyone and piling into the Cheese Photo Booth.
Those adorable buttons up there are from our event sponsor, Busy Beaver Button Co.! They greeted guests as they began rolling in at 7:00 on the dot. (Apparently, they were so well liked that many people from the event down the hall from us wanted to take them!)
Ryan Ray and Stefanie Miles of Lavender Joy Weddings, the talented brains behind our cover, didn’t know they could come until the very last minute. We are so glad they did because not only did we get to give them giant hugs, but we got to witness them seeing their cover in person for the very first time!
With our fifth anniversary cover donning glitzy gold and bright yellow, you know we jumped on the chance to make the whole party and gold glitter bash! Our intern Alexia was crucial in executing ideas. (In all seriousness, we do often refer to her as the official glitterer in the SW office.) We’re big fans of rustic and glam, so we just love that Floral Cotton provided us with some fluffy bolls to stick in our glittered mason jar. Those cheery and dressed up yellow centerpieces are the work of Expressions of Love, who nailed our color theme.
Y’all, let me tell you. There was no shortage of delicious (mini) Southern food at this party. Heidi at the Carolina Inn is a master at creating menus. Ours was full of mini pies, mini chicken and waffles, pulled pork sliders, a sweet potato bar, a sweet tea bar, a hot chocolate bar and so much more. Of course, we washed it all down with something sweet, courtesy of our friends at Cheerwine.
After we cut the (delicious red velvet) cake, we had to hop into the Cheese Booth! The lovely people below are Faith Teasley and Stacey Lanning, the photo and styling masterminds behind our feature, “In Celebration of the Mason,” followed by photographer Lauren Larsen and V5 Real Wedding couple Hailey + Rhet!! We couldn’t resist dropping a few poses with our new cover, Ryan Ray and Stefanie Miles.
Yahoo! The party was quite a big night for us. (Lara’s car and mine are still covered in glitter!) Since we’re still celebrating, we’re giving away one of our swag bags from the party! This gilded bag is full of a golden V5, fun buttons and a Sweet Tea Society manifesto. Want to win? Leave a comment below telling us what you love about weddings.
In other merry news, ornaments should be rolling into your mailboxes as I speak! If y’all are participating in our annual ornament swap, you should have sent your ornaments out on Friday. Slipped your mind? Get them in the mail today!
When you started this series, I thought about who or what I would send my love letter to. It would have to be the place that holds my heart, my dear homeland, North Carolina. Thanks Lara for the words that all North Carolinians can utter to our beloved state.
Love this! Favorite line, “You are gooder than grits” lol
“Honey to my Heart” :) Love!
Oh my stars, I love North Carolina. Born and raised here, I spent a short year in NYC, only to head back home to my cozy, perfect, home state. No matter where the future takes me, I’ll always feel a sense of comfort when I see our state flag and that lovely cardinal.
What I love about the south is the general care people have for each other. I was born in NY, then moved to oklahoma (boomer!!!) then Louisiana, then California. My family currently lives in California but when choosing a college I picked the University of Oklahoma….and boy am I glad that I did! Oklahoma brought me awesome friends, sweet memories, and meeting my soon to be husband Beau (: Once I got engaged and graduated my fiance and I had to decide where we wanted to live, and we ended up choosing California. That being said, it has made me realize how truly special Oklahoma was to me. I think it says a lot when something is so tough to leave. My memories and friendships made are so special to me and who knows!…maybe I’ll end up there again someday. The south is a different pace of life that isn’t found everywhere.
anyways, the south is a sweet place to me. California girl but Oklahoma has my heart.
[…] Southern Love Letter from Lara Casey to my state. North Carolina is special, and I’m blessed to call it home. […]
This letter is great! Do you sell this letter in the form of a print that can be framed? I didn’t see it in your shop. Please email me if you do! Thanks!!
[…] Through your glistening winters, blossoming springs, colorful falls and hot southern summers full of…. Thus, moving away from you, my forever home, was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I often find myself impatiently counting down the days until I can return home to the place and people that I love. I crave to hug their necks, and tell them all my stories, to hold them one last time and never let go; never having to return back to my house 1,250 miles away. While some days are better than others, that feeling of being homesick never really goes away. People often argue with me that it is the people I miss and not the place, but I have to say that is the farthest from the truth. While I miss my family dearly, I often times long to be in the state of southern hospitality, front porches that stretch from the mountains to the sea in all of its beauty, and having the whole world at my fingertips. I’m just a North Carolina girl living in a Texas high school coaches world. […]