Floral Fête

April 1, 2026 by Laura LaRue

Elevate your spring soirée with a tablescape inspired by the garden

As spring firmly takes hold in Arkansas, many gravitate toward their patios, porches, and decks for gatherings. And what better way to enhance the garden-party feel of an outdoor get-together than with a bounty of fresh blooms at the center of it all? “Everyone loves to have fresh flowers on the table, especially for a fun party with friends,” says Chris Norwood, who designed the low, lush arrangement seen here. “Flowers are like the icing on the cake of a tablescape.”…

A Light in the Dark

December 1, 2025 by Laura LaRue

On the longest night of the year, event planner Jessie Gillham and her mother host a warm, welcoming affair to toast the winter solstice

Hosting is a tradition for Jessie Gillham and her mother, Cindy Edwards. “My love of entertaining came from her, and her love came from her mother,” Jessie says. This shared passion is an extension of all their holiday celebrations, but there’s one they have become especially fond of planning and enjoying with friends and family. “The winter solstice party is a Christmas party, but it’s not all about Santa,” Cindy explains. As the seasons round the corner, the party honors the longest night on the calendar and the return of light the following day, while also allowing time to give gratitude for the past year—a chance for guests to find calm, joy, and connection within the hustle and bustle of the season. “I went to a similar party years ago at our former neighbors’ house,” Cindy says. “When my husband, Bill, and I moved here, we wanted to do something different to host an open house. I remembered that party and wanted to put my own spin on it and for it to be our new tradition,” she says.
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Heritage & Hospitality

November 3, 2025 by Laura LaRue

Sisters Meredith Benton and Maggie Counce carry on their family’s tradition of creating inviting settings both at home and in their businesses

Meredith Benton (left) and Maggie Counce

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The Star of Summer

July 2, 2025 by Laura LaRue

Event designer Candace Wilson creates a Fourth of July gathering that will make you want to party like it’s 1776

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Gratefully Yours

March 28, 2025 by Laura LaRue

Expressions of gratitude live on in the simple act of a handwritten thank-you note

In an era of email, texts, and social media, the power of the good old-fashioned pen remains. Open your inbox on any given day and you’ll likely be flooded with tasks, advertisements, and informational memos. Purchase a registry gift online and you may even have the option to check a box indicating no thank-you note is required. Does our current way of life make thank-you notes obsolete—or, perhaps, even more valuable?
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Here Comes the Sun

February 28, 2025 by Laura LaRue

Inspired by the color yellow, event designer JoBeth McElhanon creates a brunch that radiates happiness

Sometimes you have to make your own sunshine. With the gray days of winter looming outside her windows, JoBeth McElhanon, the chief celebrations officer at local wedding and event planning company Lilias & Olive, imagined brighter days ahead—and so did her clients. As newlyweds, Kendall and Derek Middleton were eager to host friends and family, and a Sunday brunch seemed like the perfect way to shake the winter blues.
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A Haunting Affair

October 1, 2024 by Laura LaRue

Event planner Meredith Corning conjures up an Edgar Allan Poe-inspired literary luncheon

Skulls and ravens and blood-red drinks dot the scene of a spooky gathering, just in time for Halloween. Inspired by the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe, event planner and designer Meredith Corning says, “The concept was not a book club, but a literary circle luncheon, where guests would discuss the complete works of an author and their life in depth.”

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A Lively Bunch

February 29, 2024 by Laura LaRue

Get guests in the mix with an experience-based approach to entertaining

When Jessie Gillham of Little Rock’s Festive Haus started dreaming about a spring gathering, she wanted it to be more than just a meet-and-eat party. “I think experience-based gatherings are becoming a huge trend—and a good one,” the event planner says. “There’s less pressure on you as a host and on guests to create conversation. Plus, it can be more fun and intimate.”
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Into the Woods

November 1, 2023 by Laura LaRue

Escape to your backyard for an easy-to-recreate autumn scene

Walk down the wooded pathway to Charlie Gropetti and Todd Smith’s backyard escape and you’ll likely feel as though you are miles into an Arkansas forest. “The idea was to feel far out but not actually be far from the house,” Charlie says. As the owners and creative minds behind national home décor brand Porch View Home, busy schedules often leave them with little time for lengthy vacations, making this at-home retreat even more alluring. The dense thicket consists of a circle of plantings on their property outside Vilonia. “It’s the gathering spot when we have parties,” Charlie says. “I think that’s because it has a very sheltering feel. You are enveloped in trees here and feel safe.”

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A New Season

November 1, 2022 by Laura LaRue

JoBeth McElhanon of Lilias & Olive finds sweetness in life’s transitions with a fine-feathered shindig

For JoBeth McElhanon, event designer and owner of Lilias & Olive, there’s no reason too small to gather with loved ones. And after watching a friend send her youngest of four to college, she realized the empty nest was one such milestone to celebrate. “For a lot of my friends it’s a bittersweet moment,” JoBeth says. “They’re excited about what the future holds, but it’s tinged with sadness. That makes it a good rallying point for friends.”
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Floral Fête

A Light in the Dark

Heritage & Hospitality

The Star of Summer

Gratefully Yours

Here Comes the Sun

A Haunting Affair

A Lively Bunch

Into the Woods

A New Season

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