What We're Celebrating This Year {So Far!}
By the time 2022 came to a close, we quickly realized that 2023 was going to be quite an eventful year for our family. As we celebrate one year of our re-launched blog, Toast today, we recognize how we’ve so enjoyed sharing many more of our family’s gatherings, dinners, special occasions and done-for-you party ideas in hopes to give you a peek into our entertaining-forward lifestyle and also to inspire you to gather together with your loved ones, too, {one of the most important and enjoyable things in our opinion!}. Though, we admittedly feel that we let too much time pass before sharing peeks into our everyday moments and what we’re celebrating – both the big and the small things! If we only had a nickel for every time we wished for time to slow down just a little bit...
So we thought... just like we encourage others to, we’re taking our excuses off the table for a moment to round up and shine some light on a few pieces of wonderful news from our family to set the stage for sharing more and celebrating with you, too!
Here’s what we’re celebrating this year {so far!} …
Not One... but Two Weddings
Logan and Ernest Got Married
At a beautiful destination wedding beneath the live oaks and amongst the marsh and palm fronds in Frederica, GA, a location near and dear to the couple, earlier this spring, we all traveled and enjoyed a week full of festivities perfectly tailored to celebrating to soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs.
The week kicked off with a swanky soiree for Logan’s best girls at her bachelorette get-together which we’ve dubbed “Miss to Mrs. Merriment.” Her sisters, Courtney and Taylor hosted a plated dinner followed by a casual gift-opening and cocktail hour to honor the bride-to-be on one of her last nights as “Miss Logan Parks.” They set the table with a fun mix of dinner plates and napkins from our Fundamentals Collection, mixed in salad plates from Courtney’s personal collection of Herend Queen Victoria, and tied everything together with an eclectic centerpiece featuring palm fronds and hand-illustrated paper goods by a talented family friend.
See all the details of the Miss to Mrs. Gathering here.
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The very next day, it was Laura, Kyle, Sara Kate, and Mary Parker’s turn to host a Bridal Luncheon in Logan’s honor. In contrast to both the Bachelorette Gathering and what was to come for the neutral and clean style of the wedding reception, “Something Blue” was the underlying theme of the gathering and showcased key pieces from our Iris Blue and Signature White Collections. A timeless and classic look for a fitting bride!
See all the details of the Something Blue Bridal Luncheon Gathering here.
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After a joyous rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom’s parents at the beloved Dorothy’s Cocktail & Oyster Bar in St. Simon’s Island, the grand finale of the weekend was of course the beautiful ceremony and lively wedding reception!
A few of the most notable details being:
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A stunning bride and groom, of course!
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Sparkling disco balls centered over the never-empty dance floor
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A striking and scrumptious red velvet cake...
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… that set the tone for one of the most jaw-dropping {in the best way!} second dress reveal in history
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Oh-so-fitting custom-designed cake plates especially for the occasion, which doubled as party favors for the guests!
Most photos c/o @rachelandnoahraye
Now Logan and her new husband, Ernest, are now living in newlywed bliss in their new home all while breaking in their brand new gifts purchased by loved ones off of their specially curated wedding registry. Read more on Logan sharing some insight into creating her wedding registry.
Mary Parker and Whit Got Married
We are all still coming down from the springy, color-packed, and love-filled HIGH that was last week.
Kyle and Warren kicked off the wedding festivities with a small and casual evening at their home, complete with the groom’s favorite grub, pizza, in the form of a pizza truck in the driveway!
Marcie, Courtney, Taylor, and Logan hosted a beautiful and traditional Bridesmaids Luncheon the following morning for Mary Parker and her bridal party on Marcie’s breezy patio with Signature White Rimmed Dinnerware setting the tone for the tonal look. Check back next week for a deeper look into every detail of this beautiful affair!
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The groom’s parents hosted family and friends at a classic with a hint of masculine flair rehearsal dinner that evening at a Tallahassee landmark, The Governor’s Club, where toasts were toasted and the anticipation for the following day grew tenfold!
Finally, all the details Mary Parker {and her giant support team including family, friends, and local planning, design, and production firm, John Gandy Events} have been working on perfecting for months came together in the most delightful way at the wedding ceremony and following reception. Her vision which could be fittingly described as feminine floral with a slight nod an old Florida feel shone through every corner including just a few of many notable details:
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Incredible florals everywhere your eyes could see by local florist, Missy Gunnels Flowers
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The interactive custom-designed cake plate installation that framed the towering wedding cake. In case you haven’t picked up on this detail - it’s a tradition in our family to design and gift our guests with cake plates for each wedding!
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Hand-painted silk panels illustrating a lovely tropical garden scene with a printed wrap for the formal wedding invitation to match
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The always-full dance floor thanks to the oh-so-talented, Rivertown Band
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The beaming bride and groom, of course!
*Most photos c/o @woodlandfields
Not One... but Two New Puppies!
Meet Ruby {Courtney and her son, Parks’ pup} and her sister, Clementine {who belongs to Marcie and René}.
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Both officially joined the family on Christmas morning!
A Little One on the Way...
Kyle and Warren are so very elated to be expecting a baby girl later this summer.
The official tiebreaker of boys and girls in the youngest generation, it’s fitting for our female-forward family that another little girl is joining the crew later this summer!
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Baby Smith will make her debut as Kyle and Warren’s first child and Laura and Milton’s very first grandchild!
With wedding season wrapped up, nursery design and baby shower fun are next on the horizon! Stay tuned for more...
New Product Designs
From our sketchbooks to your homes – new product design and development is underway!
In the work world, inspiration overflows as product design and development for 2024 launches and beyond is well underway! We’ve set out to further enhance our offerings for the kitchen, for the table, and for the home, and we can’t wait to start receiving samples and sharing with you along the way.
Making Houses into Homes, One {Or... Three} Renovation(s) At A Time
There’s something about being busy and productive that inspires you to add... more to your plate to be busy and productive, right?! At least in the world of Laura, Courtney, and Taylor, all who have taken on home renovation projects this year.
Laura is in the midst of re-finishing the back wing of her home to re-work a space into an at-home office and library and to upgrade her guest rooms for visitors. She’s also adding on an outdoor patio and refreshing {putting it lightly} her landscaping to match!
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Courtney purchased a new home right down the street from Laura and Marcie in early 2022 and has been busy gutting and re-finishing it to suit her style. While she has finished most of the construction and is currently installing Phase 1 of the landscaping plan, the interior design will be an evolving effort as she scouts and sources all the finishing fixtures and special touches.
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Taylor and her family purchased a new {and fittingly larger for their growing family} home in fall 2022. While the home was practically move-in ready, they’ve been finishing out some spaces to extend the living spaces and tweak the design finishes to their liking. As in the case of most projects, this will be a phased approach to completion. But... let’s be honest, are home projects really ever complete?!
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We’re Hiring!
As Coton Colors Company grows and evolves, so does our crew! We are hiring a handful of positions {with more posting soon!}, so if you're looking for a career opportunity, are interested in working for a fast-paced, entrepreneurial-spirited company where you become part of a family... one of these positions may be for you!Apply here and check back soon for more. We can’t wait to meet you!
We’re Moving On Up!
Our Coton Colors Atlanta and Tampa Flagship Stores are moving!
While it’s bittersweet to close the doors of our current homes in Atlanta and Tampa, the timing and opportunities were just perfect for us to take to make the next steps happen for our family and brand. We are looking forward to reinventing and enhancing our in-store experience {including some tweaked visual branding, which we’re all especially excited about!} in both locations to continue to be your go-to destination for entertaining and everyday living needs.
As we look ahead to the upcoming year, we're looking forward to sharing all we have planned for our move and our new, reinvented shopping experience. Until then, you can continue to shop Coton Colors in our Tallahassee Flagship Store, or on our online store at coton-colors.com.
Next Up: Summer Travels
Because of the wedding plans and all the fun festivities and gatherings that go along with them, our family has stayed fairly grounded at home this spring, which is unusual for what a typical year looks like for most of us.
Starting with Memorial Day Weekend, most of us plan to make up for it and get out on the go!
Whether it’s making the short trek to our shared vacation home at Alligator Point Beach, FL, and providing an inside look at what our lifestyle looks like during our time there, or for some of us, a slightly farther jaunt across the Atlantic Ocean to Italy for an extended stay later this summer, we look forward to sharing more memories with you, too! Check back soon for our Go-To Beach Weekend Menu, more beloved recipes, and a little history of The Forgotten Coast, and more!