Get to know mary

I’m a Southern gal who loves entertaining at home.

I grew up watching my mother and grandmother entertain friends and family in their homes with ease and grace. Hosting was their love language, and I truly believe it’s mine as well. However, over the years, the amount of free time that women enjoy has disappeared (especially those with a career and children). Many of us don’t have the time (nor do we want) to “DIY” every project and make every meal from scratch. I’ve come to rely on the power of delegation. I believe that by utilizing all the amazing entertaining-resources available today, you can actually enjoy hosting beautiful events and celebrating life creatively.

For many years, I loved planning parties so much that I made a living doing it for others. I started in the event-planning business in Dallas following college (much longer ago than I would like to admit). One marriage, one baby, and eight years later, I “retired” from wedding planning, and moved back to my hometown of Nashville to settle-down for good. There’s something truly special about Southern hospitality, and I missed living in Tennessee.

Shortly after moving back to Nashville, my husband and I started Please Be Seated, an event rental company, that quickly grew into the premier party rental company in the city. Owning the business allowed me to discover and source the best tabletop items available, and my love for hosting beautiful events blossomed even more.

As we grew our rental business, I realized there was a need for someone to help bridge the gap between the way our parents and grandparents entertained years ago and how I wanted to entertain now. I’m a working Southern woman who loves welcoming people into my home and throwing dinner parties. However, I don’t have the time or energy to spend hours on Pinterest, hunched over a stove or decorating an entire party by myself. Thankfully, times have changed, and we no longer have to solely rely on ourselves to make things happen. In fact, it’s so much easier if we don’t. From beautifully iced cookies, creative invitations, delicious meals delivered to your door and gorgeous flower arrangements, I share ideas, inspiration and contacts that will hopefully make your life a bit easier one cocktail party at a time.