PICTURE PERFECT

HERS Bridal

This floral lace ballgown is one of fantasies. This romantic wedding dress flaunts the detailed floral lace appliqués that bloom along the fitted bodice and tulle skirt. Cap sleeves add a touch of modesty, supporting the subtly plunging neckline while a keyhole back creates dimension from behind. The center of the gown cinches comfortably at the natural waist and extends into a blooming skirt with a 75-inch train.

These gorgeous wedding dresses from HERS Bridal and Blush by Sadie C’s offer dreamy designs perfect for your big day.

Photography by Kelly Moore Clark Hair and Makeup by Meka Reliford Model Bella Mayo

Blush by Sadie C’s

This romantic sweetheart neckline wedding dress is simply stunning. Detachable straps create an off-theshoulder neckline, while modern leafy lace appliqués adorn the illusion bodice and cascade down the tulle A-line skirt. The look is finished off with a sexy slit and buttons down the back.

WEDDING SEASON IS IN the air at Dupont Jewelers, known explicitly for beautifully handcrafted engagement rings. Gifted with the artistry skills of designing engagement and wedding rings is what James does best! He has created over five hundred handmade pieces of jewelry over the past eight years. One of his missions as a handmade jewelry designer is to preserve the disappearing art of handcrafting jewelry. The process starts by sitting down with James and sharing your ideas.

We are great at creating long histories with our customers and establishing real relationships with them based on trust and listening to the ideas for your dream engagement ring. The process of designing your engagement ring with James is simple. Gather ideas from pictures of designs you like and send us the photos with contact information to our texting platform at Dupont Jewelers. The number is 318-855-4695. Set an appointment to meet with James. James will listen to you describe your dream ring and ask you detailed questions about customizing your ring. He offers sound design advice. He works in yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, and platinum in 14 kt or 18 kt. After the design is decided, he will quote you his price, and you will put a down- payment on your ring. He orders the metals and puts you on his calendar. Each ring is so unique and well thought out before beginning the execution. I have watched him spend time thinking through the creative process. It is very important to him. He is very meticulous in choosing the individual design steps in creating an engagement ring that’s as unique as you are.

When we deliver the ring to the fiancé, it is priceless to see the expression on his face after seeing it for the first time. “It’s magical and I love being a part of their dreams!”

After creating the engagement ring, James then takes it a step further in creating a matching custom wedding band. We can also help you choose the perfect man’s wedding band with customized engraving if desired. All jewelry comes with a fantastic warranty. With the purchase of the custom ring, once a year, you can bring in the rings for a total refinish at no charge. This process makes the ring look like it did the day you received it. We encourage our customers to stop any time for a quick clean throughout the year.

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind jeweler and jewelry shop that will create the ring of your dreams, please come by, and visit with James at 1874 Forsythe Ave. Monroe, La.

We are committed to investing time and one on one consulting to make sure your oneof-a-kind engagement ring is exactly what you dream it to be. Once a customer, always a customer of Dupont Jewelers, exceeding in the excellence of customer service and unique jewelry. Please check out our customer reviews on Google.

wwww.DupontJewelers.com facebook/dupontjewelers Trade - Restore - Redesign - Sell Dupont Jewelers on Forsythe in Monroe

The beautiful spring day March 26, 2022 began and ended with bountiful joy for Doctors Avery Bryan and Drayton Daily and their families in a celebration of marriage at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m. with

Reverend Todd Strain officiating. Avery, daughter of Dr. David G. Bryan and Mrs. Beverly

Bryan, and Drayton, son of Mr. David L. Daily and Mrs. Tracy

Lee Daily, met during their first year of medical school at Ochsner

LSU/Shreveport and became engaged in March 2021. Avery’s maternal grandmother is the late Mrs. Gloria Evans, and paternal grandparents are Mrs. Velva Jean Bryan and the late Mr. Reginald

N. Bryan. Drayton’s maternal grandparents are Mrs. Marietta Lee and the late Mr. Lester H. Lee Sr. Bridesmaids were treated to their choice of hairstyle by the talented Larkin Adcock and Morgan Myers. Makeup was done by Haley Gould and Landry Wade of Haley Marie’s Vanity from

Benton,LA. Erin Wilson Photography and her team started early at the Neville House memorializing the day and then to Bayou

Desiard Country Club for pre-wedding photos and first looks for the bride and groom. The wedding ceremony was performed in the chapel of Saint

Paul’s United Methodist Church in Monroe. The floral designs were created by Brianna Belton Design from Bossier, LA. Guests, honored guests, parents and wedding party were seated to classical music selections performed by DiGiulian Strings.

Maid of Honor Virginia Lindley and bridesmaids, Casey Dufrene, Annabelle Daily, Ali Morgan, Emily Millet, Langley Sampognaro, Cara Crawford, and Alyssa Blazier wore Hayley Paige crepe de chine A-line one shoulder neckline gowns in dusty rose and carried a smaller version of the bride’s bouquet. Avery’s nephew and niece Beckham Bryan and Emerson Kate Bryan served as ring bearer and flower girl.

The groom’s attendants included Best Man, Drake Daily and groomsmen, Hunter Calhoon, Colton Tomlin, Taylor Guillot, Jacob Williams, Thomas Breaux, William Dinnat, and Alex Clausen.

Dr. Bryan escorted Avery down the aisle as Eclipse Brass performed Trumpet Voluntary. Avery’s timeless, classic wedding gown designed by Valery Zelenyuk of Vagabond Bridal was a light ivory silk crepe, with classic lines made individually by hand. The classic V neckline bodice, and deep V in the back complimented the mermaid fitted crepe skirt with full train. Avery’s veil by Toni Federici was circular cut, cathedral length train trimmed with Alencon lace, which complimented the modern silhouette of her gown.

Over four hundred guests arrived to the bayou lawn cocktail hour decorated with white tables and chairs adorned with gold lanterns filled with candles and greenery. Seating vignettes of club chairs, settees, and benches with ivory cushions and colorful pastel pillows scattered throughout the lawn welcomed guests to linger, enjoying the gorgeous evening and the sounds of soft jazz music by LA Jazz Trio.

Cutting the white five tiered circular wedding cake adorned with fresh spring flowers in a waterfall pattern surrounded by bridesmaid’s bouquets followed the traditional dances. The cake was white with almond flavored icing created by Cake Bakery in West Monroe. The groom’s cake, a square three layer chocolate decorated with chocolate icing was created by Butter Bakery in Monroe. Drayton’s cake was adorned with greenery and small white flowers. Adjacent to the groom’s cake a turkey fan, photos of turkey hunts, turkey calls, and a display board hand made for Drayton’s wedding by a family friend adorned the groom’s cake table.

The dance floor was packed all night dancing to the sensational sounds of twelve piece band Three Thirty Seven from Lafayette. Family and friends from medical school, high school, and college danced along with the happy couple! The band summoned Avery and Drayton to the stage, where they entertained everyone to Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. A happy night and a time to be remembered with joy!

Just before midnight the crowd made their way outside sending of the newlyweds with a dramatic sparkler exit. Awaiting in their Master Craft boat, complete with Just Married banner was Mr. Gus Campbell and First Mate Dr. Jane Mickey to whisk the couple away. The boat roared away from the dock and immediately did a fast 360 degree turn as everyone waved and cheered farewell to the happy couple, then sped away.

Following a honeymoon to Copper Mountain, Colorado Both Avery and Drayton resumed their residency training programs. Drayton is attending an Orthopedic residency program and Avery is attending a General Surgery residency program. They will make their home in Shreveport.

NICK AKINS, A 1982 AND 1986 graduate of Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science (COES) and today Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of American Electric Power (AEP), is the University’s newest Tower Medallion recipient.

As the recipient of the Tower Medallion, Akins was inducted by the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association into Tech’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni during the University’s 2022 Spring Commencement Ceremonies for the COES on Saturday, May 21st, in the Thomas Assembly Center on the Tech campus.

The Tower Medallion Award signifies membership in the Hall and is awarded to Tech alumni who have distinguished themselves by exceptional achievement, community service, and humanitarian activities.

“Nick has been a great friend and supporter of Louisiana Tech,” Tech President Dr. Les Guice said. “His leadership in AEP, one of the nation’s most important energy companies, has been highly impactful, and he has established a legacy of innovation in safety, reliability and sustainability for the industry.”

Akins attended Tech because it was close to home and friends, and because “I was interested in getting a great engineering education — and Tech was known for having one of the best undergraduate engineering programs around,” he said. “Also, scholarships were made available that certainly made the cost of college, along with student loans, more affordable.

“Later, after starting work for AEP-SWEPCO, I recognized the need to get further education in computer applications to power and returned to Tech for my master’s in electrical engineering. The value of my Tech education and the lifelong friends I made there has been priceless.”

In addition to his Tech degrees, Akins has earned additional training through executive management programs at LSU, the University of Idaho, and the Reactor Technology Course for Utility Executives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The University also received a generous gift from Akins, president of the Foundation, in 2017 to support the then-new Academic Success Center, which includes Tech’s cyber training center, located in the National Cyber Research Park in Bossier City.

“Nick has for so long been a positive difference-maker for his University,” Tech Vice President for University Advancement Brooks Hull said. “His impact reaches campus-wide, far beyond the College of Engineering and Science. The investments he’s made in Tech’s present and future and how he’s represented both himself and his school in the past makes us happy and proud to pay tribute to him in this way. Nick deserves the highest honor the University can grant him.”

Under his leadership, AEP continues to invest in modernization and security of the electric grid, resource diversification, and technology and innovation to enable the transition to a clean energy future while preserving universal access to the grid.

And he continues to help Tech position itself as leader in higher education.

“My family — wife Donna, sons Chris and Matt, my sister Patti, and brother Rick, who also graduated from Tech — are very proud and excited to be honored this way,” he said. “My mother was able to come to my very first Tech award — Electrical Engineering Sophomore of the Year, the David Johnson Scholarship. She passed away from cancer when I was in graduate school, but I know she would have been very proud as well.”

Courtesy of Louisiana Tech (edited for print)

WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GIRLS’ getaway, a romantic weekend, an exciting gaming experience, the best blue plate special in Vicksburg, a relaxing hotel stay with an amazing view, or some combination of those things, WaterView has you covered. Our friendly staff and comfortable atmosphere make visits with us a fantastic way to visit Vicksburg and see what more there is to do in the Key City.

WaterView has been celebrating this Spring! As summer 2022 approaches, WaterView turns 6 years old. With our history as the first casino to open in Vicksburg, we are pleased to continue to provide an outstanding gaming experience and entertainment to our guests. There is certainly a treasure trove of history in our ‘burg, and we are so pleased to have a huge part in that. Come visit us to see what all the historic fuss is about!

We started our birthday month with the induction of Allan Solomon into the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame as an Industry Pioneer. Allan was one of the principals in the opening of the very first casino in Mississippi, the Isle of Capri in Biloxi. After an illustrious career, Allan is now one of the owners of our parent company, Foundation Gaming Group. His accomplishments aren’t just limited to the world of gaming, however. He and his wife Shirley, a Mississippi native, have 4 children and 11 grandchildren who are doing some amazing things themselves, with their Pop cheering them on every step of the way. We couldn’t be more proud to be a part of Allan’s legacy!

That’s not all WaterView has been celebrating this Spring. We are certainly beaming with pride over the completion of our latest remodeling projects. The results: an all-new hotel and a brand-new gaming area complete with games available at WaterView and nowhere else in Mississippi! Our already comfortable rooms, many of which feature a jetted tub and unrivaled view of a bend in the Mighty Mississippi, have been refreshed to make them even more enticing! We have also installed new Electric Vehicle chargers in our north parking lot, exchanged air fresheners for ionizers to clean instead of just perfume the air in our facility, and we are hard at work renovating our lobby restrooms. We aren’t even close to finished, though! Keep an eye out for upcoming projects to further improve our facility and make sure you have the best possible visit with us.

Coming up very soon, we’re going to debut a new feature for our MYEDGE cardholders. To learn more, watch our social media and WaterView Casino website, as we launch the most up-to-date version of the WaterView mobile app, which will soon enable you to earn points without using your card. That’s right! You’ll be able to use your mobile phone just like a MYEDGE card at many of our slots. Stay tuned for this and all the other updates here at WaterView Casino and Hotel in beautiful, historic Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Destination weddings appeal to all couples. Gathering family and friends in a picturesque, intimate setting away from home is often cheaper than local weddings and provides the escape so many desperately crave. BayouLife interviewed Kim Johnson at The Travel Company to highlight the top wedding/ honeymoon destinations for 2022.

ARTICLE BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE

Caribbean weddings dominate the weddingmoon market with free wedding options. Sandals Resorts, which is adults only, feature locations in Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Curacao, Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Lucia. The ultra-all-inclusive Beaches Resorts, part of the Sandals brand, are family-friendly locations in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica and feature excursion activities such as scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, and snorkeling. When couples book a stay of 3 nights or more, the wedding is free and includes a personal wedding team, preparation of marriage documents, and 15% off spa treatments at the resort. The free wedding ceremony includes bridal bouquet, boutonniere, pre-recorded musical choices, and a complimentary 5x7 wedding photo. The reception promises a 2-tiered fondant wedding cake with fuchsia orchids; a table setting with white linen, silverware, and crystal; decoration centerpieces; white cushioned chairs for all guests; sparkling wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a Bride and Groom signature cocktail. This package is popular for couples-only weddings, as catering for guests involves a surcharge. The couple can expect breakfast in bed on the morning of their choice, with romantic turndown service with flower petals on the first evening of the honeymoon.

The Dreams Resorts is a family-friendly company with locations in Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. The wedding packages start at $3399 and include all wedding organization and preparation, an on-site coordinator, ironing of wedding clothes, and a judge or minister for the ceremony. The Dreams Resorts do feature some complimentary wedding packages, depending on the number of guests. The Royalton Resorts offer adult-only properties and family-friendly locations depending on the destination. Royalton location options include Antigua, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, and St. Lucia.

Domestic weddings remain popular, a getaway that’s not too far away. Las Vegas is synonymous with eloping, but many couples choose the iconic location for more traditional weddings. The Little White Wedding Chapel, popularized by Britney Spears’s and The Hangover movies, hosts weddings beginning at $75. Hawaii, featuring some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, consistently ranks high on destination wedding lists. The big island of Kona offers ceremony-only packages for $850, and the island of Maui begins at $1500. These Hawaiian ceremonies typically include a beach vow ceremony, a heart of flowers, and a ceremony minister. For those couples who desire a getaway

MAKE MEMORIES TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

Whether you are planning on having a destination wedding at the beach or at The Little White Wedding Chaple in Las Vegas, finding resorts that offer wedding packages can make planning easier.

within driving distance, New Orleans is a hot wedding spot. The budget-conscious couples can marry for free in the New Orleans City Park.

The most popular site for domestic weddings in Destin, Florida. The wedding company Just the Two of us in the Sand features wedding packages starting at $1295 including: officiant, bamboo arbor, 6 shepherd hooks with flower balls or lanterns, rose petals, and set up and breakdown of ceremony. Barefoot on the Beach offers deluxe options beginning at $2895 including: officiant, professional photographer for one hour, USB 100150 images, release of all images, arbor with 4-post bamboo or hexagon, up to 30 chairs or 4 white benches and 10 chairs, sashes on the aisle and front-row chairs (color of your choice), six shepherd hooks with lanterns, rose petal aisle, rose petals for flower girl, raking of sand at ceremony, sound package, sand ceremony including one vase and two colored sands, greenery and flowers on the arbor, heart in sand with initials and date, beautiful artificial bride bouquet and matching boutonniere with your choice of color; and set up and break down of ceremony.

International weddings offer luxury and elegance. Paris, France and Florence, Italy are popular. The Il Salviatino is a private villa in Tuscany, and packages start at $20,000.

Regardless of your budget, destination weddings are not only possible, but can deliver the wedding of your dreams. Call the Travel Company to plan your dream wedding; the time for forever is now.

article by Cindy G. Foust

Well, here we all are at the middle of the year… it’s June, readers, and we are flying through yet another year at lightning speed. I hope this month’s column finds all of you on vacation in some tropical place drinking out of a coconut…or at least laying by a pool in a palm tree inner tube. It’s hard to believe it’s time again for summer vacations, pool parties and sleep overs.

Hey, I’m just grateful we are actually able to safely do these normal life happenings and without masks! From a “grown-up” perspective (I’m not sure I qualify as such, so I will use the word loosely), I personally enjoy this time of year from the viewpoint of a “foodie.” For certain, I am a person who gets a kick out of visits to the farmer’s market and stopping on the side of the road for home-grown produce.

If you circle anywhere near my very boring and somewhat hohum network, you already know that this writer has no hobbies, no social life and no enviable travel schedule (unless travel to the grocery store makes you envious.) Like most folks I know, my days are filled with work and children...which I wouldn’t have any other way, but it leaves very little time for a “hobbyful” (Dr. Seuss meet Cindy Foust) life.

There is one thing that does give me great joy, however, and makes the hills alive with the sound of music, and that is cooking. I have come to appreciate that cooking either puts a person in a happy place or it puts them in a grumpy, irritable place. Frankly, there is no in between, you either love it or you don’t. For me, that happy place is in my kitchen, performing some new experiment on a shrimp, with my family and friends standing around like the proverbial guinea pigs. However, not everyone embraces the warmth from the oven, and for many families, the kitchen just becomes the place where your kids sit their backpacks. Some of the buzz words in education today are obesity, childhood obesity and healthy eating, and heads scratch daily on what we, (my fellow Americans), can do to change this trend. Many believe that we too far gone and it would be impossible to eradicate the damage. Just call me Hopeful Holly, but there is boatloads of research out there, and experts that share the opinion that if families will cook and eat together, it could be a vital step in resolving obesity issues, and not just for children.

In my humble opinion, it seems there could be an entire revolution just waiting to happen and that revolution could start in the kitchen (I’ve got to start with my friend Melanie, who thinks take-out chicken nuggets are a food group.) I read somewhere that cooking with your children is a “lost art” in households across America today. Common sense supports that primarily because families lead such hectic, busy lives and the family time that probably suffers the most is the dinner hour. It’s just easier to pick up pizza or run through a drive-through.

Lets’ face it, planning, grocery shopping and preparing meals takes time. How many readers have ever found themselves rushing from work to the grocery store and after trying to decide what to cook, rolling in the garage on two wheels to get dinner “on the stove?” Probably everyone that reads this column.

As the research suggested, family dinnertime is a lost art. But that same research says that if families today would slow the cycle down just a bit, and evaluate the value of organizing family meals, prepared some nights by the entire family, what an impact that effort could make. How so? By encouraging your children to take part in the process, they will be more inclined to try healthier foods.

Listen, I’m not saying you have to plan a 7-course meal that includes sorbet and eating with the right fork, but the reality is that good, home-cooked meals are going to be much healthier than take-out. Most people are probably not aware that the average calories for a fast food meal (burger with cheese, fries and a soda) is 1,300, and if you add a shake or dessert, it goes up even more. Cooking at home however, reduces the caloric intake drastically, depending on your meal choice (half of a roasted chicken, baked potato and green beans averages 350 calories).

Children that are challenged with weight control could benefit greatly from the extra time and effort it will take to prepare your meal at home. There are plenty of meal choices that the family can make together, that doesn’t include cabbage (I’m not trying to offend the cabbage farmers of America, because I love cabbage), that will encourage healthier food choices that are lower in calories.

I’ve written before about how a person’s general health as an adult is overall improved based on their health as a child. In fact, this could be an entire column, but it’s just the plain truth, if you are a healthy child, chances are you will enjoy good health as an adult.

And as with most every column I write, encouraging families to spend time together at every opportunity is just something I am passionate about. Time spent in the kitchen together, preparing a meal is yet another opportunity for structured family time. Hey, I think Ward and June were on to something in the Cleaver household, having meals together, talking about the events of the day.

And finally, eating at home is certainly more economical than eating out, so if you need to appeal to the bread winner in the family as you make an argument for the family to gather in the kitchen to bake some chicken, there’s your argument. All these arguments make for a win-win opportunity. In the words of the great culinary genius, Julia Child, “Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun!”

So readers, get those notebooks out, plan some weekly meals with your family, carve out some time to prepare it together, and enjoy your family time around the table. With this extra effort, your family will be healthier, they will begin to look forward to this time and your pocketbook will be fuller. Just don’t be surprised when your friends start comparing you to the Waltons. Cindy G. Foust is a wife, mom, author and blogger. You can find her blog at the alphabetmom.com for weekly columns about home life, parenting, small business stories and insight with a smidgen of literacy. Give her a like or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

If you’re looking for a plant that won’t go unnoticed, the Upright Elephant Ear is a stand-out. The beautiful thick leaves can grow up to eight feet and work well in a planter or in the garden.

LIGHT: Elephant ears will grow in sun or shade. If you put them in a hot, sunny location, make sure they get a little shade during the middle of the day.

WATER: Make sure to water frequently. Elephant Ears need consistent moisture throughout the summer, and should not be left to go dry. Droopy leaves will give warning for the plant to recover if watered within a day.

PLANTING: Elephant ears are planted in spring after any danger of frost has passed. The tubers will not grow until the soil is warm, so don’t plant them until the soil temperature is at least 65ºF. Elephant ear tubers can be very slow to sprout. Depending on when and where they are planted, it may take more than a month before you see any sign of growth. Plant elephant ears in rich, well drained soil. styling by TAYLOR BENNETT photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

JUNETEENTH, OFFICIALLY JUNETEENTH

National Independence Day and also known as Jubilee Day,Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. It is also often observed for celebrating AfricanAmerican culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865. The day was recognized as a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Juneteenth’s commemoration is on the anniversary date of the June 19th, 1865, announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas,which was the last state of the Confederacy with institutional slavery.

The following will take place at NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum the month of June:

• Opening Artist Reception on June 1st, 2022 at 6pm • Poetry Night on June 16th, 2022 at 6pm • Family Fun Day on June 19th, 2022 at 3pm • An Evening with Coco York and Mass Choirs on June 24tg, 2022 at 6pm. • An Evening with Coco York and Blues Fest on June 25th, 2022 at 6pm • Artist Award Program on June 30th, 2022 at 6pm

Tickets for An Evening With Coco York will be available for purchase at NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum beginning May 25, 2022.

Museum hours are Tuesday-Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Regular admission to the NLDAAHM is $5 for adults 18 and over and $3 for senior citizens. Admission for students with school groups is $5. Groups are welcome and encouraged to make reservations by calling 318-342-8889.