Editor’s Letter

[ EDITOR’S LETTER ]

Spring is just around the corner, and that means the advent of wedding season. Those of us who have made the trip down the aisle know that often the things you don’t plan can make a day memorable.

While unexpected challenges and joys are a part of the process, our cover story all about weddings aims to help you move toward matrimony feeling grounded with the information you need. Writer Taylor Heard explores expert style tips for brides, grooms and other members of the bridal party; Michael Jacobs uncovers the wedding trends that are making a splash for 2022; and Amy Meadows takes a deep dive into modern etiquette, offering insights for everything from building a wedding registry to being respectful of your attendants’ time (and budgets!). It’s packed with smart insights you can use, whether you’re a bride, groom or wedding guest.

You’ll find the rest of this issue filled with stories designed to inform and inspire. Carly Cooper profiles designer Smith Hanes, who is the creative brains behind the interiors of some of our favorite area restaurants; Lauren Finney Harden explores the fringe trend in Simply Approved; beverage writer Angela Hansberger shares effortlessly delicious highball cocktails; and H.M. Cauley recalls the late art luminary Bill Lowe, whose eponymous gallery lives on.

As we head into warmer weather and wedding season, we hope you’re celebrating love and life wherever you see it, from weddings to new blooms that signal the arrival of spring.

Happy reading!

Sara Hanna

Jennifer Bradley Franklin

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2285 Peachtree Road Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 470.225.7500 Suitebridal.com

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Ready for Takeoff P24

Today, Huntsville's name is Rocket City.

Baker & Able, the rooftop bar atop the 106 Jefferson hotel, boasts a cozy indoor area and an alfresco deck overlooking downtown.

BY: Ginger Strejcek

Minty-Fresh FINESSE

New dental practice in Buckhead gives anxiety the brush off

Going to the dentist doesn’t rank highly on most to-do lists, but Tend Buckhead hopes to give patients something to smile about when it comes to their pearly whites. Set to open this month at Buckhead Village, the dental care company bundles hospitality with technology for a user-friendly experience that includes streaming entertainment, noisecancelling headphones, designer sunglasses, personalized polishing paste and take-home goodie bags.

“Oral health is inextricably linked to overall wellness, yet it is rarely prioritized as such. In fact, the experience is universally dreaded,” says CEO Doug Hudson, who co-founded Tend in 2019 in New York City and has since expanded into several major metropolitan markets, including two Atlanta locations. “Tend is changing this perception by reimagining dentistry as a joyful, empowering and human experience.”

Amenities aside, the soothing studio space and soft lighting channel a relaxed vibe. It also offers the convenience of online appointment bookings and transparent pricing for a full range of services from routine cleanings to whitening and veneers. Plus, time in the chair is eased with 30-second X-ray scans and quieter, low-vibration tools.

Open Monday through Saturday, Tend is non-membership based and accepts most insurance coverage. n

TEND BUCKHEAD hellotend.com @tenddental

NEWS CLIPS

GOING GREEN

Looking to slough off pandemic woes with a healthy new twist? SKIN Vegan Med Spa in Buckhead is open for business, offering such services as floral and herb-infused facial steams to rehydrate; rose quartz and jade treatments to reduce inflammation and improve lymphatic drainage; and cacao and sea moss masks to target eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

“Our vegan spa treatments provide the ultimate transformative experience, introducing a holistic, plant-based, cruelty-free way of treating your skin and body,” says owner Jazmin Meredith, who recently relaunched SKIN as the first black, woman-owned vegan medical spa in Atlanta. “We teach our clients how implementing small changes, such as drinking our allnatural drinks and teas, and receiving a face and foot detox [benefits a healthier lifestyle].”

skinveganmedspa.com @skinsalonspa

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Get ready for some big city fun in Dunwoody. Construction has kicked off at High Street Atlanta by Perimeter Mall. Envisioned as a pedestrian-friendly center for work and play, the $2 billion mixed-use project by GIC Development Group will offer retail, restaurant, office and residential space, spanning 10 blocks at the intersection of Perimeter Center Parkway and Hammond Drive. Minigolf bar Puttshack signed on as the first tenant. The urban hotspot will also feature a 7,500-square-foot lawn for community events. “High Street will provide a central gathering place for the entire Perimeter Dunwoody market,” says Dunwoody’s Economic Development Director Michael Starling.

highstreetatlanta.com @highstreetatl

HAUTE STREETWEAR

When it comes to menswear, Middleman Fresh got game. The celebrity stylist, aka Robert Flood, is showing off some serious swagger at his hip new shop, Fitting Room B in Brookhaven. The luxe mix of street-smart separates and accessories features a popping palette of eclectic designs that elevate statement dressing to an art. “People are loving the clothes and the space,” says Flood, who’s outfitted such entertainers as Ludacris, Jeezy and Young Thug in his more than 25 years in the fashion biz. Pumped by his recent pop-up for Waka Flocka Flame’s SKRIT collection, he’s hoping to keep the momentum going through quarterly collabs with independent local artists.

fittingroomb.com @fittingroomb