This past weekend, we packed up our team and headed out to Jones' hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. We were filming the wedding of Callie and Reid, who met in college (hotty toddy!) on the same fraternity house steps where Callie's parents had first laid eyes on each other. Pretty sweet, huh? Their rehearsal dinner was impeccably designed by Wendy Putt, and Callie was radiant in a grecian-style dress that was an homage to the art deco period (Or we could say very Great Gatsby, for the Baz Luhrmann fans out there).

While Texas is filled with southern politeness, while in Mississippi, we really got to experience true southern hospitality in the capable hands of Callie and Reid's mothers. They welcomed our small team into their homes and shared their stories with us--I can't wait to finish this edit so that you can hear a refreshingly historical and interesting story behind wallpaper (you'll really be surprised), see Callie's grandfather's elephant collection, hear the stories from the amazing rehearsal dinner, and see the gorgeous dog that never left Callie's side during preps. There was also some seriously kind sibling affection--Reid's sister was sweetly tearful throughout both the rehearsal and the wedding as was Reid when he returned words about her. Callie was also kindly affectionate towards her siblings, and boy, is their extended family fun! When I say fun, I mean, the kind of family that puts on skits and musicals for each other at Christmas kind of fun.

See, I told you--there's going to be a lot of story to tell in this film.

Did I also mention that alligators inhabit the pond behind Callie's house? Yikes! The lake-top was serene on the wedding day, though, and although the Father of the Bride (who is often mistaken for Dennis Quaid) pointed out some alligators in the far off grasses, I was unable to find them with my long range lens.

The reception was held at the Country Club of Jackson, and Callie had two whole rooms devoted to their hobbies--classic films and Nascar/Memphis food. Reid's "tire stack" cake sat atop an actual tire signed by Jeff Gordon, and the movie room screened great films like Casablanca, Sound of Music, and more. Guests were greeted at the door with a Parisian buffet of artisan candies, and candles hung overhead from invisible wire, giving the feeling of floating firelight everywhere.

Did I mention the bacon bar at the reception?

The Atlanta based band "Party on the Moon" put on a rockin show --and they were hilarious, too. When Reid's groomsmen just let the garter fall to the ground at garter toss, they had him re-toss it--claiming a rule that "it has to be caught." I've never heard that rule before, but it had everyone laughing.

This is one of Callie's favorite rings perched atop a Tiffany's box for her earrings. She said that even though it's a casual ring, it meant a lot to her, so it was a "must have" for her wedding day ensemble. Her belt, if you've been wondering, was designed by the team at Vera Wang.

Thanks to Callie and Reid for spoiling us with delicious food to eat, smiling people to film, and great story-telling material to work with. I'm excited to head into the editing bay!

-kourtney amelia

P.S. Although we did not see alligators (whew!), we still got an interesting shot of some wildlife-- Elizabeth managed to snag some footage of a hopping squirrel. Yes, hopping. You'll have to tune back later when we post the full film to check it out.