It all started in 1980, when Edie, my mother, opened her first restaurant. I was 3 years old. The restaurant industry took us down several different avenues and ventures; the last being the combination of florist, gift shop and café. 26 years later, we decided to close the doors to the everyday restaurant business. Why? Well, we had this idea in the back of our minds that had been brewing for several years and it was time to make it happen and Celestine’s Special Occasions came to fruition. It was time to focus on what we loved.

When I got married we (Edie and myself) powered everything we knew into one event, and realized “this is what we love.” It all came together perfectly. The right hand really does know what the left hand is doing—it just makes sense. Our approach is Event Design.

Edie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design from the University of Alabama. Having owned a florist and restaurant gives us the combined experience for two of the major components of a wedding/event. We absolutely love what we do, it is truly a passion. We find inspiration in our surroundings and spend much of our time keeping current with the trends and styles by attending markets, internet research and the beloved magazines—oh, do we have a collection.

We are truly a small family business, some of those employees who joined us on our first restaurant venture in 1980, are still with us today. We consider them our family.

If you spend much time with us you will soon learn that we are crazy about our dogs. Edie has three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels- Dudley, Lizzie and Toby and I have a Yellow lab-Jasper and a Shih Tzu-Ella. In our spare time...Edie enjoys working in the yard, doing agility with her dogs and trying new recipes. Mostly, I think she and my dad enjoy their grandson, Grant the most. You can find me kayaking/paddleboarding with the boys (my husband and son), enjoying college football or taking in a peaceful sunny afternoon with a good book.