Carte Blanche with Mary Hollis Huddleston

Carte Blanche with Mary Hollis Huddleston

carte blanche

Mary's lifestyle platform, @MrsSouthernSocial, is all about modern entertaining. Her motto is "Southern charm without lifting an arm" and is all about keeping the traditions of hostessing but updating the "rules" for modern life. She's a former event planner and current co-owner/co-founder of Please Be Seated, the leading event rentals company in Nashville. Her debut novel, Without A Hitch, just launched on Dec. 7 and is a hilarious, "Sweet Home Alabama meets Emily in Paris" take on the crazy world of over-the-top, luxury Southern weddings, told from the perspective of lovable protagonist Lottie Jones. Find it here (also available as an audio book)! 

Our best-selling Summerill stripe linens packed a playful punch, made even more lively with Mary's favorite Fenwick Field napkins (that double as placemats)! 

MARY TELLS ALL

Current color crush: Blue and white is always right, and I love a French blue for the holidays.

Eternal style muse: Aerin Lauder 

An under-the-radar Instagram feed that’s a total treasure trove@TerryWinters9141. English gardens at their finest! 

Best part of your work: Seeing my designs come to life. So much of what I do - events, Mrs. Southern Social - is so visual that's is incredibly satisfying to see a final product that once just lived in my imagination (and on spreadsheets!). 

Your happy place: Seaside and Palmetto Bluff 

Film you’ve seen more times than you care to admit: My Best Friend's Wedding! Who doesn't lose it when they're all singing "Say A Little Prayer For You" at the restaurant?!

Avenue must-have: I’m pretty obsessed with all of the linens from Fenwick Fields.

Favorite Nashville haunt: Park Cafe (cozy, neighborhood vibes) and Pinewood Social. 

Something few people know: I randomly love roller skating at Brentwood Skate Center. It's so retro and fun; I even did my birthday party there a few years ago. 

Coffee table book of choiceEntertaining At The White House is new and fabulous. It's a look at entertaining at the White House over the past few decades and it’s magical… talk about party perfection. 

A quote or mantra to sum up your current style mood: More is more and less is a bore.

My fridge is never without: Topo Chico 

Current dream vaca destination: Blackberry Mountain! Easy drive from Nashville, in the mountains which I love, and extremely service-oriented. It's very relaxing which is the season of life I’m in; when I’m not working I want nothing going on.

Wouldn’t it be cool if: You could snap your fingers like Mary Poppins and your house would be immediately clean! 

Winter drink of choice: My Pomegranate Cranberry Margaritas - recipe here. A batch cocktail is essential to holiday entertaining because it means guests can make their own drinks and you're not stuck playing bartender all night! 

Calling our next Carte Blanche tastemaker@JamesTFarmer

SHOP THE AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE

 

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