SFA Piggy Bank Dinner | RT Lodge

the wine woody made an appearance at cocktail hour - don't you love it?

the amazing invitation/menu suite
(i'm a sucker for pretty paper products - and the Happy Envelope is one of my absolute favorites)

This weekend Mr. H and I got a chance to go back to old stomping grounds, Maryville, TN, for a Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) Piggy Bank Dinner. (If you're not familiar with SFA, check them out -- they are an amazing non-profit that celebrates the food cultures and traditions of the American South.) The event was at one of my favorite event/corporate retreat venues in the South, the RT Lodge. Mr. H and I have also been to a wedding weekend there and we've been so impressed every time!  

Alexandra Hansen is head of event planning at the RT Lodge and she's amazing -- she has the perfect blend of great taste, creativity, and organization! In our opinion, she's one of the South's up-and-coming event planners. She was recently featured in the latest issue of the Bridal Guide as well as Style Me Pretty. Needless to say, we thought all of her details made the night spectacular. But, the chefs for the dinner didn't hurt either -- Rick Mace (RT Lodge), Matt Gallaher (Knox Mason), Joseph Lenn (Blackberry Farm), and Peter Glander (Executive Chef at Ruby Tuesday) all teamed up to serve some delightful, regional flavors. You can't go wrong when celebrating Southern food with a group of chefs like that. 

Still, with noteworthy chefs, the great company, and the wonderful atmosphere, my favorite moment of the night had nothing to do with any of that. It was when I looked across the table at Mr. H and there were fire flies twinkling behind him --  I love those moments when things stand still and it feels like a magical, summer night. What can I say, I'm a romantic, who cherishes those cheesy moments in life. 
-mrs.h