Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2021

15 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.VOICEofMPpodcast.com Best Of editions to our readers so many times, I believed we could make this happen and so did Cady and the rest of the team. But we also knew this was 2020 and anything goes. Since the Best Of shoot was going to be held outside, I felt we needed design elements to enhance the natural setting. Angie Balderson and her team at Haven’s Furniture were voted 2021 Best Furniture Store and Interior Design. I called Balderson to see if she and her team would be interested in joining Team Mount Pleasant Magazine. I was hoping to add their expertise to the Dec. 4 Best Of 2021 photoshoot. She and her team were ecstatic and immediately worked on ideas to enhance the nature setting with Haven’s Furniture furnishings and accessories. Balderson started working with Michelle Waterbury at Jean’s Bridal regarding dress and tuxedo colors for the guests who were going to be part of the Best Of photoshoot. A special thank you goes to Erika Lynn Studio and Boutique for supplying the Hide Tide Leather Company bow ties for the shoot. With the photo shoot team assembled and the date and location secured, we still needed to invite our guests. But the biggest hurdle remained: ensuring people’s health and safety. Inviting a sampling of the winners for the Best Of 2021 two-page cover shoot and our break pages denoting each category could be a massive undertaking. We asked photographer Mark Staff to join the photo shoot so he could shoot the break pages while Cady photographed the double page signature photo. We intended to be safe while having well-known local caterer Dish & Design to provide food and drinks for our guests to relax and enjoy outside, while social distancing before and after their photo was taken. Theresa Stratford and Mandy Willis diligently communicated with each of our guests regarding time slots, dress and explaining our safety protocol. I felt keeping our guests safe was paramount. This gathering had to be safe; everyone needed their temperature checked as they arrived, we had to practice social distancing and sanitizing stations needed to be positioned around the grounds of Alhambra Hall. I knew our mission of safety would be accomplished when the medical professionals at Sea Island Medical Care in North Mount Pleasant agreed to take everyone’s temperatures as they entered. With that part of the puzzle completed, we felt we had delivered on both of our goals. All our meetings and preparations resulted in an utterly amazing 2021 Best Of photoshoot. This will be a photoshoot everyone will remember, and a fun day we safely celebrated, thanks to everyone involved. All was captured by Mount Pleasant Magazine Videographer Thomas Runion. Access the 2021 Best Of cover video shoot using Google Lens on this QR code. best of mount pleasant