FOUR Magazine - Vol 18 / 2019

FOUR

I N S P I R A T I O N

F O R

L O V E ,

L I F E ,

H O M E

&

VOLUME 18

THE VINTAGE ISSUE

SEE WHAT'S TRENDING AT A VINTAGE TRAILER RALLY

+

ADDING CHARM TO YOUR HOME WITH VINTAGE PIECES

family owned & operated Printed in the USA

F O O D

2019 | $4.99

Spring

home buying tips & style YOUR BEST WEDDING INSPIRATION FROM OUR PROS

the best SALAD RECIPES

y a t s e m "Co " ! s u with BILL + MELISA'S RETRO RENTALS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR YOUR VACATION OR WEDDING. FOURRV.COM

C O N T weddings

PLANNING

P.7

home + kitchen

THE ART OF VINTAGE

P.15

Our 12-month checklist for planning your big day

See Melisa's newest mantel rehab + vintage design inspiration

WEDDING VENUES P. 9

SPRING HOME BUYING

Melisa's guide to her favorite wedding destinations

Get the answers from the real estate experts on buying a home now

PRO INSPIRATION

P.12

Our top picks for the prettiest bouquets and a dapper groom styled shoot

MELISA'S RECIPE BOX Roses never seem to go out of style. Learn more about them

P. 16

P. 23

E N T S lifestyle

home + design

FOUR Editor in Chief MELISA KENNEDY

Editor & Distribution BILL KENNEDY

For subscription and advertising inquiries, please email us at info@fourmagazines.com

@fourmagazines

Copyright Š 2019 BMK Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. The

GLAMPING

Volume 18 (Spring) issue. FOUR is published bi-monthly in T HFOUR E Magazines A R TMay, O V Iand NNovember T A Gby E P . 1 3LLC 8297 January, March, July, F September, BMK Publishing

P.28

Our recent adventures into vintage camper rallies

Blvd, #349,ChampionsGate, FL 33896. FOUR makes every effort to SeeChampionsGate Melisa's newest mantel ensure the quality and accuracy of the contents found here. No person, organization or party can copy or re-produce the content on this site and/or magazine or any part rehab vintage inspiration of this + publication without adesign written consent from the editors’ panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. The copyright includes (and not limited to): the content syndication from the RSS feeds of this publication, the content and/or images used in any of the articles of this publication, the FOUR logo and any of its derivatives, the content in the magazines and its website are made available on the terms and condition that the publisher, editors, contributors and related parties: shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication and its related website and products are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, or contributions in this publication, website or related product.

CAMP FIRE P. 33

SPRING HOME BUYING

Bill answers the most common camping questions

Get the answers from the real estate experts on buying a home now

SWEET NOTHINGS Melisa's pretty inspirations for sweet everyday blessings

P.35

IN THE GARDEN

P. 18

Roses never seem to go out of style. Learn more about them

P. 16

EDITOR'S LETTER

I love everything about this wedding bouquet, from the romantic roses to the pink color.

Spring is the season of renewal and life. One thing I've learned in my forty-plus years of life is to laugh as much as possible, surround yourself with the people and things you love, and have gratitude for all that you have - no matter how big or small.

Mother Earth gives us every day miracles that should be enjoyed. So stop and smell the roses with me. You'll be glad you did!

MELISA S. KENNEDY Founder & Editor in Chief Follow me

This sweet fabric combines everything I hold dear to my heart - vintage, mint green and pink. Oh my!

@melisaskennedy

let's start planning your wedding This checklist will help you with the vendors you need to book, when, and other tips to help you.

12+ MONTHS

6-11

1-5

MONTHS

MONTHS

Your first task is to imagine your wedding such as the look and feel you want.

Decide if youre doing save-the-dates and any other paper goods.

Figure out your budget.

Choose your wedding party.

When and where do you want to get married?

Seek out wedding pros that book early, such as a wedding planner and venue.

Plan the ceremony with your officiant and discuss any special requests.

Book your hair and makeup vendors.

Designate people for day-of tasks.

Search FOUR for inspiration and preferred vendors.

Final decision on gown along with schedule fittings.

Start registering.

7 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

FOR THE LATEST WEDDING INSPIRATION

FOLLOW + TAG #ILOVEFOURMAGS We may even feature your post!

DESTINATION VENUES

WHITE BARN AT LUCAS FARM

5 wedding + reception sites preferred

venues

focus

on

quality

for

your

celebration.

BY MELISA S. KENNEDY

white barn at lucas farm

omni orlando resort

rockledge gardens

4161 GARRETT HIGHWAY, OAKLAND, MD 21550; LUCASFARMWB.COM

1500 MASTERS BLVD, CHAMPIONSGATE, FL 33896; OMNIHOTELS.COM

2153 US-1, ROCKLEDGE, FL 32955; ROCKLEDGEGARDENS.COM

Nestled in the serene Oakland countryside, this farm escape is home to lots of down home charm featuring it's barn and outdoor spaces - idyllic settings for a rustic wedding. A pavilion perched above a pond is also perfect for your ceremony, and the barn could host your indoor reception.

Surrounded by 36 holes of championship Orlando golf, the Leadbetter Golf Academy World Headquarters and 15 acres of recreation, this Four Diamond resort is as luxurious as you can dream up.

From dining and golf to dream weddings, this resort has it all.

Rockledge Gardens is the largest and most complete garden center and nursery in Brevard County and central coastal Florida.

This venue is family owned and operated, which we love. Surround yourself and your guests with gorgeous native Florida plants and flowers during your ceremony.

9 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

SHANNON GRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

These

OMNI ORLANDO RESORT AT CHAMPIONSGATE

the oasis club

10100 INTERNATIONAL DR, ORLANDO, FL 32821; DOUBLETREE3.HILTON.COM

1520 OASIS CLUB BLVD, CHAMPIONSGATE, FL 33896; THEOASISCLUBATCHAMPIONSGATE.COM

Take a break and enjoy a refreshing visit to Orlando when you stay at the DoubleTree

by Hilton Hotel at SeaWorld, the largest DoubleTree in the world. Nestled in 28 acres of lush palm trees and tropical fountains, the DoubleTree Orlando is your relaxing oasis and dream wedding venue!

According to Events Director, Tiffany Jones, the Oasis Club has unique spaces, great food with options to customize, flexibility with budget options as well as the convenience of its location near Walt Disney World, airport and vacation rental homes. "You're different, so have a different type of wedding!"

F

Find more preferred vendors at

11 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

fourmagazines.com/vendorsguide

LINDSEY CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

doubletree hilton orlando

PRO INSPO Browse our 3 featured preferred vendors for inspiration on florals, fashion + formalities.

BOUQUETS OF BEAUTY Preferred FOUR Vendor Member, ThomasYard, provides us with so many beautiful arrangements, like the one pictured above.

Pretty pastels are perfect for this season. Pair soft pinks with other pastel shades to add a pretty feminine touch to any bouquet.

12 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

JENN LUCZKO PHOTOGRAPHY

1

2 GRAND GROOMS

With the help of other vendors, Radleigh + Sage took the modern groom to a whole new level while maintaining the classic dapper look.

Redefining what a groom is through their brilliant creativity while opting for different suits, colors, and textures gives the overall looks here a fresh twist that’s totally in for 2019 weddings! See Vendor Guide on page 38.

13 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

MIKEE CATACUTAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Every now and then, we see a groom that is just on point in terms of styling.

Preferred Vendor Member, Radleigh & Sage, knocked this styled shoot out of the park with their great variety of the American Groom.

PHOTO CRUSH One-of-a-kind photography is what we always get with Sebastian The, owner of Love In Stills. Although based in Singapore, Sebastian is a world traveling photographer.

3

Whether you need engagement, prewedding, or day-of-wedding photography, we think finding the right photographer to capture the details of your love is essential.

14 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

4

JENN LUCZKO PHOTOGRAPHY

CEREMONY "Your day, your way," is one of the common remarks we hear from Preferred Vendor Member, Mathew Anderson, who we like to refer to as The Vow Guy.

When it comes to the formality of saying "I do," it helps to have an officiant who makes you comfortable and flexible to give you the ceremony you want. Enter Mathew Anderson here... love makes you do crazy things and sometimes that means your wedding theme too! Mathew has done everything from traditional and Halloween to movie-themed ceremonies.

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the art of

A D D I N G

V I N T A G E

HOW ONE ANTIQUE PIECE CAN BRING CHARM AND CHARACTER TO AN UNINVITING SPACE IN YOUR HOME.

BY MELISA KENNEDY

No fireplace? No problem.

I have lived in a cookie-cutter house here in Orlando for the past seven years. Is it our dream home?

No. But I have added my own touches, like antiques, to bring in the character of old homes to help me tolerate the space.

In my current home, there's no fireplace or any focal point of interest, but this didn’t bother me because I could create the focus in the rooms with the right things I loved. And so I did by using antique fireplaces like this one.

I decided it was time to share what I've done after many of our readers have asked me how they could copy my ideas such as using vintage mantels when there isn't a fireplace. So, I headed to my favorite place to go antiquing, The Barn Antiques in Lake Alfred, Florida, where most of my sweet treasures are found. There I met up with my friend and co-owner there, Ansley Wales.

In the pictures here you will see how we brought together a vintage cast iron mantel alongside an antique piece of furniture. We added layering with books, candles along with the large anchor piece which was a framed collection of antique silverware Ansley created for us.

We handpicked this antique mantel to demonstrate design ideas, but even more specifically, how you can bring balance to a wall without an actual fireplace.

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The items seen here were found at The Barn Antiques.

I’ve always loved the way vintage pieces create charm with their unexpected patterns and classic colors. A new online store will be coming soon to fourofficial.com where a whimsical collection of my favorite finds and more will be available for purchase.

Adding a focal point is one of the creative ways to accent your personal style. Here we featured a handmade artwork piece by Ansley as a focal point. She gathered antique silverware found in the store and tied them on with twine string.

The last bit of styling we did is the opening at the bottom.

Honestly, this is probably the only tricky thing about faux antique mantels - what to do with the bottom part! I don’t love it when there is nothing filling the space or that it looks awkward empty.

We decided this mantel would look nice with just a small spray of green silk flowers in a vase inside the opening.

Other ideas to fill the space are: baskets screwed in the wall with magazines or books in it, sweet vintage china plates hung on the wall with plate hangers, or you could even use the space as a chalkboard!

Whatever you decide, have fun adding a vintage piece to your home. I enjoy adding its subtle beauty all the time!

Vintage pieces add charm & interest 19 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

WATCH

Our New

web tv series

Follow along as Melisa Kennedy shares adventures through her true authentic storytelling.

The series promises to nourish its

watch on:

followers with quality, familyfriendly programming accessible 24/7 and across all screens.

FOUROFFICIAL.COM

SPRING HOMEBUYING

With the help of the real estate professionals at Watson Realty Corp, we have compiled a great checklist of items to consider when purchasing a home this Spring.

21 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

Grab Our Charter Subscription Offer!

NOW GET A FULL YEAR DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!

SPRING HOME-BUYING: TIPS TO HELP YOU FLOURISH If you are buying a home in the spring season, you'll have to be quick and ready to jump on the home you want and make an offer. Don't be indecisive. When you find the perfect home – make an offer. In fact, here are some other springtime home-buying tips to help you get your dream home: 1. Get preapproved by a local lender.

Don't try to compete with an online lender or an out-of-area mortgage lender. You should always choose local – whether it is your bank or a local broker. Offers that contain a local lender's pre-approval letter will most likely get first-pick.

Limited time offer don't miss out! fourofficial.com

2. Focus on the home, not the owner. Don't get hung up on whether the home is a foreclosure, a short sale or a traditional sale. Concentrate on location, location, location, and look for homes that meet your personal requirements. Markets once dominated by foreclosures and short sales, are no longer the norm among traditional sellers.

22 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

3. Hire a local specialist. A real estate agent who specializes in the area where you want to buy will be a wellspring of invaluable information on your neighborhood and surrounding areas. That agent will be well-known and have garnered the respect of other agents in the area—which is a huge plus.

4. Be prepared to pay listing price. Some buyers focus on the selling price instead of on the home’s worth. Ask your agent for a CMA of comparable sales to determine actual value. You can't compare values by other homes on the market because sellers can ask whatever they want. If you are getting the home you want at a price you can afford, whether you pay $1,000 more or less makes no difference in the overall scheme of things.

5. Give the seller something other buyers will not. Negotiation is not always all about price.

Following these tips ensure you won't be disappointed with the purchase of your most valuable asset. Happy spring!

23 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

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e r a s e p i c e r y l i m a f " y ! t M r " o f f e e h t h t r - Melisa o w

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TASTE OF FOUR FROM MELISA'S KITCHEN TO YOURS.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH FRESH SPRING SALAD DEVILED EGGS

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CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp dill Bread of choice

In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except bread. Spread mixture onto bread of choice. I like to use croissants or multigrain.

Recipe variations: I like to add variety when making chicken salad, so sometimes I will add in sliced grapes, almond slivers, or shredded cheese to the mixture.

SPRING GREEN SALAD Ingredients: 2 packages spring mix salad greens 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese Vinaigrette: 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup canola oil 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients until blended. Pour over salad and toss to coat; serve immediately.

28 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

SOUTHERN DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients: 36 hard-boiled large eggs 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon dill weed 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set yolks and whites aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, spices and reserved yolks; mix well. Stuff or pipe into egg whites. Refrigerate 4 - 6 hours before serving.

o g s ' t e l VINTAGE CAMPING

story & photography by

MELISA KENNEDY

30 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

Trending: Vintage Camper Trailers Find your retro style!

Whether you're an avid tin can tourist or a newbie camper, attending a vintage trailer rally open house is a fun, familyfriendly activity you must try! We were lucky enough to attend the Vintage Trailer Rally at the 100th Anniversary of the Tin Can Tourists hosted by Sertoma Youth Ranch in Brooksville. With over 200 campers on display and 1500+ visitors at the open house, this was a centennial celebration for the history books!

Be sure to check out our Episode 3 of FOURK IN THE ROAD on our YouTube channel for a complete tour of this event. It was so fun!

With so many beautifully restored vintage camper trailers to look at, it was difficult for us to choose our favorite. I guess you can say all of them were our favorites. It really is like walking through history.

For us, there's something very appealing to imagine what life was like in the 1940's - 1960's.

If you end up falling in love with these vintage beauties like we did, we encourage you to attend one in your area. If you're in Orlando or visiting the area, book a stay with us in our FOUR Retro to see what it's like!

Visit fourmagazines.com/stay to learn more about booking.

32 | FOUROFFICIAL.COM

by BILL KENNEDY

6 STEPS TO BUILDING A CAMPFIRE Bill explains the basics and answers your camping questions

1.

Buy firewood locally from the state park or nearby reputable camping store where you’re planning to burn it. These steps will protect the local environment from invasive species.

2.

Look for a dry safe place at your campsite, like a metal fire ring or barbecue pit.

3.

Gather wood shavings, paper, or scraps to act as tinder.

Use a long barbecue lighter to protect yourself from the flames, and light the tinder within your fire ring.

4.

Gradually increase the size of the material in the fire by moving from tinder to kindling. This is a critical time in building your fire as you do not want to smother it. Be sure air can get in and around the flames!

5.

As you continue to add to your fire, think "classic tepee" shape for your wood placement - this encourages the larger pieces to burn as heat rises from the kindling in the middle.

6.

Now go enjoy your campfire! Just remember, always have a bucket of water on hand, and designate one person in your camping party to be in charge of keeping an eye on the fire at all times.

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MELISA'S PRETTY INSPIRATION

SWEET LITTLE TEA CUPS & ROSES "My friends all know these are some of my favorite things, and I want my magazine readers to know too!" -Melisa

This tiny little tea cup and pretty roses make me happy every time I look at them. Bill and I planted roses in some antique French planters around our home and I'm always collecting tea cups like these at cute little antique shops we find during our travels.

May you find joy today in the simple blessings that are before you.

Read Melisa's blog at fourofficial.com