Welcome, Friends! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to finally be launching Life, Love, & Magnolia officially! I truly feel like its been long time in the works. Eight years ago, when I began my journey as a bridal boutique entrepreneur, I had no idea the amazing things I would get to do and be a part of as a result. I had ambitious about four years ago to start a journal of my adventures, but between building my business, having two babies, and all the life that comes there in between it just didn’t happen….Until now!
I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity for you all to get to know me and for me to get to know you all a little better throughout this journey! So let’s get started 🙂 I grew up a Florida girl in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which is a small little beach town just south of Jacksonville. I’m a beach girl at heart who loves dipping her toes in the ocean and breathing in the salty beach air. I left PVB to go off to college at what I like to consider the best university in the sunshine state…. Florida State University (Go, Noles)! While there, I was an active member of Kappa Delta Sorority and I studied accounting. Flash forward, I ended up meeting my husband, Daniel, while in college and then moving back to Jacksonville with him to start our lives
In 2009, Daniel and I were engaged and I decided at that time that I wanted to leave the accounting world and open up a bridal boutique in the Jacksonville area that was cute and charming and provided a beautiful dress selection with unparalleled customer service. That just didn’t exist here at the time. So I went to Daniel and told him I was leaving the corporate world to start my own bridal business. It was the craziest and most spontaneous thing I have ever done and thinking back I’m like, “What on earth was a thing?!?!?” But as the saying goes, “No risk, no reward” and I just dove in head first and went for it. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut, right?!
In 2010, The White Magnolia was born and since then we have grown to four locations across Florida, Georgia, & South Carolina, and have expanded our portfolio to other bridal stores in the Tampa region, including Malindy Elene Bridal. And this is just the beginning for us! We are currently in the works on new locations and future TWM stores. Thankfully, my wonderful husband, who has had such a huge hand in supporting and guiding our business, recently left his career to help move the expansion and growth of our company forward! I am so excited for this new chapter that we get to share together in the future growth and development of something that is so near and dear to our hearts! And I’m very much looking forward to getting to work together and travel together for our company on a regular basis.
The reality is that there have been ups and downs, celebrations and defeats, and lots of learning experiences along the way, but its been amazing having the opportunity to build something I love so much from the ground up and watching myself grow along side of it. I had absolutely no idea where this journey would take me when I first started it, but I trusted that life was going to take me in direction that I needed to go and I am so thankful and grateful for the amazing opportunities that I have been given. Based on my experience, I truly believe that you can do anything you set your mind to and that you can’t be afraid to dream big.
I invite you all to follow along with me as I take you through my journey and behind the scenes of this crazy “bridal life.” As a mom to two energetic, fun loving little boys, Patrick (3) & Peyton (1), I hope to provide some kind of support and inspiration to all moms out there who are doing what they love and pursuing their passion while still excelling at their most important job back at home, being a mommy 🙂 I’m excited to bring you a little style, a little travel, a little family, and lots of White Magnolia….. because we all know that everyone loves all things wedding 🙂
And for everyone who’s wanted to know about the what & who behind the White Magnolia brand…. HERE I AM!
XOXO,
Kerrie