About Us
Letter from alda
I am so glad you stopped here for a moment…My husband Buddy and I have had a dream job for the past several years in sharing our beautiful historic home with families on the best day of their life…wedding day! As we are empty-nesters, God truly answered our prayers. When I asked for simple joy in my life, I never knew how blessed I would be as the mother of two sons and now two little grandsons. I am fueled by my own beloved family and the families that pass through our gates on their wedding day, of which some become friends of a lifetime.
I have been known to have big dreams, and my husband supported every one of them wholeheartedly. From selling a simple bar of soap to selling thousands on QVC, to producing a home décor line…and oh, I wanted to write a book along the way…he was there supporting every one of them too. The crazy idea of opening an outdoor wedding venue years ago, he jumped right in. Still, years later, you can find me almost every day chatting with brides on planning their wedding here at Magnolia Hill. (Aside from hosting weddings, my latest book, “Our Wedding Planner” is about planning your perfect wedding all within a budget.)
Through the years, with all the projects, we have made a great team.
And in the faces of loved ones, the team is expanding, for our son. With his love of the river, Samuel’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to form Rock Town River Outfitters. As riverboat captain, Samuel is a shining example of using our gifts and talents and passions to love and serve, each of us in our own creative way.
So… I will still be chatting about planning a wedding, and now it may be on the beloved yacht “Happy Times” which is perfect for a small gathering of friends and family. We as a family are excited to offer fairytale-like weddings on the water not only on our private lakeside estate but also on the Arkansas River with modern sophistication and a heavy dose of Southern hospitality.
Blessings,
Listen closely, for “He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
About Happy Times
41 foot Marinette Marquis Motoryacht , “Happy Times”
The PowerBoat Guide had this to say: The Marinette 41 has the distinction of being the only all-aluminum motor yacht in this size range built in America since the era of Chris Craft’s aluminum Roamer yachts ended in the early 1970s. The boat has modern lines and large cabin windows, the 41 MY rides on a conventional modified-V hull with modest transom deadrise and a relatively wide beam. Additional features include a full-width aft deck, a well-arranged fly-bridge with wraparound helm console and lounge seating, wide side decks, teak interior trim and cabinetry, bow pulpit, and a swim platform.
The Marinette 41 MARQUIS, Roomy Aluminum Motoryacht, with two staterooms, two heads, each with separate shower stalls. The huge aft deck affords a comfortable entertaining platform.
Notable features include air conditioning & heat, 2 bathrooms, Westerbeke generator, windlass anchor, full raytheon electronics package (VHF marine radio, depth sounder, GPS w/chartplotter, radar), full fly-bridge canvas enclosure w/screens.
This sought-after model boasts a large cockpit and flybridge with a radar arch. Its stateroom and single head leave plenty of salon and galley space inside. Its lightweight aluminum body makes this cruiser both fast and efficient.