Last year I attended only two weddings, and believe me they could not have been more different, or alike.

In late September, I was a guest at the wedding of Alex Wittscheck and Erin Speed. Their wedding, otherwise known as the Shoals Perfect Wedding, was held on the open fields of Bluewater Creek Polo Club. Although I barely knew the couple when the contest started, I discovered during the months of planning that this young couple seemed as though they had been together their whole lives. They were at once calm and wide-eyed, which only inspired us all to make sure their day was the most special it could be. The wedding was well attended with hundreds of family and friends, and the pastoral setting was ideal for letting couples dance, musicians sing, children run, and paper lanterns rise high into the crisp fall sky. Jordyn Dean, Armosa Studios and all of the wedding partners came together in such a beautifully united way that I don’t think it could ever really be duplicated again. It was the perfect wedding.

In early November, I attended the wedding of an old friend and his longtime partner. Unlike Alex and Erin’s wedding, Jon and Robert’s wedding took place in Washington, D.C., just blocks away from the Capitol at a hotel which allowed pets, since the couple’s three Basenjis made up the rest of the wedding party. There were less than 50 people in attendance, made up of mostly family and close friends who the couple made very clear had played a very important part in their lives. After dinner Jon and Robert gave their mothers each a beautiful necklace and thanked them for their love and acceptance. Then the wine flowed, sumptuous wedding cake was passed, and three energetic dogs entertained the crowd for hours. And again, it was perfect.

This is not the usual editors letter. I won’t take the time to direct your attention to any one page of the magazine, but I will tell you that designing a wedding issue and attending two very different weddings have taught me two things: Love is present everywhere—even in the most opposite of settings. And that every wedding is the perfect wedding.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…Christmas? Already? Where has this year gone?

In reality, it’s looked a lot like Christmas at the No’Ala offices for about two months. Almost as soon as the “Beautiful People” issue went to the printer, we started gathering the goodies we wanted to show for this holiday season. Shoals area retailers have some great treats for you this year, as you will see, and we were also able to collect and personally test some recipes for side dishes and desserts that will make an impression at your holiday table. It didn’t matter that we were cooking these dishes and gathering the Christmas gifts when it was still ninety degrees outside—we’re ready for the Holidays!

Although it seems that the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is dominated by holiday hustle and bustle, there are other things that happen around here during that time. One example is the Division II Championship Football Game, an event that has brought at least $26 million to the Shoals area since it was first played here. Along the way, it has transformed the way the NCAA Division II celebrates its championship teams, as you will see, and it certainly cements our reputation for Southern Hospitality. And how can you discuss Division II without talking about Division I, and UNA’s planned move to that level? We decided this would be a good time to take an in-depth look at what the move will mean, and writer Michelle Eubanks discovered it isn’t all about athletics.

Special thanks to Lynn and Randy Coleman, who let us take over their house to photograph the clothes for this Holiday issue. Thanks also to Grady Liles, Mickey Haddock and Mitch Dobbins, who spent time with us retelling the history of the Division II Championship Game. And finally, a very special thanks to the area retailers who were able to lend us the beautiful and wonderful things shown in our Holiday Buying Guide this year. If you’re looking for a unique gift, you’ll find it right here at home!

Now, a little holiday advice. Be sure to make time this year to slow down and enjoy the season. Read this issue carefully, make your shopping decisions early, and make it a point to buy locally. If you’re giving a Holiday party, pay special attention to Dan Halcomb’s Rules for Entertaining. Take in a concert or go see the dancing waters at Spring Park; join the festivities at First Friday or Third Thursday, and take note of the beautiful decorations all around the Shoals. Adopt a team and support them at the Division II Championship Game; cook and sing and decorate…and most of all, enjoy this wonderful season!

No’Ala Magazine has chosen its nominees for its second Renaissance Awards. The award is designed to recognize people who live in our communities who very quietly go about the business of making a huge difference for all of us. We especially want to bring recognition to well rounded people who have become involved in multiple areas—the definition of a “Renaissance Person.”

There are five categories: Science & Medicine, Education, Service & Spirituality, Business & Leadership, and Arts & Culture. We present one award per category, and then our panel chooses one overall person as our Renaissance Person.  Their stories will be featured in the 2012 March/April issue of No’Ala.

Congratulations to our 2012 Nominees:

Arts & Culture
David Anderson, Economic Development Specialist, TVA
Rick Hall, Fame Studios
Bill Matthews, Retired UNA
Audwin McGee, Artist
Billy and Jeanne Reid, Billy Reid
Kathryn Rice, Volunteer and Ex-president, Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers, Artist

Education
Dr. Dorothy Hardy, Founder, The Intergenerational Writers Guild
Laurie Mitchell, Director, Mars Hill Bible School Show Choir
Dr. Randy Pettus, Executive Director, Shoals Scholar Dollars
Rebecca Rockhill, Chorus Director, Florence High School
Dr. Janet Womack, Florence Schools Superintendent

Business & Leadership
David D’Addario, CEO/Chairman, Wise Metals
Casey Jeffreys, Garden Gate Cafe
Silka Miller, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Residence Inn by Marriott
Bud Ward, Retired

Science & Medicine
Donna Johnson, Mitchell Hollinsworth Nursing Rehabilitation
Rhonda McGregor, Registered Nurse, ECM
Dr. Danl E. Spangler, Jr., Emergency Medicine Physician, ECM
Dr. Rob Webb, Staff Physician, Glenwood Health Care and Hospice of the Shoals

Service & Spirituality
Paul and Anne Bernauer
The Master Gardeners
Felice Green. Retired Professor, UNA
Megan Lovelace, Community Representative, American Cancer Society
Nancy Muse, Teacher and Community Organizer
Billy Warren, Florence City Schools; Founder, Alabama Renaissance Faire
Ginger and Josh Willingham, The Willingham Foundation

Do you love your pet as much as we love ours?

Do you have the cutest pup in the Shoals?

Why not find out?

No’Ala magazine is hosting a photo contest of Shoals area dogs to raise money for the creation of a local dog park!

Why? So your dog can socialize with his friends and roam without a leash!

How does it work? Costumed or not, we want to see dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities! Submit a picture of your furry friend to frances@atsa-usa.com before October 10th to be a part of this contest (please also include your mailing address and phone number). On October 11th, five dogs will be chosen as the finalists. The five finalists’ pictures will be on display at No’Ala’s costume party this October.

So who picks the winner? The winner will be voted on by donations from our friends at the party. Each pup’s pic will have its own donation box. Our party goers will vote for their favorite dog by placing their donation to the park in the appropriate box. Once voting is closed, the money will be counted and the dog who receives the most votes (donations) will be announced as the winner!

What does my pet get for winning? A photo shoot in No’Ala magazine, of course! The most popular pup will be featured in an upcoming issue of No’Ala. What more could your glamorous pooch want?

So come on, dog lovers of the Shoals! If you want a place for your pup to play, help us raise money for the Bark Park and get your pal a little recognition.  Think of us as the pupparazzi, and give your Best Friend his fifteen minutes of fame!

As a magazine designer, you can’t possibly imagine what a treat it is do create this issue of No’Ala. It’s a little like Christmas—I get 32 surprises under my tree! That’s how many portraits we commissioned this year from eight exceptional local photographers who stunned us all once again with their skill and unique points of view. This year we asked a number of last year’s “beautiful people” to nominate up to 25 people they thought had that unique combination of physical and internal beauty. Like last year, some husbands, wives and siblings were nominated separately, so it was fun to group some of these people into one portrait. Our 40 beautiful people are as varied as the Shoals. Students, small business owners, musicians, fashion designers, chefs, doctors, coaches, and even one professional athlete make up the “Most Beautiful People in the Shoals,” starting on page 40. On the cover pictured below are Connor and Ben Fisher, shot by Robert Rausch at Cypress Creek. (Don’t miss the other three covers for this same issue! That’s right, we just couldn’t decide!)
—David