12/30/2025
This issue of Arkansas Bride is a tribute to a challenging year for our team, marked by profound loss. In June, we mourned Ralph Bradbury Sr., the father of our publisher, Rachel, and in August, I said goodbye to my grandmother, Paula Neel (Nannie).
While these losses have left us eager to leave 2025 behind, they’ve also inspired us to honor our loved ones in all that we do. For this issue, my grandmother’s essence, as a lifelong lover of romance and movies shaped every page. She found beauty and romance in every aspect of life. The days following a loss are often filled with revisiting old photographs, planning memorials and sharing stories—some familiar and others heard for the very first time.
My grandmother’s love for romance movies has influenced my own. Our Bridal Fashion Section is inspired by these now-nostalgic films, and we’ve curated a list of must-watch movies to enjoy before you say ‘I do’!
Our Tablescape Section showcases popular honeymoon destinations curated by our lovely partner, Island Bridal Travel. Couples can be inspired by anything for their wedding day decor, including their dream romantic honeymoon travels.
In the end, weddings inspired by childhood memories, nostalgia and treasured family heirlooms remind us that love is deeply rooted in our past. By blending the past with the present, couples create celebrations that are not only beautiful but profoundly meaningful—honoring family, memory and the timeless traditions that shape their story together. As you pore through these pages, I hope you discover something not just in these families’ stories, but also your own.
- Katelyn Allen, Editor Letter
Images in Order:
Editor Katelyn Allen’s Grandmother, Paula Littleton Neel (1965)
Publisher Rachel Pitre’s Grandparents Jo Ann McKennon & George Henry Cousins, Jr. (1953)
Art Director Meredith Lehman’s Parents Allison Hunt & Robert Lehman (1987)
Account Executive Bliss Smith’s Parents Ashley Sites & Michael Mosley (1995)
Senior Account Executive Brandy Hubener’s Grandparents Billie Neaville & Floyd Key (1950)
Art Director Meredith Lehman’s Great Grandparents Florence Evelyn Delaney & Arnold Bertam Doolittle (1928)
