“In truth and beauty, and for the common good.”
This is the slogan for Christine McFadden’s branding company, Devote, but it could easily be the motto for the beautiful suppers she and her two friends, Louisa Vann of Marigold Modern Kids and Sarah Shell of Fern Studio, host at Sarah’s attractive studio on Devine Street. If you look at the websites all three women have crafted for their businesses, the words “beauty,” “community,” “authenticity,” and “creativity” appear frequently. These ideals are what led to the creation of their three — soon to be four — spring and fall supper events for women leaders in the Columbia area.
As the three women business owners on Devine Street got to know each other, they realized they had a common goal. According to Christine, “Louisa, Sarah, and I chatted about what it would look like to help other creative female business owners in the city to get to know each other and also for us to have an opportunity for a little creative expression that wasn’t client-driven — just something we want to do.”
The event would have a double benefit — women would get to connect with each other and Sarah, Christine, and Louisa would have a unique way to support local nonprofits.
“We didn’t want to do a dinner that was just to serve ourselves,” Christine says. “We decided to select a local nonprofit to which our ticket sales and donations would go and to invite a representative from the nonprofits to the dinner to talk about what they do in the community. So we are hoping not only to provide monetary donations but also to get their missions in front of an influential group of women in Columbia.”
The charity aspect of the suppers is important, but it isn’t the only reason the women decided on this format for helping the community, says Louisa Vann. “Women deserve to sit down at a beautiful table, have a beautiful dinner, and have the chance to collaborate with each other. In our small business world, if we don’t make it happen, it won’t happen.” While large corporations may host dinners for their members, small businesses have to make the events they want to attend. And as far as events go, no corporate meal could compare to the taste, individuality, and intimacy of these suppers.
Sarah particularly loves this creative freedom. “An intimate seated dinner party is one of the most beautiful events to create. The layers of a table are what make the event so special. We have loved working with Rebecca Goings, who owns Reverie, to source lovely dishware and tabletop items to pair with the florals we make to go alongside. The florals and candles are where it gets really fun, adding in bold color combinations to enhance the playfulness and whimsy of the evening.”
From the letterpress invitations, made through Christine’s other business, After Press, to the hand-painted linen tablecloth and handwritten menus, care is infused into every aspect of the evening. “We’re always trying to think of these special touches that are an extension of our heart for what we want to create,” says Christine, “but that are also something that might be inspiring for others, too, to seek a little more beauty in their lives.”
Both Louisa and Christine point out how much easier social interactions were in their grandmothers’ day and how they’re trying to bring some of that tradition into the modern age by targeting business women. “We’re all so busy creating our businesses and keeping them alive that we aren’t going to lunches and dinners like our grandmothers did,” says Louisa. “A sense of community for women in business is hard to achieve. This is our way of connecting people.”
The whole night is full of intentional connection, but in no way is this more present than in the seating arrangements. Louisa says that this has been part of the culture of the event from the beginning. “If you come to this dinner, you’re open to the idea of sitting next to someone you’ve never met before. A couple of dinners ago, we put an artist next to an antique dealer. They had never met before, but the next week the artist did a pop up at the antique gallery.” While not every interaction may end with a collaboration, the connections made run deep because of the common ground shared by the gathered women. The three women have also connected with other small businesses and local artists to help put on the event, including Crisp Event Rentals, pianist Nick Vlandis, and photographer Katie Purnell.
After enjoying cocktail hour in front of Sarah’s award-winning floral design studio, the party then moves to the grassy alley beside the building where a long banquet table is set for dinner. “The idea was to feel like it was tucked into a secret garden, even though we are right on Devine Street,” Sarah says. Not only does the studio provide the ideal space for the gathering, it also provides the flowers that infuse the whole evening with a sense of whimsy.
Sarah loves the individual details that they bring to each supper. “The three of us get together to try to come up with something new and special each time.” From flowers frozen into ice cubes for the cocktails, the guests’ names hand embroidered onto a ribbon as a place card, or individual cakes for dessert, each detail ensures the guests feel special.
The cocktail hour, featuring Louisa’s tasty and attractive libations, is a time for the women to mingle freely, enjoy live music, and begin to relax and unwind. A spectacular meal is then served by Chef Blake Faries of Loosh Culinaire, who speaks briefly about each course as it arrives. Representatives from the highlighted charity of the evening present to the assembled women, and Sarah, Christine, and Louisa make sure that information and follow-up are provided as well. So far, they have chosen to highlight Children’s Trust, which fights childhood poverty; Sistercare, an organization that supports victims of domestic violence; and MIRCI, a mental health resource center. The number of deserving charities make picking one tough. But Louisa says they have a simple calculation when it comes to their choice. “It always goes back to women and children. The three of us have children, and we’re constantly thinking about women and children. We personally feel so lucky to be where we are — in the space we are in and in the ability to have our own businesses. That level of a gift makes us feel so strongly about giving back.”
The middle of dinner is Louisa’s favorite part of the evening. “The tables are getting messy and the candles are lit. Chairs are turned into different little pockets, people are talking across the table. It’s magical. With pretty flowers, everyone looking so nice, and the candles make it all look special, but there’s also this energy… in that moment, I’m exactly where I want to be, and I feel so grateful to be part of Columbia.”
Sarah agrees with this sentiment. “Columbia as a city is full of vibrant and incredible women. I get chills every time just looking down the table of remarkable women working to make our city a dynamic place where we all get to live. If these suppers are even the smallest springboard for conversations toward bigger ideas, connections, dreams, changes, then they are a success.”
Christine says one of her favorite moments was perhaps the biggest hit of all three of the events — individual cakes for each diner made by Nicole Storey of Izzabee’s. “She’s so skillful and so impressive. I will never forget walking out with a tray of her cakes; I felt like it was such a moment of sharing and celebrating someone’s talent with others.”
Despite the fact that Monday looms on the horizon, these Sunday evening events tend to linger on late into the evening. This is the sign of a truly good party, especially considering that the invitees are probably some of the most time-conscious people in the city. As the cicadas strike up their chorus and blend their music with the party playlist, as chairs are turned toward each other and wine is refreshed, the true magic of the evening begins to show. This is a timeless event for time-conscious people, an event where responsible leaders can relax. But the supper is not the final destination; rather, it serves as the departure platform for these women to go back out into their places of work refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready to change their community.