Date:  February 28, 2025  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

Inspired by the color yellow, event designer JoBeth McElhanon creates a brunch that radiates happiness

Sometimes you have to make your own sunshine. With the gray days of winter looming outside her windows, JoBeth McElhanon, the chief celebrations officer at local wedding and event planning company Lilias & Olive, imagined brighter days ahead—and so did her clients. As newlyweds, Kendall and Derek Middleton were eager to host friends and family, and a Sunday brunch seemed like the perfect way to shake the winter blues.

Working with the couple on their wedding, JoBeth learned yellow was one of Kendall’s favorite colors. “It gave me a fondness for yellow that I really haven’t had in a while,” she says. This sunny hue, along with Kendall’s home state of California, were the starting points for the brunch scheme—from the table linens to the flowers and food.

Particularly inspired by Kendall’s hometown of Fresno, the menu features fresh citrus, avocados, and almonds—all of which are plentiful in the region. “The colors are fresh and springy, and I wanted the menu to speak to that as well with a really bright palette,” JoBeth says. “I’m always going to approach an event with what it looks like and what it will taste like, but also how the food will look on the plate,” she adds.

Simplicity was another key element. “If you’re hosting in your home, you don’t want it to be stressful,” JoBeth says. The chicken salad from this menu can be prepared the day before; same for the strata, which you can bake that morning. The grapefruit and mimosas require minimal time, giving you the opportunity to catch up with guests and enjoy your own gathering. “It’s a very approachable brunch that can be pulled together quickly,” she says.

While this was their first party in their new home, JoBeth was thinking about a tradition they could establish yearly. To this point, she sourced vintage tableware, embroidered floral napkins with their surname initial, and mixed pieces of their new glassware with heirloom-worthy finds. “Kendall has this 1960s elegance about her, and I wanted to create a collected table setting that reflected that,” she says. “And, since yellow is a color that can go from March to September, you could easily recreate this for a Mother’s Day or graduation party.”

“Kendall has this 1960s elegance about her, and I wanted to create a collected table setting that reflected that.”
—JoBeth McElhanon, event designer

A Bit of Sunshine
Little Rock’s Norwood Day Floral Company designed the centerpiece, incorporating hydrangeas, lisianthus, garden roses, and tulips along with sprigs of fresh rosemary and lemons. “It’s a really fresh—and fragrant—centerpiece,” JoBeth notes.

In Writing
Mattie Vondran with MV Design Co. put JoBeth’s vision on paper, creating an invitation as well as an individual place card and menu for each guest. “Mattie is a former wedding client with an eye for clean, fun invitation and party paper designs,” JoBeth says.

Just the Setting
JoBeth sourced a vintage Spode pattern, appropriately named “Buttercup,” for the celebration. Rattan flatware contrasts with the yellow tablecloth, while a mix of simple and etched glassware speak to the couple’s love of classic pieces. A napkin made from a micro-floral Liberty fabric was embroidered with an “M” medallion by The Mommagrammer.

All in Good Taste
From a simple carmelized grapefruit, made with sugar and a blowtorch, to the Curried Chicken Salad with grapes, almonds, and California golden raisins, each element of the menu brings its own bit of sunshine to the table. Playing off the yellow as well as the citrus tucked into the floral arrangement, JoBeth put a spin on traditional mimosas with a frozen, fizzing libation made with a scoop of lemon sorbet and champagne.

Visit the At Home in Arkansas blog in March for JoBeth’s Curried Chicken Salad recipe, and follow her on Instagram (@liliasandolive) for more inspiration.

Almond Strata Recipe

SHOP

6 large croissants
8 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
3 cups half and half
1 tablespoon amaretto
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup almond paste, cut into
small pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
berries, for serving

PREPARE

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the croissants crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Butter a 9-x13-inch baking pan and place the smaller pieces in first, and then arrange the larger slices on top.
Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add half and half, amaretto, and vanilla. Mix well. Pour over croissant slices and sprinkle with almond paste. Press down with a spoon to submerge the bread completely. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm or at room temp with fresh berries of your choice.

Design Resources
Event Planning and design JoBeth McElhanon, Lilas & Olive Floral design Norwood Day Floral Company Monogramming The Mommagrammer Paper Goods MV Design Co.