Summer is officially on the horizon here in Williamson County! The days are longer, the sun is stronger, and everything’s in full bloom—from vibrant flowers to local farms bursting with fresh produce.

The timing of all this growth was perfect for Donovan Hughes and Sheridan Hitchcox, who recently got engaged while overseas in Edinburgh, Scotland. Donovan, also known as

Mr. Hughes, as his students call him, is the Theatre Director and educator at Page Middle School—where they just wrapped their production of “Seussical the Musical” and are now working on their summer production of Disney’s “Newsies Jr.”. Donovan, himself is a talented actor, performer and playwright. While attending Middle Tennessee State University and working towards his degree in Theatre, Donovan met Sheridan, who was also hard at work with her degree in Theatre Performance. Sheridan is the creative force behind Sheridan Grace Floral, a local bespoke floral design company, as well as a scenic and costume designer and educator in Williamson County.

Sheridan took the reins on their big celebration, though both she and Donovan are creative geniuses. And to no surprise, Sheridan came through with the perfect inspiration for her engagement party! The soon-to-be bride came to us at Rose & Plum Living with a vibrant, warm and romantic theme for their upcoming engagement party—Summer in Italy! And instantly, the theme transported us to the Italy of old romantic films—sun-drenched afternoons, charming countryside villas, and tables overflowing with ripe tomatoes and heartfelt conversation. Naturally, we couldn’t resist getting tomato-obsessed!

Sheridan’s vision included red, white, yellow, and green floral centerpieces that incorporated a mix of both contemporary and classic elements. Her Ikebana arrangements added a whimsical touch, while the use of canned tomato cans by Bianco DiNapoli, served as vessels to the classic feel one might find under the Tuscan sun. Sheridan’s designs included a variety of locally grown florals AND the sun-kissed star of every Italian table—tomatoes!

Produce of all kinds is having its moment right now in the event design world. For both grand and quaint events, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and even eggplant are the stars of the show, and we are here for it! After all, Rose & Plum Living does have produce in our name!

In its obvious vibrant red form, the tomato is a symbol of love and passion, making it the perfect star of the summer engagement show. We decided to include vibrant additions of color with lemon-yellow ceramics and linens, green lettuce bowls and platters, red and white trays, tomato-lidded bowls, and vintage green glassware to the tablescape to accent the produce, incorporating the colors of Italy naturally.

In Italian culture, food and romance are deeply intertwined, and the tomato is the undeniable heartbeat of the cuisine, especially during the summer when all varieties of the tomato are at their peak of freshness. It was an easy decision to focus on seasonally fresh products, Italian tomato-forward dishes and made-from-scratch items to assist in transporting guests back to the “Old Country.” With a wide variety of cheeses, smoked charcuterie meats, and crudité, our famous RPL meatballs, espresso-kissed tiramisu shooters, Donovan’s flavor-bursting heirloom bruschetta, and our Chef Emily’s sautéed greens and Gruyère focaccia balls came together to create a meal that was as vibrant and heartfelt as the couple we were celebrating. 

Donovan and Sheridan’s engagement soiree embodied the perfect joyful moments one might experience when on holiday in Italy, which is exactly how they wanted their friends and family to feel. At its core, the tomato represents the beauty of simplicity- needing only olive oil and salt to become something extraordinary—making it the perfect symbol for the couple whose love is rooted in authenticity, joy and, well, 

That’s Amore’!