For Nashville-based business owner and artist manager Desiree Page, choosing where to marry was less about destination and more about meaning.
On May 13, 2025, Page and her husband, Brent Anderson, exchanged vows in the Easleys Courtyard Venue on Main Street, holding both the ceremony and reception there. The couple hosted a welcome dinner the night before at Orleans on Main Bistreaux.
Although Page has built her career in Nashville — running 318 Management and founding Milton Candle Co., which she named after the street in Minden where she grew up — her hometown has remained close to her heart. She said returning to Minden for her wedding was about honoring where she came from.
“I’m completely in love with my hometown,” Page said. “When we started envisioning our wedding day, we wanted it to be meaningful, not about impressing others, but about celebrating us. Brent actually suggested Minden, and when I found out the Easleys had opened a venue downtown, I knew I had to book it.”
The location held special memories for Page, who as a child met actress Sandra Bullock at an antique store just down the street, an encounter she credits with sparking her interest in entertainment.
Page designed the wedding to reflect the couple’s story, incorporating antique-inspired décor, genealogy research, and personal touches such as family photos scattered throughout the venue in place of traditional memorials. Childhood pictures of loved ones who had passed, along with historical details from their family trees, were displayed for guests.
Her Galia Lahav couture wedding gown, found at The Dress Theory in Nashville, influenced the romantic, elegant aesthetic of the day. Crawfish (prepared using a recipe from a late family friend) and late-night fried chicken from Cotton’s capped off the menu, which also featured catering by Hugh Wood and florals from Sibling Stems.
Local businesses were central to the celebration. Guests stayed at The Villas at Spanish Court, and Kingston Lane Vintage & Antiques provided décor. Page said highlighting Minden’s talent was a priority.
“I wanted to give back to the town that raised me and showcase just how special it is to our out-of-town guests,” she said.
Many of those guests were notable songwriters, including Monty Criswell and Derek George, as well as friends and colleagues from Nashville, Dallas and Shreveport. Page said the response to Minden was overwhelmingly positive.
“Every single out-of-town guest told me how much they loved Minden,” she said. “They raved about the food, the hospitality, everything. Some even want to make an annual trip back.”
The day was captured by Jada Grayson Photography and Emma Hogue Photography, who documented the celebration from start to finish.
Page, who created Milton Candle Co. in memory of her father, said she hopes to one day open a shop on Main Street. For now, she continues to balance her business ventures and travel but said her wedding only deepened her connection to home.
“There’s truly nowhere else like Minden,” she said. “It was a deeply personal, joy-filled celebration that perfectly blended our love story and the charm of my hometown, surrounded by the people who mean the most to us.”
