Shellie Arnold blooms in her garden party
Shellie Arnold blooms in her garden party
Her homemaking teacher from back in high school might laugh out loud if she knew what Shellie Arnold does for a living these days. She would have never placed Arnold as the heartbeat of some of Tyler's best parties, events and weddings, but there she is.
Spending a good part of her life tending to her most prized garden, her two children, Arnold homeschooled her son and daughter through their entire school years. As they reached high school ages and needed a little less of her attention beyond their schooling time, Arnold began to think back to something she dabbled in while she and her husband were in Malibu, Calif. She rediscovered her love for event planning.
Arnold was soon off for a fast-paced one-month emersion program in Washington D.C. at Georgetown University. along with all day course work, she interned at the French embassy and the Ronald Reagan Center.
"Event planning was still a little new in this area," Arnold said. "It was thought of more as a side line rather than a career."
One thing she said to herself during her internship was, "I'll never do weddings." She would certainly come to eat those words later down the road.
As a master gardener, Arnold loved dealing with flowers and put herself to work in her own florist shop in Whitehouse. Shellie's Flowers and Events opened in 2001 in the geodesic dome building on Hwy. 110. Here she was doing what she loved, working with flowers and helping brides with their weddings. what? what happened to that sworn statement about no weddings?
Nothing works in the world of business better than word of mouth. and when you do the great job that Arnold does, the word gets around.
Arnold was busy. Busy with weddings and all the "flower" holidays throughout the year. Business was good to say the least.
With experience flourishing like the beautiful bouquets around her, Arnold got the opportunity to lease and operate the Tyler Woman's Building.
The building has a wonderful, rich heritage that is embedded in the history of Tyler and East Texas.
In 1931, several of Tyler's women's organizations were in need of a permanent headquarters for entertaining and study purposes. the property at 911 S. Broadway was donated by Judge S. a. Lindsey with the stipulation that a building be constructed within one year. with great community support, money and materials were raised to complete the building in 1932.
"These were the garden clubs, the home extension ladies, women who had only been voting for a few short years," Arnold said. "I'm not a feminist, but what they accomplished makes me very proud to be a woman."
The non-profit Tyler Woman's Forum still owns the building and Arnold leases it from them, working hand in hand to provide a venue that includes a 300- seat auditorium, dining room, parlor, board room and beautiful gardens.
"One of my biggest thrills is to have a 50th anniversary celebration for a couple who married here those 50 years ago," Arnold said. "I'll move heaven and earth to make that happen for them."
Arnold said her job is to help people celebrate. Sometimes they want someone who makes all the plans and does all the work, sometimes they just need a place and someone to prepare and serve a meal. She and her faithful staff will handle it with style whether it is on site or at an alternative location.
"We were very lucky that the people who catered here before us had a great reputation," Arnold said. "We have been able to carry on that quality people are accustomed to and build our own fine reputation."
She's the chef, the floral designer, the decorator and the planner. Chief cook and bottle washer? That title fits Shellie Arnold.
Her husband Steve was responsible for bringing her to the lush East Texas countryside.
"Growing up in Munday, I didn't know Texas had trees," she said. "I just love it here."
The Arnolds live in the home Steve's parents built in Whitehouse. his family's roots run deep here. his grandfather, Wilson Arnold, owned the old Troup Banner newspaper.
"I'm a party girl at heart," she said. "The passion still remains. If you don't love what you're doing, don't do it."
Shellie Arnold is a jewel in her profession with a servant's heart for making dreams come true.
Shellie Arnold blooms in her garden party
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