former miss north carolinas luncheon

A few weeks ago, I was honored to be asked to photograph a luncheon held for former Miss North Carolinas who had come back to Raleigh for this year’s Miss North Carolina pageant. So many of these women are very dear friends of mine – either from my own competition days or from when I owned The Winning Touch and designed gowns and costumes. It’s been a while since I have seen some of them, so I was thrilled to be able to be there.

Lorna McNeil Ricotta, Miss NC 2000 and owner of Ethos Creative Group, hosted the luncheon this year. Coquette at North Hills was the venue and they offered a menu that was truly divine.

Gotta love gorgeous red roses…
and yummy mimosas!
This annual tradition is really more like a reunion because not only are the former titleholders there, so are volunteers, mentors and friends who are truly the backbone of the Miss NC program and are the folks who supported them throughout their year (and often before and beyond)…

like Ray Kennedy, owner of Kennedy Entertainment, Inc…who loved catching up with Dana Reason Evans (Miss NC 2003) and Lorna….
and others, like my friend Angie Mozingo (talking to Amanda Watson, Miss NC 2008 above) and (below) with dear friends of ours David Clegg, Beverly Adams and Charlene Hay… Formers Dana, Jessica Jacobs Marquardt, Miss NC 2007 and Elizabeth Grayson Williams, Miss NC 1982…

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Of course there are cameras galore at an event like this…
Dana with one of the best Miss NC pageant hostess ever….Amanda Roberts – who also happens to be the mother of Jennifer Roberts Badger, Miss NC 1996 – but could pass for a former Miss NC herself… Lorna with Carolyn Edwards, Miss NC 1950… A group shot of all the formers who were able to attend the luncheon this year:

back row – Dana Evans, Lorna Ricotta, Elizabeth Grayson, my dearest friend Jennifer Vaden Barth, Miss NC 1991

front row – Dana Stephenson, Miss NC 1994, Amanda Watson, Jessica Marquart, and Carolyn Edwards We all listened intently as the formers and volunteers/friends shared memories (often hilarious/embarrasing) from their respective years….
The dessert was so yummy I couldn’t let it be eaten without taking a couple of photographs…

I’m not sure who will be planning next year’s “reunion” but I’m already looking forward to it!