by Tiffany N. Ramsey

2011 is turning out to be a great year for Reese Witherspoon, 35, and it’s only the beginning. New film and TV projects, and a new hubby have given this Hollywood Hottie a lot to smile about.

Witherspoon has made it clear that she is proud of her Southern upbringing, and has been quoted as saying that it gave her, “a sense of family and tradition" and taught her about "being conscientious about people's feelings, being polite, being responsible and never taking for granted what you have in your life."

Watching Reese, I always thought that she seemed like the girl you could, just be great friends with, while totally being yourself. Her ability to connect with an audience on such a personal level, has made her one of the highest-paid actresses in the American film industry.

Who can forget her portrayal of the innocent Annette Hargrove, in Cruel Intentions or her hilarious take on the ambitious Elle Woods, in Legally Blonde, the musically inclined, June Carter Cash, in Walk the Line, opposite Joaquin Phoenix, in which she won an Oscar, and let’s not forget her turn as the naive Nicole Walker, in the thriller Fear, alongside Mark Wahlberg.

I was delighted to see that Reese has been making waves lately. Recently, she made a hilarious cameo on After Lately, Chelsea Handler’s new mockumentary based show. Witherspoon guest-starred as herself and after befriending the Lately staff, proves to be a bit too bubbly and perky for them to handle. "We want her gone!" demands one of staffers, to which Chelsea replies, "She makes me happy, and she's nice, something none of us have ever been to each other in the last two years." Much to the dismay of the staff, Witherspoon overhears the entire conversation and as one can imagine, things get pretty heated and hilarious.

If you missed Reese’s comedic appearance Lately, she will be starring in the upcoming movie, Water for Elephants, based on the bestselling, critically acclaimed novel by Sara Gruen. Witherspoon stars opposite Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen, Twilight Sagas). The movie takes place during the Great Depression and follows Jacob (Pattinson), a veterinary student that joins a traveling circus and cares for the circus “menagerie.” It is there that he meets Marlena (Witherspoon), a charismatic circus trainer and Rosie, an elephant that is thought to be untrainable, until Jacob realizes a way to reach her. The drama is about beating the odds and finding life long love in a world where even love is a luxury. A similar parallel to Witherspoon’s real life, minus the part about luxuries of course. 

On March 26th, Reese wed CAA agent and beau Jim Toth, 40, in an intimate “country-elegant” ceremony. According to People magazine, Witherspoon wore a custom-designed Monique Lhuillier blush-hued gown with a Chantilly lace corset bodice and full tulle A-line skirt. The gown was adorned with a double-face silk satin ribbon with cascading silk flowers, which matched the dress of Witherspoon's daughter Ava, 11, who served as maid of honor in her own custom Lhuillier. Witherspoon "wowed," says a guest. "She took your breath away." In attendance were; Witherspoon's children, Ava and Deacon, Renée Zellweger, Salma Hayek, Tobey Maguire, Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan and Alyssa Milano and her husband David Bugliari. The gorgeous wedding photographs will be featured in the April issue of People magazine.

Recently, the newlywed gushed about her new relationship, "It’s an exciting feeling," Reese told Elle magazine. "[Somebody saying], 'You’re the one.' And it's a surprise."

It’s no surprise why we love Reese Witherspoon, a certified Trendsetter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6b2XhXkPpg&feature=youtube_gdata_player