KOSCIUSKO — The First United Methodist Church in Kosciusko was the sacred setting for the marriage of Hollee Randall Inez Cheek and Taylor Louis Casey at half after six o’clock in the evening on April 14, 2012.

Rev. Barry Corbett and Dr. Don Patterson performed the double-ring ceremony against a backdrop of cascading orchids, roses, delphiniums, stock and gladiolas in hues of lavender and purple reaching up to the church sanctuary cross. Seven massive silver-leafed candlesticks were nested atop the flower bank on either side of the lighted cross. The bride and groom exchanged the same vows the bride’s parents had written for their wedding.

Everyday Etiquette’s B. J. Swafford was the wedding coordinator and consultant.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hollis Clifton Cheek of Kosciusko. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. J.C. Cheek and the late Mrs. Frances Ward Cheek of Kosciusko. The maternal grandmother is Mrs. Hugh Lee of Kosciusko and the late Mr. Lee of Mendenhall.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mink, Jr. of McCool and Mr. and Mrs. Danny Casey of Kosciusko.  He is the grandson of the late Rev. and Mrs. Eugene Bailey of McCool, and Mrs. Joe Casey and the late Mr. Casey of Kosciusko.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a custom gown by Modern Trousseau made of French Alencon lace over a silk duchess A-line gown with three quarter length sleeves and a scalloped back with covered buttons flowing into a chapel train.  The gown was enhanced by a fine tulle cathedral-length veil with a delicate Chantilly lace trim that was worn by the bride’s mother.  She wore family heirloom Austrian tear drop earrings shaped with foil-backed rose cut diamonds set in a flower motif, borrowed from her cousin, Sally Patterson.

The bride carried a hand tied bouquet of white garden roses accented with cotton bolls finished with a charm that held her late grandmother’s picture.  The groom and groomsmen wore matching cotton boll boutonnieres.  

Attending the bride as her maid of honor was Amanda Pirani, while Ashley Legate and Drew Myers served as matrons of honor. Bridesmaids were Emily Blount, Katherine Byrd, Diana Cissell, Elizabeth Craig, Julia Fenwick, Morgan Jones, Erin McCarthy, and Kimberly Witcher.

The bridesmaids’ bouquets were of lavender and purple roses wrapped in the bride’s grandmother’s antique lavender lace that matched their lavender dresses. Anna Catherine Cheek, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl.

Nicholas Cagle served as best man.  The groomsmen included Jason Casey, Randolph Cheek, Jeremiah Boling, Eli Dew, Trent Hill, Allen Howell, Holland Myers, Mitesh Patel, and Nicholas Upchurch.

Serving as ring bearer was the bride’s cousin, Bennett Hubbard. Ushers were Gunter Cain and Wes Myers.

Program attendants were the bride’s cousins Jennifer Hubbard, Mallory Lee, Ashley Rich and Anna White.  Honorary bridesmaids were Kayla Avalon, Sheena Burns, Alyson Hutchison, Lauren Moore, Jenny Shoemaker, and Hope Smith. Sarah Parrish served as the bride’s proxy.

Musical selections were performed by soloist Stephanie Holmes, organist Ann Carter, and the Jackson String Quartet.



Reception

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to the reception at the home of the bride’s parents that was beautifully designed by Becky Lawrence Design Group, who also designed the floral arrangements.

Guests entered the garden reception through an archway reaching across the driveway, which was covered in orchids, roses, lilies, delphinium, stock, and gladiolas intertwined with huge white limbs with hundreds of glass prisms hanging from the arch.

Champagne and hors d’oeuvres greeted guests upon arrival. Chandeliers hung from trees and bistro lighting continued leading guests through the reception areas.

Family and friends enjoyed seven catered stations by Pretty Presentations.  Among the stations were the taco buffet, the slider buffet complete with sweet potato fries, and the Panini buffet where sandwiches were made to order. The favorite was the Southern station with fried green tomatoes, fried catfish bites, hushpuppies, Mississippi Gulf shrimp and bread pudding.   Servers passed around late night snacks of pizza and chicken on a stick.

The five-tiered butter flavored wedding cake by That Special Touch was iced with delicious white butter cream frosting embellished with frosting rosettes.  

A childhood dress up wedding dress of the bride was displayed by her cake with a touching framed poem written by her father shortly after she was born.  

The bride and her father enjoyed their dance to music composed by the band to go with the poem.

The wedding reception kicked off with a bang as Nationwide Coverage played music specially selected by the bride and groom. The couple shared their first dance to The band’s “It Makes No Difference.”



Rehearsal

On the eve of the wedding, the parents of the groom hosted a cocktail hour followed by the rehearsal dinner at the Kosciusko Country Club, where guests enjoyed a seated dinner concluded by happy toasts for the couple.  

The bride, a Delta Gamma, enjoyed her bridal luncheon in the Delta Gamma Founders Room at the Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center. The groom and his friends attended a gentleman’s brunch held at the home of the best man’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jai McCurley.

The happy couple bade farewell to guests beneath a shower of grass seeds paying homage to the bride’s family sod farm. Guests received small jars of muscadine jelly produced by local Hillside Vineyard and Berry Farm upon their departure.

Following a honeymoon to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, the couple is at home in Kosciusko.