Mrs. Matthew Stephens
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Allen Gore of Rome and Billy Joe Bramblett of Rome. The groom is the son of Michael Don Stephens of Pensacola, Fla., and Susan Spradley Stephens of Cartersville.
Reverend Mikel Garrett of Rome performed the double-ring ceremony. An arrangement of white roses and hydrangea adorned the altar table. A brass unity candle, accented with
foliage and an ivory ribbon, was placed in the chancel area. Family pews were marked with ivory ribbons. A candle was lit in memory of the bride’s aunt.
A program of wedding music was provided by organist Donna Hester of Rome. Selections included “Canon in D,” “Trumpet Voluntary,” “Bridal Chorus,” and “Wedding March.”
Ashley Curry of Rome was the matron of honor. Lauren Shelton of Cartersville was the maid of honor. Anissa Elder of Stockbridge, Amanda Black of Jonesboro, and Nikki Gallimore of Rome were the bridesmaids. They wore formal gowns of black chiffon, some with haltar necklines and others with a one-shoulder neckline. They carried hand-tied bouquets of hot pink and light pink roses, wrapped in hot pink satin.
Hallie Bannister, daughter of the bride, of Cartersville, and Ryleigh Curry of Rome were the flower girls. They wore ivory satin dresses with pearl details along the bodice and the hem. The flower girls carried white satin baskets filled with white rose petals.
The bride, given in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, wore an ivory satin gown with a sweetheart bodice that was fitted through the hips and finished into full
skirt with a bubble hem along the chapel length train. The empire waist featured delicate beading detail and a bow along the side of the gown finished the look. She wore a pearl and diamond necklace that the bride’s mother had worn on her wedding day, an heirloom from the bride’s late aunt. A tiara and fingertip length veil completed the ensemble. She carried a hand-tied bouquet of white roses and stephanotis, wrapped in satin.
Michael Stephens, brother of the groom, of Cartersville was the best man. Lindsey Evans, Frank Castaneda, Andrew Saville, all of Rome, and Bryan Lowe of Ft. Worth, Texas, were the groomsmen. William Nelson of Cartersville was the ring bearer.
The mother of the bride wore a cap sleeve, V-neck cocktail dress in pewter lace. The dress was created of layers of lace, accented along the bodice with beads. The groom’s mother wore a black v-neck layered crepe de chine tea length dress with split sleeves, accented with a grey pearl heirloom necklace and drop earrings. The mothers were presented with corsages of off-white tea roses.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Rome Area History Museum. Refreshments included the bride’s 3-tier round cake, which was trimmed in black satin ribbon. The white cake was filled with sour cream fudge filling, and iced in buttercream.
A large fondant bow accented the top of the cake. The groom’s cake was red velvet, iced in buttercream with a houndstooth pattern along the sides and border of the cake, with a three-dimensional elephant emerging from an the University of Alabama “A” logo on the top of the cake
The evening before the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at LaScala Restaurant. Other pre-nuptial parties included a bridal shower given by Cindy
Agan and Sherry Loyd at the Mellow Mushroom in Rome, a bridal shower given by Vivian Alexander, Lisa Stephens and Allison Nelson at the groom’s mother’s home in Cartersville, a bridal shower given by Melissa & Company Salon in Cartersville, and a bridal shower given by the ladies of Dykes Creek Baptist Church in Rome. A bachelorette weekend in Atlanta was hosted by the bridesmaids. The groomsmen hosted a golf outing for the groom on the day before the wedding.
After a honeymoon trip to St. Lucia, the couple will reside in Cartersville.