Sarah Katherine Champion and Shannon Heath Covington were united in marriage at 5 p.m. Oct. 23,2010, on the Grand Lawn of the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala.
A beautiful sunset served as the backdrop for the late afternoon ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Henry Champion Jr. of Greenwood.
She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Whitfield Worthen of Tupelo and the late Mr. and Mrs. James Henry Champion of Greenwood.
The groom is the son of the late Mrs. Carolyn Lucille Covington.
He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wayne Organ.
The Rev. Ricky Wheat of Greenwood officiated at the double-ring ceremony.
Guests were greeted by the sounds of Momentum String Quartet of Hattiesburg.
A wedding arch made of young wood saplings adorned with mixed green foliage and bouquets of flowers in shades of soft pinks, cream, ivory and pale blush was the focal point for the ceremony.
Large pomanders of hydrangeas and roses hung above the ceremony site from the majestic 100-year-old oak trees, each pomander donning an ivory satin ribbon trailing in the wind. Rose petals in pale blush, ivory, and pale pink were lavishly scattered down the aisle before the ceremony.
Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a designer gown of ivory silk satin fashioned with a sweetheart neckline embellished with embroidered Alencon lace and closed in the back with covered buttons. Encircling the empire waistline was a bias band of satin from which fell the gored skirt and deeply flounced hemline sweeping into a chapel train. She wore a cathedral-length veil edged in Alencon lace matching that on her bridal gown.
The bride carried a romantic hand-tied bouquet of ranuculi, bridal akito roses, freesia and finesse roses with accents of green foliage. Tucked inside the bouquet was a monogrammed handkerchief that belonged to her paternal grandmother.
An antique pearl and diamond lavalier that belonged to her maternal grandmother was wrapped around the stems of her bouquet.
Olivia Lusco Champion of Washington, D.C., sister-in-law of the bride, served as matron of honor.
Bridesmaids were April Moss Castle of Greenwood, Ryan Williams Henderson of Hattiesburg and Helen Hite Stacy of Ridgeland.
The attendants wore dresses of latte satin with pleated bodices, strapless sweetheart necklines and floor-length skirts. They carried bouquets of roses, lisianthus, ranunculus, lilies, tuberoses and snowberries hand-tied with latte satin ribbon.
The flower girl was Julia Carter Stacy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Neil Stacy of Ridgeland. She wore a delicate ankle-length white Strasburg lace dress and a dainty head wreath of tiny blossoms of white flowers and variegated English ivy with streams of white satin ribbon.
Marty Cale Ainsworth of Greenwood, cousin of the groom, served as best man.
Groomsmen were James Christopher Champion of Washington, D.C., brother of the bride, Christopher Haywood Burden of Greenwood, and Scottie Morrell Whittington of Beaufort, S.C.
Micajah Purnell Sturdivant IV of Jackson read Scripture from a Bible that belonged to the bride's maternal grandfather.
Mary Austin Tribble of Jackson served as the bride's proxy, and Jennie Bradford Curlee, cousin of the bride from Tupelo, was the honorary bridesmaid.
Program attendant was Jennings Kathryn Whelan Luster of Oxford, and wedding director was Heather Houston Williams of Greenwood.
Following the ceremony, the couple greeted friends and family for cocktails and gumbo shooters on the patio before moving into the Grand Ballroom for an evening of celebration.
Guests stopped to view a display of candid photographs of the bride and groom along with photos of family members and wedding pictures of parents and grandparents.
Garlands of green smilax entwined with tiny white lights adorned the two doorways leading into the ballroom.
As guests made their way into the ballroom, they were treated to an elaborate buffet of coastal seafood including crab cakes, shrimp and grits, blackened scallops, oysters, boiled shrimp, mussels and clams. Traditional Southern fare featured fried green tomatoes and pecan crusted chicken.
Guests also a enjoyed fajita station, freshly tossed Caesar salad, carved beef tenderloin and an array of breads and spreads. Later in the evening, guests were offered individual servings of gourmet macaroni and cheese with an assortment of toppings.
The bride's four-tiered wedding cake consisted of layers of strawberry and almond cake with butter cream icing. The tiers featured alternating layers of elegant scrollwork and dots and the couple's monogram. Fresh flowers adorned the top of the cake.
Breaking from tradition, the groom's table featured an enticing array of assorted specialty cupcakes, a favorite of the groom. As a salute to the couple's love of the Delta, the groom's table was decorated with rustic tiered arrangements of sunflowers, cattails, Delta cotton and other seasonal flowers.
The couple's monogram lit the dance floor, where they shared their first dance to "When a Man Loves a Woman." The fabulous King Beez of Memphis took the stage for a night of fun that had everyone on the dance floor.
As the evening came to a close, the couple departed the reception under a canopy of Ole Miss red and blue pompoms and an impromptu Hotty Toddy. Guests were given monogrammed wedding cake cookies made by close friends of the bride's mother.
For a send-off to the bride and groom on Sunday morning, the bride's parents invited guests for pastries and coffee in the Card Room of the Grand Hotel overlooking beautiful Mobile Bay.
Wedding festivities began on Friday with a bridesmaids' luncheon at Rock Creek Golf Club hosted by aunts of the bride, Barbara Bush, Jennie Fields and Anne Worthen, along with Kathy Nash and Julia Thornton, close friends of the family.
That evening, the groom hosted a fun-filled gathering for family and friends at Oak Hollow Farm in Fairhope, Ala.
Music was provided by Stephen Pillow, Andy Hackleman and Kell Kellum.
Following a honeymoon to Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands, the couple is at home in Greenwood.
