Hillary Claire Freeman and Charles Phillip Blackburn were married at 7 p.m. on April 18, 2015, at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Greenwood. The Rev. Corby Shields, friend of the groom, officiated the double-ring ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bret Freeman of Greenwood. She is the granddaughter of Doris Franklin of Jackson, Tennessee, and the late Tommie Samuel Franklin and Mrs. Joe Sanford Freeman of Henderson, Tennessee, and the late Mr. Freeman.
The groom is the son of the Honorable Marsha Wedgeworth Blackburn and Mr. Charles Clifford Blackburn of Nashville, Tennessee. He is the grandson of Mrs. Hilman Wedgeworth of Laurel and the late Mr. Wedgeworth and the late Mr. and Mrs. Herman Phillip Blackburn.
Given in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore a strapless couture gown of ivory Dupioni silk, which featured a sweetheart neckline with sculptural bodice seaming. The trumpet skirt featured godets and ended in a chapel-length train with covered buttons adorning the length of the back of the dress. The bride’s “something borrowed” was her mother’s cathedral-length mantilla veil edged and appliqued with Alençon lace. Gifts from the mother of the groom were “something old,” an antique English six-pence tucked into her shoe for luck, and “something blue,” a blue ceramic heart sewn into the hem of her gown. The bride carried a bouquet of white peonies, Vendella roses and cascading orchids. To complete the bride’s ensemble, the groom’s jeweler, Carolyn Linder, selected a diamond strand necklace, earrings and bracelet.
Attending the bride as matron of honor was Mary Morgan Ketchel, sister of the groom, who also served as the wedding planner. Bridesmaids were Margaret Baker, Mariclaire Fancher, Kelly Ferguson, Sarah Ganier, Dorothy Jean Hicks, Ann Elizabeth Kay, Elizabeth Ann Miers, Ashley Myers, Susan Powell, and Mary Mitchell Todd. Her attendants wore black formal length silk jersey gowns featuring a one-shouldered bodice. They carried bouquets of peonies, roses and hydrangeas in shades of white.
The groom’s father and Bradley Faulk served as best men. Groomsmen were Ryan Brown, Blake Gore, Patrick Burke, James Jacobs, Paul Ketchel, Steven King, David Pfeffer, Tyler Quarles and Gabe Smith.
Serving as guest registry and program attendants were Melissa Britt, Mandy Devore, Rachel Hawes and Camille Hensley. Ushers were Brenton Greer, Clay Kelton, Dean Mitchell, James Reynolds and Dustin Walker.
Ring bearers were the nephews and godchildren of the couple, Paul John Ketchel IV and Charles Blackburn Ketchel, who carried the rings on pillows needlepointed by the mother-of-the-groom. Madison Barlow of Greenwood, daughter of a friend of the bride, served as acolyte. Scripture was read by Aubrey Beckham. A Pryor Engagement kept the rehearsal and ceremony on track.
Nuptial music was provided by vocalist Libby Black of Nashville, family friend of the groom and college sorority sister of the bride, organist Ray Smithee and a string trio. Highlighting the ceremonial music were Mrs. Black’s beautiful a cappella rendition of “How Great Thou Art” and the wedding party’s procession to “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” and recession to Widor’s “Toccata No. 5.”
Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception at The Historic Elks Lodge in downtown Greenwood, where guests enjoyed an expansive array of Southern Delta cuisine, including fried catfish and tamales and, as a nod to the groom’s roots, some distinctly Nashvillian fare including hot chicken tenders and Goo-Goo Clusters.
The welcoming front staircase of The Historic Elks Lodge was adorned with lanterns and greenery, and the beauty continued inside with arrangements and table decorations of white hydrangeas and roses. Fresh Cut Catering & Floral was in charge of the flowers, decorations and sumptuous fare for the evening. Their efforts were supplemented by the table decorations lovingly prepared by the groom’s maternal grandmother, a master gardener, and some local delicacies offered by Larry’s Fish House and Honest Abe’s tamales.
The ceilings of the upstairs ballroom were draped with gossamer, and the focal point was a beautiful flower-bedecked chandelier, which included white roses. Rhythm Nation from Atlanta packed the dance floor with music ranging from Sinatra to Motown sounds to contemporary hits. The couple danced their first dance as husband and wife to Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher” as the father of the bride cut in, and the couple was joined on the dance floor by their parents.
The bride’s cake was a beautiful six-tiered butter cream confection adorned with white roses and peonies. The groom’s cake was a two-tiered caramel delight monogrammed with the groom’s initials. Both cakes were displayed on the groom’s family’s heirloom silver plateaus and were prepared by Becky Thompson. The bride and groom sampled the cakes from a 2015 Congressional plate.
After a lovely evening of refreshment, dancing and celebration, the couple departed under a canopy of sparklers as their guests cheered them on, and they drove off in their “getaway Polaris” decorated with a sign boasting that “The Hunt is Over.”
The wedding weekend began as friends of the bride’s family hosted a bridesmaids luncheon held at Turnrow Books..
On the eve of the wedding, the groom's parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at The Historic Elks Lodge, where the wedding party, family and close friends gathered. The dinner was followed by a champagne toast held at The Alluvian for the wedding party and out-of-town guests.
On the morning of the wedding, the gentlemen guests enjoyed a skeet shoot. During the weekend, out-of-town guests enjoyed Greenwood hospitality as they shopped or enjoyed a spa treatment or a cooking class or a tour of the area and sampled the delicious local restaurant fare.
As they prepared for the ceremony, the members of the wedding party were treated to a light meal provided by friends of the bride and her family.
Engagement celebrations honoring the couple were given in both Nashville and Greenwood in the months leading up to the wedding. A bridal shower was given by the bride’s family’s Sunday school class members, and the groom’s mother and sister hosted a “beauty bus” makeover party and luncheon at the Capitol Grille in Nashville for the bride and her Nashville friends.
Following a honeymoon in the Mayan Riviera, the couple is at home in Nashville.
