Amy Hardin Murphey and Jason Michael Shirkey, both of Oxford, were united in marriage at 6 p.m. Oct. 18, 2008, at Paris Yates Chapel on the campus of the University of Mississippi.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hardin Murphey of Itta Bena.
She is the granddaughter of Charles Hardin Murphey Jr. of Itta Bena and the late Alice Smith Murphey and the late Mr. and Mrs. Denton Rosamond Edwards of West.
The groom is the son of Judy Lane Shirkey of Connersville, Ind., and Joseph Michael Shirkey of Indianapolis.
He is the grandson of Mrs. Claybourne Fox of Connersville and the late Mr. Fox and the late Mr. and Mrs. James Shirkey.
The Rev. W. Troy Young officiated the double-ring ceremony.
Shannon Baker of Oxford and Katie King of Starkville served as program attendants.
Nuptial music was presented by the Wedding Festival String Quartet and organist Jason Derrick, all of Oxford. Selections included "Sinfonia," "Ave Maria," "Hornpipe," "The Lord's Prayer," "Water Music" and "Ode to Joy."
A violin solo, "Sweet, Sweet Spirit," was performed by Yan Mao as a special tribute in memory of the bride and groom's late grandparents.
Soloists were Kara Naron of Greenwood, who sang "Surely the Presence," and Mindy Noel King of Madison, who sang "In This Very Room."
As guests arrived at both entrances of Paris Yates Chapel, cylinders of floating candles illuminated the walk of entry where beautiful large vases held antique garden roses, Eskimo roses and phaleonopsis orchids in beautiful shades of cream, white, ivory and blush.
Pew markers of snow hydrangeas and phaleonopsis orchids led the bride and groom to the altar table, which featured many pillar candles in shades of cream and white.
The organ, which is the centerpiece of the chapel, was flanked on each side by large arrangements of mini calla lilies, French hydrangeas, antique garden roses, Eskimo roses and Sahara roses in shades of white, cream and ivory, and featured an array of cymbidium orchids. Two large complementary arrangements were placed on pedestals leading to the altar steps.
At the chiming of the handbells, the bride was escorted to the altar by her father, and given in marriage by her parents. She wore an elegant Maggie Sottero gown of ivory illusion with a fitted bodice embellished with re-embroidered lace, delicate beading and seed pearls, which were repeated around the scalloped hemline.
From the dropped waistline and corset back, the skirt flowed into a chapel-length train with delicate beading, seed pearls and re-embroidered lace identical to that of the dress. The bride's initials and wedding date were embroidered in tiny blue script on the inside of the wedding dress.
Completing the bride's ensemble was a veil of silk illusion, which was edged in Alencon lace, delicate beading and seed pearls to match the bride's gown. Pearl and diamond drop earring were the bride's only jewelry.
The bride carried a hand-tied bouquet of Polar Star roses, Eskimo roses, Sahara roses and antique garden roses in shades of white and cream.
The bouquet was wrapped in a handkerchief that belonged to her late grandmother, Alice Smith Murphey, and was monogrammed with the bride's initials and wedding date encircled with seed pearls. The bouquet was accented with French satin hand-embroidered ribbon adorned with seed pearls and pinned with her late grandmother's diamond bar pin.
Attending the bride as maid of honor was Meredith Gore Warf of Jackson.
Bridesmaids were Virginia Hopkins Abbey of Byhalia, Helen Moss Marshall of Jackson, Kathryn Kamp Clark of Memphis, Camille Jones Sandifer of Flora, Kristen Selman Muffuletto of Brandon, Mindy Noel King of Madison, Mary Mills Lane Ritchie of Oxford, Meagan Margaret Moody of Nashville, Tenn., and Brittany Aldy Myers of Montgomery, Ala.
The attendants wore two-piece strapless gowns of champagne tissue taffeta by Bill Levkoff, which featured A-line godet skirts and were accented with a French satin sash. Each carried a hand-tied bouquet wrapped with champagne French satin ribbon, which held calla lilies, spray roses, hybrid lilies, hydrangea and tiny orchids in shades of white, cream, champagne, peach and lime.
Serving as flower girl was Larkin Hadley Camp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Caver Camp of Greenwood. She wore a French hand-sewn white batiste tea-length gown with a scalloped ecru lace hemline. The collar was made of alternating ecru lace and hand-embroidered batiste inserts with handmade tiny white and ecru rosettes with seed pearls. The collar was finished in the same ecru lace as the scalloped hemline of the dress.
The flower girl’s dress was made by the bride's late grandmother, Alice Smith Murphey, for the bride when she was four years old.
The flower girl carried a large smilax circular wreath of roses, mini calla lilies and freesia with trailings of white and ecru ribbon.
Mark Edward Shirkey of Connersville, Ind., served his brother as best man.
Groomsmen were Charles Ray Allen of Oxford; William Howell Edwards of Leland, cousin of the bride; Jason Patrick Greer of Hoover, Ala.; Jeremy Keith Gregory of Oxford; Phillip Scott Harper of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Christopher Thomas Munchel of Cambridge City, Ind.; Alex James Scrimpshire of Oxford; and Benjamin David Thompson of Connersville.
Jonathan Davis Wiseman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Brent Wiseman of Southaven, served as ring bearer. The two-year-old wore a white two-piece batiste button-at-the-waist romper with a collar of alternating ecru lace and white batiste inserts which matched that of the flower girl.
The ring bearer's pillow, which was the bride's baby pillow and was made by the bride's late grandmother, was made of white batiste with alternating ecru lace and hand-embroidered batiste inserts with tiny seed pearls. The batiste coverlet enclosed the pillow with the bride’s gold baby pins, and was enhanced with ecru and white satin ribbons.
Stacey Lynn Thompson served as the bride's proxy.
Following the ceremony, the bridal party was taken on Oxford's Double Decker Bus #10 from Paris Yates Chapel to the Oxford University Club, where they were honored by the bride's parents with a reception. As guests were entertained by music from the King Beez of Memphis, the couple’s entrance was announced as they entered from the third floor candlelit balcony.
Entry arrangements at the base of the stairs leading to the atrium of the Oxford University Club were beautiful vases of variations of roses and lilies in colors of cream, butter, peach and lime.
A candlelit stairway led guests to the atrium area, where a beautiful five-tiered bride's cake, designed by Chow Cakes of the Delta, was the focal point. The white confection with buttercream frosting was elevated on a platform with Eskimo roses, Sahara roses, Casa Blanca lilies, dendrodbium orchids and antique garden roses in shades of cream, butter, peach, lime and blush extending outward from the base of the cake.
The groom's cake, also a Chow design, was located on the main floor of the club. The three-tiered chocolate cake was designed using the groom's monogram and decorated with cybidium orchids.
David Naron of Oxford Floral created countless variations of candle treatments and flower arrangements throughout the club, which included large floral focal points in both the main dining room and in the Magnolia Room.
Elegant food tables, carving stations and food bars were set up in the Magnolia Room and the main dining room of the club.
Guest tables were placed throughout the club, the atrium area and the lighted balconies overlooking the city. At the center of each guest table, round glass vases of roses, hydrangeas and lilies were illuminated by small votive candles.
As wedding favors, guests were treated to a candy bar complete with various size apothecary jars filled with the bride and groom’s favorite candies complete with tiny silver scoops and personalized favor bags. Silver trays held monogrammed white chocolate mints made by the bride’s aunt.
Taylor Griffin Link and Ingram Pennebaker Link, both of Nashville, and Makayla Mackenzie Shirkey of Connersville, Ind., greeted guests at the guest register.
Gail Holliman O'Neal served as wedding director. Janie Braswell was the wedding coordinator.
Following a honeymoon in Jamaica, the couple is at home in Oxford.
On the eve of the wedding, a rehearsal dinner was held at the Oxford University Club's third floor to honor the bride and groom. Hors d’oeuvres were served as guests mingled before enjoying a seated dinner. Champagne toasts by friends and relatives honored the bride and groom.
Other pre-nuptial parties included a Bridesmaids' Luncheon, which was held on the day of the wedding at The Ravine in Oxford. Hostesses for the luncheon were Mrs. Durden Pillow Moss, Mrs. Leila Lane and Mrs. Valerie Selman, all of Jackson, and Mrs. Debbie Jones of Clarksdale. The special treat was a "Charm Cake" made by Alice Chow of Clarksdale. Each bridal attendant pulled a ribbon attached to a large pearl to find a charm of good luck. The bride chose this time to present gifts to her attendants.
A morning of golf at the University Golf Course and lunch was enjoyed by a large number of out-of-town guests, friends and relatives on the wedding day.
An engagement celebration to honor the couple was held at the Oxford home of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Richardson. Other hosts and hostesses were Mr. and Mrs. Clay DeWeese, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Ritchie and Mr. and Mrs. Chris Teague, all of Oxford.
A McCarty shower and luncheon was held at The Gallery in Merigold. Hostesses were Mrs. Pat Hopkins of Clarksdale, Mrs. Lou Ann Sanders of Hernando, Mrs. Ginna Abbey of Byhalia, Mrs. Peggy Walker of Doddsville, Mrs. Brenda Collins of Southaven and Mrs. Kim Murphey, Meagan Murphey and Lindsay Murphey of Ridgeland.
Several parties in Greenwood were held one fall weekend to honor the bride-elect, Amy Hardin Murphey. A mid-morning party was held at Artrageous, where the bride and each of her guests made wedding keepsakes. Hostesses were Mrs. Chriss Howard, Mrs. Gwen Morgan, Mrs. Kathie Sutphen, Mrs. Carla Sutphen, Mrs. Rima Williams, Mrs. LaDonna Moss, Mrs. Jan Champion, Mrs. Robbie Nichols and Mrs. Gail O’Neal, all of Greenwood.
A bridal luncheon was held at What's Cooking on Park Avenue. Owner Mary Lindsey Killebrew served a delicious meal which was enjoyed by the bride, her attendants and special guests. Hostesses were Mrs. Mozelle Webb, Mrs. Katy Murphey and Mrs. Kathy Clark, all of Itta Bena, Ms. Kathryn Clark of Memphis and Mrs. Robbie Parrish of Brandon.
The River Road Extended home of Mr. and Mrs. David Camp was the setting for a wine and cheese party honoring the bride-elect. Hostesses were Mrs. Allyn Camp and Mrs. Elizabeth Melton, both of Greenwood, Mrs. Myra Coleman and Mrs. Joyce Pennebaker of Itta Bena, Mrs. Tracey DuBard of Cleveland and Mrs. Tracy Link of Nashville.
These hostesses also honored the bride and her attendants with a fun night at The Alluvian, where they ended the weekend with Sunday brunch.
The Grenada home of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Gore was the setting for a tropical party honoring the bride and groom. Other hosts and hostesses were Dr. and Mrs. Terrance Moody and Mr. and Mrs. John Mark King of Grenada, Mr. and Mrs. L. Bruce Warf of Jackson, Meagan Moody and Grace Gore of Nashville and Mindy King of Madison.
Workers from the Baptist Hospital Rehab Department entertained the bride with a pre-wedding party.
Golf buddies entertained the groom with a weekend of golf at several of the Trent Jones Golf Clubs in Alabama.
Meredith Gore Warf hosted a weekend of fun for the bride, her bridesmaids and a few friends at her family’s lake house.
