PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANNY K PHOTOGRAPHY
SARA “SUNNY” YOUNG & ELIAS J. BAKER
ara “Sunny” Young and Elias J. Baker were united in marriage in a joyful ceremony on May 24, 2015, at the Piper Palm House of Tower Grove Park in St. Louis. They were married by Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman of Congregation Shaare Emeth of St. Louis. The couple exchanged vows beneath a handmade, quilted chuppah, a canopy representing the couple’s first home together. The bride is the daughter of Gayle Young of University City, Missouri, and Jody and David Young of Chesterfield, Missouri. The groom is the son of Shirley and Robert Bowen of Conway, Arkansas. Escorted by her father, the bride wore an Anthropologie BHLDN gown of ivory
86
INVITATION BRIDAL | June / July 2016
tulle over soft bisque silk charmeuse. The bride’s bouquet was a garden cascade of wildflowers, lavender and tart cherries from Flower Hill farm. The bride’s sister, Amye Rappe of Denver, served as matron of honor and was accompanied by Rachel Elam of San Francisco; Emily Luhrs of Asheville, North Carolina; Larnie Hughes of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Marta Lyons of Minneapolis. The bridesmaids wore an eclectic assortment of dresses in jewel tones, adorned with tiny gold arrow necklaces. Serving as the best man was the groom’s cousin Hunter Stephens of Paris, Arkansas. Groomsmen included Henry Bowen of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Max Bowen of Conway; Alex
Young of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica; and David Rappe of Denver. Before the ceremony, the couple signed a ketubah, a traditional Jewish wedding contract, that was handcrafted in Israel. Folk musicians Curtis and Dennis Buckhannon provided music for the ceremony, with a cameo by Elias’ aunt Judy Domeny Bowen. Guests also danced the traditional hora following the ceremony to celebrate the couple’s marriage. The event was captured by Danny K Photography of Oxford. The couple honeymooned in Europe, backpacking across the Mediterranean from Rome to Southern France to Barcelona. They now reside in Oxford.