Circle of
Love
Families and friends make weddings memorable
Some of the happiest moments in a couple’s life are when they get married, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to share some of these stories in the Vicksburg Living magazine’s Wedding Edition.
Although I did not get to attend all the weddings that are included, having the chance to read through the answers to the questions I pose to the couples allows for an interesting perspective — one that I think connects me to the bride and groom on a special level, since I am seeing the wedding through their eyes.
I have often thought what it would have been like if someone had asked me specific questions about my wedding and all the things leading up to it.
Obviously, years ago, weddings were not quite as elaborate as they are now, nor were
proposals. A first look certainly would have been taboo.
Perhaps my story would not have been as detailed as the weddings of today. However, one thing has not wavered — the joining of two hearts and the love shared between a bride and her groom.
And as I have said in just about every wedding issue we have published, the other constant I hear is how blessed couples feel from all the love and support they receive from family and friends on their wedding day.
I agree, and the same is true when you are the parent of a bride or groom. Family and friends make wedding days special.
Administration
Catherine Boone Hadaway
Blake Bell
Vicksburg Living Editor
Terri Cowart Frazier
Marketing
Justin Clarkston
Mallory Hoffman
Jillian Norris
Contributor
Ernest Bowker
Audience & Accounting Services
Shandale Goodman
Contact Information
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Vicksburg Living editor Terri Frazier celebrating her son’s marriage last year with her Texas family.
SHOWCASE
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2025
MR. AND MRS. BOOLOS
Samantha is the daughter of Marlon Guzman of Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Rina Guzman of Honduras. Brooks is the son of Todd and Tammy Boolos.
MR. AND MRS. NORRIS
Jillian is the daughter of Herman and Melissa Ray Hearn and Jeanine Cummins Hearn. Colton is the son of Randall and Renee Norris.
MR. AND MRS. INGRAM
Whitney is the daughter of Mark and Beth Samsel and John is the son of Paul and Donna Ingram.
MR. AND MRS. PIERCE
MR. AND MRS. CADBY
Taylor is the daughter of Brian and Carol Pigott of Springfield, La., and the groom is the son of Gary and Cheryl Cadby of Livingston, La.
MR. AND MRS. RUSSELL
MR. AND MRS. DIBARTOLO
Mary Clare is the daughter of Drs. Phil and Cynthia Scurria, and Peyton is the son of Robert and Tamera DiBartolo of Alexandria, La.
Abby is the daughter of Kiley Bates from Hammond, La., and Michelle Arnone from Independence, La. Jake is the son of Drs. Jill and Paul Pierce IV.
MR. AND MRS. SIMMS II
Keri is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Keith Post III of Tallulah, La. Robbie is the son of Robert and Elizabeth Simms of Eagle Lake, and Ray and Debbie Fairchild of Providence, La. 26 12 30 34 16 20 40 8
Anna is the daughter of William Alcus Pittman II “Bill” and Natalie Pharr Pittman of Hattiesburg. Jake is the son of Jonathan Dean Russell and Amanda “Mandy” Sumrall Russell of Milton, Fla.
DR. AND MRS. HALINSKI
Catherine is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dean James Karavan of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Mr. Nis Gustav Leaf, and Alex is the son of Dr. and Mrs. David Halinski of Vicksburg.
ON THE COVER
Keri Post Simms and Sloane Collins
Photo by Blake McCollum
Union Intimate &Brooks Samantha
While most brides and grooms are surrounded by an entourage of well-wishers on their wedding day, Brooks Boolos and Samantha Guzman decided to do things a bit differently.
The couple not only had a small family affair, they had also been legally married weeks before the ceremony. It wasn’t until their joint bachelor and bachelorette trip to Chicago that anyone became aware.
“We originally got married at the courthouse in Oxford on May 31, 2024,” Samantha said.
But toward the end of July, Samantha said she and Brooks invited their friends, who would have been included in a bachelor and bachelorette trip, to meet them in the Windy City. During the trip the couple revealed they had gotten married privately weeks before.
“We essentially had a joint bachelor/bachelorette trip in Chicago with both of our friend groups. We stayed at different spots, but met up a couple times throughout the trip,” she said.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Brooks and Samantha met at the University of Mississippi’s
Accounting School in 2018, where they had classes and studied together. Apparently everything balanced out for the couple, because on Feb. 2, 2024, Brooks popped the question.
“Brooks invited me to a dinner in Memphis with someone from his work. But before we went to dinner, he surprised me in my kitchen with a memory box full of pictures, poems, and memories from our entire past together and places we have been,” Samantha said. “Every box had another box in it with more memories and another poem, the last box had a note that said, ‘Will you marry me?’ I was completely surprised and did not even know he had a ring yet,” she said.
The romance continued after the proposal, with the couple dining at the Chez Philippe in the Peabody Hotel. She said Brooks even arranged for roses to be placed on the table.
“It was an amazing night,” Samantha said.
PHOTOS BY RHEAGAN RYLEIGH PHOTOGRAPHY
DISTINCTIVELY UNIQUE
In a private ceremony, Brooks and Samantha exchanged vows once again on Aug. 9, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Vicksburg with only family in attendance.
“The ceremony in the church was just in front of our immediate family. It was very short and intimate. We did most of the ceremony in English, but also did some Bible verses in Spanish for the Spanish-speaking members of Samantha’s family,” Brooks said.
There had been no “first look” prior to the ceremony, Samantha said, “but at the ceremony it was special that I got to walk down the aisle with my dad in the church that Brooks grew up in. That was special for us.”
For the ceremony, Samantha wore a white satin dress with a straight, strapless cut.
“I skipped the veil to keep the look clean and modern, pairing the dress with classic white heels. And for the reception, I opted for a strapless white dress featuring an elegant ruffle detail that cascaded down one side,” she said.
The Saturday following the wedding, a reception was held in honor of the couple at the Vicksburg Country Club. Hosted by family friends, it was a night focused on celebrating Brooks and Samantha.
Samantha said the whole weekend was amazing in bringing both Brooks’ and her families together.
“It was very special for both of our families to all be together in Vicksburg for the weekend. I had family come from Honduras and from all across the country to make it,” she said.
For their honeymoon, Brooks and Samantha traveled to St. Lucia.
The couple are at home in Vicksburg where Brooks is a CPA at Boolos-Oakes CPA firm with his father. Samantha just completed her final CPA exam while working remotely for Deloitte’s Memphis office.
A Token of &Colton Jillian
Love
PHOTOS BY RHEAGAN
RYLEIGH PHOTOGRAPHY
Although wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” on your wedding day dates back to the late 1800s, brides of the 21st century still enjoy making the tradition part of their wedding.
For Jillian Hearn, her something old took on a whole new meaning when she married Colton Norris on Sept. 7, 2024, at the CountrySide Venue in Braxton. Her something old was a family heirloom ring.
“My something old was my (engagement) ring. Colton’s grandmother had given the ring to his dad and his dad
proposed to Colton’s mom with it. So, when Colton mentioned to his mom he had started looking for rings, his mom wanted him to keep the tradition going,” Jillian said. “So Colton proposed to me with the same ring his father gave his mother when he proposed to her over 30 years ago.”
As for her something new, it was her
wedding dress, she said.
“My something borrowed was the pearl dangle earrings from my bridesmaid, Mallory Hoffman, and my something blue was the blue ribbon my bridesmaids tied around my bridal bouquet,” Jillian said.
FALLING FOR LOVE
When a fellow decides to propose to a young lady it can be quite a surprise, which it was for Jillian. Initially when Colton was preparing to ask her to marry him, she thought he had just fallen.
“Colton and I had planned to hunt at my dad’s deer camp and when we pulled in, he asked if I would get out and unlock the gate,” Jillian said. But in doing so she failed to see the sign Colton had hung on the fence that read, “Will you marry me.”
After she unlocked the gate, she turned back around to get in the truck and Colton was on the ground.
“I thought he had fallen, but then he said, ‘Jill… look’ and he pointed to the sign and then I realized he had not fallen... he was on one knee.”
HELPING HANDS
Thanks to friends and family, Jillian said her wedding day was all she had hoped for.
“My parents really went above and beyond. My dad and stepmother did all the decorating. From building a background for pictures down to the mini salt and pepper shakers. She did a wonderful job,” Jillian said. “My bridesmaids, who are my closest group of girls who have been by my side for years, were so supportive of the whole process and helped me bring my vision to life. And my maid of honor, Ann Michael Jordan, even did my makeup. Her mother, Angela Presley, did my hair.”
When the two women were done with her hair, Jillian slipped into the wedding gown of her dreams.
“I chose my dress and veil because as soon as I tried them on it was the perfect timeless and classic look I envisioned for this day. And it was also incredibly comfortable which never hurts,” she laughed.
Colton, too, was looking like a sharp-dressed man — that was, of course, after he located his jacket.
“It was hilarious when I saw him in his suit for the first time,” Jillian said. “His jacket was huge. I started panicking and asking myself, ‘Why did he leave the suit place with that?’”
Fortunately, it was just a mix up.
“He had accidentally grabbed my dad’s suit jacket
from the groom’s room,” Jillian said. Switching jackets solved the dilemma.
Also lending a hand for the couple’s big day was their friend, Michael Hedrick.
“He was ordained just for this,” Jillian said.
Hedrick also took Colton and Jillian seriously when they asked for a “brief ceremony.”
“I think all of our guests ap-
preciated this, too, in the heat of September. Short and sweet, and definitely the most memorable 45 seconds!” she said.
Colton and Jillian are at home with their son, James, in Edwards. Jillian works for The Vicksburg Post in the advertising department and Colton works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Hydraulics department.
&John Whitney
Built
Faith
PHOTOS BY ERICA BURLESON PHOTOGRAPHY
Many young people now connect through dating apps or Facebook.
For John Ingram, he responded to a Reformed Christian singles Facebook group where he met Whitney Samsel.
Their first date was on March 25, 2023, at Sonny’s BBQ in Clinton
“And we had a second date the following Friday,” John said.
The couple’s friendship and love continued to grow, and on Nov. 18 of the same year, John proposed.
“We had done some shopping that afternoon and then went out to the overlook by the reservoir on the Natchez Trace in Ridgeland,” he said.
On March 9, 2024, the couple was married at the Madison Methodist Church.
UNFORTUNATE BREAK
For her wedding, Whitney chose what she called a “simple dress.”
“I loved how simple it was but at the same time it was so elegant. I tried on several dresses and tried on my dress, and I knew I had found the right one,”
she said.
With dress in hand, wedding plans seemed to be moving right along. That was until John’s mother, Donna, had a nasty tumble.
“I broke my leg, with a compound fracture of the tibia, on Feb. 2, 2024,” Donna said.
“And due to the severity of the compound fracture I was taken by ambulance to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where they have an orthopedic trauma unit.”
Donna underwent three surgeries, the first of which was on Feb. 21. She was in the hospital for two days, recovering while knowing her son’s wedding was just days away.
“Everyone from ambulance drivers to emergency room workers, to my surgeon and surgery staff, to floor nurses, to physical therapist, to people that brought my food — all knew I needed to be well and able to
attend the wedding,” she said. And all were “fabulous.”
This didn’t mean Donna would be able to make it to the wedding, but she said she was determined.
“I knew I would be non-weight bearing and wouldn’t be able to walk down the aisle, but I was going to be there,” she said.
For her final dress fitting for the wedding she said she was in a cast.
“And the lady doing the alterations was a nervous wreck with me standing up with Paul (Donna’s husband) making sure I didn’t topple over,” she said. “I think it was Paul’s first, and last, trip to a bridal shop!”
On the morning before John and Whitney’s wedding, Donna, who was out of a cast and in a boot, had a physical therapy session before the rehearsal dinner that night. It left little time for rehearsal dinner details. But Donna said all those she had hired to help with the event did an amazing job.
“All I had to do was point my finger and things got done,” she said. “I was truly
blessed.”
Donna had made plans to also have a hair appointment that day, but because she was so exhausted she canceled it.
“I did my own hair with a little help from Paul, and it actually didn’t look too bad,” she said.
Because being the mother of the groom is a job in and of itself, on top of having a broken leg, one might think the wedding should have been postponed. But Donna never suggested it to John and Whitney.
“Everything was planned and I knew I could still attend the joyous occasion, just not as I had planned. My mother had a debilitating brain aneurysm at 60 and lived the next 24 years as if her disabilities were non-existent. I learned from her to take life’s bumps and forge ahead with a smile. I knew God had my back and everything would work out fine,” she said.
ALL SMILES
John and Whitney chose to do a “first
look” before the ceremony. With Whitney in her beautiful wedding gown, wearing her mother’s pearl necklace and John’s mother’s pearl earrings, no doubt he would be moved.
“I stood looking away from her,” John said. “And she walked up and put her arms around me. When I turned around her smile was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen!”
As the wedding began, Donna was ushered down the aisle in a wheelchair by Paul, John and her youngest son, Chris.
“Paul pushed the wheelchair, and the boys were at my side,” she said.
The ceremony was co-officiated by Pastor Thomas Winn from Grace Baptist Church at Castlewoods, John’s church where he and Whitney are both now members; and Pastor Gary Sinclair from First Presbyterian Church of Jackson.
Music was provided by the church organist Fonzo Finch, and the Ruah Strings Quartet.
“It was a very traditional wedding with classical music, the groom and groomsmen all in tuxes. We sang two hymns; one picked
by each of us, and we also did a unity sand ceremony,” Whitney said.
A reception followed, and Whitney said the food and music were good and there was a lot of dancing — including by Donna.
“They had me and my wheelchair on the dance floor most of the night,” Donna said. “Everyone just cleared a spot for the wheelchair and my elevated leg.”
As for the mother-and-son dance, Donna said neither she nor John are very good dancers.
“Whitney’s brother and sister gave us one dance lesson prior to the accident and another was planned before the wedding. Well that second one never happened,” Donna said. “I really wanted to stand for our dance, but since I couldn’t put any weight on my left leg — the doctor was
adamant that I would injure it further if I wasn’t careful — I decided to remain in the wheelchair. We never really practiced our dance in the wheelchair, so it was very clunky. Paul had the band cut the song short, so it was a quick dance. It worked out for the best as I would have cried had we had a traditional mother/ son dance. Instead, we laughed.”
For their honeymoon, John and Whitney traveled to Hawaii where they went whale watching, snorkeling and toured Pearl Harbor.
The couple is at home in Ridgeland where Whitney works for her parents, who own several rental properties around Jackson. John works as the director of finance at Reformed Theological Seminary, which is based in Jackson.
Deerly Beloved & Jake Abby
WEDDING PHOTOS BY BRITTANY DUFRENE PHOTOGRAPHY, ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS BY ALYSSA ARNOLD PHOTOGRAPHY
Jake Pierce was all set to ask his sweetheart, Abby Bates, to marry him. He had not, however, counted on a baby deer diverting her attention away from his well-laid plans. Thankfully the little fawn was just a temporary detraction, because on June 7, 2024, at the Holy Ghost Church in Hammond, La., the couple was married.
Jake and Abby were students at Mississippi College when they met.
“We met each other through classes we were both taking at MC. I was honestly intimidated by her beauty, so I never engaged with her,” Jake said.
“That was until she approached me after class and asked if I wanted to join
her and some other classmates for a study group. Obviously, I obliged.”
At the time, Jake said he and Abby were dating other people, so the relationship was purely “platonic.”
“However, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. For two years we would occasionally see each other in class and
meet up at study groups with other students. It was a bit torturous for me to be around her,” Jake said. “She was so bubbly and gorgeous and funny I just couldn’t stand not having her.”
So, when both found themselves single, Jake said he worked up the courage to ask Abby out on a date.
“She said ‘yes,’ and we have been inseparable ever since.”
THE PROPOSAL
Jake and Abby were set to visit her family for the weekend. During their stay, plans were to go to the woods and move deer stands and feeders that were on the property.
The couple was also planning to ride over with her father to her grandparents’ home, which was on the family land. On the way back to her dad’s house, Abby said she saw a baby deer.
“He ran across the road and then the whole way back I was telling Jake how we could’ve saved that deer and raised it,” she said.
It was while she was turned around sharing
this notion with Jake, who was in the backseat of her father’s truck, that she completely missed seeing the romantic backdrop Jake had created on the water’s edge.
“There’s a pond and deck at my dad’s house and I somehow missed seeing the whole set up,” Abby said.
Once the truck pulled to a stop and Abby got out, the surprise was revealed.
“I remember getting out of the truck and Jake opening my door. He reached his hand out to me, and I made a joke by shaking it saying, ‘Hey how are you doing?’” Abby said.
At that point, Abby said Jake got a little smile on his face and she kind of giggled wondering what was going on.
“Jake then took my purse out of my hand, and I called him such a gentleman for carrying my stuff, but then he threw it back into the truck and slammed the truck door, I looked at him, so confused and asked, ‘What are you doing?’” Abby said. “He grabbed my hand, and he started pulling me toward the front (of the truck) and that’s when I heard music start and as we rounded the corner, I
saw the set up. It was so beautiful. There was a rug, flowers and candles.”
Abby said she then realized what was about to happen.
“I absolutely broke down crying,” she said.
When she finally got her composure, Jake walked over to the beautiful arbor that had been erected. At that point, family began to come out from hiding. As she watched everyone coming toward them, Jake fell to his knee.
“When I turned back, Jake was on one knee,” Abby said. “He looked at me with his eyes and I knew this was the love of my life and that I was going to say ‘yes.’”
TRADITIONAL TENDENCIES
After trying on “probably 30 dresses” Abby finally found her wedding gown.
“My dress was absolutely gorgeous. It was a mermaid style, satin gown that had flowers embroidered with pearls and sparkles. It also had a massive satin overlay skirt. My veil was a cathedral veil that stretched 10 feet long,” Abby said. “I knew that that was my dress
and veil the moment I put it on because I had tried on probably 30 dresses at that point and I was tired and I was actually changing back into my clothes to leave the bridal shop when one of the workers came in and said we just got this dress and why don’t you try it on.”
It was at that moment, she said she “fell in love.”
“I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.”
Abby said another indication that this was the dress for her is when it fell off the hanger.
“I’m very big on superstitions and when we took it off to think about it, it fell off the hanger and I knew that it didn’t need to be hung back on the shelf, it needs to come home with me,” she said.
In keeping with a more traditional style, Abby said she covered her face with a blusher — a traditional part of a wedding veil that adds a bit of romance and mystery to the ceremony. She did a bouquet and garter toss and she and Jake did not do a “first look.”
“The first time me and Jake saw each other was when I was walking down the aisle in the church, we locked eyes, and we never looked away,” Abby said.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
At the end of the night, when guests began to leave, Jake and Abby gifted them with a bottle of wine.
“My family makes wine from berries from our family farm or from berries that my dad grows and so our wedding favors for our guests were homemade bottles of wine that either Jake and I, or my dad and I, had made,” Abby said.
As an ending to their special day, Abby and Jake enjoyed relaxing in their “villa” and recounting all that it had entailed.
“It was the end of the day when I finally got to sit with my husband and just smile and laugh and reminisce on how crazy the day was and how much we were loved and supported through the whole day by our family and friends and I think that’s what made it just so special — just being able to take a second and be with my husband and realize how amazing the day was,” Abby said.
For their honeymoon, Jake and Abby traveled to the British Virgin Island of Tortola.
The couple are at home in Vicksburg where Abby works in human resources at Golding Barge Line and Jake is a sales rep for Hometown Medical.
&Dylan Taylor Away Carriaged
In lieu of a first look, Taylor Pigott decided to surprise her future husband Dylan Cadby with a unique entrance. With the wedding ceremony taking place on the grounds of the historic Beaulieu home on Cherry Street, she arrived in period fashion — a horse-drawn carriage.
PHOTOS BY TILLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Taylor most likely got the reaction she was hoping for because her groom, she said, “couldn’t stop smiling.”
“And Dylan is not a crier, but his eyes filled with tears,” Taylor said of the moment when their eyes met. “And when I saw Dylan, I was so excited I also couldn’t stop smiling.”
It was a moment, she said, “that I truly felt like this was the start of the two of us together, and everything else faded away because I was so focused on him.”
After Taylor exited the carriage, her father, Brian Pugh, escorted her up to the front porch of the home where she and Dylan became man and wife on Aug. 24, 2024.
Dylan and Taylor met at church and their love grew during a two-year courtship. Dylan proposed on a Monday, Taylor said.
“It had been a normal Monday of running errands with my mom, picking up hair products since I am a hairdresser,” Taylor said.
But the day’s ending was anything but normal. What was to be just a date to the Movie
Tavern turned into a proposal. Dylan, Taylor said, had rented out the theater and playing on the big screen was a video he had made with all their “favorite people” sharing their love for them. It concluded with him asking the question, “Will you marry me?”
“He made my night unforgettable,” Taylor said — and even moreso when the date to the movie was followed by a party with friends and family.
LUCKY NUMBER 3
Accompanied by several family members that included her mother and future motherin-law, Taylor, who is from Springfield, La., traveled to New Orleans to shop for her wedding gown.
“The dress I fell in love with was the third dress I tried on and when I walked out everyone gasped,” Taylor said. “But I wasn’t completely sold because even though I felt like this was the one, I knew this would be the only time to try on wedding dresses and
I wanted to see all my options. I tried on 13 dresses, but there was still something drawing me back to number three. So that’s when I said, ‘yes to the dress.’”
Taylor’s Allure gown had a sleek crepe sheath form that featured sequined lace and beaded appliques and a notched neckline.
“The dress sparkled in all the right places and had the prettiest flower details on the bodice and straps. It was a fit and flare and sparkled on the hips and all the way down to the train. The front was solid with satin from the waist down. It was 100 percent the dress of my dreams,” Taylor said.
WEDDING DAY
Nuptials were exchanged on the porch of the Beaulieu Home, which had pink sheer draping flowing from the columns that encased the couple.
A chandelier hung from an expansive magnolia tree, and underneath was a velvet cov-
ered settee. During the ceremony guests were seated in white chairs with gold lanterns marking each row. Tables were also scattered around the lawn, decorated with pink sheer fabric, gold lanterns and centerpieces of greenery.
Taylor’s favorite color is pink. Therefore, her bridesmaids wore dresses in varying styles and shades of the color.
In addition to her flurry of bridesmaids in the wedding party, there were Dylan’s groomsmen, a flower girl, a miniature bride and two ring bearers.
“We chose people who have been there for us through it all,” Taylor said.
Also making her wedding meaningful was the blue brooch Taylor carried in her bouquet that had belonged to her grandmother.
“My maw maw Jessie had passed away two years ago, and we had such a close relationship, and she loved Dylan. So I placed it on my bouquet so that I could have a piece of her there with me.”
DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY
The Columns-Beaulieu Greek-Revival style home was built in 1899 by Samuel and
Helen Ragan. The home was later owned by Ray and Elie Lum when the late Gen. Dwight Eisenhower stayed at the residence in 1947. And in giving a speech from the balcony, Eisenhower spoke of the possibility of running for president, which he did and won and served as commander-in-chief from 1953 until 1961.
Legend has it the main room of the house is known for Eisenhower dancing the night away under the beautiful chandelier, which is exactly what Dylan and Taylor did during their reception. Currently, Beaulieu is owned by the groom’s parents.
Along with a night of dancing, the couple enjoyed their threetiered wedding cake and chocolate groom’s cake, all made by HannMade Cakes of Vicksburg. The wedding cake was topped with a pearl and gold letter “C” representing their last name. And the groom’s cake was adorned with a doe and buck representing Dylan and Taylor’s hobby of deer hunting.
Following the reception, the couple left for a honeymoon to St. Lucia.
The couple are at home in Holden, La.
All &Jake Anna
Planned
PHOTOS BY LINDSEY SPEIGHTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
WOut
hen Anna Pittman was a little girl, she might not have been old enough to plan out her entire wedding, but she knew one thing — the Anchuca Historic Mansion and Inn would be part of her special day.
“My Uncle Tom Pharr owned Anchuca Historic Mansion and Inn for more than 21 years. He instilled in me an appreciation for its history. And since I was a little girl, I knew I would incorporate Anchuca into my wedding in some capacity, because of how special it has always been to me,” Anna said.
And that she did when she married Jacob “Jake” Russell on Nov. 3, 2024, at the B’nai B’rith Literary Club in downtown Vicksburg.
Although her wedding was not at Anchuca, several of her wedding events were held there.
“My uncle sold the mansion two years ago, but I was able to host my bridesmaids and family there during the weekend of the wedding. My grandmother (Mimi) and Aunt Susan Wallace hosted a bridal brunch for me at Anchuca the morning before my wedding, and Jake’s parents allowed us to welcome our wedding party and family to an incredible
rehearsal dinner there that night. We also took many of our portraits there the morning of the wedding,” Anna said.
In lieu of a traditional bachelorette weekend, Anna’s bridesmaids were able to come to Vicksburg two days before the wedding — with all staying in the main portion of the house.
To welcome the bridal party to Anchuca, Anna said her mother made a “Welcome to Annachuca” sign in honor of a childhood
drawing she had done. The sign described Anchuca, Anna said, and featured a variety of photographs that were taken of her at the mansion through the years when she came to visit her extended family in Vicksburg.
FIRST MEETING
Jake and Anna met while students at Mississippi College and dated for nearly two years before becoming engaged in 2023. Anna said Jake proposed on the grounds of
Buena Vista, the home of Minor Ferris, near Fort Hill in the Vicksburg National Military Park and a surprise engagement party followed at Springfield — Pharr’s home.
THE GOWN AND ALL THE ACCESSORIES
For her wedding, Anna wore a gown designed by Allure.
“I was searching for something very me, something classic yet unique,” Anna said.
“The dress had buttons all the way down the back, a flowing train, and bow on the back. It was everything I hoped for and more.”
Her veil was purchased by her paternal grandmother and was sprinkled with pearls throughout, giving “just the right touch” to the bridal look Anna said she wanted.
As for her something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, Anna said she had been very meticulous in deciding what to include.
“I paid special attention to my something old, new, borrowed, and blue and I had several things in each category,” she said. “I wore my mom’s garter from her wedding day, and I wore my maternal grandmother’s — Gran Bettye’s — pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelet.”
For her something blue, she also wore an aquamarine ring that had been gifted to her by “Gran Bettye.” The ring had originally been gifted to her grandmother by her father — Anna’s great-grandfather.
“Prior to my wedding, she gifted it to me at my ‘Something Blue Before I Do’ shower, which was held at Springfield in Vicksburg. (Gran Bettye) had had it resized and cleaned for me as it had been given to her more than 50 years before,” Anna said.
For her something old, she carried her great-grandmother’s blue embroidered handkerchief. For her something new, it was her wedding dress, veil and shoes.
GETTING MARRIED
Prior to the ceremony, Jake and Anna shared a private moment for their “first look.”
“We were on the front porch of Anchuca, and I tapped him on the shoulder, inviting him to turn around and see my dress for the
first time. This first look and the private vows that followed were so special to us both, and we are so glad that we took one-onone time to see each other that morning before the ceremony,” she said.
From there Anna and her bridal party rode the Vicksburg Trolley to the B.B. Club. The ceremony was held in the ballroom and serving as her maids of honor were her younger sister, Caroline, and future sister-in-law Cameron.
“My dear friend Cortney Phillips was my matron of honor alongside seven other bridesmaids.”
Jake’s father officiated the wedding.
Following the ceremony, the reception began downstairs, where guests enjoyed food catered by The Anthony at the B.B. Club and wedding cakes made by Anna Kate Andrews, owner of Macarons by AK.
The remainder of the reception was held back in the ballroom where the couple’s first dance was to “Dance of a Lifetime” by Drake Milligan.
As the fun came to a close, Anna said she and Jake exited with guests waving gold pom poms as they made their way to a horse-drawn carriage.
“It felt magical,” Anna said. “We were surrounded by so much love, celebration, and support and after nine months of planning and seeing my vision come to life so seamlessly, it was such a blessing.”
For their honeymoon, Jake and Anna traveled to the Smoky Mountains.
The couple is home in Clinton where she is in digital marketing at The Business Growers in Flowood and Jake works for the United States Probation Office in Jackson.
&Peyton Mary Clare
Purrfect Union A
Peyton DiBartolo and Mary Clare Scurria both love cats. So much so, they incorporated them into their wedding day.
Mary Clare tucked a little cat pendant that had blue on it onto her wedding dress and the cocktail napkins used at the reception had two cats with their tails intertwined making a heart that said, “The first day of the rest of our 9 lives”.
“Another really special part of our wedding was when my cousin read a passage. I didn’t want to use a reading that everyone uses. I wanted it to be unique and really mean something to us,” Mary Clare said. “So, she was able to find the
most perfect reading and it even had a line in there about being cat lovers so that was really special to us.”
All these gestures were certainly meaningful to the couple, but they were not the only touches that made their
PHOTOS BY ROBBY FOLLOWELL
wedding day — Jan. 13, 2024 — memorable.
They had a plethora of treasured moments beginning with the bride’s wedding dress. It had first been worn by her mother during her parents’ wedding.
“My mom and I were on the phone one day and she asked what kind of dress I wanted,” Mary Clare said. “I told her since the wedding was in January, I wanted long sleeves. She said very casually, ‘Well, you know my dress has long sleeves, so if you wanted to look at it and try it on you could wear that.’ I said ‘Actually, I’d really like that. I think that would be really cool.’ So, she said OK, and we talked a little bit longer and then hung up.”
Shortly after their phone call, Mary Clare started getting text messages with photos of her mother’s dress.
“She had gone upstairs to the attic, taken the dress out, and sent me 10 to 15 pictures of it. She was very excited,” Mary Clare said.
To add to the joy, the dress only needed a few changes to make it perfect.
“We did make a few changes to the neckline and the sleeves, but everything else was her original dress. I also wore her veil as well. It was really special for both of us, and we put out pictures at the reception of her on her wedding day and my bridal portraits so that everyone could see both of us in the dress,” Mary Clare said.
DINING TO DATE
Peyton and Mary Clare first met in 2013.
“We were both living in Monroe, La. He was working at a restaurant at the time, and I had a huge crush from the first moment I saw him. I would go eat at his restaurant probably four to five times a week just to try to get the chance to talk to him,” Mary Clare said.
It wasn’t until 2014, however, that they actually went out on a date.
“We had been friends that whole first year, but he would never ask me out. So, I had to finally start asking him out myself and even then it took him another three to four months to realize that I was interested in going out with him and not just hanging out as friends,” she said.
The couple continued to date for several more years before discussing marriage.
“We dated for eight years before we got engaged,” Mary Clare said. It was a year-long engagement. “Neither one of us ever really felt a
strong desire to get married. We had discussed it before and always just said ‘one day.’ Then, one night we were at home watching TV and he said, ‘We should get married.’ And I said, ‘OK, that’s fine with me.’ So, he bought a ring.”
Mary Clare said she and Peyton were both “homebodies,” so to have some big proposal was not something either would have wanted. When the ring arrived, as per their lifestyle, Mary Clare said Peyton proposed in their kitchen.
“But it was perfect, and it felt ‘very us,’” she said.
BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES
For those that don’t like the attention focused on them, getting married in front of a gathering of people can lead to a bit of nervousness, which is what Mary Clare
said she and Peyton were both experiencing on their wedding day. Happily, love prevailed.
“We were both really, really nervous. Neither one of us likes to be the center of attention and there were a lot of people there. When I first walked out, I was so nervous and out of it that I don’t think I even looked at him or noticed Peyton was there until my dad and I were halfway down the aisle.”
Mary Clare said she thought Peyton was even more nervous.
“His legs were shaking. But once I got up to the altar and we said hello to each other, we both calmed down and felt better,” she said. “But we were glad the ceremony wasn’t too long.”
WEDDING DAY DETAILS
Peyton and Mary Clare had a mix of family and friends that made up their wedding party.
“We both have big families, so we were able to find roles for everyone,” Mary Clare said. “My cousin was my maid of honor and Peyton’s dad was his best man. All of our siblings were groomsmen and bridesmaids. And I have a lot of cousins, so I was able to find roles for each of them in our wedding which was also really special to have everyone we love the most included.”
In addition to wearing her mother’s wedding dress and the cat pin, Mary Clare wore
her mother’s diamond necklace and her late maternal grandmother’s wedding ring.
“A few months before the wedding, my mom gave me my grandmother’s first engagement ring. My grandfather had bought her a newer — bigger — one for their 20th wedding anniversary, but this was her first one that she had worn for the first 20 years of their marriage,” Mary Clare said. “And I wore the ring as my something new. Even though it was old, it was new to me.”
Both the wedding and the reception were held at the Levee Street Warehouse and Fresh Cut from Jackson provided all the decorations, flowers and food.
Following the ceremony, Peyton and Mary Clare had a first dance to “Your Song” by Elton John. Her dad chose “To Sir, With Love,” for the father/ daughter dance and Peyton and his mom danced to “Have I Told You Lately” by Van Morrison.
And in recognition of loved ones who were no longer with them, the couple had a table dedicated to them with their pictures on it. Those included grandparents, Peyton’s sister Gina, and Mary Clare’s cousin Stuart.
“It was really special to feel like we had a little piece of our loved ones there,” Mary Clare said.
UNFORGETTABLE
It was a day to remember, from the dress to the flowers to all the special details, but what made it perfect, Mary Clare said, was the friends and family who came to share in the celebration.
“It isn’t often that everyone you love and care about is all in the same room together,” she said. “I spent the whole night talking to people and catching up. I got to see people I haven’t seen in a while or people I don’t get to see very often. In fact, when we were driving back home a couple days after the wedding, I just started crying in the car because I was so overwhelmed with all the love we received. I was so touched that so many people came from all over to celebrate us. It was truly so touching and meant so much to us.”
Mary Clare and Peyton put their honeymoon on hold until they decide where they would like to travel.
The couple are at home in Alexandria, La. where Mary Clare is a licensed professional counselor currently working for the Louisiana Department of Health, and Peyton works with A1Pools.
&Robbie Keri
Renovation
Romance
Robbie Simms and Keri Post’s paths first crossed on a teeball field. But it wasn’t until the pair reconnected during a downtown property renovation that was to house Keri’s salon, that they decided to go the extra inning and on Sept. 7, 2024, the couple was married at St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable in Fayetteville, Ark.
Keri said it was at her mother’s urging that she and Robbie wound up on the same teeball team.
“My mom taught Robbie kindergarten and when my dad was selecting his
teeball team she told him she taught some very athletic boys and that he should pick the Simms boy and he did,” Keri said.
Fortunately, the team did well. Keri said that even though she mostly picked flowers in the outfield, she did manage to catch a ball and the team won the championship.
“I’m glad that went well or we may
PHOTOS BY BLAKE MCCOLLUM
not be where we are today,” she laughed.
SECOND ENCOUNTER
For 12 years, Keri leased a property on the 1500 block of Washington Street in historic downtown Vicksburg where she operated her business — Rouge Salon. But when the opportunity to purchase a building just a few blocks down on the 1100 block, presented itself, Keri bought it.
“I had always wanted to purchase a building to renovate specifically with the salon downstairs and living space upstairs, so in February 2023, I closed on the perfect building,” she said. “I then began searching for people to help me renovate the building and through that process, Robbie began working on the building. We worked closely together formulating plans for
the space and Robbie eventually took over the project as the contractor and, in the process, he truly created my dream space even through all the challenges I presented him.”
The couple dated for almost a year, Keri said, before Robbie proposed to her at Lake Bruin.
Keri said it was a surprise — the initial plan had been to go to her parents’ house for her father’s birthday, but as a ruse, Robbie told her that her father needed help with a project at the lake.
“Little did I know (Robbie) had planned the perfect engagement with the help of my sister Anne Marie,” Keri said. “He proposed to me on one knee at sunset on the dock at Lake Bruin. I grew up on the dock with my Granny Sue and pawpaw, so it was a very sentimental place for me. It was truly the perfect moment.”
One Less Thing to Worry One Less Thing to Worry About About
TUXES TUXES TOO TOO
WEDDING DAY
For her wedding, Keri wore a V-neck lace gown with cap sleeves. She also wore a simple cathedral length veil that was lightweight and complemented the style of the dress.
“I was shopping at The Bridal Path in Madison with my mom and (lifelong friend) Anna Beth (Collins). It was the first dress I tried on that day. It hugged me just right and was very easy to move around in and I felt like it fit the setting for the wedding perfectly,” Keri said.
As for her something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, Keri wore her Granny Sue’s diamond bracelet on her wedding day.
“She was one of the most influential people in my life, so it was very special to have something of hers to wear. We also married on her birthday, so I know she was celebrating and watching out for us in heaven,” Keri said. “I also carried a very special handkerchief from my Mimi. She carried it in her wedding — I was her maid of honor — with the date monogrammed in blue.”
Keri said her sister Anne Marie also carried the handkerchief in her wedding and added her wedding date to it.
“And I added mine,” Keri said. “The date is monogrammed in blue for our something blue. The idea is each grandchild will add their date and carry it in their wedding.”
For her something new, in addition to her wedding gown, Keri wore a hair brooch.
The bridesmaids for the wedding were Keri’s sisters Anne Marie Boose and Kathryn Sue Post.
“My sisters are genuinely the most special people in my life. I know they are always in my corner even if my corner is a little cluttered sometimes,” Keri said. “And I couldn’t imagine having anyone else stand by me during my wedding. They helped with everything and anything the whole weekend.”
Serving as Robbie’s groomsmen were his brothers, Kenny and Chris Simms.
Sloane Collins served as the flower girl and Gannon Simms was the ring bearer.
“Once I got down the aisle Gannon announced he forgot the ring. Fortunately, his dad had him covered,” Keri said.
Robbie and Keri shared a traditional first
look.
“I was standing at the altar,” Robbie said, “And it was a very small chapel so I was worried everyone could see my facial expressions. But when Keri came in, I just thought how beautiful she was. I instantly felt a sense of calmness when she finally got down the aisle. Then it seemed as if time stood still.”
Keri, too, had a similar experience.
“I remember when the doors opened not seeing anyone but Robbie. I wanted to look at my dad and say hurry up let’s get down the aisle to Robbie, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of him long enough to give my dad any further direction. Once we got down the aisle all I could think about was let’s get this over so I can just stand in his hug,” she said.
THE CEREMONY
Robbie and Keri had a private family ceremony.
“The church was so quaint and beautiful it didn’t need decorations,” Keri said. “And when my sister-in-law Adrienne Simms sang the prayer of St. Francis a cappella, the way her voice filled the church felt magical.”
Following the ceremony, Keri said the minister invited everyone in attendance out-
side for a moment of private prayer.
“That’s the moment all of my emotions caught up to me. I cried. Everything from the prayer to the time alone with my husband was peaceful and perfect. I truly felt God blessing my marriage,” Keri said.
Following the pronouncement of Robbie and Keri as man and wife, the couple was given the go-ahead for the all-important kiss.
“I would have been fine skipping the reception at that point,” Keri said, “But we didn’t. We went down by the creek to cut the cake and take pictures while our family enjoyed champagne.”
Keri gave credit to her “lifelong” friends for making Robbie’s and her day magical.
“My two lifelong friends literally pulled my vision together to make it the perfect day. Being an artist, I chose to do most of the decor and planning myself. Of course, the day became so busy that Georgia and Anna Beth had to step in and wear all the hats. I couldn’t have done it without them,” Keri said.
Family also pitched in when they arrived in Fayetteville. Keri, along with her mother and sister, went to a local flower farm to pick flowers. The reception was held at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks.
“We met Georgia, Anna Beth, and Kathryn back at the Airbnb. Georgia and I made flower arrangements for the reception tables, and she made my bouquets for the wedding. I was so thankful she was there to help me. She decorated and put everything together for the reception,” Keri said. “She was also the wedding coordinator. Georgia can do anything under pressure. I’m so fortunate to have such a great lifelong friend.”
SWEET NOTHINGS
It was the love and support Keri said she felt from her family and friends that made her wedding day special.
“I like to think that our wedding was the acoustic version of our love song,” she said.
And while it might have been a few years from that first meeting on the teeball field, to the renovations on her building before Robbie and Keri became man and wife, she said, “I know God has perfect timing and He had been preparing both of us for this time in our lives.”
For their honeymoon, Robbie and Keri traveled to Arkansas to Big Cedar Lodge. They are at home in Vicksburg with their 5-year-old son, Gannon.
&Catherine Alex
A Tapestry of
PHOTOS BY KATHERINE AND TYLER
Alex Halinski and Catherine Leaf wanted a “traditional, timeless style” wedding, but the couple also wanted to include both their family’s faiths and customs — Alex’s Polish heritage and Catherine’s Jewish background — and on May 4, 2024, at the Pine Lakes Country Club, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the couple exchanged vows beneath a beautifully adorned chuppah, which in the Jewish tradition symbolizes the home they would build together.
During the reception their guests enjoyed lively Polish baby dances.
“And the joyous Hora, (a dance typically performed at Jewish weddings) where we were lifted in chairs as our families circled us in celebration,” she said, adding, “every moment felt like a beautiful reflection of who we are and where we come from. It was the perfect blend of love, culture, and connection that brought our two families together in the most meaningful way.”
Alex and Catherine met, she said, during the height of the pandemic near the hospital where they were both working. Their first date was
Love
at what she called a “charming local winery” called Grapes and Vine in Orlando, Florida.
“From that evening on, it was clear that something truly special had begun,” she said.
SWEET PROPOSAL
It was on a surprise trip to Nashville that Alex popped the question.
“We arrived at Jeff Ruby’s for a late-night dinner and after a perfect meal, (Alex) insisted we have dessert — something I initially declined,” Catherine said. “But I soon realized it was part of his plan because when the
server brought out the cheesecake, written on the plate were the words that changed my life — ‘Will you marry me?’ — and then Alex stepped out of the booth, dropped to one knee, and poured his heart into a proposal that made me burst into tears of joy.”
Obviously overcome with excitement, Catherine said “yes.” The next day, Alex’s family hosted a surprise brunch followed by tickets to Myrtle Beach, where the couple flew to celebrate with Catherine’s family.
DRESS SHOPPING
Catherine said her “dress journey” was as “magical” as the wedding day itself.
“I knew I wanted the ceremony to feel like a fairy tale, and my mom, sister, and aunt helped make that dream a reality with a whirlwind weekend of bridal appointments at iconic shops like Kleinfeld’s and Bridal Reflections in New York City,” she said, adding, the trip was successful.
“I ended up with not just one dress but three to perfectly capture every moment of our celebration.”
Catherine’s wedding gown for the ceremony was a long-sleeve ball gown by Eve of Milady that she paired with a cathedral veil by Donatella.
“It was everything I had envisioned for our day,” she said.
For the reception, Catherine changed into
an off-the-shoulder gown by Allure Couture, “perfect for dancing the night away.” And for the after party that followed, she wore a short, sparkly dress by Show Me Your MuMu.
“Each dress reflected a part of my personality, making me feel truly myself at every moment of our wedding,” she said.
“I DO”
Alex and Catherine’s wedding was held in front of the colonial-style country club. The pillars of the grand structure were wrapped with flowers, while floral arrangements were placed alongside the aisles of white chairs that had been set up outside.
For the reception, a clear tent was erected on the grounds, which when night fell made for a beautiful setting.
“It created a magical atmosphere where the stars seemed to join in our celebration,” Catherine said.
In addition to her wedding gown, Catherine wore as her something borrowed a pair of diamond earrings lent to her by her motherin-law.
“My something old held deep meaning — a locket from my great aunt, one of the few pieces of jewelry my Jewish family was able to hide and bring to America when they fled Eastern Europe,” Catherine said.
Catherine said, for her, the locket served as a symbol of resilience and love passed
through generations.
Her something blue was also unique.
“My four closest girlfriends each wore a different shade of blue,” she said.
Lastly, for her something new, she carried a new penny given to her by her soon-to-be in-laws.
Topping off their special day, Catherine said, were all those who came to celebrate with them.
“With 170 guests coming from nine states, three time zones, and even different countries and islands, their presence was the greatest gift we could have asked for,” she said. “Knowing that so many people made such an effort to be there and witness our commitment to one another is something we will cherish and be grateful for forever. Their love and laughter filled our day with an indescribable warmth that made it all the more magical.”
For their honeymoon, Alex and Catherine had planned to enjoy an African safari the following April. The trip was put on hold, however, once they found out they would be expecting their first child in July 2025.
The couple are at home in Orlando, where Alex serves as medical director and practices concierge medicine at a specialty clinic in the city, and Catherine works in medical sales as a territory manager for Hologic, which specializes in women’s health care.
“
“If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love.”
—Princess Diana
