AIKEN ANDERSON

&
Aiken Anderson
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PICSEE STUDIO, WWW.PICSEESTUDIO.COM
In celebration of Christ’s love, Emily Laura Aiken and
Brett Matthew Anderson were united in marriage at
half past two in the afternoon on September 3, 2011,
at Central Baptist Church in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The bride is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
Marc Aiken of Johnson City, Tennessee. She is the
granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. James E. Moak of
Starkville and Dr. and Mrs. Charles Aiken, formerly of
Starkville and now of Johnson City, Tennessee.
The groom is the son of Mrs. Nancy Anderson
and the late Mr. Kent Anderson of Cincinnati, Ohio. He
is the grandson of Carole Anderson of Dayton, Ohio
and the late John Anderson and Joyce Staples of Austin,
Minnesota, and the late Warren Staples.
Nuptial music was provided by Daniel McKenzie,
Anne Elliott, Claudia French, and Drew Fultz. Vocalists
were Molly and Susan Moak.
Before the bride walked down the aisle, Pastor
Jeffrey Heine welcomed guests and shared kind words
about the groom and his respectful pursuit of the bride.
The ceremony was officiated by the bride’s childhood
minister, Dr. Ron Murray.
Given in marriage by her parents and brother,
Alan, the bride wore the same wedding gown and veil
her mother wore thirty years ago. The bride’s “Granny”
sewed them with love in 1981. The timeless design of
the white crepe and chiffon gown featured an empire
waistline bodice covered in hand appliquéd lace that
scalloped around the neckline.
Attending the bride as maid of honor was
Elizabeth Jordan. Bridesmaids were Jennifer Rowan,
Bethany Murray, Becca Shaw, Vivian Myers, Courtney
Palmer, Elizabeth Wilson, Erica Stenstrom, and Kacey
Berry. Bridesmaids wore classic Ann Taylor dresses in
pacific blue and sage green. They carried smaller replicas
of the bride’s bouquet, which was a hand-tied gathering
of roses, sunflowers, calla lilies, hypericum berries, and
monkey tail.
The groom’s brother, Tyler Anderson, served as
best man. Groomsmen were Alan Aiken, Preston Smith,
Bryn Clark, Jay Harper, Dan Hall, Matt Messer, Matt
Evans, and Matt Galloway. The men wore brown suits
with blue and green striped ties.
Arwen French served as flower girl, carrying a ball
of white roses and the Bible that Emily’s “Grandma”
carried in her wedding 67 years ago. Abby Anderson
read Scripture from this Bible during the ceremony.
Special greeters and attendants were Mary Laura
Rogan, Brittany Todd, Kallie Ernest, Leesa Marie
Koestler, Lindsey Newman, Asha Plattner, Brittany
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Taylor, Lacy Grogg, and Meredith Eades. Adam French, Warren French, and
Nathan Reynolds served as ushers.
The ceremony began with the bride’s grandparents walking down the
aisle, representing 68 and 67 years of marriage. The service was one of worship,
in which the congregation stood together to sing “In Christ Alone.” There was
a song of remembrance played on the trumpet in memory of the groom’s
father, whose favorite song was “Blessed Assurance.” There was also a precious
time as the congregation joined hands to pray for the couple and recite the
Lord’s Prayer together. Once the couple was pronounced husband and wife,
they joyfully exited to “How Sweet It Is,” by James Taylor, as the congregation
sang along.
Following the wedding, the bride’s parents hosted a “Brunch in the
Park” at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Guests were greeted with ice cold Coca-Cola and hand-made maps of the
venue, directing them to various food, activities, and attractions. The Southern
fare included shrimp and grits, waffles and chicken, biscuits and gravy, made
to order omelets, sweet and savory crepes, fresh fruit, and a chocolate milk
fountain. The wedding cake was a traditional six-tiered white cake. The groom’s
cake was a selection of cake bites from Pastry Art, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Activities included games of croquet, cornhole toss, and a photo booth
where guests were able to make scrapbook pages for the couple. The children’s
area was a hit for young wedding guests, complete with “Emily and Brett”
coloring books and handmade veils for the girls to wear. A local artist, Billy
Bledsoe, captured the excitement of the reception
and the ceremony by creating wonderful oil paintings
during each event. Guests were given 8x10 prints
of the “Reception at 4,” to take home as wedding
favors. The couple left the festivities in a blue 1958
MGA, the very same car that the bride’s parents
drove away from their wedding 30 years prior.
Not only were the wedding and reception
memorable, but the pre-wedding festivities were
also entertaining. The bridesmaid’s luncheon was
held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Collier Jordan,
where the guests chose pieces of pottery to paint
for the couple’s new home. During the luncheon,
groomsmen enjoyed playing a round of golf for the
“Aiken-Anderson Invitational.”
The groom’s family hosted a fabulous
rehearsal dinner at Old Quarters where tables
were decorated with pictures of the couple and
painted “A’s” to represent the Aiken and Anderson
families. Following the dinner, the bride and groom
surprised their wedding party with custom T-shirts
for a bachelor/bachelorette dodge ball tournament.
Attendants were escorted to a local gym where they
were divided into four teams: Ball Stars, Don’t Stop
Ballieving, Ball or Nothing, and Balling in Love. The
competition was fierce and dinner guests cheered
them on!
The morning after the wedding, the couple
joined out of town guests for a send-off barbecue at
Farmhouse Gallery and Gardens before making their
way to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which they
now call home.
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