Amanda Ryan Wilkins and Warren Bradford Gomel received the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 24, 2011. The Rev. Monsignor Warren Wall officiated.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Alvin Fowler and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bartley Wilkins. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Earle Gomel Sr.
Given in marriage by her step father, the bride chose her sister, Katherine Fowler, as her maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Mary Murray Battiste, Rachel Metzger Gomel, Mary Joe Grady, Catherine McPhillips, Vera Pitman, Anna Bailey Clark, Katherine Landry Hatcher, Allison Johnson, Mary Helen Keebler, Gaynor Luce, Margaret Stimpson Mitchell, Appie Head McMurphy and Lacy Williams Lavender.
The groom chose his father, Walter Earle Gomel Sr., as his best man. Groomsmen were Von Gomel, Chris Gomel, Walter Gomel Jr., Kyle Cook, Andrew Dunn, Josh Epps, Schulyer Holt, Reed Sorenson, Evan Sturgis and Jared Touchstone.
Lynnen Hackney served as the flower girl, and the ring bearers were Jack and Geoffrey White. Michael Wilkins and Martin Tapia were altar servers.
Readers were Libby Amos, Bradley Covington and Hardy Mitchell. The soloists, Melanie Cummins and Don Bowden, were accompanied by organist Paul Hanebuth. The regal music from the Cathedral was transitioned by the jovial jazz music of the Excelsior Band.
Guests joined the wedding party behind the band in a second line procession to the Ezell House. A refreshing, frozen specialty drink awaited the guests at the entrance to the reception from Sean Thomas and his staff. Fried oysters and griddled pimento cheese sandwiches, by Morrissette Catering, were passed. Several food stations were located in the courtyard and inside the home. Once the delicious Pollman’s wedding and praline dobosh cakes were cut, ice cream beverages, similar to Chrissies, were enjoyed by all. The late night snack was hot dogs with condiments like the famous Dew Drop dogs.
In addition to the breath taking flowers by Cleveland the Florist, the Carriage House was decorated with a hunting theme to commemorate the setting of the couple’s engagement — the Gomel’s camp. Old, distressed glass doors were used as picture frames with hunting photos of the bride and groom and their family and friends. Birds in flight were mounted on the walls and ceiling. Duck from the Gomel’s camp was prepared in a black currant sauce and served with wonton chips.
The ladies of Musical Fantasy enticed both young and old to the dance floor. After a night of dancing under the stars, the couple left through a sea of white serpentine in a vintage white Jaguar. After a honeymoon trip to the Dominican Republic, the couple is residing in Atlanta.
All the events were captured by Jeff Tesney Photography.