Catherine Ann Simon and Jody Frank Spann II celebrated their marriage at the bride’s parents’ home in Point Clear on May 10, 2013. Earlier in the day, at the John A. Campbell United States Courthouse in Mobile, the Honorable Chief U.S. District Judge William H. Steele officiated in a private ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David A. Simon, of Bay Minette. The groom is the son of Mrs. Patti Hidle, of Geneva, Ala., and Mr. Jody F. Spann, of Andalusia, Ala.
Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a white taffeta dress, a short veil and an engraved bracelet belonging to her mother’s family for five generations. The bride also wore a pearl necklace belonging to her new mother-in-law’s family.
The intimate ceremony was held in the historic courtroom of Judge Steele. The bride’s father attended law school with Judge Steele, while the bride clerked in his courtroom as a law student. The bride’s lifelong friends, Caitlin Fischer and Mary-Kate Owen, began the ceremony with a poem by E.E. Cummings.
Following the ceremony, the bride and groom retired to the Grand Hotel in Point Clear for a celebratory glass of champagne before heading to their evening celebration. Upon the arrival of the bride and groom, the guests enjoyed a sumptuous dinner on the lawn overlooking the Bay, featuring the bride’s parents’ celebrated gumbo, shrimp and grits, oysters and beef sliders. Tables were festooned with tall illuminated lanterns decorated with the bride and groom’s monogram, seashells and grasses. The space was draped in Italian market lights, colorful lanterns and torches. The bride’s tiered cake featured her new monogram and peonies. It was deliciously filled with buttercream between layers of red velvet and white wedding cake. The groom’s cake was a replica of Mobile Bay blue crabs.
The couple’s first dance was to “Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones, and guests danced the night away to music by Jeff Farrow Band. The newlyweds returned to the Grand Hotel after a memorable evening and the next day left for their honeymoon in beautiful Playa Mujeras, Mexico. Flower arrangements of blush peonies, tulips and roses were executed by Southern Veranda, and photographer Aimee Reynolds captured both engagement and wedding photo memories.
The Spanns now reside on Mobile Bay in Point Clear.
