Katherine Virginia Jardine and David Lee Bender, Jr. were united in marriage during an intimate ceremony held at the Steelwood Chapel on May 19, 2012 at 5 o’clock in the evening. The Very Rev. James L. Sanders officiated.
The previous evening a rehearsal dinner was held at the Courtyard Manor in downtown Mobile. The exhilarating event featured The Wet Willie Band, catering by Clifton Morrissette, flowers by LeNae Denson of Cleveland Florist and a chocolate dobash groom’s cake from Pollman’s Bake Shop. The wedding weekend was exquisitely captured by photographer Jeff Tesney.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Humberto Valle and Dr. and Mrs. James Quintus Jardine and the granddaughter of Ms. Sue Campbell Jardine, the late Mr. James Carroon Jardine, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Overstreet Booth, Jr. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Lee Bender, Sr. and the grandson of Mrs. William Rudolph Farve, Jr., the late Mr. William Rudolph Farve, Jr., the late Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hixon, and the late Mr. Thomas Benton Bender, Sr.
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Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a Monique Lhuillier ivory strapless fit-to-flare gown with scalloped lace at the top and along the hem. The gown was complimented by a Homa designed chapel-length Spanish mantilla-style veil. Both were from Something New Bridal. The diamond and pearl earrings, as well as the pearl necklace the bride adorned were a wedding gift from her groom. She carried an elegant bouquet of cream and white hydrangeas, peonies, garden roses, ranunculus and freesia.
Ashley Charlotte Jardine, sister of the bride, and Kate Cannon Luce both served as maids of honor. Bridesmaids were Laura Campbell Behlen, Mary Joe Grady, Colleen Celia Macon, Catherine Claire Beaullieu, Camille Marie Bawcom, Sarah Taylor Gibson, Annie Michelle Kaufman, Sarah Ann Nowacki and Genevieve Edwards Reed. The bridesmaids wore blush colored floor-length strapless chiffon gowns by Amsale. They carried bouquets similar to the bride’s with a touch of apple blossom stock and pale pink spray roses.
The groom chose his father David Lee Bender, Sr. as best man. The groomsmen were brothers of the groom, Thomas Benton Bender, II, William Farve Bender; Marl Marcellus Cummings, IV, Richard Houston Deas, Jr., Michael Ross Delaney, Scott Tolbert Delaney, Christopher Joseph Gomel, Edwin Barton Greer, David Gordon Inge, Charles Bennett Long, William Ross Seifert, III and Matthew Boykin Walker, Jr.
Rosemary Bender Wilson and Margaret Brady Wilson served as flower girls and William Michael Nichols was the ring bearer. All are cousins of the groom.
The bride’s uncle, Henry Overstreet Booth, III and the groom’s first cousin, Caroline McWorther Hicks were readers.
The chapel in the woods created an ethereal ambience for the ceremony. Soloist, Cris Smith; guitarist, Phil Proctor and violinist, Chris Lanier enhanced the lovely airy tone.
Immediately following the ceremony, the newlywed couple joined additional guests at Steelwood Country Club. The clubhouse was decorated inside and out by LeNae Denson. She made the chapel and reception appear utterly enchanting. Copious amounts of trumpet and cylinder vases were lavishly filled with flowers as candles and lanterns flickered on every table.
At 6 o’clock in the evening, a cocktail hour kicked off the reception. Guests enjoyed sipping on Missionary’s Downfalls, the signature drink for the evening, listening to Frank Sinatra all the while the aroma of crabmeat atop grilled oysters filled the air.
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As the sun was setting over the lake the couple took their first dance as man and wife to “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison. The Atlanta Sound Band jubilantly provided a festive atmosphere that stretched late into the night.
Chris McElhaney, the executive chef at Steelwood, provided many traditional Southern favorites, such as shrimp and grits, and managed to mix in a taste of something different by serving Kobe beef sliders as late night snacks. Chocolate truffles and the five-tier wedding cake by Couture Cakes served as dessert. The cake featured the bride’s new monogram and was filled with butter-cream frosting and fresh cut strawberries.
A fireworks display over the lake capped off the evening. And after the bouquet and garter were tossed, the remaining friends and family gathered outside the clubhouse with sparklers blazing to send the happy couple on their way. The groom surprised his bride as they were riding away in the limo with an additional destination for their honeymoon.
The newlyweds spent two nights at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear before enjoying the beaches of Anguilla and scuba diving on the nearby island of Saba.
The Benders now reside on Dog River in Mobile.
