Mississippi Wedding Memories

This past weekend we had the pleasure of attending a beautiful wedding! The bride is the daughter of my first cousin Kathleen. The wedding took place at Our Lady of the Gulf (isn't that a pretty name) on Beach Boulevard in Bay St. Louis, MS. The church faces the Gulf and the view is incredible!

The church has had some hard times since it was severely damaged in August of 2005 during Katrina. Below is the church as it looks today...the major structure of the building withstood the storm! Other buildings close by did not fare as well. Kathleen's home, which was next door to the church, was washed away with the storm surge.

The most amazing thing about Katrina and this church is that these beautiful stained glass windows that would seem so fragile withstood the hurricane winds, yet every one of the heavy wood pews were washed away! Click here to see a picture of the inside of the church after Katrina.
This is a statue standing in the church today that was heavily damaged by Katrina. It was recovered from the debris and lovingly restored to it's former beauty by church members.
Everything about the wedding was beautiful including the gorgeous bride and handsome groom! The church was packed-I think everyone in Bay St. Louis was there! I didn't take photos there since a professional photographer was present.

The reception was held at the Great Southern Club on the 15th floor of the Hancock Plaza building in Gulfport, MS. The room is surrounded by glass with a breathtaking view of the Gulf.

Jubilation, a band from New Orleans , provided the music and it was awesome! They played old favorites such as My Girl, Mustang Sally, Sweet Caroline, Brown Eyed Girl...and on and on.
My husband and I were totally surprised when we recognized Willard, one of the band members. He and his wife Erin had traveled with us and a group from New Orleans to Italy for New Years! On that trip he played with the New Orleans Jazz Ambassadors. It really is a small world after all! Here are some picture highlights of the day.

Amanda and her dad enjoying a dance

Amanda, Kevin (the groom) and Kathleen, mom of the bride

My Aunt Jane, the bride's grandmother...

My husband and I enjoying the music!

And finally, here is a collage of note cards that the bride and groom presented to their guests. These photos were taken in Bay Saint Louis before Katrina by Mimi, the bride's aunt and godmother.

Mimi died a tragic death in the early part of 2007. I thought this was such a special way to memorialize and honor her memory. I'm sure she would approve of being such a special part of the festivities!

Attending the wedding was really enjoyable for us. Not only did we get to witness the beginning of what promises to be a wonderful marriage, but we got to visit with so many family members that we don't see that often. I'm to thankful that we had the opportunity to go!