Merritt - Ricks
MOUNT OLIVE — Jennifer Elizabeth Ricks and Geoffrey Wayland Merritt were united in marriage Saturday, May 8 at 6 p.m.
The Rev. Dennis Draper officiated at the double-ring ceremony at First Baptist Church.
Parents of the bride are Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Norman Ricks III. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rudolph Potts and the late Mr. and Mrs. Edgar N. Ricks Jr. of Mount Olive.
Parents of the groom are Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wayland Merritt Jr. of Dudley and Mr. and Mrs. Leon Timothy Clifton of Turkey. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wayland Merritt Sr. of Dudley, Edna Reaves Cobb of Mount Olive, the late Wayland Wright Cobb, Lois King Clifton of Turkey and the late Hardy Radford Clifton.
Presented in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore an ivory formal gown of royal satin with a strapless bodice with beading on a band at the waistline. The box pleated skirt flowed to a chapel-length train.
For her headpiece, she chose an heirloom mantilla that belonged to her late great-grandmother. She carried a clutch bouquet of Anna and Virginia roses and stephanotis encircled with variegated foliage.
Catherine Lee McDonald of Mount Olive, friend of the bride, was matron of honor. Emily Lauren Ricks of Mount Olive, sister of the bride, was maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Candice Ryan Ivey of Winterville, Darlene Barefoot Price of Pikeville, Jennifer Lippard Rinker of Concord and Amber Ivey Wall of Greenville, friends of the bride.
Robert Wayland Merritt Jr. was his son’s best man. Groomsmen were George Marshall Burris and Richard Lee Jenson of Charlotte, Andrew Corey Lasater of Raleigh and Cameron Michael Withers of Mount Olive, friends of the groom, and David Kemp Merritt of Turkey, brother of the groom.
Norma Carole Summerlin McDonald, friend of the bride, directed the ceremony.
Special helpers were Heather Marie Astopenia of Clinton, Meredith Ann Blackwelder of Raleigh, Jamie Joyner Livengood of Goldsboro and Leslie Brock Paszek of Greenville, friends of the bride.
A program of wedding music was provided by Wade Steele Sasser, organist; Paige Elizabeth Vickory, violinist; and Jimmy Lewis Martin, Josephine Holding Ricks and Brandi Mohiser Worth, vocalists.
After a wedding trip to St. Lucia, the couple will reside in Mount Olive.
The bride is a graduate of Southern Wayne High School and Meredith College with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a concentration in marketing. She is employed as assistant director of admissions at Mount Olive College.
The groom graduated from Southern Wayne High School and Appalachian State University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a major in accounting. He is employed as manager of Zip-Zap Communications.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at Goldsboro Country Club. Mr. and Mrs. Preston Parker of Mount Olive, friends of the bride, greeted guests. Paige Clifton Lewis, Emily Morgan Lewis, Lydia Gayle Strickland and Jared Scott Strickland, nieces and nephew of the groom, distributed flower petals.
On May 7, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Clifton held a rehearsal dinner at Goldsboro Country Club.
Catherine McDonald, Emily Ricks, Norma Carole McDonald, Peggy Lee and Loretta Grant held a bridesmaids’ luncheon May 7 at the McDonald home.
On April 24, Jennifer Rinker and Elizabeth Seay, college friends of the bride, held a lingerie shower at the Seay home.
A dinner was held April 18 at the home of Lois Clifton.
On April 18, Beverly Clifton, Becky Strickland, Denise Lewis, Darlene James, Jean Wilson, Jacquie Ammons and Betty Wilson, family and friends of the groom, held a wedding shower at Turkey Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church.
Heather Astopenia, friend of the bride, held a bridal luncheon April 16 at Oliver’s Railroad Grille.
On April 9, Emily Ricks, sister of the bride, and Vickie Stroud and Heather Astopenia, friends of the bride, held a bridal luncheon at the Royal Tea Rooms.
Ginny Cherry, Alma Mooring, Ann Potts, Catherine Reinhardt, Janet Rose, Pat Warren, Audrey Whitley and Virginia Williams held a bridal luncheon April 3 at the Royal Tea Rooms.
On March 28, a miscellaneous shower was held at Oliver’s Railroad Grille.
A bridal luncheon was held March 27 at Goldsboro Country Club.
On March 21, Lois Merritt and Laveita Brinson held a recipe shower at the Merritt home.
Cathy Hardy, Jean Holmes, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Homes, Lorraine Sutton, Johnny Sutton, Mr. and Mr. Harry Sutton and Mr. and Mrs. Roy Roy Whitfield held a dinner at Southern Belle Restaurant.
By David Rouse
Published in Weddings on May 9, 2004 10:31 AM