Brown - Graham
Felicia Joyce Graham became the bride of Joseph Rathel Brown III of LaGrange June 12 at 3 p.m.
The Rev. James Walter Hills officiated at the double-ring ceremony at Saint Mark Church of Christ.
The bride is the daughter of Elder Donald Wayne and Florence Boseman Graham of Mount Olive. She is the granddaughter of James Graham of Mount Olive, the late Julia Ward Graham and the late Arlander and Flora Manuel Boseman of Dudley.
Parents of the groom are Joseph Rathel Brown II of Vancouver, Wash., and Doris Best Graham of Kinston. He is the grandson of Eva Best of LaGrange, the late James Best and Joseph and Barbara Brown of Upper Marlboro, Md.
Given in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore a formal white satin gown with a round neckline accented with a sleeveless bodice. The illusion yoke neckline was embellished with re-embroidered lace, pearls and sequins that ended in a Basque waistline. The trumpet skirt cascaded into a detachable cathedral train. She wore elbow-length satin gloves accented with a lace motif on her ring finger.
For her headpiece, she chose a tiara of rhinestone that extended into a two-tiered veil of silk illusion adorned with touches of scattered crystal. She carried a fresh clutch bouquet of blue hydrangeas, white roses and blue delphinium with grasses tied with white and silver ribbon.
Latonya Rogers of Bunn was maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Latonya Rogers, Latonya Clark of Greensboro, Michelle Hobbs of Goldsboro and Alicia Troublefield of Mount Olive, friends of the bride.
Ushers were Deon Graham and Donald Wayne Graham Jr. of Mount Olive, brothers of the bride, and Terry Lucas of Fayetteville and James Williams of Raleigh, friends of the groom. Groomsmen and best men were Carl Watkins Jr. of LaGrange, brother of the groom; Delano Brown of Severn, Md., uncle of the groom; and Dexter McDuffie of Greenville and Jimmy Summerville of Snow Hill, friends of the groom.
Sandra Kittrell-Dunn directed the ceremony. Presiding at the register were Edna Grant and Doris Daniels. Shante Boseman, cousin of the bride, distributed programs.
Hostesses were Olavee Williams of Dudley, Claretta Sutton of Mount Olive and Youlonda Wynn of Goldsboro, Edna Grant and Doris Daniels, friends of the bride; Kimberly Lee of Mount Olive, cousin of the bride; and Sandra Kittrell-Dunn, cousin of the groom.
A program of wedding music was provided by McKinley Wooten and Dante Jones, pianists, and Brandi Smith, Alfonzo Jones II and Schenita Davis of Greensboro, cousin of the bride, vocalists.
After a wedding trip to Aruba, the couple will reside in Mount Olive.
The bride is a 1993 honor graduate of Southern Wayne High School and a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of North Carolina Central University with a bachelor of arts degree in middle school education. She is employed as a curriculum facilitator with Wayne County Public Schools.
The groom graduated from North Lenoir High School in 1991, East Carolina University in 1997 with a bachelor of science degree in social work and Central Michigan in 2002 with a master’s degree in public administration. He is employed as a juvenile court counselor with the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.
Following the ceremony, an adult dinner reception was held in the church fellowship hall. A four-tiered wedding cake with chocolate layers between each tier wrapped in white icing, blue ribbons and fresh blue hydrangeas, white roses and blue delphinium flowers was served.
A rehearsal dinner was held June 11 at Saint Mark Church of Christ fellowship hall. The couple chose this time to present gifts to their attendants.
On May 16, Dexter McDuffie and Jimmy Summerville held a surprise getaway in Atlantic Beach.
The English/language arts teachers of Dillard Middle School held a miscellaneous bridal shower May 1 at the home of Joseph and Shelia Sawyer.
By David Rouse
Published in Weddings on June 13, 2004 6:43 PM