Houston-Autrey
DUDLEY — Desiree Marlana Autrey and Thomas Dewey Houston of Dudley exchanged vows in a double-ring ceremony June 21 at 6 p.m. at Emmaus Baptist Church, with the Rev. Johnny Sasser and the Rev. Wesley Houston officiating.
The bride is the daughter of Don William and Deborah Hines Autrey of Dudley and the granddaughter of Bernice Martin of Marion, the late Floyd Autrey, Rochie Hines Taylor of Dudley and the late Daniel Homer Hines.
She is a 1999 graduate of Southern Wayne High School, a 2002 graduate of Wayne Community College and a 2005 graduate of Mount Olive College with a bachelors’ degree in business administration. She was Miss Duplin County 2002 and Miss Goldsboro 2003. She is owner and artistic director of Desiree Autrey’s Academy of Performing Arts.
The groom is the son of Dewey James and Kay Britt Houston of Mount Olive and the grandson of Lily Houston of Kenansville, the late Roy Houston and Cornia Britt and Nancy Carol Britt of Alberston.
He is a 1997 graduate of East Duplin High School, a 2003 graduate of Mount Olive College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a 2005 graduate of Central Michigan University with a master’s degree in science administration. He is employed as marketing instructor at Eastern Wayne High School.
The bride was escorted by her father and given in marriage by her parents.
She wore a white formal matte satin gown. The bodice had a basque waistline and V-neckline trimmed with silver beaded embroidery and Swarovski crystals. The cathedral train was accented with bugle beads, pearls and Swarovski crystals.
Her headpiece was her Miss Duplin County crown with a tull veil.
Ashley House Calverley was her friend’s matron of honor, while Donna Kay Merritt, friend of the bride, was maid of honor.
Bridesmaids were Vickie Whitley Stanley, Mykayla Hines and Brandy Hines Miranda, cousins of the bride, and Jessica Winders, Rebeccah Kearney, Jessica Ransleben Lutz and Lindsay Ann Spence, friends of the bride.
Dewey Houston was his son’s best man.
Groomsmen were Shane Waldon, Luke Krizmanich and Steve Mason, friends of the groom; Billy Hines, cousin of the bride; Danny Hines, uncle of the bride; Larry Kornegay and Jeffrey Jones, brothers-in-law of the groom; and Luis Miranda, friend of the couple.
Honorary bridesmaids were Vickie Johnson and Dottie Rains, cousins of the bride; Terri Hines, aunt of the bride; and Jimmie Davis, great aunt of the bride.
Logan Kornegay and Dalton Jones, nephews of the groom, were junior groomsmen.
Karley Kornegay, neice of the groom, was the miniature bride.
Brittany Jones, niece of the groom, was flower girl. Griffen Kornegay, nephew of the groom, was ringbearer.
Nora Mitchell Sasser, friend of the bride ,directed the wedding. Presiding at the register was Hope Kornegay, sister of the groom. Tammy Jones, sister of the groom, distributed programs.
A program of wedding music was provided by Scottie Hines, uncle of the bride, sound technician; Ron Sutton, friend of the couple, vocalist; and Pat Faulk Batten, friend of the bride, organist.
Following the ceremony, a dinner and dance reception was held at Southern Wayne Country Club. Art and Cheri Verme of Mount Olive was director. William and Lorie Robertson, uncle and aunt of the bride, greeted guests.
After a wedding trip to Charleston, S.C., the couple reside in Dudley.
Events held before the wedding included a bridesmaids’ luncheon and wine tasting June 14 at Duplin Winery Bistro hosted by the bride during which time the bride presented gifts to her attendants; a miscellanous shower May 18 at Emmaus Baptist Church fellowship hall hosted by the bride’s family and the church; a lingerie shower May 3 at Little Dipper Restaurant in Wilmington hosted by Ashley House Calverly; a miscellanous shower April 20 at the home of Hope Kornegay hosted by the groom’s family; a shower April 27 at Desiree Autrey’s Academy of Performing Arts hosted by Rebeccah Kearney, Lindsay Spence and students; a bachelorette weekend April 5 through 7 in Myrtle Beach hosted by Donna Merritt; a shower March 30 hosted by the Miss North Carolina USOA queens; a Pampered Chef shower March 8 at the home of Tammy Jones hosted by Ms. Jones; a Christmas shower Dec. 9 at the home of Vickie Johnson hosted by Ms. Johnson and Dottie Rains; and a set-the-date barbecue Aug. 27 at the home of the bride’s parents hosted by their parents.
The groom’s family held a rehearsal dinner at Holiday Inn Express. The groom chose this time to present gifts to his attendants.
By News-Argus Staff
Published in Weddings on July 13, 2008 3:30 AM