Shepard-Grantham
Jennifer Leigh Grantham of Durham and Jordan Kelly Shepard of Durham exchanged vows in a double-ring ceremony Aug. 2 at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Mitch Simpson officiating.
The bride is the daughter of John and Karen Grantham of Rosewood and the granddaughter of Ruth Grantham Collings and the late William Hiram Grantham III of Goldsboro, John and Sarah Stava of Bloomington, Ind., formerly of Goldsboro.
She graduated from Rosewood High School in 1999, Campbell University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and Christian ministries and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006 with a birth to kindergarten teacher certificate. She is employed as a kindergarten teacher assistant in Chapel Hill.
The groom is the son of Anthony Earl and Shelby Jean Shepard of Jacksonville and the grandson of Ruby Madeline Shepard, the late Clifton Thompson Shepard and the late James Monroe and Rebecca Beatrice Gurganus of Jacksonville.
He graduated from Southwest High School in 1999, Cape Fear Community College in 2001 with a machining technology certificate and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2003 with a business management certificate. He is employed as an assistant receiving manager at Ferguson Enterprises Inc. in Raleigh.
The bride was escorted by her father and given in marriage by her parents.
She wore a gown with a satin-embroidered bodice accented with pearl and rhinestone beading, an organza skirt and a chapel train with matching floral embroidery and pearl and rhinestone beading.
Her headpiece was a matching fingertip-length veil with two tiers and a beaded metallic edge and floral motifs.
Molly Grantham of Goldsboro was her sister’s maid of honor.
Bridesmaids were Callie Davis of Hillsborough, Lara Freeman, Maria Singleton and Valerie O’ Steen of Goldsboro, Heather McKay of Raleigh and Johanna Schmersal of Roanoke, Va., high school and college friends of the bride.
Anthony Shepard was his son’s best man.
Groomsmen were Jason Browne of Holly Springs and Brenden Pascal of Wilmington, friends of the groom; Will Grantham of Goldsboro, brother of the bride; Matthew Morrison of Apex, friend of the couple; Andy Shepard of Emerald Isle, brother of the groom; and Chris Shepard of Wilmington, cousin of the groom.
Taryn Cutka of Temecula, Calif., cousin of the bride, was the junior bridesmaid.
Makayla Davis of Hillsborough, goddaughter of the couple, was flower girl. Nicholas and Zachary Cutka of Temecula, cousins of the bride, were ringbearers.
Elsie Hooks and Linda Sellers directed the wedding. Presiding at the register was Melissa Matthews of Hillsborough, friend of the bride. Aaron and Noel Abeyta of Colorado Springs, Colo., cousins of the bride, distributed programs.
A program of wedding music was provided by Emily Morales of Arlington, Va., friend of the bride, pianist; Fred Kelly of Wilmington, vocalist; Chirs Homick of Chapel Hill, cellist; and handbell ringers from University Baptist Church directed by R.G. Huff.
Following the ceremony, a buffet dinner and dance reception was held at the church fellowship Hall.
After a wedding trip to the Dominican Republic, the couple reside in Durham.
Events held before the wedding included a bridal luncheon at the Royal Tea Room hosted by the bride’s mother and Molly Grantham, sister of the bride; a bachelor party in Raleigh hosted by friends of the groom; a pajama party in Goldsboro hosted by aunts of the bride; a lingerie shower in Chapel Hill hosted by Callie Davis, friend of the bride; a bachelorette party in Raleigh hosted by Molly Grantham, sister of the bride; a bridal shower hosted by First Baptist Church; a bridal shower at University Baptist Church of Chapel Hill hosted by Susan Anderson and Carlita Huff; a bridal shower in Jacksonville hosted by the groom’s mother and Teresa Shepard, aunt of the groom; and a bridal shower at Estes Hills Elementary School in Chapel Hill hosted by co-workers.
The groom’s parents hosted a pig picking rehearsal dinner at the Wayne County Wildlife Pond.
By News-Argus Staff
Published in Weddings on August 3, 2008 11:15 AM