Shepard - Ugbomah
Cynthia Chinyere Ugbomah and Rodrick Earl Shepard of New York, N.Y., exchanged vows in a double-ring ceremony Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. at Kirkpatrick Chapel at Rutgers University in Brunswick, N.J., with Bishop Garry Williams officiating.
The bride is the daughter of Patrick Ojugberi Ugobmah and Josephine Uloma Ugbomah of New York and the granddaughter of the late John Ugobmah of Ibrede, Bendel State, Nigeria, Lydia Ugbomah of Aboh, Bendel State, Nigeria, and the late Godfrey Uba and Rose Akaja Udensi of Bende, Abia State, Nigeria.
She is a 2001 graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and a 2005 graduate of Wesleyan University with bachelor’s degree in psychology. She attends Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
The groom is the son of Edward Earl and Evelyn Braswell Shepard of Goldsboro and the grandson of the late Jesse and Victoria Stancil Shepard of Selma and the late Lorenzo Braswell and Mary Omega Braswell of Goldsboro.
He is a 1999 graduate of Goldsboro High School, a 2003 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology and a 2007 graduate of Duke University School of Law. He is employed as an attorney at IBM.
The bride was escorted and given in marriage by her father.
She wore a strapless dress with silk organza, crystals and lace detail at the top of the bodice. She wore drop diamond earrings and diamond pendant.
Her headpiece was a cathedral-length lace veil with fresh white orchards.
The bride carried a bouquet of freedom roses, red miniature calla lilies and red ranunculus.
Elizabeth Ugbomah was maid of honor.
Bridesmaids were Stacy Whitney of Goldsboro, Sanisha Bailey of Raleigh, Kristel Nivelo of New York, N.Y., Tara Kearns of Los Angeles, Calif., Lyndsey Williams of San Francisco, Calif., Ashley White of Montclair, N.J., and Nnenna Ogbonna of Riverside, Calif.
Edward Jermaine Shepard was best man.
Groomsmen were Tobias Terrill Williams of New Bern, Stanley Wilson of Fort Hood, Texas, Christopher Floyd of Goldsboro, Cedric Cooper, Charlotte, Hassani Monsanto and Elbert Hawkins of Greensboro, Keenan Johnson of Chapel Hill, Venroy July of Washington, D.C., Damien Moore of Atlanta, Ga., David Cooke of New York, Jonathon Burns of Houston, Texas, and Patrick Ugbomah, Michael Udensi and Phillip Udensi of New York, N.Y.
Nina Simone Monsanto and Jordan Whitney were flower girls. Kelson Monsanto was ringbearer.
Afeefah Monsanto of Greensboro and Jameka Whitsett of Greenville directed the wedding.
A program of wedding music was provided by Charles McManus, pianist.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset.
After their wedding trip to Paris, France; Florence, Italy; Tuscany, Italy; and Amsterdam, The Netherlands; the couple will reside in New York.
Events held before the wedding included a surprise champagne reception at the Benjamin Hotel in New York; a surprise bridal shower Jan. 28 at the home of Evelyn Shepard in Goldsboro; a surprise shower at Sly Fox Inn in Flushing, N.Y., hosted by Josephine Ugbomah, Laura Ugbomah and Elizabeth Ugbomah; bachelor parties in Miami, Fla., and New York hosted by David Cooke, Venroy July and Jonathon Burns; and a bachelor party in Charlotte hosted by Edward Jermaine Shepard, Hassani Monsanto, Tobias Terrell Williams and Cedric Cooper.
The couple held their Igba Nkwu, the traditional marriage ceremony is customary to the Igbo people of Nigeria, at Club SANM in New York Nov. 28. Igba Nkwu was preceded by a series of meetings between the couple’s families, where the terms of their marriage were discussed and agreed upon.
A private rehearsal brunch was held at Blitzburgers in New Brunswick, N.J.
By News-Argus Staff
Published in Weddings on May 22, 2011 1:51 AM