The marriage of Amanda Brooke Boone and Dustin Matthew Fowler was solemnized in an early summer wedding, June 2, 2012, at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Franklinton.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Warren Boone of Angie, and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dennis Fowler of Franklinton.

The six o’clock evening ceremony was conducted by Rev. Dr. H. Gene Richards, retired pastor of Hillcrest, following the welcome and introduction by the current and host pastor, Rev. Andrew Voss.

Guests were greeted in the church foyer by Hope and Jessica Ryals of Tylertown, Miss., Amanda’s cousins, who were responsible for the signing of the guest registry book and handing out the black and white scrolled wedding programs.

While guests were being seated, Mrs. Cindy Richards entertained on the piano by playing several favorite selections of the bride and groom.

Freeform European designs of Italian ruscus, gladiolus, roses, snapdragons, bells of Ireland, green button poms, delphinium, and casablanca lillies were placed in Grecian urns on Grecian columns at the front of the church.

The Wedding

Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Boone, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Ryals, and the mothers of the bride and groom, were escorted to the tune “Air on the G String,” by J.S. Bach. The mothers were first escorted to the altar to light the unity candle, along with the respective fathers, and then to their seats of honor. Both grandmothers and mothers carried nosegays of white roses.

The bridal attendants entered the sanctuary to “The Prayer” from Quest for Camelot. The attendants wore floor-length, single strap, black organza dresses by Levkoff. They carried nosegays of white hydrangea and Italian ruscus foliage. Serving as matron of honor was Amanda’s sister, Mrs. Reagan Smith. Her two younger sisters, Miss Blaire Boone and Miss Morgan Boone, served as maids of honor. Three of Amanda’s college friends and roommates, Miss Elizabeth Evans, Miss Elizabeth Burris and Miss Sarah Rosier, completed the group of attendants.

The petite flower girl, Brylie Denise Fowler, niece of the groom, wore a tea-length black dress similar to that of the bridesmaids and carried a smaller white hydrangea nosegay. She was joined by her brother, Tryson Neil Fowler, nephew of the groom, who served as ring bearer. He was attired in a black tuxedo matching those of the groomsmen. They both preceded the entrance of the bride.

The bride

Escorted by her father, Robert Warren Boone, the striking bride chose an Allure white, romantic ball gown created from layers of soft organza. The ruched bodice featured a sweetheart neckline with a Swarovski crystal and pearl brooch to accent.

She carried a hand-held bouquet of Vendela roses, white wax flowers and green tea Storie orchids.

The bride entered the sanctuary to “Canon in D” by Pachelbel. Rev. Richards began the ceremony with the giving of the bride from her father to the groom. He conducted the exchange of vows and then the exchange of rings. As “The Wedding Song” By Kenny G. played, the couple lit their unity candle signifying the joining of their families.

Mr. and Mrs. Dustin Fowler exited the sanctuary to the song “Sheep May Safely Graze,” by Bach. Rev. Richards then extended an invitation to everyone to join the happy couple for the reception at the Fair City Event Center in Franklinton.

Groom’s Attendants

The groom’s attendants included his father, Dennie Fowler, as Best Man. Groomsmen were his brother, Neil Fowler; the bride’s brother, John Robert Boone; Evan Magee, Nathan Murray and Drew Meyerchick, all special friends of the groom. Ushers were Dustin Jenkins, Blake Orman, Rusty Stevens and Andrew Zeringue, also special friends of the groom.

The groom and his groomsmen were attired in formal black tuxedos with white shirts and black accessories. The grandparents of the groom, the late Mr. and Mrs. Gus Fowler of Fayetteville, Tenn., and the late Mr. and Mrs. Fernie Foil of Franklinton, were memorialized on the wedding program.

For her daughter’s wedding, Mrs. Boone chose a black two-piece linen ensemble by Alex. Mrs. Fowler, mother of the groom, chose a two-piece tea length silk ensemble with a short-sleeved beaded bodice and a three-tier straight skirt. She chose black accessories.

Mrs. Shannon (Neil) Fowler served as both the wedding and reception coordinator. The floral arrangements and bouquets were designed by Bennie Crain of Bennie’s Florist.

The Reception

The bride and groom left the church chauffeured in an antique white car with “Just Married” on the back. The wedding party followed the bride and groom in the church bus to the reception at the Fair City Event Center in Franklinton. As guests entered the foyer, the guest registry was available for signing and several of the bride’s formal portraits were displayed.

DJ Danny Garner introduced the bridal party and they proceeded to the front of the room where they were honored by toasts from the groom’s father and the bride’s grandfather, Hayward Boone. The bride and groom were honored with the first dance, “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop” by Landon Pigg. The bride then danced with her father and then the groom with his mother.

The reception hall was filled with round tables covered with white floor-length cloths. The chairs were featured white covers tied alternately black or white sashes. A tall, clear vase containing bridal wreath was at the center of each table.

The reception was catered by John David Schilling of Sugar Shack of Franklinton. Guests were served a wide variety of entrees, vegetables and dips. Servers were dressed in black and white attire, and guests were treated to a delicious sit-down dinner.

Sugar Shack also provided a separate six-tier table for fruits and fruit dips and a cheese table provided by the bride’s cousin’s dairy in Tylertown. The cheese table featured a golf motif with golf carts and golf green, signifying the groom’s occupation; the table was designed by Taylor Schilling of Sugar Shack.

The groom’s cake was covered with representations of the groom’s hobbies of baseball and golf. It was in the shape of Fenway Ballpark with an image of Dustin sitting on his black truck in the middle of the stadium, a set of golf clubs nearby. A photo of Amanda and Dustin sat to the right of the cake, with Dustin in his Boston Red Sox cap. Dustin’s aunt, Mary Foil of Baton Rouge, served the groom’s cake using the cake knife that was used at the groom’s parents’ wedding in 1970. She was assisted by Shannon Fowler, the groom’s sister-in-law.

The bride’s cake was an all-white, four-tiered confection with white flowers on each layer. Each layer contained a different filling. The bride’s aunts, Amanda Prud’homme from Fort Worth, Texas, Suzanne Cutrer from Osyka, Miss., Aylene Crain from Pine, and Niki Ryals from Tylertown, took turns serving the wedding cake. Both wedding cakes were creations of Cocoa Bean Bakery of Hammond.

As guests left the reception, the bride had provided various cookie jars filled with a variety of cookies as take-home favors. Two of the bride’s portraits adorned each end of the “cookie” table.

As the happy celebration ended, guests received sparklers to light as the bride and groom exited the building to leave for their honeymoon. The couple stepped into a black limo that waited to whisk them away to New Orleans for the night. The following day, they embarked on an early flight to St. Lucia.

The newlyweds are making their home in Franklinton, where the bride is employed at Franklinton Elementary School as a third grade teacher. The groom is employed at Oak Knoll Country Club in Hammond, and currently is working on his degree in turf management from Penn State University.