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Monica and Johnny Lewis
Monica LeAnn Compton and Johnny B. Lewis exchanged wedding vows at The Olde Saint Andrew's Church in Fort Scott, Kan., on June 20, 2009. The 6 p.m. wedding was officiated by the Rev. Jeanette Hawkins. Organist Martha Cubbage provided musical selections. Elisha Ellis, sister of the bride, was a soloist and accompanied herself on the guitar. Floral decorations highlighted the couple's selected wedding colors in citrus shades of orange and green. A wedding reception followed at the Liberty Theater in Fort Scott. The newlyweds honeymooned on Amelia Island, Fla., and in Savannah, Ga. They are making their home in Louisville, Ky., where the bride is attending seminary at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, seeking ordination in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The groom is a high school teacher and pastor of Pleasureville Christian Church, Pleasureville, Ky.
The bride is the daughter of Chris and Peggy Ellis, of Nevada, Mo. The groom is the son of Boone Lewis, of Harlan, Ky., and the late Katherine Lewis.
Escorted down the aisle by her father, Chris Ellis, the bride wore an ivory gown featuring an overlay of lace appliqué and crystal beading on the skirt and train. The gown was sleeveless with a deep v-neckline and a delicately ruched waistline. The bodice also featured lace appliqué and crystal beading. The bride wore her hair down and pinned back with a sparkling silver hair comb that had been refashioned from a vintage rhinestone brooch featuring clusters of marquise and round stones. The hair comb coordinated with her vintage drop earrings, trimmed with Swarovski cream crystal pearls and sparkling Swarovski Rhinestones. The bride's jewelry also included silver and crystal art-deco style bracelet, a gift from the groom. The bride carried a mixed bouquet of lilies and tulips in orange, pink, and cream, wrapped with an orange ribbon.
Brooke Taylor Duckworth attended the bride as matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Mindy Liley Saunders, Lindsey Rolls, Amy Charlton, Rachel Viele, and Betsy Leighninger. The attendants wore knee-length dresses of silk tricotine, in soft orange, accented with bright orange ribbon sashes. Bridesmaids carried alternating bouquets of pink and orange tulips.
Matt Neel stood with the groom as the best man. Groomsmen were Brock Caldwell, Cody Davidson, Brian Goodman, Jeff Davis, and Thomas Wills.
The bride's sister, Emmaly Ellis, read E.E. Cummings's poem "I Carry Your Heart" during the wedding ceremony. The groom's friend, Richard Clark, and stepbrother, Jacob Whitaker, read passages from Scripture during the ceremony.
The bride and groom arrived at the Liberty Theater in a gray and orange 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air to begin their evening reception. David Badgley provided music throughout the evening. Tall floral arrangements reflecting the bridal colors decorated each of the tables. White tablecloths were accented with green and orange table runners. Outdoors, the terrace was illuminated by candles on each of the tables and the white lights of the gazebo. The wedding cake was a five-tiered strawberry shortcake with buttercream icing. The peanut butter and chocolate groom's cake was decorated with an orange and white checkerboard pattern reflecting the endzones at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Guests were treated to a variety of food stations and then a late-night snack of hot dogs and popcorn. The guests were also invited to take home orange and green reusable shopping bags as wedding favors. Each shopping bag was screen printed with the couple's monogram and a quotation from the poem read during the wedding ceremony.
Prior to the wedding ceremony, a vintage rehearsal dinner at the White Grill in Nevada, was hosted by the groom's father and wife, Boone and Elizabeth Lewis, who rented out the diner and invited the wedding party to indulge in Nevada's classic burgers and Suzy-Q's. Prior to the wedding, Peggy Ellis, mother of the bride, hosted a poolside bridal luncheon at the home of Ric O'Neal, uncle of the bride.