Ashley Watson of Conway and Jeremy Gardner of Fort Smith were married July 7 at Second Baptist Church in Conway.
Paul Hudson, executive pastor of Second Baptist Church, officiated the double-ring ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Watson of Conway. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gardner.
The entrance of the church was decorated with two wrought iron lanterns laced with greenery and crystal white tulle. In the foyer, a table held the brides book and an arrangement of yellow, burnt orange, scarlet and lime green lilies, hydragas, roses and bells of Ireland. Katie Scherrey of Conway and Sara Jameson of Sherwood presided at the table.
Two large, aged iron stands draped with lilies, glads, bell of Ireland, and roses in the brides chosen colors started the aisle while pew markers with identical arrangements lined the center aisle at the front of the church.
The sanctuary platform held an array of ornate ironwork, candelabras, and decorative pedestals swaged with crystal organdy fabric. The pedestals and ironwork were adorned with while pillar candles and floral arrangements throughout. Two large bouquets of burnt orange and scarlet roses, yellow lilies, lime green spider mums and bell of Ireland sat upon black iron pedestals. The pedestals sat on each side of the unity candle comprising the centerpiece.
Pianist was Jan Moore of Greenbrier. Maid of Honor Jennifer Lynn of Fordyce was the vocalist, singing "How Beautiful."
The bride was escorted by her father.
The bride wore a strapless slim A-line gown covered with silver embroidery and beading of pearls and crystals. The gown featured a sweetheart neckline and fitted ruched bodice adorned with intricate silver embroidery and beading which wrapped around the waistline and cascaded down to the chapel length train. The veil was fingertip length white illusin English net outlined with crystal and silver threading. The bride wore diamond drop earrings, a three stone diamond right hand ring, a gift from the groom and an antique silver and sapphire ring given to her at birth by her grandfather the late George Robinette of Conway. The bride carried a large bouquet of white roses and freesia with seed pearls laced throughout.
Jennifer Lynn of Fordyce was maid of honor, and matron of honor was Erica Russell of Conway.
Bridesmaids were Allison Avra of Conway, Melia Tate of Conway, Tiffany Dews of El Dorado, Jennifer Irons of Mountain Berg, Haley Wilcox of Conway, April Parker of Monticello, Whitney Herron of Sherwood and Lindsey Davenport of Conway.
The bridesmaids wore black tea length haulter dresses made of satin and silk. Each attendant carried a clutch bouquet of burnt orange, yellow, red scarlet and lime roses with green hypericum berries tied with French sheer ribbon.
Will Parish of Greenbrier was the ringbearer. Flower girls were Jessica Watson of Conway and Emma Parish of Greenbrier. Best man was the groom's brother Darin Gardner, of Bowie Md.
Groomsmen were Brannon Watson of Conway, Blake Cook of Maumelle, Matt Mooney of Fort Smith, Jeff Cazzell of Fort Smith, Joey Smith of Conway, Stefan Elmore of Little Rock, Scott Hickman of Little Rock, Jamie Gates of Conway and Josh Stuckey of Little Rock.
Ushers were Chad Russell of Conway, Kyle Keifer of Little Rock, Brian Rader of Little Rock, Chad Rawls of Conway, Jason Gross of Little Rock and Matt Shelby of San Antonio, Texas.
The mother of the bride wore a floor-length mocha colored organza dress with inticate beading along the neckline and a sheer jacket with beading detail throughout.
The mother of the groom wore a cafe colored silk and lace dress with a shirred bodice which was accented with scattered beading.
The reception was held in the ballroom of the Agora Conference Center and immediately followed the ceremony in the main ballroom of Agora Conference Center. The guest's tables were dressed in white floor length table cloths with crystal white covers on the chairs. Centerpieces for the guest tables were mixed throughout the room consisting of tall glass trumpet vases, great bubble bowls filled with green apples and elegant urns. Atop were fresh flower arrangements of Orange and Scarlet Roses, Lily Asiatic, Pom Pons, Lime Green Spider Mums, Bells of Ireland, Hypericum, Snap Dragons, Alstromeria, Gerber Daisies, Glads and fresh green apples.
The bride's portrait was spotlighted on a hand-carved mahogany easel for guest to view once entering the room. The bride's table was located in the center of the room featuring a five-tiered wedding cake with flowers cascading down all sides. The head table had a backdrop of four panels of white fabric with sparkling white lights. The table was covered with a white floor length cloth, atop was a fresh flower arrangement in a silver trumpet vase layered by bubble glass vases filled with green apples and daisies and votive candles twinkling about.
The guest were served a variety of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, herb encrusted pork loin, meatballs with marinara, shrimp cocktail with lemons, domestic and imported cheese, spinach dip with assorted chips, artichoke dip with crackers and the grooms favorite deviled eggs. The silver punch bowl was surrounded by fresh fruit and filled with Ashley s favorite black cherry punch made by her aunt Shirley Merritt. On the west wall was a stage decorated with ficus trees and sparkling white lights where the band Tragikly White played as guest danced the night away.
After a honeymoon to Kona and Maui, Hawaii, the couple is at home in Conway.
