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MADALYN MARIE KIRKWOOD & BEN BRAKEL OCTOBER 30, 2021 ~ NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI ~ PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE MCDANIEL
he wedding of Madalyn Marie Kirkwood of Natchez, Mississippi, and Ben Brakel of Slidell, Louisiana, was held on October 30, 2021, on the elegant front steps and lowerlevel veranda of Dunleith Historic Inn in Natchez, Mississippi, at 6:00 in the evening with the Honorable Judge Lisa Jordan Dale presiding. The bride is the daughter of Jan and Jeff Kirkwood of Natchez and the granddaughter of Ann and Don Marion of Natchez and Billy Faye and Sidney Kirkwood of Madisonville, Kentucky. The groom is the son of Karen and Rob Brakel of Slidell and the grandson of Gene and Catherine Barouse and John and Evelyn Brakel, all of New Orleans, Louisiana. Escorted by her father, the bride wore an off-the-shoulder, long sleeved, ivory illusion fit-and-flare gown with beaded lace by Justin Alexander. She wore her mother’s wedding veil of ivory illusion and lace and carried a bouquet of white and light rust roses and eucalyptus. Comprising the bridal party were matron of honor Kalin Kirkwood Hamil of New Orleans, Louisiana, who having just had her daughter, Annie, nine days earlier was on hand to attend her sister; Maria Murphy Darnal and Logan Leighann Talbert, both of Baton
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Rouge, Louisiana; Emily Dixon Hall of Natchez; Adrian LeJeune Fremaux, Kristen Elizabeth Seaux, and Taylor Trache Atkinson, all of Lafayette, Louisiana; Kaitlin Ellen Martin and Maria Louise Moss, both of New Orleans, Louisiana; Haley Brooke Stockton of Pineville, Louisiana; and Eleanor Wesley-Anne Turner of Houston, Texas. The bridesmaids wore topaz full-length gowns and carried smaller versions of the bride’s bouquet. The groom’s best man was Jason Brad Brakel of Sanford, Florida. Groomsmen were Christopher Blake Thompson and Shane Matthew Riedie, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Sean Robert William Nelson of Port Allen, Louisiana; James Keith Vining II, Corey Michael Meaux, and Samuel Woods Atkinson, all of Lafayette, Louisiana; Lee Wilcox Shelton of Welches, Oregon; Jeffrey Paul Farmer of Metairie, Louisiana; Geoffrey James Rhodes of Belle Chase, Louisiana; Andrew Joseph Pasch of Katy, Texas; Michael Keefe Atkinson of Lacombe, Louisiana; and Braden Tyler Eddy of Houston, Texas. Serving as ushers were Vincent Joseph Calamari of Slidell, Louisiana; Harris Charles Pantlik of Charleston, South Carolina; Hunter James Falcon of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Richard Warren Broussard III of New Orleans, Louisiana. The groom, groomsmen, and ushers wore Italian-cut navy tuxedos with ties that coordinated with the bridesmaids’ dresses. Flower girl for the occasion was Lily Grace Atkinson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Atkinson of Lacombe, Louisiana; and ring bearer was John Ross Burgos, son of Adrian LeJeune Fremaux of Lafayette, Louisiana. Ana Andrea Brakel, daughter of Jason Brakel of Sanford, Florida, served as program attendant. Readers during the ceremony were Alison Laine Neuliep and Gabriela Emilia Andonie, both of New Orleans, Louisiana. Event planners for both the wedding and reception were Lyn Jenkins, Becky Fortenberry, and Jan Kirkwood, mother of the bride.
