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2/9/09
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m a e r D Weddings The bride and groom share a moment together at Dunaway Gardens before joining their guests for dinner and dancing.
The Williams-Collins wedding was an evening ceremony at First United Methodist Church of Newnan.
Best friends become husband and wife BY NICHOLE GOLDEN nichole@newnan.com
Groom Randolph Collins gives a joyful hug to his nephew Bobby Collins, who served as ring bearer at the April 2008 wedding.
Bride Amanda Williams gathered with her bridesmaids, dressed in ocean blue gowns from Bridemaid’s Bow-tique. Williams’ attendants were, from left to right, Sarah Jones, Kristy Williams, Anna Lauzon, Robyn Bryde, Jennifer Beegle, Emily Lauzon, and Morgan Cawthorne. The bride carried ivory vendela roses, and the bridesmaids carried a mix of white hydrangea and pink roses.
Amanda Williams and Randolph Collins tied the knot on an April evening, followed by a reception at historic Dunaway Gardens in Newnan. Both the bride and groom grew up in Newnan, but didn’t meet until later in life. “Having lived in Newnan throughout our lives, it was interesting that we hadn’t met before. Several friends suggested us to one another, but I didn’t follow through,” said Amanda. “Time passed and we were introduced through a mutual friend. We went on our first date and have been together ever since.” Randolph proposed to Amanda at the family lake house on Lake Martin, and it remains the couple’s favorite place to spend the summers. Amanda and Randolph selected April 12, 2008 as their wedding date, and were married at First United Methodist Church in Newnan with some 400 guests in attendance. Both Amanda’s gown and veil were purchased at Bridals by Lori in Atlanta. The dream wedding dress for Amanda was a strapless gown of silk organza with a sweetheart neckline and mermaid silhouette. The bridal bouquet consisted of ivory vendela roses. The bridesmaids wore ocean blue dresses and carried a mix of white hydrangea and pink roses. “The wedding flowers were done by Murphey’s Florist and they did an exceptional job,” said Amanda. The groom was involved in the planning process. “Randolph had special interests in the wedding plans and helped with some decisions. He wanted to make sure he seated our mothers (Mrs. Katie Williams and Mrs. Carlene Collins) during the ceremony. That was of special interest to him,” said Amanda. For the bride, the most fun part of planning the wedding was “being creative and making the selections.” While there always stressful parts of planning, such as narrowing guests lists, Amanda offers one important piece of advice to brides-to-be. “Don’t get overwhelmed by the wedding plans and enjoy your engagement,” she said. Following their ceremony, the Collins enjoyed a reception at Dunaway Gardens on Roscoe Road. The wedding party, friends and family dined and danced under a tent. The bride’s cake a was a lovely five-tiered creation topped with pink roses, and the groom’s cake was a yummy caramel. Both were by Sweet Sensations. A band organized by Doug Kees of Musicology played for the wedding guests. “My favorite memory of the day was the excitement of having our family and friends celebrate in our marriage, and of course marrying my best friend,” says Amanda. “ It was wonderful to see the months of planning come together.”
Photos of the Williams-Collins wedding were provided courtesy Bob Shapiro Photography, Newnan.
The dream wedding dress for Amanda was a strapless gown of silk organza with a sweetheart neckline and mermaid silhouette, and ribbon accent at the waist.
Sunday, February 8, 2009