“Word of mouth” and referrals is what we love in our business. This past weekend we had the pleasure of working a wedding and reception with brides from our past weddings, current and upcoming. Casey Marie Braden (Atkinson), Samantha Robinson, Katie Smith, Lindsey Kerce, Megan Grisham, and Kari Meers.

Casey Marie Braden and Nicholas Arthur Atkinson were married at 5 p.m., Saturday, June 27, 2009, at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Rome.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Braden of Adairsville and the late Gail Braden. She is the granddaughter of Lamar Braden of Adairsville, the late Betty Braden and the late Eugene and Willene Autry.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Petersen of Reno, Nev. and the late David Atkinson. He is the grandson of Arthur Atkinson of Sedona, Ariz., Stanley Petersen of Reno, Nev., the late Doreen Atkinson, the late Marguerite Petersen and the late Phil and Kathy Desmond.

The Rev. Gary Bowman of Calhoun performed the double-ring ceremony before an altar decorated with a candelabra arch and a unity candle adorned with harlekijn chrysanthemums with variegated pittisporum, sprengeri fern and plumosa. A picture was placed on a table at the front of the church in memory of the bride’s mother and grandparents.

A program of wedding music included “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” “Canon in D,” “The Wedding March,” “To Be a Woman,” a tribute to the bride’s mother, and “Anywhere You Go.”

Samantha Robinson, Katie Smith, Lindsey Kerce, Megan Grisham, and Kari Meers, all of Rome, and Belinda Smith of Calhoun were the matrons of honor. They wore tea-length cotton candy strapless chiffon dresses accented at the waists with lipstick pink sashes. They also wore matching necklaces and earrings, gifts from the bride. The matrons of honor carried clutch style bouquets of harlekijn chrysanthemums and cassa chrysanthemums.

Alanah Braden and Briannah Dixon, nieces of the bride, were the flower girls.

The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a white strapless gown that had cascading embroidery that was cinched at the waist, with a beaded satin band, shirred at the center. The flowing A-line skirt was trimmed at the hemline with bands of satin and embroidery onto the chapel-length train. She wore a fingertip length veil. She also wore a pearl necklace and a pair of pearl earrings with a pearl bracelet that belonged to her mother. The bride carried a clutch style bouquet of harlekijn chrysanthemums, cassa chrysanthemums, pink glow freesia, pink lisianthus, and joy spray roses.

The father of the groom was the best man. Groomsmen were Rick Donlon of Ledyard, Conn., Jerry Ondo of Pittsburg, Pa., Rick DiSanto of New Orleans, La., Luke Webber of Metairie, La. and Dan Smith of Jasper, Ala.

Liam Buchanan of Arlington, Mass., nephew of the groom, was the ring bearer.

The stepmother of the bride wore a black and pink patterned tea-length dress. The mother of the groom wore a sleeveless off white tea-length dress. They were presented with corsages of harlekijn chrysanthemums with English ivy and ivory French ribbon.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Heritage Hall Centre Stage in Rome. Refreshments included the bride’s four-tier hexagon white cake with butter cream icing. The base of each layer was wrapped in hot pink satin ribbon and topped with blooms of harlekijn chrysanthemums and cassa chrysanthemums mixed with anna rose petals. The groom’s cake was three cheesecakes with assorted toppings.

The evening before the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at Provino’s Italian Restaurant in Rome.

Other pre-nuptial parties included a money shower hosted by the bride’s former co-workers and friends at Harbin Clinic Laboratory in Rome; a miscellaneous bridal shower hosted by the matrons of honor at Duffy’s Deli; a miscellaneous family bridal shower hosted by Mary Braden, Crystal Bunch, Menesia Cleveland, Pam Selman and Diane Yarbrough at the Plainville Recreation Center; a lingerie shower hosted by the matrons of honor at the home of Lindsey Kerce and a bridal luncheon was given the day before the wedding hosted by Samantha Robinson, Katie Smith and Lindsey Kerce at BlueFin Sushi and Grill in Rome.

After a wedding trip to Maui, Hawaii, the couple resides in San Diego.