This Month's Cover Story
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Four Friends, Four Weddings, Four Months
by Julie Cantrell
Elizabeth Williams, Micah Yeck, Amber McCraw and Kristin Dacus might be called modern-day Ya-Ya's. The girls, friends since kindergarten, danced together at Deborah Kaye Dance Studio, graduated from Oxford High School as a pack, and remained friends through college and beyond. Then, in 2007, the four friends held four weddings in four months.
Meet the Brides:
Elizabeth Purdon Williams- The Traditionalist
Elizabeth and Stuart Williams held the first wedding of the four. The couple had been friends since high school, so Stuart had plenty of time to plan a romantic proposal.
"He took me out to dinner at City Grocery and surprised me with a ring when we got back to the car," Elizabeth said. "The best part was when we went back to his parents' home. He had arranged for our families to be there to celebrate with us."
The celebrating continued, with numerous parties, showers and a bachelorette party in Gulf Shores, Ala. "With all four of us planning our weddings, we all had to coordinate our calendars," Elizabeth said.
Their wedding was a formal affair, with family friends performing music selections. Jean Jordan and Becky Bourgeois sang, and the Oxford Civic Chorus performed the Irish Blessing. Cherie Matthews played the harp. "Jean, Becky, and Cherie are all close family friends," Elizabeth said. "So the music was very meaningful to me."
The classic theme carried over to the reception at the Williams' home, where guests were greeted by The Sara Isom Trio and a glass-covered pool. "Lights flickered from under the glass, and the cake was placed out over the
water. It was beautiful. Everyone danced. We didn't want to leave all the fun," Elizabeth said.
After the reception, Elizabeth and Stuart enjoyed a remote honeymoon on Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands before returning home to Oxford.
Micah Horton Yeck- The Mississippi Metropolitan
Micah and Paul Yeck met at Oxford Junior High School. A few years later, while taking a high school art class together, Paul asked Micah out.
Fast forward eight years. Paul, a New York City chef, asked Micah's parents for their blessing to marry his high school sweetheart. When a nor'easter closed his restaurant, he took advantage of the day off, hopped a bus and surprised Micah in her Washington, D.C. apartment."
"While I was dressing for lunch, he hid my engagement ring in my jewelry box," Micah said. "My eyes went directly to the ring."
Micah may be starting her career in the nation's capitol, but she never imagined getting married anywhere other than Oxford. "I envisioned a metropolitan concept with Mississippi hospitality and charm," she said.
Norma Parks and John Hickey of Oxford Floral helped Micah bring her ideas to fruition. "I worked with Norma practically every time I flew home," Micah said. "I brought her my personal sketches and images from books and
magazines."
After the elaborate service, guests tossed pixie dust as a stretch limousine carried the couple to Southside Art Gallery. The gallery's front window displayed the six-tier wedding cake, while the couple's signature truffle risotto cakes were passed from an art palette.
The couple honeymooned in the Dominican Republic's Punta Cana and returned on Christmas Eve, just in time to spend their first Christmas in Oxford. The Yecks live in Washington, D.C.
Amber Brewer McCraw- The Life of the Party
When a friend introduced Amber to Travis McCraw, she knew he was the one. Next came flowers, candlelight and a diamond ring tied around the neck of her new puppy. If you think that's creative, consider that this couple rode in a trolley from their wedding to the reception where guests tossed sixpences into a wishing well.
"Kate Barron, our wedding planner, was instrumental in helping with absolutely everything," Amber said. "No
matter what I asked for, she made it happen."
That included a photo booth. "Travis and I loved to get into the old photo booth at Longshots on the Square," Amber said. "So we set up a photo booth for guests. I have a disc of everybody's photos, and they were each given their own photo strip to take home."
The fun didn't stop there. "There was tons of dancing," Amber said. "Everybody loved the band, DMP out of Memphis, especially the lead singer. He acted like Michael Jackson and made everyone laugh."
After a ceremony that included 11 bridesmaids, a string quartet, a gospel choir and a harpist, Amber admits they were ready to party: "Toward the end, it was such a hullabaloo. We focused on getting away and relaxing."
After some quiet time in Jamaica, the couple, who now live in Oxford, returned from their honeymoon to attend Kristin's wedding the following week.
Kristin Bruce Dacus- The Sentimentalist
Kristin first met Marty Dacus at the Memphis in May festival, even though he had lived in Oxford for 10 years. A year later, Marty took Kristin out to dinner as if it was just another night on the town. But when the couple returned home, Marty dimmed the lights and dropped to one knee. "It was very unexpected," Kristin said. "Eight months later, we were married."
"We all did our own thing," Kristin said. "Our weddings showed our different personalities and highlighted how our differences bring us together."
Kristin and Marty opted for an intimate ceremony. "We chose to have only one bridesmaid and one best man," she said. They also kept the guest list slim, inviting only family members and close friends.
"Our wedding day meant so much to me," Kristin said. "Getting married in my family church, where I was baptized and having only family members in the wedding party. I loved that we were able to keep it very small, very special."
After the ceremony, guests left College Hill Presbyterian Church and joined the couple at Downtown Grill, where Soule played music upstairs for the private occasion.
The evening was followed by a 10-day honeymoon in Aruba before they returned to their Oxford home. "I cried on the plane on the way home," Kristin said. "I enjoyed every day on that beach with my new husband. That was probably the most meaningful part of it all."
"We have so many shared experiences.
These girls make my life much more meaningful and exciting."
- Elizabeth Williams
"I love these girls. The bond we share is rare." - Micah Yeck
For more stories about strong Southern friendships, read the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells or Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg.
