TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
The Ceremony
When the wedding day arrived, the bridesmaids gathered at the Shores’ home, where Michelle’s friends had brought food and the morning felt less like preparation and more like a celebration that had already begun. From there, they made their way to Saint James Episcopal Church, where lush garlands of roses, hydrangeas, and snapdragons in soft pastel shades framed the arched doorway. Inside, the sanctuary was filled with flowers along the aisle and altar, and the bridesmaids moved through it all in gowns made from a lily of the valley- patterned jacquard fabric. Mary-Stewart’s A-line silk organza gown, with its rounded neckline and elegantly cut-out floral detail, was stunning set against the pale blues and warm wooden tones of the historic church. But nothing could have prepared Mary- Stewart for what she saw when Father David asked the couple, just before they stepped up to the chancel, to turn around and take in the room behind them. “It was standing room only,” she said. “People were packed like sardines. To just see all the people from my parents’ childhood, my childhood, people we went to college with, family, friends, all the things… it was just so cool to see everybody smushed into one room. It was very overwhelming. You’re just filled with all sorts of emotions. Gratitude that all these people showed up for our families and us.” Woven into the ceremony were layers of something even deeper than sentiment. Mary-Stewart’s “something borrowed” was also her “something blue.” She wore Michelle’s original engagement ring, featuring two aquamarines and a diamond. Mary-Stewart’s wedding band belonged to her five-times-great-grandmother. The band is engraved with her ancestors’ initials and wedding date from 1888, a tangible thread connecting her to generations of family love that came long before her. The Celebration After the ceremony, guests made their way to Texarkana Country Club for a reception no one will soon forget. Upon arrival, they were greeted by champagne twirlers and cascading arrangements of bright blooms. Inside, the
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TXK WEDDINGS 2026
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