By Emily Beckett
Engaged couples living in Chilton County have the advantage of being halfway between two big cities, Birmingham and Montgomery, as they plan their weddings.
But even with all the catering, photography, dress shop and venue options in such cities, brides-to-be and their prospective grooms shouldn’t discount the many people and businesses in or near Chilton County that offer equally desirable goods or services without the 45-minute travel time.
One couple that capitalized on local wedding options was Brittany and Jamie Heflin of Clanton, who were married April 13 at Zion Ridge Church of God in Clanton.
Brittany, 22, and Jamie, 24, graduated from Chilton County High School and Verbena High School, respectively, and met through mutual friends four years ago.
They started dating a year later and were together for more than a year before Jamie proposed to Brittany last Easter.
“We spent every moment together and never got tired of each other,” Brittany said. “He always makes me laugh. There’s never a dull moment. He always makes sure I’m happy and I have what I need.”
The couple ordered their flowers, calla lilies, for the bouquets and boutonnieres from Pinedale Gardens in Clanton.
They purchased some of their reception food, including barbecue, from Peach Park and prepared the rest of the food.
Their reception was also held at Zion Ridge.
Lauren Mitchell, of Lauren Mitchell Photography in Thorsby, was the couple’s wedding photographer.
Laura Headley with Smiles Photography took their engagement pictures.
Brittany’s four bridesmaids wore dresses made by county resident Sue Ellison, who is known for her alterations and handmade pageant dresses.
Rockin’ Bobbin Alterations in Clanton is where Brittany had her wedding dress altered and Jamie and his groomsmen ordered their tuxedos.
Rachel Rachels of a local catering business called Southern Sweets made both the bride’s and groom’s cakes.
The Rev. Brad Eubank, former pastor of Bethsalem Baptist Church (Brittany’s family’s church) officiated.
The couple also attended premarital counseling sessions at Bethsalem before the wedding.
Brittany works at Credit Central Loan and Tax, and Jamie works for Alabama Power.
Brittany said they are pleased with how their wedding turned out and have settled into their Clanton home.
“Married life is everything I had hoped for,” Jamie said. “She is the best wife I could ask for. She’s my best friend and my true love.”
Kelsey and Marvin Morton of Clanton are another newlywed couple that used local people and businesses for their big day.
Kelsey and Marvin were married Feb. 9 at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center next to Jefferson State Community College.
Their grade school friendship turned into a full-fledged relationship in high school when Marvin summoned the courage to ask Kelsey on a date.
In January 2008, he asked her to be his girlfriend, and in 2012, Marvin got down on one knee and asked Kelsey to marry him.
“We’ve known each other since fifth grade,” Kelsey said. “We were best friends. I guess it works out better that way.”
Their ceremony took place in the theater at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center.
After the ceremony, they celebrated tying the knot with family and friends at a reception in the center’s exhibition hall.
Kelsey said the center offered plenty of space for all aspects of the wedding—dressing rooms for her and her bridesmaids and for Marvin and his groomsmen, a large stage for the ceremony and a spacious room for the reception.
The ample space the center offered was one of the main reasons Kelsey and Marvin chose it for their wedding venue since they anticipated a large number of guests.
“It’s perfectly equipped for everything,” Kelsey said.
Kim Langston, Kelsey’s mother, was instrumental in the decorating and setup process at the center the day before the wedding.
Langston noted the convenience of electrical outlets mounted in the floor of the exhibition hall where the reception was held, as well as the technological amenities in the theater that allowed Kelsey and Marvin to play a slideshow of their lives on a projector for guests as they waited for the ceremony to start.
“They thought of everything in this place,” Langston said. “The sound system in the theater is top-notch.”
The center’s location near Interstate 65 Exit 212 was convenient for out-of-town guests to find, and it happened to be about one mile from Kelsey’s house.
Kelsey’s and her bridesmaids’ bouquets and the groomsmen’s boutonnieres came from Pinedale Gardens in Clanton.
Tammy Sims, of Tammy Sims Photography in nearby Selma, was the couple’s wedding photographer for the ceremony and reception.
Donnie Hand and Ray Sosa, both county residents, were the videographers for both the ceremony and reception.
Libby Ousley of Billingsley catered the reception and made the bride’s and groom’s cakes.
After finding out what types of foods Kelsey and Marvin liked, Ousley created different “stations” at the reception, which included a Mexican station; a chocolate fountain station; a meat station; a drink station with punch and tea; and a hot and cold dip station for fruits and vegetables.
Meagan Howell and Katie Collins of Shear Heaven in Maplesville did Kelsey’s hair and makeup and her bridesmaids’ hair at the center.
Marvin and his groomsmen rented their tuxedos from Brenda’s Formal Wear in Clanton.
Keshia H. Christiansen of Hoover, formerly of Maplesville, served as the couple’s wedding director.
“She is a coordinator as well as a director, but I just strictly used her for the day of the wedding, and she was a dream,” Langston said. “I didn’t have to worry about anything.”
Christiansen’s business is called Tying the Knot & Dotting the i’s.
The day of the wedding, the bridal party enjoyed early-morning manicures and pedicures at Nail Star in Clanton, which opened before business hours to accommodate Kelsey and her friends so they wouldn’t be late for pictures.
Kelsey said she and Marvin were extremely pleased with both their wedding and reception. They enjoyed a seven-day cruise to Jamaica, Cozumel and the Cayman Islands for their honeymoon.
“It was more just a traditional wedding with modern twists,” Kelsey said. “We’re just truly happy. We’ve been truly blessed with friends and family and each other.”