images_sizedimage_088163211

TIFTON — Erin Sparrow and Russ Griffin were married Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 at an outdoor evening ceremony held at the home of the bride’s father in Tifton.

The bride’s parents are Timmy and Cindy Sparrow and Marvin and Lisa Young, all of Tifton. Her grandparents are J.T. and JoAnn Sparrow of Unadilla and Wayne and Beverly Peavy of Vienna.

The groom’s parents are Rodney and Kathy Griffin of Chula. His grandparents are Shirley Griffin and the late Charles Griffin and Curtis and Dolores Pearman, all of Chula.

The evening wedding took place just after sunset under the tall pines next to a large pond which reflected the light from tiki torches that surrounded it. The altar was formed with small white columns and ferns. Tall lanterns were also placed on each side of the bride and groom. White bows were placed on the rows of seats reserved for family members. White lights also twinkled from trees lining the driveway and surrounding the ceremony site.

Following the pronouncement of marriage by the Rev. Jason Jones, fireworks exploded over the pond as the bride and groom exited to Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor” and rode off on a B. John Deere tractor.

The bride wore a white, strapless, mermaid-style gown with an all-over draped taffeta trumpet and a button back. The bridesmaids wore apple-red, knee-length dresses and each chose their own personal dress style. The groomsmen wore khakis, white dress shirts and matching apple-red ties. The groom wore the same attire with a complimenting black sports coat.



RECEPTION

A reception followed at the same location. The tables were covered with burlap tablecloths and antique coke bottles filled with cotton stalks served as the center pieces. Guests enjoyed smoked hog, baked beans, chips, homemade peach icecream, sweet tea and lemonade.

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, red velvet, brownie and white cupcakes were served on a four-tier cupcake stand. Each cupcake flavor had its own unique frosting and decoration. The top tier held a beautiful, small, white cake baked for the couple by Ericka Jones; this cake was saved for the bride and groom to cut on their first anniversary. The groom’s cake, made by Margie Justice, was a chocolate sheet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting decorated with a farm scene on top.

The couple now lives in Chula. The bride is employed with the University of Georgia Tifton Campus and is working on her master’s degree in business administration at Valdosta State University. The groom is also employed with UGA-Tifton and is a self-employed farmer.