Richard Malcolm Caldwell Jr. and Melissa Suzanne Ward were married at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 2009, at The Cathedral Church of St. Andrew in Jackson. The Very Rev. Edward F. O’Connor, the Rev. Carol Borne Spencer and the Rev. Lincoln Dall of St. Richard Catholic Church in Jackson officiated at the ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Solan Bowering Sr. of Madison and Judge and Mrs. Michael Hailey Ward of Gulfport. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Constable of Gulfport, formerly of Marietta, Ga., and the late Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Finley Ward Sr. of Gulfport.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Malcolm Caldwell Sr. He is the grandson of Mrs. John Francis Halpin III and the late Mr. Halpin and William Kinley Caldwell Sr. and the late Mrs. Caldwell, all of Vicksburg.

Nuptial music was presented by John Paul, organist; Darcie Bishop, trumpeter; and the choirs of St. Andrew’s. 

Escorted by her father, the bride’s chosen colors were plum, apricot, apple green and chocolate.

Maid of honor was Catherine Huls Ward, sister of the bride.

Bridesmaids were Ellen Kinley Caldwell, sister of the groom; Genna Glyn Lewis, stepsister of the bride; and Lauren Elizabeth Lewis, stepsister of the bride. 

The groom’s brother, John Halpin Caldwell, served as best man.

Groomsmen were Guy Solan Bowering Jr., stepbrother of the bride; Steven Roy Caldwell Jr., cousin of the groom; and Matthew Hailey Ward, brother of the bride.

Ushers were Jesse Jourdan Caldwell, Joseph Blake Caldwell, Justin Bailey Caldwell and William Vollor Halpin Jr., all cousins of the groom.

Readers were Eric Nielsen Bobb, cousin of the bride, and Holley Elizabeth Caldwell, cousin of the groom.

Serving as chalice bearers were Connie Lee Evans and Margaret Peters McLarty. Acolytes were Claire Sykes Alexander and William Christopher Corder.

Service bulletin attendants were Katharine Halpin DeRossette, Mary Quinn DeRossette, Molly Katherine Halpin and Nicole Lynch Halpin, all cousins of the groom.

Following the ceremony, members of the wedding party boarded the Steel Magnolia Trolley for a reception hosted by the bride’s parents at The Cedars.  Guests enjoyed music by Andrew Pates and Friends.

Following a wedding trip to Seaside, Fla., the couple is at home in Jackson.

Rehearsal dinner

The groom’s parents hosted a Barbecue and Bluegrass rehearsal dinner for family, friends and members of the wedding party at Chimneyville Smokehouse. Guests were entertained with music by the Mayhem String Band.

Luncheon

The day before the wedding, a bridesmaid’s luncheon was given by Joan Stone and Barbara Pence, aunts of the bride, at Fairview Inn. 

Weekend celebration

The siblings of the bride and groom honored the couple with a joint bachelorette and bachelor weekend in Destin.

Engagement party

Dr. Deborah Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Amborn, Mr. and Mrs. David Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cole, Dr. and Mrs. James Cook, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Coulter, Brig. Gen. and Mrs. Robert Crear, Dr. and Mrs. Zeki Demirbilek, Mr. and Mrs. Brian DeRossette, Leanne Dyess, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Faulks, Mr. and Mrs. Tripp Farris III, Linda Feibelman, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Golding, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gough, Dr. and Mrs. David Halinski, Mr. and Mrs. John Wayne Jabour, Dr. and Mrs. Don Jackson, Marianne May Jones, Meta Klaus, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Leech, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lazor, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Mazzanti, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Moore, Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Montalbano, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morrison III, Mr. and Mrs. James Penley, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Posey, Mrs. Jerry Russell, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sadler, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Sanders, Dr. and Mrs. Kurt Schrock, Mr. and Mrs. William Shappley, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Sumrall, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tarnabine, Mr. and Mrs. D.P. Waring Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Webb, Mr. and Mrs. John Wheeless, Dr. and Mrs. Murray Whitaker and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vollor hosted an engagement party for the couple at the Smith home in Vicksburg.

Showers

Genna Lewis, Lauren Lewis and Catherine Ward hosted a lingerie shower for the bride in Destin.

Regina Berry, Katie Humphreys, Neely Umphlett and Catherine Ward hosted a shower for the bride at the Humphreys home in Brandon.

Carolyn Alford, Mr. and Mrs. Lucette Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Buhner, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Burke, Ruth Cory, Mr. and Mrs. Dick David, Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Hopton, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Jungkind, Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Luke, and Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Schott honored the couple with a shower at the Alford home in Madison.

JoAnne Daniels, Casey Daniels, April Descher, Genna Lewis and Lauren Lewis hosted a shower for the bride at the Daniels home in Gulfport.

Steven Caldwell hosted a tool shower for the groom at his home in Vicksburg.