Vicksburg Living Wedding Edition: Sweet Southern traditions

Published 11:43 am Wednesday, January 31, 2024

By Terri Cowart Frazier

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Photos by Karla Pound Photography

Brittany and Andrew were married in April (photos by Karla Pound Photography).

To prevent rain from dampening one’s wedding day, a Southern legend claims that if you bury a bottle of bourbon at the location of your ceremony, you’ll be rewarded with a rain-free wedding day.

On April 22, 2023, Vicksburg native Brittany Boolos and Andrew Wood were married at First Presbyterian, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky when they said their vows.

Perhaps that was due in part to Brittany’s father, Todd. He and Andrew share an appreciation for a smooth glass of whiskey and as a nod to this kinship and to the legend, Brittany’s father buried a bottle of E.H. Taylor Bourbon in his yard, since that was where the reception was to be held.

A few prayers could have also aided in the blue skies.

On the Thursday before the wedding, friends of the family gathered in the Boolos home to toast the couple, offer a bit of advice and to say a prayer of blessing for them.

There was also a prayer or two most likely sent up regarding the impending weather. The weekend forecast was less than promising, and it appeared rain was imminent. Therefore, in addition to the prayers prayed for Brittany and Andrew, Tammy, Brittany’s mother, said their close-knit group of friends “went above and beyond” to do whatever they could to offset any damage a rain shower could cause.

“They helped spread tarps of Visqueen over the grassy areas leading to the reception tent,” Tammy said, which were to serve as a shield from the rain.

And while the plastic did its job, “miraculously,” she said, the rain clouds parted after just a brief afternoon shower.

For any outdoor event, weather is a factor, but after Brittany’s younger sister, Lindsay, suggested having the wedding reception on the family’s sprawling front lawn it seemed like the perfect spot.

“Andrew and I loved that idea,” Brittany said. “And I thought it would be unique to turn my parents’ front yard into the reception venue.”

It added a special layer to an already momentous day.

“It was so fun getting to be in such a special place celebrating our marriage with our friends and family,” Brittany said.

And the bottle of bourbon was “unearthed” at the reception and its contents shared among the guests.

Brittany and Andrew had their first date in June 2021 at Tarasque Cucina in Oxford and in just a little more than a year became engaged.

“I had just finished my last exam in my nurse practitioner program (at UMMC) and was heading to Oxford for the weekend to celebrate,” Brittany said.

She arrived at Andrew’s house and was in the midst of getting ready for their dinner reservation when Andrew called her into the kitchen.

“When I walked in there were flowers and champagne, and Andrew had gotten down on his knee to pop the question,” Brittany said.

THE WEDDING

For her wedding gown, Brittany chose an ivory satin ballgown by Rivini from the Bridal Path in Jackson. It had an empire waist, and the bodice featured a straight strapless neckline. In the back of the dress, satin-covered buttons cascaded down the entire length of the cathedral-length train.

“I loved that the dress was elegant and timeless,” Brittany said.

She also wore a custom, royal cathedral-length veil, accented with thoughtfully placed pearls that framed her gown with another spray of pearls around the edges.

With her beautiful new wedding gown constituting her something new, Brittany completed her something old, something borrowed, and something blue with family heirlooms.

Incorporated into her bouquet was a chapel cap that had belonged to her late paternal grandmother and a vintage line handkerchief of her mother’s bearing the initials of her late grandfather. For her something borrowed and something blue, she wore a pair of blue earrings her father had given her mother from his trip to the Holy Land.

After a beautiful wedding ceremony and a Southern-style reception, Brittany and Andrew left for a honeymoon in Greece.

The couple are at home in Oxford where the bride is a neonatal nurse practitioner at UMMC and the groom is the CFO of Cannon Motor Company.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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