A Lattimore Wedding

 

Weddings behind us and weddings ahead of us.  This has been an active wedding season and there are still more family weddings to look forward to in the coming months.   

 

What has been great is to see how each wedding turns out to be right for each couple.  This past weekend, Jackson and Mary Beth's wedding in Lattimore was absolutely right for them.  And for all of us who love them. And all of us who love Lattimore.

 

There were many things that I wanted to say to my nephew and his bride at the rehearsal dinner but every time I practiced, I cried and blubbered and honestly that doesn't make for a great toast.  So I did what any red blooded Lattimoron would do.  I found a short toast that summed up my feelings and posted it on Facebook...

 

"Here's to the groom with bride so fair.  Here's to the bride with groom so rare." 

 

There are so many parallels between Jackson and Mary Beth that it is amazing.  Both grew up in loving and nurturing families. Both grew up in small towns - Mary Beth in Lancaster, SC and Jackson in Lattimore. NC.  Both are smart, active, talented, driven, and just plain cute.  Both play tennis and play it well.  I had a chance to play doubles with Mary Beth a few times and she is a competitor.  Our battle cry was simply "POW!"  Jackson plays tennis and also coaches at Shelby High and this past year we all were excited when SHS brought home the 2A State Championship.. 

 

   Jackson and Mary Beth went to NC State at the same time but never met each other there.  At State, Jackson wrote and recorded a song about then NC State quarterback Phillip Rivers.  Mary Beth who loves all things Rivers and who also worked at the campus radio station loved Jackson's song and played the recording on the air.  Still they did not meet.  

 

After college, Mary Beth took a job at Gardner Webb University in the compliance department and Jackson came home to teach at Shelby High School.  Finally they got to know each other. 

 Living in Lattimore.

 

Jackson proposed on New Year's Day on the railroad track in front of his grandparents house in Lattimore.  He is renovating the wonderful old house across the tracks from The Depot. 

 

So it just made sense to have their rehearsal dinner at the Depot.  After the rehearsal dinner Square Dancing right there in the middle of town broke out with Cindy calling "dive for the oyster and dig for the clam!"   And it made sense to have the wedding at the lovely and sweet Lattimore Church followed by a reception at the Hunt's Cabin.  With two bands AND a DJ.   Here's why all of that made such sense.

 

 

The Depot is now a restaurant but it's history runs through Jackson's blood on both sides of the family.

 

Jackson's great grandfather, R. L. Hunt and grandfather, Jack Hunt (holding ice cream cone), are standing in front of what is now The Depot in Lattimore.  When this picture was taken  (probably in the late 1920's) it was the Hunt and Hewitt General Store.  Dr. Hunt and Mr. Hewitt owned and operated the store.  Dr. R. L. Hunt's dental office was upstairs.  He met Jackson's great grandmother, Alma Harrill Hunt, when she worked in the Lattimore Post Office.  At that time the Post Office was across the street from Dr. Hunt's dental office.  He could look out of his second story office window and see Alma walking to work.

 

This same building later was home to Martin Milling Company owned by Jackson's other grandparents - J. W. and Donnis Martin.   J. W. and Donnis owned and operated Martin's and lived across the railroad track in the gingerbread house with a wrap around porch.  JW Martin was also a barber and so naturally Martin's was the center of the universe in Lattimore for many years.  Cindy put together a great show for Jackson and Mary Beth's rehearsal dinner.  It included a video of  JW giving Jackson his very first haircut and another of Jackson, John and Jim playing "checkout" at Martin's.  The checkout counter is rolling and Jackson is on top of it rolling on roller skates with John and Jim marching along.  There are stories galore about the goings on at Martin's.

 

 

The parallel train tracks finally crossed and Cindy illustrated that at the rehearsal dinner.

 

 

Jackson and Mary Beth conducting their own train. 

 

 

 

The little boy holding the ice cream cone in the previous picture has been married to Ruby for over 65 years.  Both Ruby and Jack grew up in Lattimore.  Here they are talking with David who flew in from Dallas for the festivities.

 

 

 

This old safe in the Depot was part of the Bank in Lattimore.  The bank, post office, dental office and general store were all in one building.  Later on it became Martin Milling Company.  The safe is now a private dining area where Hayes found a place with good cell reception.   Hayes is originally from Winston Salem, NC and works mostly online with a high tech company from California.  A long way from the ways of Lattimore.  Not that I was eavesdropping but I think his conversation included, "They aren't serving wine and I think they expect us to Square Dance."  Not to worry.  He fit right in in no time.

 

David and Jay give KC a kiss in front of the old safe at the Depot. 

 

After the wedding everyone headed to the Hunt's Cabin for dinner by Harry and the Elves. Music included Jackson playing with past and present bands and also with Ty as a crowd pleasing DJ.  

 

 Jackson and Mary Beth shared their first dance as newlyweds.

 

 

 

We managed to get some pics just after the sun went down at the Hunt Cabin.

 

I wasn't able to corral everyone in the family for a group picture but did get what some refer to as "the five original sisters".

 

 

 

How many grooms play saxophone at their own wedding reception? 

 

 Jackson, like his father's side of the family, is a very talented musician.  Fortunately his Aunt Sally and Uncle David didn't warp him too much while babysitting back in the late 80s.  However, an Easter bonnet parade, naptime in a chest of drawers, something about a microwave oven -  and Jackson - will always have a special place in our hearts.

 

(my thanks to whoever posted this pic of Jackson on facebook.  I loved it and really wanted to include it here)

 

There was a bit of rain at the reception but it didn't seem to matter much.  Alot of us danced like nobody was watching.  In case you were watching, some of those moves were straight out of Selina's Fit Chicks Zumba class. 

 

David and KC took a few turns on the dance floor.  Many of us managed to Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide and - of course - We Wobbled.

 

Hunter, Stu, Heidi, Will and Penny paused for a pic.

 

Paul, Melia, Amy, Brycen, Paul, Kai and Libby didn't really pause but I took the pic anyway!

 

 

It was a beautiful wedding weekend.  The rehearsal dinner was old tyme Lattimore.  The wedding at Lattimore Church was full of wonderful music and full of faith and family.  Mary Beth's Uncle and Grandfather performed the very personal and touching ceremony.  And the pastoral setting of the cabin in Lattimore was the perfect place to wind up the festivities.

 

Looks like Jackson and Mary Beth have started out on the right track.