Farris-Bennett. (2003 Wedding Register).

Heather Nicole Farris and Russell Edward Anderson Bennett were united in marriage at 6:30 p.m. on August 24, 2002, at Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson. Rev. Clifford C. Wright, Jr. officiated at the double-ring ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Benton Hill Fatherree of Clinton and Mr. and Mrs. John Wade Farris of Madison. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Mavis Clemmons Derden of Columbus and the late Mr. James William Derden, Sr., and Mrs. Diana Nicola Farris of Vicksburg and the late Mr. Rudolph Johnnie Farris.

Parents of the groom are Mrs. Shirley Shelton Bennett of Oxford and Mr. Marshall Goodloe Bennett of Jackson. He is the grandson of Mary Elizabeth Holley of Oxford, the late Mr. John Audrey Holley, the late Nicolas Senn Shelton, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Larsen of Ridgeland, and the late Marshall Goodloe Bennett.

Escorted by her father, the bride wore a designer gown of white matte satin embellished at the neck, straps, and hemline with a wide trim of silver embroidery, bugle beads, rhinestones, and Swarovski crystals. Tiny covered buttons accented the bodice back that flowed into a chapel-length train. The elbow-length veil of illusion fell from a headpiece covered with Swarovski crystals and rhinestones. A handkerchief given to her maternal grandmother by her grandfather, a St. George medal given to her by her paternal great-grandparents at her christening, and a ring which had belonged to her paternal grandfather were woven into her bouquet of long-stemmed calla lilies and heather.

Catherine Derden Farris, the bride's sister, served as maid of honor. The bridesmaids were Mary Catherine Rose Bassett, Amy Michelle Harkins, Elizabeth Bennett Johnson, Alexandra Elizabeth Kafka, Allison Elizabeth Langley, Brandon Thomas Madison, Julie Marie Miller, Angie Elizabeth Milton, Allison Pemberton Sala, and Melody Ray-Welborn.

Mr. Marshall Goodloe Bennett, the groom's father, served as best man. Groomsmen were Marshall Steven Bennett, Bradley Tyler Cameron, William Edgar Cochran, Jr., Christopher Thomas Cook, Lance Champagne Griffon, Jason Stephen Harrison, Michael Wayne Joe, Oney Shaw Johnson III, William Donald Kendrick, John Scot McMullan, and Michael Lamar Weldy.

Members of the bride's house party were O'Hara Owen Ezell, Emily Thatcher Glenn, Mary Paige Harkins, Erin Brooke McDonald, Marian Tatum Riley, Rachael Roberts, Annie Dunigan Robertson, and Bethany Laura Tompkins. Ushers were Joshua Adams Arnold, Jason Taylor Berry, Kevin Michael Foreman, and Jeremy Thomas Townsend. The groom's nephews, Marshall Nicholas Bennett and Oney Shaw Johnson, acted as ring bearers. Emily Long Bennett read selections from Mark Twain and Carl Sandberg. Erin Brooke McDonald read from Colossians. The Perry Combs Quartet and David Yetter, organist, provided nuptial music. Vocalists were Deborah Stallings and Alec Valentine.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Fairview Inn. The Earth Angels provided the entertainment for the evening. On the eve of the wedding, a rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom's parents at the Capital Club in Jackson.

Following a honeymoon in Maui, the couple resides in Dallas, Texas, where Russell works for the National Center for Policy Analysis, and Heather is an attorney with the firm of Goins, Underkofler, Crawford & Langdon, L.L.P.