Lauren Speas Slabaugh and George Nathan Steel exchanged marriage vows at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in First United Methodist Church of Parkin. The Rev. Will Choate of Argenta United Methodist Church in North Little Rock officiated.
The bride is the daughter of Brenda and William Smith III and Michelle and Mike Slabaugh, all of Wynne. She is the granddaughter of John Albert and the late Trilby Brenner and the late Simon Bill Slabaugh, all of Parkin, and the late Marie Fitzgerald Slabaugh of Wynne.
Parents of the groom are Becky and George Steel Jr. of Nashville. His grandparents are the late Vestal and Jetty Steel of Nashville and the late Norma and U.S. Rep. Boyd Tackett of Texarkana.
The church was lighted by votive candles and white candles in brass candlesticks of various heights. Ivory poinsettias in gold pots lined the altar, and windows were decorated with seeded and silver dollar eucalyptus. Music was by pianist Patricia Duke, trumpeter Jacob Vest and soloist David Hill, who sang "Surely the Presence of the Lord," followed by "O Holy Night" and "Ave Maria."
Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an ivory off-the-shoulder gown of beaded lace appliques on tulle over a crystal satin lining. She carried a bouquet of cream lisianthus, deep red amaryllis, ranunculus, cedar and pepper berries.
Maid of honor was Melissa Mathews of New York. Bridesmaids were Kelley Sims of Little Rock and Ashley Steel of Fort Worth, sister of the groom. They wore deep red douppioni gowns and carried garden roses, spray roses, burgundy stock, hypericum berry and evergreens.
Flower girls were Sophie Slabaugh and Brooke Slabaugh of Memphis, nieces of the bride. Ring bearer was Jake Young of Benton.
The father of the groom served as best man. Groomsmen were Stephen Slabaugh of Memphis and Will Slabaugh of Little Rock, brothers of the bride.
A reception at The Barn at the Swepston-Jones House in Crawfordsville followed the ceremony. Tables held arrangements of lisianthus, amaryllis, cedar and pepper berry and floating candles in vases filled with submerged cranberries. Music was by Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers.
The bride graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a bachelor's degree in international business. She graduated with a master's degree in local economic development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and is employed by The McLarty Cos in finance and development.
The groom graduated from UA with a bachelor's degree in psychology and has a juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville. He is a lawyer and serves as a state representative from District 19.
After a wedding trip to Rio de Janeiro, the couple will reside in Little Rock.
High Profile on 12/21/2014