Wedding vows were exchanged by Emily Renee Gist and Kovenant Selassie James at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Wildwood Park for the Arts. The Rev. Jamal Brown of St. Ruth Baptist Church of Gum Springs officiated.
Parents of the bride are Robert and the late Beth Gist of Colorado Springs, Colo. She is the granddaughter of the late R.B. Gist and the late Bonnie and Gordon Grisham.
The groom is the son of Rochelle and McKenzie James of Happy Valley, Ore. His grandparents are Geneva and Warren Hunter of Gum Springs.
The ceremony took place at an arch decorated with off-white macrame. An aisle was lined with lanterns and blue and auburn ribbons decorated aisle chairs.
Escorted by her father, the bride wore a Greco Roman-inspired strapless gown embellished with subtle sequined floral decorations along the bodice and backing. A headband secured her fingertip veil edged at the bottom with a floral sequin design. She carried a bouquet of silver brunia, bear grass, scabiosa pods, red and green hanging amaranthus and blue dusty miller.
Maid of honor was Alaina Gist of Colorado Springs, sister of the bride. Bridesmaids were Storme Roque of Fort Collins, Colo.; Theresa Riordan of Seabrook, Texas; Carly-Joe Spirio of Colorado Springs; and Kamilita James of Happy Valley, sister of the groom. They wore various chiffon and mesh gowns in the shade of martini olive and carried a smaller version of the bridal bouquet. Flower girl was Dakota Harris of Dallas, cousin of the groom.
Serving as best man was Monroe Lucas of Sherwood, cousin of the groom. Groomsmen were Spencer Hoover and Felix Lucarius, both of Colorado Springs; Zack Jensen of Denver; John James Thomas of New York; and Stevie Thibou of Bellingham, Wash.
A reception was held at Wildwood Park's North Lobby. Tables were decorated in autumn colors and the bridal table was decorated with off-white macrame.
The bride attended the honors college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. She is a copy editor/page designer at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The groom graduated from UCA with a bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science. He is a medical technologist at CHI St. Vincent Infirmary.
The couple will live in Little Rock and plan a delayed honeymoon.