Kay-Kennon Wedding
On May 25, 2019, Amber Michelle Kay and William “Trip” Kennon, III wed at the groom’s family home in Somerville, TN. The intimate backyard wedding exuded casual elegance underneath the bright sun. The bride, Amber, is the daughter of Scotty Kay and Michelle (Tim) Harmon of Calhoun, GA. The groom, Trip, is the son of Bo and Angie Kennon of Somerville, TN.
Amber’s bridesmaids were Caroline Lovelace, Shivani Patel, and Maddy Hem. Emily Robinson of Memphis was the maid of honor. and Kaitlyn Kennedy, the groom’s cousin, was the flower girl. The ensemble of bridesmaids wore steel blue gowns but choose their cut of dress. The beautiful bride wore a gorgeous one-shoulder, lace overlay, satin gown purchased at the Barefoot Bride in Memphis. Amber wore her hair in a loose knot sans veil. Amber and Kaitlyn (the flower girl) wore matching, bejeweled Keds. For the traditional something old, borrowed and blue, the bride featured an antique brooch on her bouquet that she borrowed from the groom’s mother which had belonged to the groom’s paternal great, great, grandmother.
Trip’s groomsmen were Josh Daffron, Kevin Drapeza and Conner Ladner. Zach Kerley, high school friend and college roommate of the groom, was the best man. Landon Kennedy of Hernando, MS, the brother of flower girl and cousin of the groom, was the ring bearer. The groomsmen wore casual blue slacks with white shirts and ties. The groom wore the same but added a vest to his attire.
The ceremony was classic. Sara Kennon, the groom’s sister, was ordained with the purpose of presiding over her brother’s wedding. Both the mothers and grandmothers wore gorgeous navy gowns. The altar was composed of a set of old doors draped with fabric and adorned with wreaths. The center of the wreaths featured a wooden “A” for the bride and a “W” for the groom. The letters were hand-carved for the couple by bridesmaid Caroline Lovelace’s husband, Brock. The bride’s mother, Michelle, created many of the decorations used for the wedding including the signs, personalized water bottles, and ice tubs, The large pieces hanging from the centers of the tents were made by the maid of honor, Emily.
The flowers for the big day were white and pink containing mostly roses, gerbera daisies, and eucalyptus. The arrangements were provided by Twigs N Things in Oakland, TN. The big day was captured by Jessica Riley Photography.
The reception was also held at the Kennon home. The tents for the dance floor and the tables were rented from Affordable Party Rentals in Collierville. The buffet was provided by Me and My Tea Room Catering in Dancyville. The lower patio held the beer and wine bar as well as the buffet. There were street tacos, brisket sliders, and various veggie options. The cake, baked by Me & My Tea Room, was a three-tiered chocolate and strawberry cake, frosted simply in white, with the addition of fresh flowers.
The DJ for the evening was from Jackson Brothers Entertainment. Trip and Amber’s first dance was to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. The bride and her father, Scotty, danced to Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle, while the groom and his mother’s first dance was to the southern rock classic, Simple Man.
As guests dined and danced, they were provided some unique entertainment, courtesy of a friend of the groom, Steven Smith of Colorado Springs. Steven is a hula-hoop enthusiast and everyone was all, quite, surprised when he brought them out. Kids attending the wedding, along with the adults, were captivated by his unique skill. In all, there were several guests from all parts of the country, including Georgia, Colorado, and one who had come home from New Zealand to attend.
The couple had two showers prior to the wedding. One was held in Calhoun and hosted by the bride’s family. The other was held in Hernando, Mississippi and held by the groom’s family at the home of Scott & Kristy Kennedy.
The Friday night rehearsal dinner was held at the Fayette Market Company and was also catered by Me and My Tea Room. Guests included the bridal party, the bride’s family from Calhoun, and several out-of-town wedding guests. A special surprise that happened amidst all the wedding festivities was that at the rehearsal dinner the parents of the groom, Bo and Angie, presented Trip with a hand-made pocket knife as a wedding gift. The next morning at the parent’s first look, Trip gave his dad a pocket knife custom made for him. The father, Bo, always carries a pocket knife and it was a special surprise for all three of them in the way that their gifts mirrored one another. Amber’s dad, Scotty, wore the tie she had made for him to the wedding.
On the morning of the wedding, the bridal party was treated to a Bridal Brunch prepared by the groom’s mother and her long-time partner in crime, Cindy Klein. Cindy has been a friend of the family for years—she helped set up for the rehearsal dinner and was back Saturday morning to help with the pre-wedding food and set up. The family was very thankful for her help, “I don’t know what we would have done without her,” said the mother of the groom. There were chicken & waffles, sausage palmiers, pastries, fruit parfaits and other treats that included a Mimosa bar, courtesy of the maid of honor at the Bridal Brunch. The entire bridal party, including the officiant, Sara Kennon, and the bride’s mother enjoyed a morning of joy and fellowship while having their hair and makeup done and working with Jessica.
Trip and Amber met as students at Mississippi State University, their alma mater. Both being various chemistry majors they finally had a class together in the Spring semester of 2015. Trip said that he “saw a really cute girl and went to sit beside her,” and they moved on from there. Their shared interests of chemistry, working out and travel were the initial basis of their courtship. That spring, Amber surprised Trip by coming to Somerville from Starkville one weekend with tickets to a Memphis Grizzlies playoff game and their fate was sealed. He was head over heels for her by then. On Amber’s birthday in August of 2018, Trip proposed to her in Oxford and she enthusiastically said yes. The irony of two Mississippi State grads getting in engaged in Oxford was not lost on any of their families.
Amber graduated from Mississippi State with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and is currently a grad student at Ole Miss in Oxford working on her Ph.D. in Pharmacology. Trip graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and is now working for a chemical company in Charlotte, North Carolina.
After the wedding, the couple honeymooned for a week at the historic Benbow Inn in Garberville, California.
