As is our annual custom here every January at Memphis magazine, we present three of our favorite local weddings of the previous year. These weddings were clearly joyous and carefully planned occasions and mostly traditional (though one did include the participation of The Peabody’s fine-feathered friends!) starring beautiful young brides in elegant, flowing gowns. In all three, the ceremonies and receptions were held at historic Memphis landmarks — The Peabody, the Hunt Phelan house, and Annesdale Mansion — which added to the fun and excitement.
We congratulate the three families and wish you every success in your lives together.
— Anne Cunningham O’Neill
Photography by Massey Wening
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The newlyweds strike a pose in front of the stately Annesdale Mansion.
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The newlyweds strike a pose in front of the stately Annesdale Mansion.
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The bride and groom say their vows in the lush garden setting at Annesdale.
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The finale: A sparkling send-off by their guests.
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Blair Halle of Memphis married George Ryan Connor of Birmingham in the early evening of September 3, 2016, at Annesdale Mansion. The beautiful bride, daughter of Sally and Phil Halle, is a junior kindergarten teacher at Christ Methodist Day School and her husband, son of Jan and Dr. Robert Connor, is a portfolio analyst here at FTN Financial.
After graduating from Rhodes, Connor thankfully decided to stay in Memphis. The couple met at Wiseacre Brewery on Broad Avenue on a hot Fourth of July in 2014 where Blair was in a dunk tank challenge among friends. But as she says “that was it” and from then on they were a couple and became engaged in February 2016. Somehow it all seemed meant to be since her maternal grandfather was also named “George”, had also gone to Rhodes, and was a Sigma Nu as was her fiancé. Done and done as they say!
With an early fall garden wedding in mind, the bride as she tells it “jumped into action,” and everything fell neatly into place. She found her wedding dress at Maggie Louise Bridal Boutique and unbelievably it was the first one she tried on. She already had the beautiful long veil, which is a family heirloom. Her twin sister Brooke Halle and older sister Page were the maids of honor and three of her oldest, dearest friends were bridesmaids along with one of the groom’s best friends. Their dresses came from Ballew Bridal.
At Annesdale, the wonderful event coordinator, Valerie Bledsoe, provided invaluable help, and the wedding day weather even cooperated — a cool 85 degrees in a far hotter week. Pastor Ed Norton of Independent Presbyterian performed the ceremony in Annesdale’s garden, the flowers were by Jama Thomas of Millstone Market, and Ronald Mcknight of Salon Liani did hair and makeup for the bride. Chuck and Nancy Fisher of Just in Thyme were the reception caterers, and the cake was courtesy of Lynn Knox. The wedding music was arranged by Deepblu Entertainment, which provided a string trio for the ceremony and the fabulous dj Jimmy Harris at the reception, and the photography was by husband-wife team Massey Wening Photography.
Now a few things you should know. The newlyweds love their dogs, a wolf-hybrid named “Buddy” and a husky named “Nova,” both of whom are featured in effigy on the wedding cake — a nice, if somewhat different touch. Another tidbit is that Blair and her sister, Brooke, are identical twins and when looking at the photos in this article, you are not really seeing double. As Blair likes to say, “I’m the one in the white dress!”
After the wedding the couple were off for a honeymoon week in the Dominican Republic. Now I have just one question: Who’s minding Buddy and Nova?
