Lauren Elizabeth Morris and John Keller Dukes, III exchanged vows in a beautiful wedding ceremony at the First Baptist Church in Valdosta on Sept. 29, 2007 at 6 p.m. as friends and family looked on.

The Reverend Mac Weaver, Minister of Education at First Baptist Church, officiated.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Morris of Smyrna. She is the granddaughter of Mr. Wilson Fussell and the late Ocala Fussell of Hazlehurst and the late Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Morris of Oak Park.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Keller Dukes, Jr. of Valdosta. He is the grandson of Mrs. Mary Louise Dukes and the late John Keller Dukes of Macon, and the late Shirley Epperson of Waleska.

Lauren wore an ivory satin gown. The upper bodice was strapless and had beaded gold lace. It had a natural fitted waist accented with an ivory sash. The a-line skirt was pick-up style that extended into a chapel train. The lace was repeated on the bottom of the gown. She wore a shoulder length veil. She carried a clutch bouquet of red roses. The stems were wrapped with champagne ribbon and pearl pins. The bride wore pearls given to her by the groom. She wore the same penny in her shoe that her mother had worn 30 years prior. She carried a bridal handkerchief given to her as an infant. She was escorted by her father.

Lauren’s maid of honor was high school and college friend Mandy Spinks of Valdosta. Her bridesmaids were Sarah Brown, high school friend of Richmond Hill; Kristen McLaughlin, high school friend of Tyrone; Kristina Morris, sister-in-law of the bride, of Dallas; Sherrie Pippin, college friend of Naylor; and Kathryn Terrell, college friend of Valdosta.

John’s best man was his father, John Keller Dukes, Jr. of Valdosta. Groomsmen were Matt Andrews, high school friend, of Grovetown; Patrick Dukes, brother of the groom, of Valdosta; Brett Hester, high school friend of Augusta; Christopher Morris, brother of the bride, of Dallas; and John Sineath, high school friend of Valdosta.

Vocalist Gina Hughes of Richmond Hill, cousin of the bride, sang "The Lords Prayer" and "Household of Faith" during the lighting of the unity candle.

The groom’s cousins, Lindsey Stapleton and Leah Stapleton of Moultrie read scripture from I Corinthians 13 and Colossians 3: 12-17.

After the ceremony, the reception was held at The Annette Howell Center for the Arts in Valdosta. Guests were greeted with a framed portrait of the bride as well as framed wedding pictures of the bride’s and groom’s parents. The bride’s mother’s wedding dress and veil were also on display. The tables were decorated with white linens and vases of red roses with greenery, accented with champagne ribbons. The guests danced to a genre of music by Tanner’s Lane of Quitman.

After a honeymoon cruise visiting ports of call in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, and the Virgin Islands, the couple makes their home in Statesboro, where the bride teaches seventh grade language arts at Metter Middle School in Candler County and the groom is a claims adjuster with Georgia Farm Bureau in Burke and Jenkins Counties.