The dress that started it all - the Cordova doll wedding


Thursday, August 16, 2007
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The dress that started it all - the Cordova doll wedding

By Veronica Vinson

The ‘wedding’ party

To make a long story short, about late May or early June, my niece, Gabrielle Jones said her doll, Ariel (from “The Little Mermaid” movie) was getting married and asked if I would make the doll a wedding dress. I did. I took it to work; they loved it, and suggested I make bridesmaid dresses, too. I did, and also made the three groomsmen’s outfits as well.

Since Gabbi’s birthday was June 30, we decided to have a combination birthday party/doll wedding for Gabbi at our home. The wedding day was July 7, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon at 8234 Planters Grove Drive, complete with a wedding ceremony with my nephew serving as the minister and a reception afterwards!

Many of the 50+ people to whom invitations were mailed attended the event, which was held in our back yard. The wedding lasted approximately 20-25 minutes.

Every day, the paper and television report all the terrible things happening in our city and world. I decided to step out of reality and coordinated an event that my family and friends thoroughly enjoyed planning and attending.

Most of all, the quality time I spent with my sister, Mia Jones, and her precious girls in preparing for this event was just priceless.

Some of my co-workers helped with and/or provided the decorations.

The children and I wrote a complete program for the “wedding,” including funny marriage vows for the dolls.

We had a barbecue dinner reception prepared by my dad, Claude L. Vinson Sr., immediately after the wedding. We had a bride’s cake, groom’s cake, plus a real champagne fountain and hot chocolate fountain!

We gave each guest a small gift box of chocolate candy as a parting gift! Darby Dunnagan, co-worker and professional photographer, took the pictures. Needless to say, we had a wonderful time!


The ‘wedding’ planners Kim Mullins, Claude Vinson, Jr., who had a part in the wedding program by writing a wonderful poem about the dolls entitled “Under the Sea,” in which he had the guests repeat portions of the poem, Martha Woods, who made approximately 60 tulle bows used to decorate the wedding and reception area (she also made the punch) and Bailie Payne, Martha’s granddaughter and bridesmaid doll carrier during the wedding.

(Left)The ‘bride’ Ariel (bride) with her “mother,” Gabrielle Jones, and Tyrone Jones (Gabbi's dad) (Right) Chef extraordinaire’ Claude Vinson Sr. (aka Mr. Swartz) relaxes after preparing one of his famous barbecues for the ‘wedding.’
‘Wedding’ procession All processing to “Here Comes The Bride”: Gabbi Jones, Ariel, Bailie Payne, Samantha Coltrane and Ron Allen Davis

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