Kayla Christine Gatlin and Steven Bradley Gates were united in marriage at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2013, on the front steps of Thompson Baptist Church in Smithdale. Against a beautiful sunset backdrop, the double-ring ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Greg Warnock.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Alton Gatlin, of Smithdale. She is the granddaughter of Norman Morgan and the late Oscar Morgan, of Walker, Louisiana, and the late Jack and Annie Ruth Gatlin, of Smithdale.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bruce Gates, of Brookhaven. He is the grandson of Winifred Britt Lowery, of Brookhaven, and the late Hascal Edwin Lowery, of Wesson, and William Jackson Gates, of Brookhaven, and the late Frances Ogletree Gates.

Family and friends were greeted by registry and program attendant Marlee Touchstone. Serving as ushers were Lance Gatlin, brother of the bride, and friends Sheldon Nations and Lee Jones.

Escorted by her father and given in marriage by her parents, the bride was exquisite in a strapless ivory gown with a sweetheart neckline by Madeline Gardner from her Mori Lee collection. The ball gown dress was fitted at the waist and featured a thin crystal belt and flowing train. A waist-length veil, along with crystal and pearl drop earrings, completed her attire. She carried a bouquet of ivory roses, stock, lisianthus and hydrangeas, wrapped with lace from her mother’s wedding dress.

Attending the bride as her maid of honor was her cousin Mary Mclean Lindsey. Matron of Honor was Angela Gatlin, sister-in-law of the bride. Bridesmaids were Faith Gates, sister-in-law of the groom, and friends Hillary Calhoun, Ashley Rhodes, Courtney Touchstone, Jana Tolar, Hannah Hess and Kimberly Seale.

Each attendant wore a strapless, floor-length eggplant gown by Bill Levkoff and pearl drop earrings, a gift from the bride. They carried similar versions of the bride’s bouquet, wrapped in ivory ribbon.

Serving as flower girls were Georgia Gatlin Lindsey and Ruth Lindsey, cousins of the bride, and Emma Gates, Lillie Gates and Ruth Ellen Gates, nieces of the groom. The flower girls wore individually-chosen ivory dresses and carried baskets of white rose petals. Honorary flower girls were Claire Gatlin, niece of the bride, and Mary Michael Gates, niece of the groom.

The groom’s father proudly served his son as best man. Groomsmen were Michael Gates and Daniel Gates, brothers of the groom, and friends Giles Langston, Guy Orr, Michael Smith, Garrett Dunn, Mitchell Leggett, Grant Nations and Matt Ball.

Following the ceremony, guests and family joined the wedding party for a reception at the Fernwood Country Club hosted by the bride’s parents

The bride’s table held a beautiful, four-tiered vanilla cake with ivory icing and was adorned with fresh lilies and greenery. The groom’s table held a two-tiered chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The top tier featured a Mississippi State emblem in recognition of the groom’s alma mater. Both the wedding cake and the groom’s cake were lovingly made by the groom’s aunt, Shirley O’Quinn.

At the end of the evening, the newlyweds made their grand exit to the ringing of their personalized Mississippi State maroon and white cowbells, a parting souvenir for the wedding guests.

On the eve of the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a Mississippi State and Chevron-themed rehearsal dinner for the wedding party and family at the Thompson Baptist Church reception hall.

On the day of the wedding, Kate Lott, Suzanne Lindsey, Betsy Lindsey and Adina Breckinridge, cousins of the bride, hosted a bridesmaid’s brunch at the home of Kate Lott in Smithdale. The groomsmen were treated to a luncheon at Bowie’s Barbeque in Brookhaven by the groom’s aunts and uncles, Dennis and Mary Jean Gates and Boyd and Sharon Shingleton.

Following their honeymoon to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, the couple now resides in Mobile, Alabama, where Kayla is a respiratory therapist at Mobile Infirmary and Steven is an electrical engineer with Chevron.