Lauren Blake Smith and Charles Hiram Williams, III, both of Columbia, S.C., were united in marriage at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2009, at First Baptist Church in Orangeburg, S.C.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Smith of Bamberg, S.C. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Marjorie Lancaster Blake of Bamberg and the late Mr. James Heath Blake and Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, Sr., of Bamberg.

The bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hiram Williams, II, of Orangeburg. He is the grandson of Mrs. Marshall Burns Williams of Orangeburg and the late Senator Williams; Dr. and Mrs. John William Dantzler of Orangeburg; Mrs. James Gardner Johnson of Orangeburg and the late Dr. Johnson.

Reverend Dr. Cary Hilliard officiated the ceremony.

The bride was given in marriage by her father.

Matron of honor was Mrs. Mary Bray Maxwell Mehrzad, friend of the bride.

Bridesmaids were Brantley Anne Ellis of Moncks Corner, S.C., friend of the bride; Rebecca Squires Hallman of Columbia, friend of the bride; Ashley Lynn Koon of Columbia, friend of the bride; Elizabeth Irwin Lanter of Fort Mill, S.C., friend of the bride; Sarah Schachte Morrow of Greenville, S.C., friend of the bride; Julianna Berry Palyok of Columbia, friend of the bride; Sarah Elizabeth Weeks of Columbia, friend of the bride; Virginia Watson Williams of Columbia, sister-in-law of the groom; Jill Erin Templeton of Charleston, S.C., friend of the bride and Margaret Louise Scalise of Surfside, S.C., niece of the groom.

Honorary attendants were Claire Pauling Covington of Fort Motte, S.C., friend of the bride; Jennifer Rhoden Hightower of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., friend of the bride; Jessica Lauren Smith of Columbia, cousin of the bride and Courtney Smith of Columbia, cousin of the bride.

The groom’s father served as best man.

Groomsmen were Donald Ray Anselmi, II, of Rocksprings, WY, friend of the groom; William Hammond Bowman, IV, of Columbia, friend of the groom; William Anderson Burris of Charleston, friend of the groom; Wesley Steven Carter, II, of Columbia, friend of the groom; Brian Marshall Covington of Fort Motte, friend of the groom; Thomas Alexander Covington of Orangeburg, friend of the groom; Bryan Rutherford Lyster of Versailles, KY, friend of the groom; Albert Blake Maynard of Belton, S.C., friend of the groom; James Bernice Moore, III, of Charleston, friend of the groom; James Winston Roquemore, Jr., of Orangeburg, friend of the groom; Joseph Walker, III, of Columbia, friend of the groom and Matthew Christopher Scalise, Jr., of Surfside, nephew of the groom.

Ring bearer was Willem Alexander Groot, Jr., of Fort Mill, nephew of the groom.

Flower girls were Mary Ashley Groot of Fort Mill, niece of the groom and Grayon Kelsie DeWitt of Columbia, cousin of the bride.

Following the ceremony a reception was held at Willcreek Plantation in Orangeburg, home of the groom.

For the honeymoon the couple will take a Mediterranean Cruise.

Mrs. Williams is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She is currently employed as a Registered Nurse in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit of Palmetto Health Richland Hospital in Columbia.

Mr. Williams is a graduate of Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics. After completing his J.D. at the University of South Carolina School of Law in August, he will practice law with Williams and Williams, P.A.

You must be logged in to comment.