Holiday Magic: Mary Gazell Mapili and Michael Seth Call

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Dec. 29, 2006
St. Edward’s Catholic Church
Little Rock

The Bride’s Vision
Dressing her attendants in espresso-colored taffeta was just one way Gazell brought to life her vision of a wedding filled with her favorite color. She also incorporated touches of pink and gold for an antique old-world flair. Her sister, Grace Edwards, served as maid of honor. Cousin Jasmine Mapili and longtime friends Ashley Antipolo and Sasiya Ghori served as bridesmaids. Gazell gave her attendants pearl necklaces as a special thank-you.

Glorious Gown
Gazell went shopping with her sister, mom and sister-in-law to choose a wedding dress. When she walked into Low’s Bridal in Brinkley, a certain dress caught her eye. Five dresses later, she was wearing it. She loved the jewel buckle detail, the antique feel and traditional look of the gown. The dress, designed by Mon Cheri, was antique lace over satin with a strapless bodice adorned with Swarovski crystal beading. The natural waist was accented with ribbon and a jewel buckle, and the circular seamless skirt carried a lace motif and a chapel-length train.

Traditional Ceremony
“We wanted to have a winter-style wedding with Christmas lights as the backdrop,” Gazell says. “It was also a good time when our families would be together, which was very important to us.” The bride and groom liked the ambiance of an evening wedding lit by the glow of candles. They were joined in a traditional Catholic ceremony — a priest officiated and Gazell’s father walked her down the aisle — at St. Edward’s Catholic Church, which has been an important part of Gazell’s life: her older brother and sister also married there. The bride wore her sister’s diamond cross necklace and carried her grandmother’s rosary down the aisle wrapped around her bouquet.

In Bloom
The flowers of the day were blushing pinks, plus Gazell’s favorite flower, the calla lily. The wedding party’s bouquets were monochromatic pink roses with Asiatic lilies and pink calla lilies covered with an espresso-colored wrap. Curly willow was added to the bridal bouquet. The couple’s florist, Distinctive Designs by Tanarah, incorporated rich browns into the centerpieces at the reception by layering sand and coffee beans beneath an orb of flowers.

A Parting Gift
The groom’s mother, Ronnie Call, created memorable wedding favors by personalizing champagne glasses with Gazell’s and Seth’s names. The glasses were then filled with items that went along with the wedding colors: chocolate-covered espresso beans, pink and white M&M’s imprinted with the couple’s names, pink jelly beans, and tiny chocolate bars with the couple’s picture on the wrapper.

Tasty Delights
When Gazell and Seth visited Blue Cake Co., they couldn’t decide on just one taste. Their four-tiered bridal cake, which was gold with a sparkly finish, used a different flavor for every tier: Italian crème, almond, chocolate and lemon. Seth’s groom’s cake was chocolate brushed with Godiva liqueur and decorated with cherries. The reception featured heavy hors d’oeuvres, a chocolate fountain with fruits and a coffee bar to go along with the wedding’s coffee-colored theme.

Intimate Reception
Gazell wanted a reception space with an antique historical feel. The architecture, dark wood and gold embellishments of the Lafayette Building in Little Rock fit the bill perfectly. Guests gathered to blow bubbles as Gazell and Seth left to begin life as a married couple. Gazell loved the glisten of the bubbles and the fun and whimsy of the experience. Plus she thought it would be fun for the children at the reception. The ring bearer, Jamyn Mapili, is the son of bridesmaid and cousin Jasmine. He walked down the aisle with flower girl Abigail Mapili, Gazell’s niece.

Festive Celebration
The couple wanted the reception to have a lively party feel. The bride and groom stepped onto the dance floor for the first time to Sarah McLachlan’s remake of “Blackbird.” “For the father-daughter dance,” Gazell says, “I specifically requested Stevie Wonder’s ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’ because both my dad and I feel that way about each other.” The music selections featured a little bit of everything since the guests varied in age. Family and friends — everyone “from a 5-year-old to a 50-year-old,” Gazell says — showed off their Pop-n-Lock dance moves to Justin Timberlake’s “My Love.” And later, “all of the moms and aunts and uncles really got into the electric slide,” Gazell says.

Photographer: J.H. Schroeder, Bentonville
Florist: Distinctive Designs by Tanarah, Mayflower
Wedding Dress and Veil: Low’s Bridal, Brinkley
Bridesmaid Dresses: B&B Bridal, Little Rock
Tuxedo: Tuxedo Junction, Little Rock
Bride and Groom’s Cakes: Blue Cake Co., Little Rock
Caterer: Catering Creations, Little Rock
Coffee Bar: The Roasted Bean, Little Rock
Music: DJ Ed Johnson, Little Rock