Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Paul Echols Morgan Nicole McAvoy and Timothy Paul Echols of Washington were united in marriage in a beautiful double-ring ceremony at Tignall Baptist Church on Saturday, May 6, at four o'clock in the afternoon. Rev. Dale Fincher of Tignall officiated.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David McAvoy of Washington.

The bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Neill Echols of Crawfordville.

As wedding guests entered the church, they signed the bride's book on a wooden podium decorated with white tulle and ribbon and attended by Mrs. Josh Fincher of Tignall. Guests were offered wedding programs by Taylor Echols and Grace Morgan of Washington, Sydney Echols of North Augusta, S.C., nieces of the bridegroom.

The church was elegantly decorated for the afternoon ceremony. Two tall white fluted columns connected by an arch were gracefully draped with white tulle and smilax garlands flowing to two shorter columns on each side similarly decorated. All four columns were topped with arrangements of red Alstroemeria, white roses, wax flower and green dendrobium orchid sprays. The columns were benchcrafted by John Yochim of Tignall, grandfather of the bride, as a gift. Ribbon and tulle bows with streamers of tulle, ribbon and pearls marked family seating.

Pianist Glen Echols of Tignall provided a beautiful program of music. Selections included "Ice Castles" for the seating of the greatgrandparents and grandparents and the theme from "Love Story" for the seating of the mothers. "From This Moment", sung by Mrs. Greg McLeod of Washington, marked the beginning of the ceremony. Rev. Fincher, the bridegroom, his best man and the bridal attendants processed to the altar as Mr. Echols played "Trumpet Voluntary". The bride, escorted by her father, entered to "Bridal Chorus". "In This Very Room" was the vocal selection after the couple exchanged their vows. The marriage service concluded with "Wedding March" for the recessional.

Neill Echols, father of the bridegroom, was best man. Other groomsmen were John Armour of Lexington, Tom Beard of Washington; Blake Davis of Tignall, cousin of the bride; and Jon Echols of North Augusta, S. C., brother of the bridegroom. Junior groomsman was Charlie McAvoy of Washington, brother of the bride. They each wore a red rose boutonniere.

Maid of honor Ginger McAvoy of Greensboro, cousin of the bride, wore a two-piece floor-length gown of apple red. The fitted taffeta bodice with slim shoulder straps and dropped wais t was edged with crystal beading and topped the matching unembellished slim skirt. Bridesmaids, Laura Ellen McAvoy of Athens, Abby McAvoy of Washington, and Aubrey Davis of Tignall, all cousins of the bride, wore attire matching the maid of honor. Their accessories were Emily Ray siamcolored crystal bracelets and earrings, gifts from the bride. They carried hand-tied bouquets of red Alstroemeria, mini yellow gerbera daisies, hot pink spray roses, green buttons, orange ranuculus, purple wax flowers and sword fern secured with apple red ribbons.

Grace Morgan, niece of the bridegroom, was the flower girl. Her floor-length white sleeveless dress with a satin bodice and layered white tulle skirt was accented with an apple red satin ribbon tied with a bow at the back waist. Her hair was adorned with a tiara and she carried a small bouquet matching those of the bridal attendants.

Jarod Echols of Crawfordville, nephew of the bridegroom, served as ring bearer.

Given in marriage by her parents, the bride was beautiful in an exquisite white satin wedding gown by Oleg Cassini. The strapless bodice fell to an organza A-line skirt with apron back and cathedral train embellished with metallic and gold beaded embroidery.

Her cathedral rum-colored bridal veil was decorated with clusters of crystal and pearls.

The bride's hand-tied bouquet of white roses and white spray roses surrounded by sword fern was partially wrapped with white ribbon and a white linen handkerchief monogrammed with a blue "E", a gift from Laura Ellen McAvoy. The bride borrowed a necklace from Mrs. Bruce Lamar; "something new" was her wedding dress; and "something old" was a pair of earrings and a ring belonging to Mrs. Hugh Keener of Tignall.

For her daughter's wedding, Mrs. McAvoy chose an elegant satin twopiece celadon ensemble. The floorlength skirt was complemented with a matching cropped jacket with rhinestone buttons and braceletlength sleeves.

Mrs. Echols, mother of the bridegroom, wore an attractive powder blue crepe de chine tea-length dress featuring an embroidered bodice.

Each mother carried a longstemmed white rose tied with sheer white ribbon.

For her granddaughter's wedding Mrs. John Yochim of Tignall chose a striking Caribbean blue floorlength sleeveless dress of shantung silk with a scooped neck and crystal beaded matching jacket with bracelet-length sleeves. She also carried a long-stemmed white rose.

Mrs. Marvin McAvoy of Washington, maternal grandmother of the bride, wore a stunning aqua blue tealength dress and matching long jacket with a beaded shawl collar and cymbidium orchid corsage.

Great-grandmothers, Mrs. Louis Wolozin of Tignall, wore a beige chiffon ensemble; and Mrs. Darvin Bowers of Tennessee wore a light lavender knee-length silk suit. Both great-grandmothers also wore cymbidium orchid corsages.

As a gift to the couple, the wedding was coordinated and directed by Mrs. Marty Smith and Mrs. Joe Bennett of Washington.

Reception

Mr. and Mrs. David McAvoy hosted a reception following the ceremony in the Tignall Baptist Church Life Center.

The entrance to the reception was decorated with flowering plants and tall wrought iron lantern pedestals containing floral arrangements. A birdbath held the birdseed bags.

As guests entered the foyer of the Family Life Center, an original mural painted especially for the wedding by Kat Dodson of Tignall, depicted the first white clapboard Tignall Baptist Church in a pastoral scene. It hung on the wall topped with a white moir window treatment embellished with pearl braid. On the ledge below were glass vases filled with rice that held the bridal attendants' bouquets. At each end of the ledge were flowering geraniums and underneath was a bevy of ferns. To the left in the foyer alcove was a garden area of ferns, flowering plants, antique wicker chairs and an oriental rug. A wrought iron screen and garden art were used to complement the garden theme. Guests continued past a wall with a collection of framed black and white photos of Morgan and Tim at various ages of their childhood hanging above the gift table. Colorful floral topiaries were also scattered throughout the foyer.

The bridal portrait at the entrance of the reception area was displayed on a black wrought iron easel backed by a Boston fern on a tall black pedestal. The entrance to the reception was decorated with ivy garlands and flanked by ferns on short columns.

The reception area was transformed from a gymnasiun into a large white garden tent decorated with ferns on pedestals, bishop sleeves, and colorful topiaries. Guest tables were covered with white linens and centered with tall lidded glass pedestal vases of dendrobium orchid sprays. Orchids were also scattered on the tables around the pedestal of each vase.

The wedding cake, created by the bridegroom's mother, was served by Mrs. Susan Morgan of Washington, sister of the bridegroom. The delicious confection was a three-tiered wedding cake atop a triangle base of three separate round layer cakes of chocolate, strawberry and lemon and decorated with fresh flowers. The couple cut their cake with the engraved cake knife the bride's parents used at their l980 wedding.

A buffet of fruit, cheese, ham, rolls and a variety of hors d'oeuvres was served with traditional wedding beverages of Southern iced tea and wedding punch.

The couple spent the first night of their honeymoon at the Ritz Carlton at Reynolds Plantation before leaving for a cruise.

Mr. and Mrs. Echols are making their home in Washington.

Rehearsal Dinner

Following the six o'clock wedding rehearsal at Tignall Baptist Church on Friday evening, Morgan McAvoy and Tim Echols were honored at a dinner hosted by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Neill Echols, at the Old Tignall School Lunchroom. Tables were decorated with red and white checked cloths.

The wedding party, family and invited friends enjoyed a delicious barbecue buffet accompanied by homemade dishes of potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and bread.

Mrs. Echols prepared an array of tasty desserts. The most unique was the bridegroom's cake, a sheet cake with buttery white icing topped with mounds of dirt (chocolate crumbs) and a backhoe poised to move the largest mound.

Forty guests attended.