Lavish floral displays, dance highlight Fayetteville nuptials

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CYD KING — 6/28/14 — Mr. and Mrs. Lance Tucker at the wedding of Sydney Norwood to Lance Tucker in Fayetteville.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CYD KING — 6/28/14 — Mr. and Mrs. Lance Tucker at the wedding of Sydney Norwood to Lance Tucker in Fayetteville.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

FAYETTEVILLE -- With the bride's father as vice president of Tipton & Hurst florists, the June 28 nuptials of Sydney Norwood and Lance Tucker lacked nothing in color, variety, size and arrangement of flowers. For the couple's reception, 30 to 40 professionals spent four full days transforming the Fayetteville Town Center into a Garden of Eden.

The pair were wed at Central United Methodist Church on Dickson Street with their parents, Christopher and Renee Norwood of Little Rock and Dwight and Lesa Tucker of Fayetteville, looking on. The bride's grandparents, Angela and Gerald Joyner of Searcy, and the bridegroom's grandfather, Ralph Tucker of Elkins, also attended.

Decorations for the ceremony were done in all white -- even the bride's Edwardian floor-length cascade bouquet of phalaenopsis orchids, dendrobium orchids, gardenias, cabbage roses and peonies.

At the reception, guests signed in at a table holding life-size floral peacocks covered with hydrangea blooms and dendrobium. Inside, a 15-foot canopy around the wedding cake was covered with dendrobium orchids, roses and hydrangea. Towering floral pomanders of purple phalaenopsis orchids, mango colored Free Spirit roses and green hydrangea with accents of purple tulips in silver vases centered each guest table. A floral chandelier hung over the buffet table, and a square of curly willow covered with Southern smilax, purple wisteria, white roses and green hydrangea hung over the floor.

For the bride's solo dance with her father, the pair started with a simple slow dance then broke out into a choreographed number set to '70s and '80s dance tunes.

"Wasn't it perfect?" the bride said after walking off the floor. It was indeed well-executed.

The bride and bridegroom have degrees from the University of Arkansas. He's a teacher in West Fork, as well as a coach of the high school's baseball and football teams. She's a senior brand manager at Sam's Club's corporate office in Bentonville.

-- Story and photos by Cyd King

High Profile on 07/06/2014