Published: October 24, 2007 09:08 am         

Cochran-Puppione

Miss Valentina Giovanna Shands-Puppione and James Euart Cochran, both of Memphis were recently united in marriage at a 5 p.m.. ceremony at Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tenn. Celebrant was the Rev. Dr. Andrew MacBeth, Rector of Calvary Church, assisted by Rev. Eyleen Farmer, coordinator of Calvary Church’s youth ministries.

The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Alice Margaret Shands of Indianola, Miss., and the late William Francis Puppione and the granddaughter of Dr. Virginia Shands Covington of Hattiesburg. The bridegroom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. William Cochran of Memphis.

The ceremony began with congregational singing of the hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King” while the celebrants, choir and wedding party were led in procession by a crucifer, torch bearers, and festival bell banners. The bride was escorted by her father’s brothers, Donald Lawrence Puppione of Encino, Calif.; James Peter Puppione of Auburn, Calif.; and Richard John Puppione of Castro Valley, Calif.

She wore a strapless column gown of ivory beaded crocheted lace with a court train and a lace bolero. She wore Mrs. Cochran’s waist length, ivory lace wedding mantilla. She also wore heirloom jewelry from the groom’s family and her father’s family. Her bouquet was a cascade of white phalenopsis orchids, white roses, Queen Anne’s lace, freesia, pale blue hydrangea, and needlepoint ivy. Her pale blue shoes featured beaded butterflies on the toe.

The mother of the bride was escorted by her first cousin, David Shands, of Fort Collins, Col. She wore a tea length pastel aqua and plum linen ensemble with an organza jacket of white, plum and aqua. She carried a nosegay of white roses. The grandmother of the bride was escorted by the bride’s uncle and godfather, Morgan Shands of Bay Saint Louis. She wore a dusky rose, tea length linen jacketed dress with a white rose corsage. The mother of the groom, wearing a formal length dusty rose dress and jacket with a crushed chiffon bodice and carrying a white rose nosegay, was escorted by the father of the groom.

Attending the bride as matron of horror was Heather Chandler Francis of Nashville. Her dress was heavy navy cotton with a cocktail length pleated circle skirt, scooped neckline, cap sleeves and matching sash fastened with an heirloom brooch. She carried a cascading bouquet of purple phalenopsis orchids, blue hydrangea, lavender roses, purple lisianthus, veronica, and needlepoint ivy. Cousins of the bride, Avery Rose Segall of Encino, Calif., and Kendall Rose Harris of Pleasanton, Calif., were flower girls, They wore long pink dresses overlaid with smocked and beribboned white batiste. On their heads were wreaths of pink rose buds and needlepoint ivy.

Ryan Savage of Memphis was the groom’s best man. Also from Memphis were groomsmen, Andrew Fisher, friend of the groom, and William Cochran, Jr. brother of the groom. Ushers were cousins of the bride, Christopher Vignes of Jackson; Robert Charles Puppione of Birmingham; and brother-in-law of the groom, Gregory Gustafson of Memphis. The groom, best man, groomsmen and ushers wore dark suits with pale blue ties in assorted patterns and designs.

Acolytes and banner bearers wore festival vestments and represented the Episcopal Young Churchmen of Calvary Church that have been served by Valentina as an adult sponsor for several years. The Old Testament and Prayers of the People were read by Robert Puppione, cousin of the bride. Lori Stockton Mills, friend of the bride from Nashville, read the New Testament scripture. Presenting the gifts of bread and wine for the Eucharist were the bride’s cousins Kelly Melissa Puppione of Auburn, Calif.; Christopher Richard Puppione of Davis, Calif.; and Gregory Valentino Puppione of Honolulu, Hawaii. Lay Eucharistic Ministers were Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kelly of Memphis.

The music for the wedding was directed Sumner Jenkins, organist and choirmaster for Calvary Church using the historic Aeolian-Skinner organ. The congregation joined the choir in singing the procession- –al hymn and the sequence hymn, “Be Thou My Vision”. The choir sang “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether” by Harold Friedell and “Set Me as a Seal” by Rene Clausen as offertory and Communion anthems. The retiring processional, Louis Vierne’s Symphony 1, Finale, was played by Sumner Jenkins.

On the altar was a mixed serpentine arrangement of flowers in jewel toned deep reds, purples, hot pinks, and lime greens. The flowers were given in memory of William Francis Puppione, father of the bride; John Herbert Shands, Beverly James Covington, Valentino and Mary Puppione, grandparents of the bride; Nell Niles, Nash Cochran, and Henry and Frances Eaurt, grandparents of the groom.

The reception immediately followed at the River Terrace Yacht Club on Mud Island. On the entrance table was an antique repouse chalice filled with white hydrangeas and lavender roses and a framed announcement from the bride and groom that in honor of their guests a gift of a goat had been made to Heifer Project International. A strolling accordion musician entertained guests as they entered.

Guests were served a cocktail buffet. The bride’s cake was a three tiered, white cake decorated with fresh purple cymbidium, lavender roses, pink rose petals, purple balloon flowers, and hydrangeas.

The groom’s cake was a two tiered, chocolate cake with caramel frosting decorated with chocolate leaves, frosted grapes and chocolate covered strawberries. Floral arrangements of hydrangea, veronica, and lavender roses were on each of the buffet tables. Banisters were wrapped with Jackson vine. Tables were decorated with clear stacked bowls with blue hydrangea in the bottom bowl and white candles floating in water tinted the color of the table cloths in the top bowl. Flowers for the rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception were designed by Mrs. Nino Shipp, lifelong friend of the mother of the bride.

The bride and groom’s first dance was to “Fly Me to the Moon.” After the first dance the couple was joined by members of the wedding party with dancing to “Memories are made of This.” Music was provided by Tom Volichack and the Rocket Dogs of Memphis.

On the evening before the wedding the groom’s parents honored the couple with a rehearsal dinner at the Inn at Hunt Phelan on Beale Street in Memphis. Tables were decorated with antique repouse silver chalices filled with white hydrangeas and lavender roses. The bride’s table was decorated with an antique silver pierced basket with blue hydrangeas, veronica, and lavender roses.

Thursday night before the wedding the bride and groom introduced Valentina’s California relatives to Memphis barbecue at the BBQ Shop on Madison. Saturday morning the bride’s uncles hosted the traditional Puppione family wedding brunch featuring gin fizzes made by Don Puppione. On Sunday morning the bride’s grandmother and mother entertained family and out of town guests with brunch at the Peabody Hotel.

After a honeymoon trip to Costa Rica, Valentina and Jamie are now at home in Memphis.