Wedding

Nicole Blankenship and Matthew Elam were united in marriage at 4:30 p.m. on July 3, 2010, at First United Methodist Church in Greenville, with the Rev. Darryl Bolen officiating the double-ring ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Dan and Nelda Blankenship of Mulberry Grove.
The groom is the son of Ron and Sandy Elam of Smithboro.
The bride wore an Alfred Angelo, off-the-shoulder, diamond white taffeta gown, with a chapel-length train, and carried a fresh floral bouquet designed by a family friend, Karan Belcher.
She was given away by her father.  
The bride chose Lindsay Coleman, friend of the bride, as her matron of honor. Bridesmaids were: Erica Hyde, cousin of the bride; Denyse Blankenship, cousin of the bride; and Brittany Hinch, friend of the bride and groom.
They all wore claret and white designed tea-length summer dresses.
The groom chose Phillip Hinch, friend of the bride and groom, as the best man. Groomsmen were: Matt Blankenship, brother of the bride; Brian Cook, friend of the groom; and Todd Siebert, friend of the groom. They all wore brown tuxes with ivory vests and ties.
Rhonda Hentz, sister of the groom, and Garrett Blankenship, cousin of the bride, were the ushers.
Ciara Cain, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl, and Jackson Hentz, nephew of the groom, was the ring bearer.
Megan Blankenship, cousin of the bride, was the guest book attendant, and programs were handed out by cousins of the bride, Leia Breithaupt and Brynn Parr. Melissa Thomason was the pianist.
The bride is a 2003 graduate of Vandalia Community High School. She graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy and is currently a pharmacist at Cain’s Drug Store in Vandalia.
The groom is a 2002 graduate of Mulberry Grove High School. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with an educational ag and math degree.
He currently farms, along with being the ag/industrial arts teacher and the FFA sponsor at Mulberry Grove High School.
The couple resides in rural Smithboro.

Contributed

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Elam