For this Southern couple, timeless elegance and family tradition are the hallmarks of an unforgettable celebration.
On July 19, 2025, Anna Gatling and Paul O’Neal gathered with their dearest friends and family to be wed. With a ceremony brimming with sophistication at First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg, Mississippi, the couple exchanged vows surrounded by companions from many walks of life. The historic B’nai B’rith Club, now known as The B.B. Club, played host to a reception. “The classic architecture and elegant details created the exact atmosphere I always imagined,” says Anna. “The grand ballroom was breathtaking.”
Precious details make moments of this day even sweeter. Pinned to the front of Anna’s bouquet is her great-grandmother’s cameo. Her wedding band belonged to her late grandmother, and the wedding cake topper sat poised on its fourth cake—an heirloom passed through Gatling generations. The 1960s figurine depicts a bride and groom posed under a heart-shaped arch. The topper offered the finishing touch to the Lambeth cake created by Molly Manning Robertson of Natchez.
Anna’s matron of honor has been by her side since the age of three, her maid of honor is a college best friend, and other attendants represent different seasons. Mother of the bride Caroline Gatling, an artist known for her ethereal paintings, hugs her daughter.
For their formal introduction as the O’Neals, a spirited rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” played for their first dance in the ballroom of The B.B. Club. Mike Rob and the 601 Band performed tunes hailing from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, accompanying the party as guests danced the night away. The newlyweds’ getaway car, a surprise from the bride’s parents, was a 1957 Corvette. As they whisked away from their reception, the Corvette took a lap around the block as guests cheered on the happy couple. “We had one last look at our family and friends,” Anna says. “It was so special and a memory I will cherish forever.”
