Published: October 13, 2008 03:24 pm      

Whitmore, Grieu wedding

Lourmarin, France — Olive trees, lavender and the songs of the Cigales provided a Provencal backdrop for the Sept. 29, 2007, wedding of Amanda Brooke Grieu and Joseph Lewis Whitmore. They were united in marriage by the Rev. Marc Mueller at the Protestant Reformed Church of France in Lourmarin.

Amanda is the daughter of Renna (Bess) and John Allcott, Arles, France, and Deep Creek Lake, Md., and Gerard Grieu, Lyon, France. She is also the granddaughter of Renna Jane Thayer Shaver, Keyser, W.Va., and the late Jerry Shaver and of Dr. Bob and Connie Bess, also of Keyser. The bride is a graduate of the International School of Lyon, Keyser High School class of 2000 and holds both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in international studies from the University Of Denver, Colo.

Joseph is the son of Judi and Tom Guillickson of Peoria, Ill., and Larry and Laurie Whitmore of Hanna City, Ill. He is also the grandson of Orva Leitz, Peoria. The groom is a graduate of Farmington High School and Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., and holds his master’s degree in international studies from the University Of Denver in Colorado.

Father and daughter were driven to the church by the uncle of the bride, James Bess, New Creek, W.Va., and then the bride was escorted down the aisle by her father to music provided by a string quintet, 4 Dieses a La Carte. She was proceeded to the altar by her sister and maid of honor, Ms. Ariana Grieu, Morgantown, W.Va., and bridesmaids, sister of the groom, Ms. Jenifer Whitmore, Peoria; Ms. Pauline Lloyd Davis, Brussels, Belgium; and Ms. Diana Draggon, New York City, N.Y.

Waiting at the altar was the groom, attended by his best man, Lon Nelson, Barrington, Ill., and groomsmen, Mr. Rick Riverro and Mr. Joe Cook, both of Chicago, Ill., and Mr. Jeremy Mears, Washington, D.C.

Following the exchange of vows in French and English and the blessing of the church, the new Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Whitmore were greeted with a soft shower of lavender petals as they stepped outside and into the afternoon sun. The church had been decorated by the bride’s stepfather, John Allcott; her aunt, Kathy Bess, New Creek, W.Va.; her godmother, Jeanne Roberts; and close friends of the bride’s mother, Kimberly Tawney, Sharon Michie and Ann Labin, all of Towson, Md.

A wedding toast awaited the couple and their guests in the Italian Logis of the Chateau of Lormarin. Champagne was served by the groomsmen and a variety of local specialty sweet breads were served by the bridesmaids. A tour of the castle, in both French and English, was offered to the guests while the photographer did the formal portraits of the couple. The wedding dinner followed at the Auberge de la Feniere, where many of the guests were staying for the long weekend of festivities. Dancing continued into the wee hours of the next morning to the sounds of the disc jockey.

The parents of the groom invited the wedding party, family and close friends to a rehearsal dinner on the eve of the wedding at the Auberge de la Feniere. Toasts were offered celebrating the couple and their wedding day.

Amanda and Joe hosted many tours of the region after their wedding day, including the French Riviera and Venice, Italy, putting off their honeymoon to Malaysia until February 2008. Amanda and Joe are now both working for the United States Department of State in Geneva, Switzerland.