Valerie Hobbs, Thomas Manly marry

Valerie Anne Hobbs and Thomas Winfield Manly, both of Columbia, were united in marriage Feb. 18 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Columbia. The Rev. Father Michael Platanis, protopresbyter, officiated the 6 o’clock ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mark Thomas Hobbs and Anna Maria Hobbs of Columbia. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Leslie Hobbs Sr., Mrs. Violet Brethes Tsiantis and the late Mr. Angelo Leonidas Tsiantis. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education in 2013 from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in divergent learning in 2016 from Columbia College. She is employed with Lake Carolina Elementary School in Blythewood as a second-grade teacher.

The groom, formerly of Jacksonville, Fla., is the son of Mary McCann Pate, James Hawthorne Manly Sr. and Monette Bales Manly, all of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the grandson of the late Dr. and Mrs. James Hollowell Manly Jr., Mrs. Elizabeth Sickles McCann and the late Mr. John Lawrence McCann Jr. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of South Carolina in 2013. Formerly a securities trader with Fidelity Investments, he is employed as an associate adviser with Hobbs Group Advisors LLC.

The bride was escorted by her father.

Matron of honor was Hayley Elia Young of Savannah, Georgia. Bridesmaids were the bride’s sisters-in-law Mollie McInnis Hobbs and Lauren Jones Hobbs of Columbia; Stephanie Lee Marsha, also of Columbia; Anna Grace Basha, Sarah McConnell Hamblin and Gionna Leigh Lesky, all of Charleston; Natalie Rossi Billas and Rossi Theodore Green, both of Atlanta; Elizabeth Haile Carter of Austin, Texas; Anita Hampton Griffin, Natalie Elizabeth Harvey and Lauren Ann Teague, all of Charlotte; and Gabrielle Anna Rosansky of Santa Monica, California. Mollie Hobbs also served as Koumbara. The bride’s cousin Leslie Elizabeth Shealy of Fayetteville, Georgia, and the bride’s goddaughter Ella Louise Pigeon of Columbia were flower girls.

Best man was the groom’s father. Groomsmen were the groom’s brother, James Hawthorne Manly Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio; the bride’s brothers, Evan Mark Hobbs and John Leslie Hobbs, both of Columbia, and Thomas Green Hobbs of Greenville; Thomas Steven Blair and Christopher George Kelly, both of Addison, Texas; Justin Robert Davis, Andrew Robert Herlong, Taylor Lanier Linde, Charles William Miles and Samuel Boyce Rankin Jr., all of Charlotte; Sidney Emmett Morrison IV of Asheville, North Carolina; Christopher Jay Overman of Bozeman, Montana; and Erik Schuelke of Denver. Evan Hobbs also served as Koumbaro. Crown bearer was Alexander Lee Thorne of Atlanta.

Emilie Georgia Theodore of Atlanta was a reader. Program attendants were Catherine Marie Babin of Cleveland, Ohio; Kathryn Elizabeth Derrick of Columbia; Sally Russell Pate of Charlotte and Jordan Elizabeth Thrasher of Greenville. Anna Kneece Strauss of Augusta, Georgia, was guest book attendant.

Ushers were Justin Thomas Garton, Douglas Zuill Keelser and Christopher Kyle Loyd, all of Charlotte, and Braden James Thorne of Atlanta. Mary Eva Miller, Helen Louise Miller and Anna Elizabeth Pigeon, all of Columbia, were Greek wedding favor attendants.

A reception followed at the S.C. State Museum. After their honeymoon in Turks and Caicos, the couple will reside in Columbia.

In their own words

Q: How did you meet?

A: Through friends was studying at the University of South Carolina.

This story was originally published February 26, 2017 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Valerie Hobbs, Thomas Manly marry."