Kathryn Shuford, Matthew Fanning marry

Kathryn Odom Shuford and U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Middleton Fanning, both of Southern Pines, North Carolina, were united in marriage Nov. 11 at the Grande Dunes Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach. The groom’s father officiated the 5 o’clock ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Laura Odom Shuford and the late Mr. John Frederick Shuford of Columbia. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Shuford of Greenville and Mrs. Madeline Odom of Fremont, North Carolina. She earned a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in learning and teaching from Coastal Carolina University, and she is employed with Lee County Schools in North Carolina as a middle school math teacher.

The groom is the son of Cmdr. and Mrs. Ted Middleton Fanning. He is the grandson of Mrs. Kathleen Fanning of Greenville and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Bellwood III of Scaly Mountain, North Carolina. He earned a master’s degree in nursing for anesthesia practice from Northeastern University, and he is employed with Army’s elite Airborne Forward Surgical Teams as chief nurse anesthetist. He is stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

The bride was escorted by her brother, Jackson Frederick Shuford, who gave her in marriage on behalf of her parents. Violinists Redding Soderburg and Lorraine Westermark provided music.

Matron of honor was Michelle Lineberry Painter of Myrtle Beach. Bridesmaids were Jessica Lauren Ballance of Fremont; Emily Frye Fanning of Clemmons, North Carolina; Evelyn English Hutto and Lauren Alyssa Turner, both of Lexington; Kaitlyn Elizabeth McGannon of Myrtle Beach; Elizabeth Ann Osborne of Greenville; and Kathleen Fanning Swain of Yulee, Florida.

Best man was Mark Middleton Fanning of Clemmons. Groomsmen were Capt. Stephen Ryan Bertsch of Pinehurst, North Carolina; Maj. Cary Neal Carter and Capt. William Hugh Enicks V, both of Southern Pines; Sgt. Austin James Madruga of Fayetteville, North Carolina; Jackson Frederick Shuford of Columbia; and Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Spencer Swain of Yulee.

A reception followed at the Ocean Club.

The couple will reside in Southern Pines.

In their own words

Q: How did you meet?

A: Connelly’s Irish Pub in Greenville.

Q: When did you know your fiance was “the one”?

A: The night that we met! He was such a gentleman, and we couldn’t stop talking!

Q: Tell us about the proposal.

A: We had a family get-together during our favorite holiday, July Fourth. We were out having breakfast on the golf course, and he got down on one knee!

Q: What part of the wedding day are you most looking forward to?

A: I look forward to seeing all of our friends and family in one place!

We had our original wedding date schedule for Dec. 17, 2016, but Matthew was tasked on a quick-release deployment with the Army’s most seasoned and successful Airborne Forward Surgical Team. We had to cancel and reschedule all of our wedding vendors, but everyone was willing to work with us. Being a military family, we decided to make our new wedding date on Veterans Day, to celebrate our love of the Army and each other!

Q: How did you choose the venue where you will be married?

A: I lived in Myrtle Beach during college, grad school, and my first two years teaching and just fell in love with the area.

Q: What are your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?

A: Old, my maternal grandmother’s brooch on my bouquet; new, my wedding dress; borrowed, my shoes; blue, my father’s tie wrapped around my bouquet.