Gilder, Boudreaux joined in holy matrimony

Laura Elizabeth Gilder and Brent Edward Boudreaux, both of Crowley, exchanged wedding vows on the afternoon of Saturday, July 25, during a double ring ceremony at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne.
Fr. Gene Tremie celebrated the 1:30 p.m. Nuptial Mass.
The bride is the daughter of Corinne and Galen Gilder of Crowley. She is the granddaughter of the late Hollis and Halcyon Gilder of Hahnville, and of the late Eunice and Wilbur Rabalais of Simmesport.
After graduating from Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish in 2000, she attended Louisiana State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 2004 and a Master of Science degree in accounting in 2005. She is presently employed as a certified public accountant with Thibodaux Hebert Deshotels Leblanc in Lafayette.
The groom is the son of Glen Boudreaux of Rayne and the late Nellie Boudreaux. He is the grandson of Edward Boudreaux of Rayne and the late Bernice Boudreaux, and of the late Leora and Paul Lejeune.
A 2000 graduate of Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish, he served in the United States Air Force, during which time he was stationed at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, and Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport before being honorably discharged in 2010. He is currently employed as a parts salesman with Quality Equipment in Lafayette.
Music for the ceremony was provided by organist and vocalist Kip Faulk, and vocalist Danielle Baird, cousin of the bride. Selections included “One Bread, One Body,” “Here I am Lord” and “Ave Maria.”
Entering the church to “Canon in D” and escorted by her father, the bride was lovely in a beautiful ivory corseted ballgown with a strapless sweetheart neckline and lace-up back. The soft lace and beaded bodice gave way to a flowing tulle skirt that ended in a chapel length train. An intricately beaded grosgrain sash defined the gown at its natural waistline, and the bride paired her gown with a delicate lace hip length veil.
She carried a large free-form clutch bouquet of Mount Everest roses, porcelana roses and Juliet garden roses interspersed with hypericum berries and finished with supreme white wax flowers.
Following tradition, a gold brooch set with rubies, sapphires and diamonds that had belonged to the bride’s paternal great-grandmother and was bequeathed to the bride by her paternal grandmother was included in the bride’s bouquet as “something old.” Also incorporated into the bride’s bouquet was a portrait of her paternal grandparents on their wedding day and her maternal grandmother’s wedding bands. The bride also wore a six-pence given to her by her parents in her shoe.
The bride’s wedding dress was “something new,” and her veil, loaned to her by a family friend, was “something borrowed.” Also worn as “something borrowed” was a gold and sapphire tennis bracelet loaned to the bride by a friend.
For “something blue,” the bride wore sapphire and diamond earrings that complemented her bracelet, sapphire blue pumps and a blue garter.
Mary Claire Gilder, sister of the bride, served as maid of honor, while Monica Serrette, sister of the groom, served as matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Caroline Boudreaux, cousin of the bride, and Ella Abshire and Raime Thibodeaux, friends of the bride.
The attendants were clad in deep navy blue knee length dresses with satin bodices featuring strapless sweetheart necklines and pleated busts.
They carried free-form clutch bouquets of green apple hydrangeas and hypericum berries.
Marie Cox, cousin of the bride, and Julie Fontenot, cousin of the groom, served as flower girls. Marie wore a floor length ivory princess ballgown with a navy sash. Julie was dressed in a tea length ivory princess ballgown with an illusion neckline. The dress was finished with a navy sash, and a navy and ivory floral headpiece completed the ensemble.
The girls carried small clutch bouquets of green apple hydrangeas and hypericum berries.
The groom selected his friend, Nick Trahan, to serve as best man. Groomsmen were Greg Gilder, brother of the bride; Kenny Serrette, brother-in-law of the groom; Kevin Boudreaux, cousin of the groom; and Jason Lagneaux, friend of the groom.
Dereck Kibodeaux, Will Leonards and Ben Leger, all lifelong friends of the bride and groom, served as ushers.
Serving as ring bearers were Yuriy and Bradley Boudreaux, sons of the groom.
The groomsmen, along with the ushers, ring bearers, and fathers of the bride and groom, wore gray tuxedos with navy ties and boutonnieres of porcelana roses and supreme white wax flowers.
The groom was distinguished in a matching gray tuxedo with an ivory tie.
For her daughter’s wedding, the mother of the bride, the former Corinne Rabalais, selected a taupe short sleeved lace gown with a sheer mesh yoke, empire waist and softly flared tea length skirt. The neckline and sleeves were finished with embroidered trim.
She carried a small free-form clutch bouquet of green apple hydrangeas and hypericum berries.
Selected scriptures were read by Yvonne Anderson, cousin of the bride, and Erin Fontenot, cousin of the groom.
Offertory gifts were presented by Tiffany Istre, cousin of the bride, and Lorraine Meche, aunt of the groom.
Brent Gremillion, cousin of the bride, served as Eucharistic minister.
Following the Mass, guests joined the newlywed couple for a reception at The Crossing at Mervine Kahn in Rayne.
The beautifully restored venue was completely strung with twinkling lights, and two navy monograms of the new couple’s initials adorned the front doors.
In front of the magnificent entrance mirror was a unique sign-in tree, and guests were asked to sign tags and hang them from the tree’s branches in the same manner that the groom proposed to the bride. The groom’s “proposal tag” was framed on the table beneath the tree, along with an abundance of softly glowing tea light candles. The entryway was also graced with a large framed portrait of the bride taken at Acadian Village.
Guest tables were topped with Mason jars filled with rice and arrangements of green apple hydrangeas and golden branches placed atop gold-framed mirrors and surrounded by tea light candles.
The bride and groom’s table was distinguished by a sign that read “Happily Ever After,” and their chairs were hung with “Mr.” and “Mrs.” signs.
A French hutch decorated with flowers and the initials “L” and “B” in a rustic tin color displayed photographs of the couple as children, as well as in high school, where they first became friends. Also displayed were recent pictures of the couple, including pictures of them with their children.
A French buffet showcased pictures of loved ones who had passed away. It was graced by arrangements of sunflowers and flowers used during the wedding in honor of the groom’s late mother, Nellie.
Guests at the reception enjoyed roast, jambalaya, chicken fettucine, spinach and artichoke dip, crab balls, assorted cheeses and a variety of fruit.
The bride’s three-tiered white cake was filled with chocolate, strawberry and vanilla and decorated with soft buttercream icing and flowers used in the bride’s bouquet.
It was displayed before a cypress doorway hung with a navy initial “B” and flanked by trees strung with lights. The table was decorated with vintage champagne glasses for toasting, as well as a large champagne glass used by the bride’s parents on their wedding day. Photos of the bride’s parents toasting with the glass were displayed in an armoire along with other pictures of loved ones.
The cake was served by Pam Sonnier, godmother of the bride, using a sterling silver server with a pearl handle that was used to serve cake at the bride’s parents wedding.
The groom’s white cake was filled with chocolate and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. It was surrounded by chocolate-dipped strawberries and topped with a small monogram of the couple’s initials. It was served by Gayle Thibodeaux, godmother of the groom.
For the children, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes were served from a table on which photographs of the couple’s children were displayed.
Guests departed with favors of handmade soaps printed with the “Tree of Life” and painted with gold mica dust.
Out-of-town guests at the wedding traveled from Colorado, Texas and various points throughout Louisiana.
On the evening prior to the wedding, a rehearsal dinner was held at the Rayne home of Kevin and Lorraine Meche. It was co-hosted by Rodney and Debbie Boudreaux, Jeff and Arlene Matthews, Daniel and Linda Braus and Randall and Gayle Thibodeaux. The menu included gourmet appetizers, crawfish etoufee, salad, bread and deserts, along with wine, beer and the couple’s favorite cocktails.
The couple is residing in Crowley and will take a wedding trip at a later date.