Michelle Leigh Rowand and Lorin Matthew Strickland were united in marriage on Saturday, October 6, 2007, at five o’clock in the afternoon. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. David O’Dell at the Chattahoochee Country Club overlooking Lake Sidney Lanier in Gainesville, Ga.
    The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Alan Rowand of Statesboro. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Groover Tyson and the late John W. Donaldson of Statesboro and the late Mr. and Mrs. Norman James Rowand of Portal.
    The groom is the son of Frances Strickland of Woodstock and Michael Whitlaw Strickland of St. Augustine, Fla. He is the grandson of Leo Lichten of Longwood, Fla., and the late Carolyn Lichten of Albany, and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Strickland of Albany.
    At the water’s edge, the garden ceremony took place under a rustic wooden pergola draped in curly willow and green hydrangeas.
    Music was provided by the stringed trio of Edie Benson, Heather Streachan and Mary Alice Swope. Tony Hamilton was the soloist. Greeters at the wedding were Deborah Brown and Teresa Hagan.
    Given in marriage by her father, the bride was escorted down the aisle through iron lanterns wrapped in ribbon and green hydrangeas. She wore a strapless candlelight A-line gown with a timeless and elegant overlay embellished with Alencon lace and Swarovski crystals, sequins and pearls. The romantic gown featured a drop waist accented with a champagne satin sash and bow which flowed into a chapel train. Her fingertip-length veil of candlelight illusion was trimmed with Swarovski crystals. The brooch worn by her maternal grandmother, Daisy Donaldson Tyson, on her wedding day 51 years ago graced her wedding gown. She chose chandelier earrings and hairpins of Swarovski crystals and pearls which were designed and hand-made by a local artist.
    The bride’s hand-tied bouquet consisted of a mixture of green hydrangeas, ivory roses, green cymbidium orchids with raspberry throats, seeded eucalyptus and hypericum green berries.
    Courtney Rowand of St. Augustine, Fla., sister of the bride, served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Lori Brown Sigler of Hoover, Ala., Lynn Barnett and Kim Floyd of Cumming.
    The attendants wore chocolate satin strapless A-line gowns with a double band of champagne satin accenting the empire waist. They carried hand-tied bouquets of green hydrangeas, ivory roses and seeded eucalyptus.
    Wes Strickland of Jacksonville, Fla., brother of the groom, served as best man. Groomsmen were Michael Strickland of St. Augustine, Fla., father of the groom; Jim May and Patrick Wixon of Marietta.
    Immediately after the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted an outdoor cocktail hour followed by dinner and dancing at the Chattahoochee Country Club. Guests were greeted by Rita Groover and Lisa Riggs.
    On the eve of the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted dinner for the wedding party at Luna’s of Gainesville.
    Matthew and Michelle enjoyed a honeymoon at Rosemary Beach, Fla., and now reside in Cumming.