Shauna
Godwin was just one of many future brides who have walked into South’s
Clothiers at the Boone Mall in search of the perfect wedding dress.
Months
later, following numerous consultations and fittings, Shauna had only to glance
into a mirror to see that she had, indeed, found the perfect gown.
On Sept,
10, 2011, Shauna was a stunning bride adorned in her gown of diamond white
satin as she exchanged vows with Adam Hamby on the lawn at the Taylor House Inn
in Valle Crucis.
“It was an
absolutely perfect day in every way” Shauna says.
Shauna
chose to wear her grandmother’s wedding ring as her “something old.” Her dress
was “new, she “borrowed” her grandmother’s champagne diamond necklace and she
wore her “blue” leopard print Toms (shoes).
Her seven
bridesmaids were attired in dresses of charcoal grey from South’s Dessy
collection each in a different style to reflect her own personality
“My matron
of honor was in black and everyone wore their own purple shoe,” Shauna says.
The groom and his attendants were attired in black tuxedoes with charcoal gray
vest and ties, also from South’s.
“Working
with South’s was great,” Shauna says. “Carolyn was my main contact and she was
fabulous, as always. Janet did all of my alterations. They were all very
attentive and everything came together in a timely manner, as promised.”
The
ceremony
Shauna
describes her wedding as “more contemporary than traditional.”
“We asked
Sam Calhoun to officiate,” she says. “After talking to us at length and
learning about our relationship, he wrote the most wonderful ceremony. My two
sisters, Haley and Gabby, read poems by Roy Croft and Mister Rogers.”
Sharing a
varied musical interest, Shauna and Adam chose an eclectic selection of tunes
for the occasion.
“We had
everything, including reggae, rock, hip hop, country and Latin,” she says. “Pre
ceremony music was classical; however, the bridal party arrived on a bus to
‘Double Dutch Bus.’ For the recessional, we had ‘All you need is love.”
Swing and
jazz ruled the cocktail hour. “As the night progressed, it got louder with more
contemporary, pop music,” Shauna says.
As a dancer
and dance instructor, Shauna insisted on “lots dancing”
including a clogging hoedown and an impromptu Zumba, with her mother and
Vanessa Minton. “It was great,” she says.
The
reception menu included smoked brisket and barbecue chicken prepared by her
uncle, Steve Williams, from Texas.
“We grilled
vegetable skewers and portabella mushroom caps, had a baked potato bar, salad
and bread, catered by Bandana’s,” she says. “The cake was white with raspberry
filling and white butter-cream, made by Nicole Palazzo of Sorrento’s Bistro. I
also had an amazing vegan carrot cake from EarthFare.
Her
flowers, from Shady Grove Nursery, were arranged by her mother, sister and a
close friend.
“My bouquet
included blue hydrangeas cut from my grandfather’s grave, which was very
special to me,” Shauna says.
A color
scheme of charcoal gray and dark purple was carried over into the reception.
“We rented a large tent with tables, chairs and dance floor from Boone
Rent-all.”
Once
upon a time
Shauna and
her groom were “officially introduced” by their close mutual friend, Elizabeth
Hempfling. “It’s kind of wild how we actually met,” she says, “because we had
crossed each other’s paths many times before.”
Adam’s
father worked on her grandfather’s farm; they attended the same church camp one
summer and they had the same circle of friends through high school. “I don’t
think we had ever even had a conversation because we are total opposites.”
Adam likes
to be outside hiking, camping and playing with their dog, Kona; he also likes
sports. Shauna loves dance, theatre, Pilates and working out.
“He is a
timber framer, I am a dancer,” she says. “He likes the country, I like the
city. He tends to be quiet and to himself, I am wide
open and sociable. He goes to bed early, I go to bed late/ one would never
think that we would be compatible, but what we have is truly perfect. He is so
supportive of my lifestyle and I , of his.”
The couple
began dating Sept.3, 2007; Adam proposed Nov. 29, 2009. and
the rest is history at least in the making.
Following
“four wonderful years in New York,” she came home for a “temporary visit” or so
she thought.
“I needed
time with my family and friends,” she says. “I met Adam the week after I moved
back. I was not looking for a date, a relationship and definitely not love. In
fact, I turned him down at first, because I was scared to death that I actually
would like him. I hate it when people say this, but since our first date
(hiking Rough Ridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway), we really have been
inseparable.”
“I had no
idea that I would meet the love of my life here in my hometown and discover
what is really important in life,” Shauna says. ”I do miss the day to day grind
of scrounging up enough money to survive in NYC, but I am so very happy.”
She’s
living her “fairy tale,” she says, “the perfect place in the middle.”
Shauna is
currently an instructor at Northwestern Studio and High Country Dance Studio,
both in Boone, and at Xtreme Dance Company in Bristol, Va.
She is the
coach of the Mini Mountaineers Dance Teams, choreographer of both the country
Clogging Jamboree at Tweetsie Railroad and of Watauga High School’s spring
musicals. She is the owner of Connected Dance Convention, The Miss High Country
Pageant System and The Pilates Effect.
Shauna is
also co-owner, with her mother, of The Dancer’s Corner Boutique in the Shoppes
at Farmer’s Hardware.
As if all
that’s not enough to keep her busy, she is preparing to graduate in May from
Appalachian State University with a double major in dance studies and theatre
performance.
Shauna is
the daughter of James and Teresa Godwin of Boone and the daughter in law of
David and Teonnie Hamby of Sparta.
She and
Adam make their home in Boone.
Shauna’s
advice to Future Brides:
“Every
young woman deserves the chance to savor every moment of her wedding and not be
stressed out,” Shauna says. “A good way to make sure that everything goes well
is to choose reputable professionals to help you from start to finish.”
Once the
decision has been made regarding vendors, Shauna recommends contracts with each
party.
“But, also
have more than one face to face conversation with the vendors and don’t count
on the contract to spell everything out for you,” she says. “As your wedding
day gets closer, have a thorough review with your vendors and everyone involved
to ensure that everyone is on the same page.”
A good
thing to remember, Shauna says, is “Just because you are on a budget, doesn’t
mean you can’t have the wedding of your dreams.”
Hers was “a
super tight budget,” but she made good use of her resources and connections,
she says.
“I sought
the help of industry friends and took on a lot of do it yourself projects, with
family help, of course.”
“There is a
lot that you can do for and by yourself,” Shauna says. “You don’t have to be
incredibly artsy or talented, just think creatively.
In addition
to the professionals she mentioned earlier, Shauna expresses her gratitude to
Air Haven and River & Earth Adventures, Joanna Page from Events by
Elizabeth Ashley and Rachel Craig, hairstylist. “They all helped me have my
perfect wedding. I am so appreciative of everyone who was there for us.”
