ATLANTA - The sanctuary has been set for Big Miller Grove Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia to host the wedding ceremony of the century! Bishop and Mrs. Miles E. Fowler and the congregation have planned a first-ever Marriage Renewal Service and Reception on Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 9:45AM, followed by a reception in the church life center. The event will feature eleven couples, all married 40 years and longer. The service will center on an actual wedding ceremony of one special, undisclosed couple who will exchange their marriage vows for the first time. The surprise couple will not be revealed until the bride enters the sanctuary.

The Officiant for the ceremony will be Ambassador Andrew Young, who will be accompanied by his wife, Carolyn McClain Young. Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV’s Monica Pearson and her husband, Elder John Pearson, will introduce the renewal couples. International and National Gospel Music Recording Artists, Helen Baylor and Big Miller Grove’s own international recording artist, D’Vine, will provide the music for the service.

Bishop & Mrs. Fowler June 18, 1961

National consultants have been summoned to pull off the extraordinary affair. Preston Bailey, (www.prestonbailey.com) who is the acclaimed event designer to the rich and famous (Oprah, Martha Stewart, and Donald Trump) will design and donate his keepsake signature bouquets for each of the renewal brides, which will be shipped from New York. Renowned special event floral decorator, new Atlanta resident, Paul Brummer, (www.roomsinbloomflowers.com) who is the decorator extraordinaire for New York’s legendary Tavern on the Green, will transform the church and reception hall into a grand and glorious atmosphere of beauty. Brummer’s designs have been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, and Live with Regis and Kelly. The Epicurean Catering will design the "Wedding Cake of the Century" for the reception.

Event sponsors, Gregory and Juanita Baranco, owners of the Baranco Automotive Group (Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead and Baranco Buick Pontiac-GMC) plan to make a surprise grand announcement to the congregation during the ceremony in celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary on July 3.

The Marriage Renewal Service and Reception is planned in honor of the church's 100th Anniversary Celebration, which kicked off in April 2008 at the 99th Church Anniversary and will conclude in April 2009.

For additional details on the Centennial Renewal Celebration or to schedule an interview with Bishop Miles E. Fowler, the renewal couples, or the surprise couple, please call the church office at 770/981-3800 x380 or contact the Centennial Publicist, Paula M. Saunders at 404/660-0197 or paula_ms@bellsouth.net.

Harper Wedding Party June 29, 1958

Centennial Marriage Renewal Interesting Facts

• The 11 renewal couples have collectively been married for more that 528 years. Most of them dated since high school. They have 45 children, 102 grandchildren, and 54½ great-grandchildren.
  
  
• The grandparents of actor Chris Tucker are participants and will be honored as the longest married couple, 56 years.
  
  
• One couple will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on the date of the event. Ironically, they had one of the first formal weddings at the church 50 years ago. Another couple will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary at the event.
  
  
• The Pastor of the church, Bishop Miles E. Fowler and his wife will celebrate their 47th year of marriage this month and is one of the featured couples.
  
  
• Three of the brides are sisters. Two grooms are brothers, who both lost their sight within the first few years of their marriages. One is featured on Oprah’s website this month for Father’s Day (www.oprah.com– type "Paula Saunders" in the Oprah website search engine).
  
  
• American Stationery donated over 1000 formal wedding invitations that were mailed to members and friends of the congregation, along with state officials, area dignitaries, celebrities, and political officials. The event planning committee also created a "dream guest list," forwarding invitations to Oprah and her best friend, Gayle, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, The Bush and Clinton families, Tyler Perry, the women of The View, and many others.
  
  
• Bishop Fowler designed a special series of messages during the month of June for the congregation and visitors of the church, sharing his advice and wisdom on the topics of dating, courtship, and marriage each Sunday during the morning service. Some of the subject areas were: what is dating, when should one date, red flags of dating, the do’s and don’ts of dating, how to select a mate, pros and cons of marriage, living with an unsaved spouse, and how to be a good spouse. He will conclude the series at the Centennial Marriage Renewal Service, where he will offer a formula for a successful marriage.
  
  
• The renewal service prelude will feature a DVD presentation of photographs from the wedding of more than 35 other couples in the congregation.
  

www.bigmillergrove.org