The Southern Debutante Assembly held its 2016 Presentation and White and Gold Ball on the evening of Dec. 30 at the Greenwood Country Club in Greenwood. Thirty-four debutantes were presented to society at the event.

Flickering candles in hurricane lamps lined the drive to the clubhouse entrance. Twinkle lights entwined matching topiary flanking the double-door entry and the pine garland framing the entry. Matching sprays of white dendrobium orchids, Vendela cream roses, Fuji mums, antique hydrangeas, gypsophila and seasonal greenery were displayed on the doors.

Members of the assembly’s Governing Board greeted the honorees’ guests entering the foyer. Several hundred attended from around Mississippi and other states.

On opposite sides of the foyer, consoles held matching arrangements of Vendela cream roses, blush hydrangeas, dendrobium orchids, gypsophila and palm fronds on the lamp bases, each paired with a reindeer statuette encrusted in tiny glittering slivers of mirrored crystals.

Between the two sets of double doors leading from the foyer to the ballroom was a tall Douglas fir Christmas tree decorated with small clusters of white daisy mums, white Fuji mums and white twinkle lights.  

Along the walls of the ballroom, lighted sconces displayed compact arrangements of white Fuji mums, gypsophila, areca palm fronds and Christmas greenery bound with wide metallic gold net ribbon.

The honorees were presented before a massive arrangement of white gladioli, Vendela cream roses, white dendrobium orchids, white stargazer lilies, white Fuji mums, antique hydrangeas, gypsophila, pussy willow, curly pine and areca palm fronds displayed in a gold-gilt ceramic garden urn atop a fluted gilt pedestal. The arrangement was backlit by twinkle lights entwined on a white garden trellis.

At the opposite end of the ballroom, the debutantes took their places on a dais accented by four tall white columns, each topped with an arrangement of Vendela cream roses, white stargazer lilies and areca palm fronds.

Centered against this backdrop was a large arrangement of white gladioli, Vendela cream roses, white dendrobium orchids, white stargazer lilies, white Fuji mums, antique hydrangeas, gypsophila, pussy willow, curly pine and areca palm fronds displayed in a gold-gilt ceramic urn atop a fluted gilt pedestal. Two complementary arrangements flanked the dais.

The officers of the Cavaliers were introduced to the assembled guests. Serving this year were Mr. Chandler Clayton Cooper of Atlanta, son of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Clayton Cooper Jr.; Mr. Thomas Hazard Glenn of Columbus, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Glenn; Mr. John Sharp Howie III of Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Sharp Howie Jr.; and Mr. William Riley Warren of Madison,, son of Jennifer Adams Warren and Mr. Hugh Wood Warren.

Mr. Hugh Anslum Warren III of Greenwood introduced the master of ceremonies for the presentation, Mr. Thomas George Gresham of Indianola.

Wearing white formal ball gowns, the debutantes carried bouquets of snow-white roses and Christmas greenery hand-tied with white silk ribbon.

The pages wore long gowns of holly berry red silk chiffon and carried nosegays of magnolias and variegated holly hand-tied with shimmering gold ribbon.

Throughout the presentation and introduction of the honorees, The Sessions of Jackson played traditional favorites. The band later played for dancing during the appointed hours.

Following the presentation, the honorees and their guests enjoyed dancing and visiting at tables positioned around the ballroom floor at the White and Gold Ball.

Each table was centered with an arrangement of white Fuji mums, white stargazer lilies, heather and Christmas greenery surrounded by flickering votive candles on a mirrored base.

In the Garden Room, opening from the ballroom, buffet tables skirted in white linen and overlaid with gold embroidered silk organza offered an extensive array of heavy hors d’oeuvres. The focal point of the center table was a towering arrangement of white gladioli, Vendela cream roses, white dendrobium orchids, white stargazer lilies, white Fuji mums, antique hydrangeas, gypsophila, pussy willow, curly pine and areca palm fronds in an oversized ceramic garden urn. Smaller complementary arrangements in matching silver vases were displayed on three-tiered silver epergnes on the two end tables.

In a separate area of the clubhouse, Johnny Jennings of Greenwood played current favorite tunes as the pages and page escorts enjoyed refreshments, dancing and visiting. Tables skirted in holiday linens were positioned around the dance floor and centered with arrangements of Christmas greenery.

Debutantes presented

The debutantes presented to society included: Anne Tyler Ward, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Granberry Holland Ward III of Meridian. Miss Ward. Presented by her father, Miss Ward was escorted by her uncle, Mr. Joseph Brock Ward of Meridian.

Pages to the debutantes: Mary Griffin Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Blanks Jackson of Meridian; and Lucy Elizabeth Payne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jason Payne of Meridian

Escorts to the pages: William Bruce Parker II, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Bruce Parker of Meridian

Events honor debutantes, others in Golden Season

In association with the Southern Debutante Assembly’s Presentation and White and Gold Ball, held in December in Greenwood, several events honored the debutantes, pages, page escorts and others.

Luncheon at Delta Bistropub

On the day of the Presentation and Ball, the debutantes gathered at Delta Bistropub in downtown Greenwood for a luncheon honoring five of the young ladies.

In the private dining room upstairs, the guest tables were centered with casual arrangements of a seasonal mix in silver julep cups.

Honorees included Rebecca Aubrey Falls of Minter City, Morgan Spivey Hart of Memphis, Julia Virginia Knight of Greenwood, Mary Langley Montegut of Memphis and Anne Tyler Ward of Meridian.

Honoring their daughters were Mrs. Aubrey Falls, Mrs. George Ernest Hart III, Mrs. William King Knight, Mrs. Jared Michael Montegut and Mrs. Granberry Holland Ward III.

Bowling Party

On Dec. 29, the day of the Presentation and Ball, Leflore Lanes was the setting for a lunchtime bowling party for the pages and page escorts.

The bowling theme was carried out in tablecloths, paper plates, napkins, balloons and other accents. Each guest was presented with a bowling pin to be autographed by all those attending and kept as a memento of the event.

Pages honored with the event included Mary Hassel Griffin, Collier Carlysle Hardy, Emma Bailey Hardy and Hanna Cathryn Hardy, all of Columbus; Mary Griffin Jackson of Meridian; Lindsey Marie Milligan of Marietta, Georgia; Mary Boyd Parker of Madison; Susannah Elizabeth Rogers of Laurel; and Olga Wright Spivey of New Orleans.

Page escort honorees included David Hazard Beard III of Madison; Michael Monte Causey of Jackson; Nicholas Edward Hairston IV and Sam Christopher Hannon, both of Columbus; William Bruce Parker II of Meridian; and William Lee Sanders IV of Columbus.

Parent hosts for the event were Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Moak Griffin, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Collier Hardy, Mrs. Allen Boyd Hardy, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Blanks Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Anthony Milligan, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Alan Parker, Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Graham Rogers IV, Mr. and Mrs. John Miller Spivey, Mr. and Mrs. David Hazard Beard Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kendall Causey Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Edward Hairston III, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Christopher Hannon, Mr. and Mrs. William Bruce Parker and Mr. and Mrs. William Lee Sanders III.