Nuptial Mass unites Andrus, Robinson

Layne Whitcomb Andrus and Ansley Collin Robinson exchanged wedding vows on Friday, Oct. 27, during an evening Nuptial Mass at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Lafayette.
Monsignor Keith J. DeRouen served as celebrant.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Whitcomb Andrus of Lafayette. Her mother is the former Michelle Jane Broadhurst of Lafayette. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nelson Robinson III of Lafayette. His mother is the former Donna Loy Randazzo of Saint Martinville.
The late Mr. William Charles Broadhurst and the late Mary Jane Gates Romero, Mr. Dwight Wilbur Andrus Jr. and the late Nedra Ferne Reed Andrus are the grandparents of the bride. The late Mr. and Mrs. Tony Joseph Randazzo and the late Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nelson Robinson Jr. are the grandparents of the groom.
In the vestibule of the cathedral, Eleanor Katherine Jones and Meryl Elizabeth Jones greeted guests with programs.
Ryan Edward Bossier, Dr. Connor Braden Despot, Montgomery Carter Gossen, Nicholas Patrick Knight, Christian Boyd Landry, Captain Ryan Lewis Lemoine, U.S. Army, Raymond Edward Martin III and Britton Paul Schoeffler, close friends of the groom, served as ushers.
Accompanied by her uncle, Stanley Osterland Gates, the bride’s mother was escorted to her respective pew with Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No.1.” Following the mother of the bride, the groom escorted his mother to her respective family pew.
The procession of the wedding party began with “Passacaglia” by Handel and “Romanza” by Mozart as bridesmaids Tyler Elizabeth Andrus Wied and Avery Elise Andrus, sisters of the bride, and Kelsey Amanda Collins, Katherine Francis Stanley, Brittney Griffin Knight, Britlyn Michelle Landry and Anna Sturlese Duhon, close friends of the bride, entered the cathedral.
They joined groomsmen Andrew Massey Clark, Jeffery Serge Etienne, Dr. Jared Walker Guilliot, Benjamin Charles Johnson, Kim Brian Lorio, William Howard McElligot Jr., and Dominick Jude Russo, close friends of the groom.
Albert Nelson Robinson IV and Alexander Bartlett Robinson, brothers of the groom, served as best men. Whitney Kathryn Andrus Ashy, sister of the bride, served as matron of honor and followed in procession.
Flower girls were Wynne Bradley Jones and Grace Kathryn Ashy. Ring bearer was Steven Mitchell Ashy III.
The bridal attendants wore floor length dresses in soft white, made of Italian silk crepe. They featured draped necklines and capped sleeves, edged with dainty floral lace details. The sheath style silhouettes ended in softly flared trains. They carried hand-tied bouquets of miniature calla lilies.
The gentlemen of the wedding party wore black peak-lapelled tailcoats with matching formal trousers and boutonnières of white mini calla lilies.
The flower girls wore pearl colored dresses with lace tops that had appliques to match the bride’s dress and full tulle skirts. They held garlands of bridal smilax accented with white stock florets.
The ring bearer wore a black peak-lapelled tailcoat with matching formal trousers and carried a petit point pillow hand worked by his maternal grandmother.
“Fireworks Overture” by Handel heralded the bride’s entrance on the arm of her father. The bride wore a pearl colored gown featuring an embroidered applique lace bodice with an illusion neckline and fluted five ply silk crepe skirt. The gown was accented with a transparent tulle and horsehair overskirt with embroidered lace detailing. She wore her Andrus great-grandmother’s aquamarine diamond ring as her “something blue,” and carried an heirloom handkerchief given to her by her mother-in-law for her “something old.” In her shoe was an antique six pence, a gift from her maternal grandmother. She carried a bouquet of Phalaenopsis orchids. Entwined in the flowers was a strand of pearls, a gift from her paternal grandmother. A European cathedral length veil completed her look.
Priscilla Viator Gagliano and Mary Escott Robinson, following the celebrant welcome and opening prayers, offered readings. During the Nuptial Mass, a Robinson family chalice was used.
Musicians for the service were Andrea Mouton, soprano; Tom Neil, organ; Wilfred Green and Scotty Walker, trumpets; and, from “The Vermilion Strings,” Lauren Baker and Iya Tsyrkot, violins, Emil Ivanov, viola, and Dragos Filip, cello.
The recessional “Hornpipe” by Handel followed the final nuptial blessing.
A reception immediately followed at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Student Union courtyard and porch.
The evening preceding the ceremony, a rehearsal dinner, hosted by the groom’s parents, was held at Mazen Grill.
Following a honeymoon in Grenada the bride and groom will be at home in Midland, Texas.