Claire Cathleen Lalande weds Dillon Shay Gatte

RAYNE - On the evening of Saturday, September 30, 2017, Claire Cathleen Lalande of Church Point and Dillon Shay Gatte of Rayne were united as husband and wife during a six-thirty evening Nuptial Mass celebrated at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. The double-ring ceremony was celebrated by Fr. Christopher Cambre, associate pastor.
The bride is the daughter of Paul and Celeste Lalande of Church Point. Her grandparents are Philip and Dolores Z. Habetz of Roberts Cove, Daniel Lalande of Crowley and the late Andreé M. Lalande.
Claire is a graduate of Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish in Crowley, attained a bachelor of science degree in nursing, and is presently employed as a pediatric registered nurse at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Lafayette.
The groom is the son of Karla and Eric Thomas of Rayne, and Damon and Joan Gatte of Lake Charles. His grandparents are Jody Wilkerson of Jennings, Clifford Beard of Crowley, Yvonne Trammel of Basile and Rudy Gatte of Iota.
Dillon is also a graduate of Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish and is presently emploued by Prevost Electric Company.
Providing musical selections for the ceremony were organist Kurt Boudreaux and trumpter Will Green.
Scriptures were read by Dinah Habetz, aunt of the bride, Jackie Valdetero, aunt of the bride, and Brooke Thomas, aunt of the groom.
Escorted by her father, the bride wore a sophisticated strapless fit and flare lace and tulled wedding gown designed by Martina Liana. The grown featured a fitted bodice, sweetheart neckline and cathedral-length train. The clear beading on the gown caught the light, beautifully making a bold and elegant statement. From a simple headpiece fell a cathedral-length veil of sheer illusion with a cutout edging design. She carried a clutch bouquet of white dove roses gathered with quicksand roses, white O’hara ad white ranunculus.
Traditional items were selected by the bride for her wedding day including a mother of pearl rosary belonging to her late paternal grandmother as somethin old. Something new were three-tierdrop diamond and gold earrings. The groom’s step-grandmother’s diamond bracelet served as something borrowed. Something blue was a diamond and sapphire engagement ring of her maternal grandmother.
Serving as maids of honor were Jaclyn Lalande, sister of the bride, and Simon Habetz, cousin of the bride.
Bridesmaids were Natalie Thomas, sister of the groom; Ellyn Lalande, bride’s sister-in-law, and Hannah Fremeaux and Hannah Simon, friends of the bride.
Bridal attendants each wore a halter-style gown of liquid metal chiffon deigned with a cowl neck by Nouvelle Amsale. The gown tied at the waist of a flowing skirt to provided an elegant movement to the draped design. Each carried a clutch bouquet of white hydrangea, amnesia roses, along with quicksand, Sahara and ivory roses.
Attending the groom as his best man was Caleb Simon, a friend.
Groosmen were Alex Lalande, brother of the bride; Jack Thomas and John Eric Thomas, brothers of the groom; and friends Stephen Hamic, Zac D’Aquin and Beau Petitjean.
Ushering guests were Jerry Menard and Eva Doucet, friends of the groom.
For her daughter’s wedding, the mother of the bride, Celeste Habetz Lalande wore a Tadashi Shoji gown designed with elegant embroidered lace and cap sleeves in a petal bloom color. She was presented a corsage of ivory majolica and Dusty Miller.
The groom’s mother, Karla Beard Thomas selected a Mignon crepe chiffon gown featuring rosette off-the-shoulder and front panel in a dusty rose tone. She was also presented a corsage of ivory majolica and Dusty Miller.
Immediately following the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds were honored during a reception held at The Crossing at Mervine Kahn in Rayne.
Against the traditional setting of the reception area were gold candelabras, rosegold vases and pilar candlescape featuring white hydrangea and a mixture of roses throughout.
Among the refreshments provided was the bride’s cake, an ivory five-tier confection of round double layers of buttercream designed with intricate lace accents and topped with Sahara, quicksand and white O’Hara roses.
The groom’s cake was a traditional chocolate confection created in the shape of a red snapper displayed on a wooden cutting board.
Prior to the wedding, a rehearsal dinner was held Thursday, Sept. 28, at The Bank at Mervine Kahn by the groom’s parents and step-parents. Guests enjoyed a bisque and salad paired with prime rib and filet mignon.
Following a wedding trip to Thailand, the couple will make their home in Church Point.