Odle-Baker

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A little over a year after their fairy tale engagement on a gondola ride through Venice, Italy, Dr. Tara Lynn Odle and Dr. Eric Eugene Baker exchanged wedding vows in a 5 p.m. ceremony June 7, 2003, on the 33rd wedding anniversary of the bridegroom's parents. The ceremony took place at the Duncan Memorial Chapel near Louisville. The Rev. Wayne Purcell of Chalk Level Baptist Church in Camden, Tenn. performed the double-ring ceremony. The chapel featured gothic architecture with slate floors, wooden beams in a vaulted ceiling, and beautiful stained glass windows.

Dr. Odle is the daughter of Ivey Elrod of Buena Vista, Tenn., and Charles Odle of Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Baker is the son of Allen and Gayle Baker of Sikeston, Mo.

The bridegroom personally designed the bride's wedding ring with a center princess cut diamond flanked on each side with a band of brilliant cut diamonds tapering in size. He received a classic platinum band.

Designed by Mori Lee, the bride's dress featured a wide scooped neckline with a bodice completely overlaid with embroidered and beaded English net, and featured three-quarter length sleeves. The sloped waistline met a simple satin A-line skirt. The center panel of the back skirt had an insert of embroidered net that flowed onto a chapel length train.

Music for the ceremony was provided by Quartet Louisville. Keri Price of McKinney, Texas, served as maid of honor and Holly Key of Nashville Tennessee was the matron of honor. Caitlin Ginther of Sikeston was the flower girl. Designed by David of Magnolias Designs, the bridal party bouquets featured fresh yellow lilies, white and green hydrangeas, yellow tulips, lavender peonies, coral and red roses. Matt Ginther of Sikeston served as best man and Scott Baker, brother of the bridegroom, was groomsman. Thomas Key of Nashville was the ring bearer.

Ushers were Brian Underhill of St. Louis, Mo., and Mark Odle of Nashville.

Kristin Baltz of Louisville was wedding coordinator.

The wedding reception was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Camberley Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. Created by Mary Camel-Wetherby of Sugarwoods Bakery the bridegroom's chocolate raspberry cake featured chocolate ganache. The simple but elegant white wedding cake was made with buttercream frosting and decorated with creamy fondant ribbons. The third cake was a pineapple walnut carrot cake with traditional cream cheese frosting topped with shaved white chocolate.

Quartet Louisville provided dinner music followed by music by Sound Decisions, a division of Triangle Talent, Inc. for dancing.

Events preceding the wedding included an engagement party in December hosted by Charles and Sharon Odle at their home in Nashville. Linda Spence, Wanda Throop and Jane Bess hosted a wedding shower in April at the home of the bridegroom's parents in Sikeston.

Hosted by the bridegroom's parents, the rehearsal dinner was held at the Azalea Restaurant in Louisville.

The couple honeymooned in Cozumel, Mexico, where they earned their open water scuba diving certifications on the world-renowned Palancar Reef.

A graduate of Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy, she received her Bachelor of Science from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., and her Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University in El Paso.

The bridegroom graduated from Sikeston Senior High School and received his Bachelor of Arts and Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Both the bride and bridegroom did their residencies in emergency medicine at the University of Louisville. Dr. Odle received her Emergency Medicine Board Certification in May 2003 and Dr. Baker will be sitting for his Emergency Medicine Boards in November 2003. They are emergency medicine physicians for Kentuckiana Emergency Physicians in Louisville.

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