Soechting & Canham wed at Christ The King Lutheran Church

MR. AND MRS. NICHOLAS CANHAM ERIKA SOECHTING

Erika Soechting and Nicholas Canham were united in marriage at 4 p.m., Sept. 22, 2007 at Christ The King Lutheran Church in Houston. The Rev. Dr. Robert Moore, presiding minister, performed the double ring ceremony. Other clergymen were the Rev. Kathy Haueisen, preacher; and the Rev. Karin Liebster, assisting minister.

The bride is the daughter of Paul and Mary Soechting of El Campo. Parents of the groom are Alan and Brenda Canham of Felixtowe, England.

Music was performed by the organist, Sebastian Knebel; and the trumpeters, Niklas Eklund of Sweden and Nathaniel Mayfield of Austin. Selections were "Passacaglia in D Minor" by Dietrich Buxtehude for the prelude; "Jerusalem" by Charles H.H. Perry for the seating of the parents; "Sonatina No. 69" by Johann Christoph Pezel; "Allegro from Sonata in D Major" by Petronio Franceschini for the recessional; and Praeludium et Fuga in E Minor BWV 533" by Johann Sebastian Bach for the postlude.

The bride, escorted by her father, wore a beaded silk organza halter gown with an oatmeal satin ribbon at the waist and completed with a chapel-length train. The dress was designed by Watters. She chose an ivory waist-length veil and carried a bouquet of burgundy and cream cymbidiums, Vandella roses, burgundy spray roses and safari sunsets wrapped in an ivory satin ribbon.

Bridal attendants were the maid of honor, Dr. Anne Hutson of Houston, and bridesmaids, Rhonda Rhodes and Julie Inza, both of Houston, all friends of the bride. They wore a floorlength burgundy chiffon dress with a draped neckline by Watters. They carried bouquets of golden cymbidiums and burgundy spray roses with safari sunset accents wrapped in burgundy satin ribbons.

Best man was Dr. Richard Canham of York, England, brother of the groom.

Ushers were P.J. Gustafson, John Walker, Kurt Inza and Sam Gainkus, all of Houston. Bell ringers were Mike Thacker, Nathan Wiker, P.J. Gustafson and Dr. Tim Redl. Crucifier was Nathaniel Wintson. Acolytes were Ashley Soechting and Philipp Wintson. Readers were Staci Gehlbach and Brenda Canham. Servers were Nathaniel Winston, David Hollrah and the Rev. Brad Fuerst.

A reception was held at The Magnolia Hotel in downtown Houston immediately following the ceremony.

Rehearsal dinner was held at The Petroleum Club in Houston on Sept. 21.

The bride is a 1996 graduate of El Campo High School; and a 2000 graduate of Texas A&M University where she received a bachelor of arts degree in international studies and English. She serves as vice president of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She is a marketing manager for Decision Strategies, a business consulting firm in Houston.

The groom is a 1987 graduate of Suffolk University in Ipswitch, U.K. where he received a higher national diploma in mechanical engineering. In 1996 he graduated from The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia with an associate diploma in marketing. He is a national sales manager for John Crane Inc., a supplier of mechanical seals and power transmission couplings in Houston.

The couple spent their honeymoon in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. They reside in Houston.