Ted Smith, left, and David Butler were honored with a swell gathering last weekend to celebrate their marriage.
David Butler and Ted Smith have been together as a couple for 20 years. This past Thanksgiving, they decided to get married in a small, quiet ceremony in Connecticut attended only by the couple who first introduced them.
This past Saturday, Caesar and Dorothy Stair and Ann and Steve Bailey hosted a party at the Stairs’ breathtaking home on Lyons View Pike to honor them and celebrate their legal union. It was neither small nor quiet!
David and Ted seem to be the quintessential evidence that opposites attract. David, the executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, is outgoing, gregarious, sardonic and hilarious. Ted, who works for IBM, is quiet and content not to attend every party in town (although he can be pretty sardonic, too!).
Alan and I are proud to count both of them as friends. Congrats, guys!
Can you believe the view from the Stairs’ back porch?
Hosts Steve and Ann Bailey with Maestro Brian Salesky, right, of Knoxville Opera.
Hosts Dorothy and Caesar Stair.
Gathering on the patio.
Enjoying the patio, from left, Sylvia Peters, Ellen Bebb and Mary Linda Schwarzbart.
Janet Testerman and Joey Creswell with Whitfield Bailey, right.
From left, Susan Knowles, Kim Trent, George Reynolds and Mary Thom Adams.
Lisa Carroll, left, with Mark and Cathy Hill.
Pamela and Dan Chips, left, with Gary and Julia Bentley.
Terry and Rachel Ford.
Cindy Hassil, left, and Ellen Bebb.
Jackie Wilson, left, and Liza Zenni.
Whitfield and Ann Bailey.
Kevin Wright, left, and Dan McGehee.
Brian Salesky, left, with Lesley and Bernie Rosenblatt.
Inside, was a lavish antipasto spread. Only, our friend and caterer Holly Hambright dubbed it “Auntie Pasto!” Ha. Folks were raving about those beets.
Passed hors d’oeuvres included what Holly called “the famous Bailey Shrimp with Parmesan and garlic.” Darn good.
And various crostini.
It was crowded inside the house, as well.
With more non-stop mingling. These folks are a bunch of extroverts!
I stopped by the dining room to say hello to Holly, who was setting up the “Boffo Buffet!” (Yep. That is pork stuffed with — what else? — pork!)
Holly’s popular herbed cocktail lamb chops. You just grab ’em by the “handle” and chomp on them!
Here’s the beautiful finished table.
Sheena McCall, left, and Townes Osborn.
Anne and Bill May of Arrowmont.
Wes Goddard, left, and Randall DeFord.
Tom and Melissa McAdams.
Ted Smith and his sister, Andrea Smith.
Eden McNabb Bishop and Chris Bishop.
Susan and Bob Hawthorne, left, with Milton and Mimi Turner.
Tom Riesing and Marcia Goldenstein.
Richard Jolley and Ann Bailey.
Lane Hays and Stuart Worden.
Natalie and Marshall Stair.
June and Rob Heller.
Barbara and Steve Apking.
David Butler, left, and Bedford Waters.
Jerry Kruse, owner of The Pour Guys, kept everyone in libations. How does he carry all those bottles?
Sweet Jayne Ely.
Alan Carmichael, left, with Tommie Rush and Richard Jolley.
Jim McDonough with Anne May.
Time for passed desserts. These are mini Italian cream cupcakes from Magpies.
Buttermilk panna cotta with citrus and fresh berries.
Dorothy Stair and John Thomas.
Wes Goddard and Andy Saftel.
It was a sweet night celebrating two great guys.
A beautiful way to wish David and Ted well. Great food and company. Thanks to the hosts!
What a wonderful celebration of love. Big thanks to Dorothy, Caesar, Ann and Steve for their hospitality. So happy to have been a part of lovely party for Ted and David. ❤️
Makes you smile, doesn’t it? Congratulations, Ted and David.
Thanks to all… especially our hosts, Dorothy/Caesar and Ann/Steve… for a beautiful party on a wonderful evening! David and I have been warmly embraced by Knoxville for over 10 years, and we are blessed to have so many good and gracious friends in our lives.
Ted, we are lucky to have you and David in OUR lives! (Caesar, Dorothy, Ann and Steve, too.)
And, Mickey: It definitely made me smile!
What a great celebration for my wonderful friend of 35 years, David, and his obviously marvelous husband Ted. Cent’anni!
Congratulations David and Ted!
Congratulations David! You were one of my first crushes!!! So happy for you and Ted!
Best wishes and love to you both!
It was a lovely party. So much fun to celebrate David and Ted with fun friends, delicious food, and the best view in town.
Thanks Cynthia–so glad you and Alan could be there! Wonderful evening. We are blessed to have such generous and supportive friends. Too bad you missed the live auction–we had some great items (ha!).
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