Julie Franks, Robert Conkey

Robert and Julie Conkey

Julie Anna Franks of Sylvan Lake and Robert Jeffrey Conkey of Sylvan Lake were married Saturday, August 13, 2005 at Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church on Mackinac Island. Father Rey Garcia and Deacon Don Sobolewski performed the ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cass Franks of Shelby Township. She was graduated from Utica Eisenhower High School in 1988 and from Central Michigan University in 1992 and is employed at Compuware Corporation in Detroit.

The groom is the son of Sharlot Hruska of Chandler, Arizona, and Robert Conkey of Clinton Township. He was graduated from Warren Tower High School in 1983 and from Central Michigan University in 1989 and is employed at Beaulieu of America Corporation.

The bride was escorted to the altar by her mother and father. She wore an ivory gown of satin, embroidered with rose colored flowers, a veil of ivory tulle, and a small tiara. She carried a bouquet of ivory Calla Lilies and pink Nerine Lilies.

Kelly Simms of Macomb Township served as matron of honor for her cousin. She wore a pistachio green satin and chiffon gown and carried an arrangement of pink Nerine Lilies.

Bridesmaids were cousins of the bride Erin Deitsch of Omaha, Nebraska, and Kathy Horn of Magnolia, Texas, sisters-in-law of the bride Karen Franks of Macomb Township and Ann Franks of Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, and friend of the bride Allison Crockford of Sylvan Lake. All wore dresses identical to that of the matron of honor. The flower girl was Morgan Franks, a niece of the bride, and she wore a long ivory gown adorned with pink flowers and ribbons and a headpiece of pink and ivory flowers and carried a basket of pink Guernsey lilies.

The groom’s brother, Brad Conkey, served as best man. Groomsmen were brothers of the bride Ross Franks of Port Matilda and Glenn Franks of Macomb Township and friends of the groom Charles Kleinsmith III of Bloomfield Hills, and Joe Rivero and Brian Champa, both of Sylvan Lake. The ring bearer was Liam Conkey, nephew of the groom.

Immediately following the ceremony, the bridal party was transported by horse-drawn carriage for wedding pictures and a tour of the island.

The couple will spend three weeks honeymooning in Bermuda, Hawaii, and Palau, Micronesia.

Wedding guests, including special friends Rita Sue and Elliot Cohen of Mackinac Island, later joined the bride and groom for a reception at Mission Point Resort.

The 170 guests were from several Michigan cities, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, California, Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, and Colorado.