John Marvin Murdaugh, the youngest son of the prominent Murdaugh family of South Carolina, tied the knot with Elizabeth Anne Arnett, a landscape designer from Spartanburg, in a lavish ceremony on March 29, 2008. The wedding was held at the First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg, where the bride and groom exchanged vows in front of their family and friends. The reception followed at the Piedmont Club, where the guests enjoyed a night of dancing, dining, and entertainment.
The Bride and Groom
Elizabeth Arnett, born in December 1975, is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Marion Lee Arnett, Jr. of Spartanburg. She graduated from the University of the South with a B.A. in Spanish and History, and the University of Georgia with a Master of Landscape Architecture. She worked as a landscape designer at Davis Landscape of Hilton Head before becoming a full-time mother.
John Murdaugh, born on October 26, 1970, is the son of Honorable and Mrs. Randolph Murdaugh III of Varnville. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He is the owner of Murdaugh Rentals, Inc. of the Low Country and Murdaugh Kubota, Inc. of Hampton.
The couple met through mutual friends, but the details of their courtship remain unknown. They announced their engagement in 2007 and planned their wedding for the following year.
The Wedding Party
The bride was attended by her matrons of honor, Reagin Clark Curlee and Marci Perrin Howle, both of Greenville. Her bridesmaids were Lynn Murdaugh Goettee, sister of the groom, of Summerville; Paige Davis Holcombe of Beaufort; Susan Carrison Isaacs and Amelia Anderson Killebrew, both of Nashville; Mahaley White Jennings, Mary Kirk Johnston Morton, and Eugenia Turrentine Waldrop, all of Greenville; Sarah Karpick Joel of Alpharetta; Allison Batton Moreman of Lexington; and Rachel Clark Robinson of Charlottesville. Her honorary bridesmaids were Lynsey Carmichael Bullington of Spartanburg; Natalie Spigner McConnell of Anderson; and Louisa Weathers Sabalis of Columbia. The junior bridesmaid was Reeves Alexander Goettee, niece of the groom, of Summerville. The flower girls were Perrin Mackinley Howle of Greenville, Mary Elizabeth Murdaugh and Caroline Willis Murdaugh, both nieces of the groom, of Hampton. The ring bearer was Graham Riddle Howle, Jr. of Greenville.
The groom was joined by his best man, his father, Randolph Murdaugh III. His groomsmen were his brothers, Randolph Murdaugh IV and Richard Alexander Murdaugh, Sr., of Hampton; Homer Allen Goettee, Jr. of Summerville; Paul Williams Curlee, Jr., cousin of the bride, and Christopher David Williams of Greenville; James Philip Helton, Jr. of Augusta; Russell Lucius Laffitte of Hampton; Keith Randall Malphrus, Jr. of Ridgeland; Neal Boykin McCarty, William Martin Miley, Jr. and Scott Tillman Rhodes, all of Beaufort; Billy Ray Shuman, Jr. of Charleston; Michael Paul Thomas of Yemassee; and Goode Bryan Walton, IV of Mt. Pleasant.
The wedding was directed by Mrs. Samuel Baylis Shackelford II, and the music was provided by Alice Tillotson Ratterree, Marcia Craft Andrews, Peter Alen Moore, Daniel Lee Kirsop, and Marsha Perrin Hood.
The Ceremony and Reception
The wedding ceremony was officiated by Dr. David Alistair Renwick of Spartanburg and Reverend John Wesley Culp of Columbia. The bride wore a strapless ivory gown with a sweetheart neckline and a chapel train. She carried a bouquet of white roses, hydrangeas, and orchids. The groom wore a black tuxedo with a white vest and tie.
The reception was held at the Piedmont Club, a private social club in downtown Spartanburg. The venue was decorated with white linens, silver candelabras, and floral arrangements in shades of pink, purple, and green. The guests were treated to a buffet of Southern cuisine, including shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese. The wedding cake was a four-tiered white cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting, topped with fresh flowers. The groom’s cake was a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, shaped like a tractor.
The couple shared their first dance to “At Last” by Etta James, followed by dances with their parents. The bride danced with her father to “My Girl” by The Temptations, and the groom danced with his mother to “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. The guests joined them on the dance floor to the tunes of The Mighty Kicks, a live band from Columbia.
The couple left the reception in a vintage Rolls Royce, amid cheers and sparklers from their guests. They honeymooned in Costa Rica, where they enjoyed the natural beauty and adventure of the Central American country. They now reside in Okatie, South Carolina, with their three children: Mary Marvin, Liza Grace, and Randolph V.
The Murdaugh Legacy
The Murdaugh family is one of the most influential and respected families in South Carolina, especially in the Low Country region. They have a long and distinguished history of serving in the legal profession, dating back to 1920, when Randolph Murdaugh Sr. became the first of four generations of Murdaughs to hold the position of Solicitor of the 14th Circuit, which covers Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties. The Murdaughs have also been involved in various civic and charitable causes, such as the Hampton County Historical Society, the Hampton County Watermelon Festival, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Low Country.
The Murdaugh family has also faced several tragedies and controversies in recent years, such as the deaths of John’s brother, Alex, and his wife, Maggie, who were shot and killed at their hunting lodge in June 2021; the death of John’s nephew, Paul, who was involved in a fatal boating accident in February 2019; and the investigation into the misappropriation of funds from the law firm where Alex worked, which led to his resignation and attempted suicide in September 2021.
Despite these challenges, the Murdaugh family remains united and supportive of each other, as evidenced by their attendance and participation in John and Elizabeth’s wedding. The wedding was a celebration of not only the love between the bride and groom, but also the legacy and resilience of the Murdaugh family.