Mr. and Mrs. Conn Kenneth McCalip of Natchez announce the engagement of their daughter, Catherine Pate McCalip to Benjamin Allan “Ben” Byrd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Allan Byrd of Natchez.

The bride-to-be is a graduate of Vidalia High School and Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson where she was a Collette. She is currently employed as a nanny and plans to return to college next fall to pursue a career in early childhood education.

She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rushing of Meadville and Mrs. Gwen S. McCalip and the late F. Kenneth McCalip of Natchez. She is the great-granddaughter of Mrs. Lily Yelverton of Natchez.

The groom-to-be is a graduate of Adams County Christian School in Natchez and is employed by Maersk Drilling/Denmark headquartered in Houston. He is the grandson of Mrs. Gayle Hammett Byrd and the late Dexter Byrd of Meadville and Mrs. Nancy Newman Day and the late Adrian Day of Natchez.

The wedding will be Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at Stanton Hall. A reception will follow at the Carriage House.

Formal invitations will be sent.