Weddings at Long View Center in downtown Raleigh are always elegant affairs and I love doing weddings there. Long View Center is located in a wonderful renovated historical church building originally built in 1870. Tara and Andy knew it was the perfect place for their July 12th wedding with the reception following next door at Marbles Kids Museum. Corda Entertaiment, a trio of musicians, provided beautiful music for the prelude, processional and recessional. Roger Winstead of Winstead Photography covered the festivities and the couple's friend Fiona did a great job directing the wedding. Their 5 bridesmaids and maid of honor, 5 groomsmen and best man (Andy's father, Steve), one flower girl, and 3 ring bearers all wore black and the bride's attendants carried brilliantly colored bouquets. 
Three sets of grandparents began the processional. As the mothers of the bride and groom were escorted in, they lit the candles for the bride and groom. The groom, groomsmen, and I then entered and took our places. The bridesmaids came in followed by the the maid of honor and the flower girl. The little ring bearers made their way down the aisle but the youngest had an episode of stage fright and froze in place and was literally lifted out of the aisle by his father! Children in weddings are always such a delight; you never know what they are going to do! Then everyone stood in honor of the bride as she came in on her father's arm. He answered my question to him: "Who blesses and supports Tara as she comes to join in marriage to Andy?" and transferred Tara's hand into Andy's then we moved up to the top of the altar. 
The ceremony began with a warm welcome to the guests and an opening prayer. We remembered those who could not be with us and then a tribute to their parents on behalf of Tara and Andy. Tara's Grandmother Dot read "The Art of Marriage" to us which was followed by the wedding address--words on life, love, and marriage thoughtfully chosen by the couple. They exchanged vows and rings then lit the Unity Candle. I made the pronouncement and they shared their first kiss as husband and wife! Then Andy's sister, one of the bridesmaids, gave a closing blessing then I introduced the newlywed couple to their guests and out they went as the old church bell was rung by the grandparents in their honor. After the guests left for the reception, we reassembled for photos. It was a great wedding! Congratulations, Tara and Andy, and enjoy a relaxing honeymoon!
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