Sealed with a kiss!

Sealed with a kiss!
Laura & Chris' Wedding at JCRaulston Arboretum

Friday, May 31, 2013

Creative Decor for All Saint's Chapel!

I was in All Saint's Chapel for a rehearsal today. Priscilla Erwin with Orangerie Events was there with her staff decorating for the wedding this evening. The mother of the bride had the vision of wrapping the columns in  tulle netting with strings of white lights inside. Priscilla made her vision come to life. I took some photos to show you.
 The tulle really softens the dark wood and sharp angles of the posts.
Photo of a wedding without the decor on the columns. 
A close up view.
They also had these cute little birdcages with votive candles in them lining both sides of the aisle. A really smart idea that protects the flames from catching someone's clothing on fire! 

Put a Little "WEDDING MAGIC" into your Wedding Reception!











Why not have some different entertainment at your wedding reception for those guests who would appreciate your thinking outside the box and hire Josh Lozoff, the fantastic wedding magician who strolls among your guests doing some incredible magic or could stage a magic show at some point in the evening? My husband and I love to go to the parties where he mingles through the crowd and has us in awe with his amazing magic stunts. He is always entertaining and personable.

See the many testimonials of brides and grooms who hired him for their reception on his website. Here is one I copied off his site:

“Joshua Lozoff ‘magically’ mingled informally among the guests during our client’s wedding reception! Guests loved his on-on-one magic tricks and the word quickly spread through the reception that a magician was amongst the crowd! As an event planner, I appreciated his willingness to take on several special roles in leading the crowd from one room to another at the venue! He was eager to learn his work schedule in advance, he dressed appropriately for a black tie wedding reception, and tirelessly worked the crowd. Josh was a big success and our clients were thrilled with the magic he brought to their wedding reception!"


Josh lives locally and told me he would like to do more wedding magic! You can contact him from his website or Facebook site.



Sunday, May 26, 2013

Giselle and Thomas Marry at the Museum of Life and Science!

Giselle and Thomas are a great couple and truly a great match! I loved working with them to design their very personalized ceremony and their love for each other is so evident and endearing. We first met last October when they came to see me about officiating their wedding. They chose the Museum of Life and Science in Durham because they are "scientifically minded" and wanted a non-religious ceremony. So, that is what we co-created with the synopsis of their love story and what they love and adore about each other. They also wanted to include their parents in the sand ceremony, beginning the foundation of their marriage with sand that symbolically represents their heritages.

Their wedding day was May 11, 2013 and the weather forecast was foreboding of stormy weather all week for Saturday. So the tent was put in place and if the weather was too bad, the interior of the museum would be our alternate site. But, surprisingly, the storms held off and we were able to have a lovely ceremony outside under the tent.
Above is the view of the overcast cloudy sky from the entrance of the Butterfly House. At least it was not actively raining for which we were quite grateful!
When Marty and I arrived, Aaron Dye (audio guy) and Kelly Taylor (events manager) were busy getting all set up under the tent. It was good to meet Aaron for the first timeand he let me plug my microphone into his system and we did a sound check. Kelly is always fun to work with and we have done many weddings together. She is really on the ball!
These two musicians provided prelude music. I believe the flutist, Pedro Segarra, is related to Giselle. 
Emily Chimiak provided violin music for the processional and recessional. The first people who processed in were the grandparents of the bride and the groom. 
Their processional had a little twist in it. The groom was presented by his parents after the groomsmen and groomswomen entered with me. Kelly is watching so she can tell us when to start walking.
Thomas and his parents, Norton and Linda, were next in, followed by the bridesmaids.
Our Maid of Honor, Erin, enters with Sara Joy.......
.....and our ring bearer, Carter. These children were extremely well-behaved!!
Pablo and Vivian are honored to present Giselle who looked so beautiful!
Their parents poured the first two layers. Giselle's family sand came from Culebra in Puerto Rico and Thomas' family sand was from New River, NC.
Joshua presented a reading of "I Remember" by Anne Sexton.
Juan, Giselle's uncle, presented in Spanish the words of Sonnet 17 by well-known Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. 
Then it was time to tell the couple's love story of how they met, fell in love and decided to marry. I believe at this point I said "At first, what intrigued Thomas the most about Giselle was that she was a scientist and a total babe!" 
After the vows, the rings, the closing blessing came the pronouncement of marriage, that moment when they legally became husband and wife.
Thomas laid that kiss right on Giselle! 
Wow, what a kiss, Thomas! 
Giselle and Thomas, I loved working with you and getting you married! So happy the weather worked out and was not storming. Please keep in touch and enjoy that wedded bliss forever!
***********************************************
To contact me:
919-345-4608
Or leave a comment below!

************************************************


Wedding in my Wedding Garden for Rose and Mario!

Rose called me on Monday April 29th to find out if I could perform hers and Mario's wedding the following Saturday of May 4, 2013. It was to be a small wedding with their daughter, Montana, Rose's sister,  a best man and his wife, and the bride and groom. I was happy that I was available to do their wedding in my garden at 3:00 that day and so it was set. They already had the marriage license.  
The day was a pretty one and when they arrived we got started. 
  First to enter was their sweet daughter, Montana, in her pretty dress!
 Then our bride! 
Mario met her halfway down the aisle and escorted her the rest of the way to the arbor where I was waiting.
Their best man got the time confused and was too far away to get there before start time, even if we delayed 15 minutes so we went ahead without him. Rose's sister, Helen, and my husband, Dave, served as the witnesses signing the marriage license.
I think Montana is pretty happy to see her parents get married and she loved being their flower girl!
The happy now official new family! Rose called me the day after their wedding to tell me some unfortunate news. While they were inside a restaurant celebrating after the ceremony, their car was broken into and their camera with all the photos Helen took on it was stolen. Thankfully I had these pictures which I was so happy to send her. 

Rose, Mario and Montana, congratulations! I wish you all the best ever!

***********************************************
To contact me:
919-345-4608
Or leave a comment below!

************************************************





Wanda and Mack Get Married at The Umstead!

The prestigious 5 Star Umstead Hotel and Spa has created a "destination wedding package" for couples wishing to get away to a beautiful luxurious setting and get married--even if they live locally. Wanda and Mack decided that was the perfect set up for them. The Umstead contracted with me to officiate for them then I was in contact with the bride to put the finishing touches on a personalized ceremony just for them. On the wedding day, Monday April 29 2013, I arrived with my husband Dave in tow to take photos for me. 
The wedding was scheduled to take place in the lovely garden courtyard but the day was overcast and rainy but no worry, The Umstead has many beautiful covered areas such as the one above.
Our musician was Scott, a guitarist from Arioso Strings
Meeting the bride and groom and their "kids" for the first time. Mack has one son and Wanda four. They were all grown up handsome young men.
Wanda being escorted in by two of her handsome boys!
And so we begin!
Kelley Ann Ward, the Catering Manager at The Umstead met them with a tray of champagne filled glasses to celebrate!
Wanda and Mack! Great way to get married, sweet, simple, elegant with minimum fuss and fanfare! Congratulations!

***********************************************
To contact me:
919-345-4608
Or leave a comment below!

************************************************