Wonderful Wedding for Erin and Tom at Highgrove!

Erin and Tom met in high school and noticed each other at a graduation party but it was not until they met 4 years later in 2006 did they seriously consider each other. Erin sort of knew then that if she dated Tom, he would be the one she would marry. Tom was intoxicated with Erin from the beginning and felt a great connection! They began seeing each other and it was not long before they confessed their feelings and committed to their relationship. They planned a fabulous wedding at Highgrove on September 4, 2010, and came to see me last March to plan their wedding ceremony. They were most excited that they could make their ceremony theirs and that I would help them write the story of how they met and fell in love. Together we created a ceremony that they loved and we knew their families and friends would enjoy on their wedding day. 

And so the big day arrived. Marty took this photo of the beautiful reception area inside the big tent. The owner of Highgrove plans to make this area a permanent building over the winter months when there are not so many weddings. The basic construction will be brick walls going about 1/4 way up and the rest windows and a draped ceiling just like in the tent. It is so pretty and spacious.

The color scheme for this wedding was one of my very favorites: black and hot pink. Like red and black, hot pink and black make such beautiful weddings. The pink was carried out in beautiful pink roses everywhere. The florist was, of course, Fresh Affairs, who creates the most fabulous florals for weddings.

Providing the wonderful music for the ceremony was a string trio put together by Marta Partridge. They were great!

This beautiful cake with the couple's initials was made by Ambrosia Cake Creations in Fuquay Varina.

Randy Pulley was our DJ for the reception. He was called in by Joe Bunn DJ Company when the scheduled DJ was unable to be there for the wedding due to a death in the family. I had not met Randy before but we had a nice little chat and he admired by Countryman theater microphone I wear for weddings.

So, when it was time to begin, Angela, our wedding coordinator with Highgrove, got us all lined up and cued the musicians for the processional music. Tom and I were the first to enter.

This is the mother of the bride, Kathy, being escorted in by her son-in-law, Chris. What a pretty dress!

Then it was time for the music to change for the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Angela has just cued the musicians. Note the guy in the background as he takes care of his baby so his wife could watch the ceremony! I watched him before the ceremony started and he was very much a Mr. Mom! So sweet and I really love seeing the fathers taking care of the babies as much as the mothers!

Now that the attendants are all in place, it is time for the bride and her beaming father, Tim, to take that walk down the aisle! Erin is such a stunningly beautiful young woman. Tom is equally handsome and I know their children will be extraordinarily attractive people. In the background is their photographer, Eric Honeycutt of VegaBlue Photography.

And so we begin the ceremony. They had quite a large wedding party. Erin's two younger brothers were "bridesmen" and the younger one I think felt a little embarrassed about it all! They were such great young men and good sports. Erin's sister, Stefanie, was her matron of honor.

In the following photos you will see how the sun as it was setting behind the house, began to act like a spotlight on my face until it finally ducked down too low to be seen.

Erin's Aunt Meg presented a reading of a favorite poem by ee cummings often used in wedding ceremonies. "i carry your heart with me, i carry it in my heart"

Then Tom's grandmother, Joan, presented words from Romans chapter 12.

The sun has found my face so it is hard for me to look up at Tom without squinting! Funny how that sunbeam was so concentrated on one spot.

A better view of all the attendants. They filled up the portico wings.

Tom's brother, Matthew, was his best man and was carrying the rings. Note the beautiful pink roses on the pedestals and in the bouquets.

No, I am not mad, just squinting! I felt like someone had a spotlight trained right on my face! God?

Ah, and all of a sudden the spotlight was off! What a relief! Tom is saying his vows and putting the ring on Erin's finger.

Erin is so happy to say these wonderful vows to Tom.

"With this ring
I give you my heart.
I have no greater gift to give to you.
I promise I will honor you
With all that I am
And all that I will become
For my whole life.
I thee wed."  

You know the drill.......the big moment.........the pronouncement of marriage and then............

The kiss is about to happen!

And now, they are married!

While the guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and cocktails on the patio, Eric got the wedding party assembled for photos. Marty took these over his shoulder! What a large and handsome wedding party!

Erin's gown is so pretty and fits her so perfectly. Erin and Tom, I loved working with you and officiating your wedding. I hope to see you again either when you start a family or have a renewal of vows on one of your anniversaries. You are such a great couple!

The New Garden Ballroom at Highgrove!

Angela, one of the wedding consultants at Highgrove, told me last year that their huge ballroom tent was going to be transformed into a permanent structure with windows all around and a fireplace at the far end.  Curiosity got the best of me and I took a trip down to Fuquay Varina last Thursday to see for myself how the construction was coming along. The photo above was taken of the mansion in 2004.

  

The two photos above were taken before a wedding in 2004. The landscaping had not matured at that point and the vines had not yet grown onto the portico. 

I have been doing weddings at Highgrove since they opened almost 10 years ago. I believe I officiated the first or second wedding they had there. The estate was originally the home of a prominent dentist in Fuquay Varina. When the property went on the market, two enterprising women (Maria and Vickie) bought the old place and turned it into a gorgeous wedding venue--one of the loveliest around. I love doing weddings there. I remember when they started out, there was no patio or tent in the backyard. There was only the portico and steps. Then they added the concrete patio and base for their large ballroom tent and put in beautiful landscaping. They enlarged the kitchen and the dining room and eventually transformed the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs where the bride and her bridesmaids get ready and a holding room for the groom and his groomsmen! 

This wedding of Erin and Tom was September 2010. Note the vines on the portico and the larger bushes framing the steps. In addition to adding the garden ballroom, they are also extending the portico on both sides and altering the seating area configuration to accommodate 200 guests.

Here are Tom and Erin and their rather large wedding party. This was taken on the front porch. (You can view other weddings I officiated at Highgrove since 2008 here.) I did not realize that the exterior of the mansion was vinyl siding. In addition to building the Garden Ballroom, the owner has removed the vinyl siding and restored the original clapboard exterior. It looks better than ever. They also have expanded the kitchen again. 

Maria, one of the original owners, built Chateau Bellevie on the adjacent property a few years ago which is a bed and breakfast and where smaller weddings can be held.

So, this is how the mansion looked last Thursday. There was a big pile of discarded white siding in the parking lot and the house looked pristine! 

From the parking lot, you can see the new ballroom where the tent used to be. It is every bit as big and spacious. I walked around to the back to see what it looked like from the patio area. 

This is the grand entrance from the patio. The patio will be bricked over in a pattern that will reflect the unusual pattern of the glass fretwork in the entrance and be continuous with the brick steps to the portico. No more loud A/C unit blowing us as we enter for the wedding and interfering with the music. Yay!

 

As I was wandering around out back taking a few photos, Susan Blakeslee, stepped out of the house. Susan has been in the wedding industry for many years and has recently joined the Highgrove staff. It was good to see her. She graciously took me inside the ballroom for a good look and so I could get some photos! 

It is huge! And, so bright and light inside even with no lights installed yet. Look at all the windows.

Here's the fireplace. That is such a wonderful new feature for this ballroom. I forgot to ask what the floor covering would be but I know they will have a large dance floor and of course the beautiful chandeliers like they had in the tent. They also plan to drape the ceiling like the tent as well.

This is the tent last September. The new ballroom will be just as beautiful and more! I am looking forward to my first wedding there this year on May 14th. There is also an announcement on Highgrove's blog that there will be an Open House to showcase the new Garden Ballroom on April 30 from 10AM to 1PM. I will probably be there since I have a wedding at Chateau Bellevie that day and that they still have a few openings for 2011 weddings!

Lauren and Charles Wed at Duke Gardens Pergola!

Duke Gardens is a stunning setting for weddings. The leaves are just beginning to turn. This day, October 10, 2009, it was overcast and rain was right on the edge of us but we persisted and made it without a single raindrop!
Charles and Lauren asked their friend Mandy (in black) to direct their wedding. Since we did not have a rehearsal, I briefed her on the order of things before the ceremony. She got everyone lined up to come in after I cued the musicians to begin the processional music. Here she is ready to send in the father and mother of the bride, Tom and Cathie. Behind her are Stacy, the matron of honor, and our bride, Lauren. They are hidden behind the bushes so Charles cannot see Lauren until she makes her entrance because he, the best man, and I are in the back of the pergola. When the mother of the bride is seated, then the groom, best man and I come forth and down the steps to wait for the bride.

Now it's time for Tom and Lauren to make their grand entrance!

Tom transferred Lauren's hand to Charles at the bottom of the steps and then we all stepped up to the top of the stairs for the ceremony.

Erin and Kevin, friends of the couple, shared a reading of First Corinthians.

I made the pronouncement of marriage. We did not get a shot of the kiss but trust me, it happened!

Charles and Lauren, now married!

Here is their family gathered for the first of the photos.

Don't they look happy?!

Congratulations and best wishes to you, Lauren and Charles!

Arioso Strings provided our lovely music. David Oh plays the cello while Mary Page Block plays violin. Mary Page told me that she had 14 musicians playing weddings next weekend. Way to go! It is always a pleasure to work with Mary Page and her musicians.

Our photographer for this wedding was Linda Wallace of Linda Wallace Photography.