Melissa and Chris Have a Beautiful December Wedding at Long View Center!

Melissa and Chris are a delightful couple. Shortly after I met with them in August, they decided that not only did they want me to officiate their wedding on 12/20/08 but they also wanted to do my Preparation for Marriage program. They wanted to be sure they were not overlooking something in their relationship that would negatively impact their marriage. Well, they did not have to worry! Their compatibility profile came in with flying colors showing that they were very compatible! We worked on communication skills, conflict resolution techniques and financial management, tools all couples need to have at hand when they are married. We explored their expectations of marriage and learned how their ideas on parenting and relating to each other's family matched up. As a result of counseling with them I got to know them quite well so their wedding was really special for me. It was unique for another reason too as their wedding is the last wedding I will be doing at Long View Center because unfortunately it is closing as a wedding site in Raleigh. I am hoping it will emerge under new ownership in the near future and I will keep this blog updated regarding this most elegant venue for weddings.

Chris and Melissa carefully put together their wedding ceremony from the material I sent them. They had everything they wanted including the Celtic hand-fasting tradition. We enjoyed a reading by Chris' sister, Tammie. We gave their parents a big tribute and thank you and asked all the guests for their blessing for Melissa and Chris and their marriage. The music for the ceremony was exquisite. A friend of Melissa's, Phillip Jefferson, played the oboe and Gregory Dixon played the grand piano. It was a terrific and heavenly combination! (see their photo below)

Chris told me while we were waiting for the ceremony to start that he and Melissa had a good time selecting their music for the ceremony. They chose "You are my Sunshine" for the seating of their grandmothers! All in all it was a terrific ceremony and so many guests came up to me after the ceremony and told me how wonderful the it was. Melissa's Aunt Kay just raved about it being the best wedding ceremony she had ever heard. Janet, Chris' mother, was amazed that the ceremony was "so Chris and Melissa!" So it was no surprise when I told them that the couple had put together exactly what they wanted from my material. Thomasina Whitley of Bowties and Lace was our wedding director and she had two assistants helping her, one of whom was Carol, a student of Tamera Davis of Cherished Moments, who teaches a class at Wake Tech on the wedding consulting business. She invited me to come speak about weddings from the minister's perspective one evening and Carol was one of the students there. She was on site learning the business at this wedding! Janice Cutler of North Raleigh Florists provided the lovely floral arrangements and Ana and her assistant Jessica of Studio One were our photographers.

After the wedding, Marty and I went over to Marbles Kids Museum to the reception. It was lovely and I know they had a lot of fun that evening. Randy Bennett of Joe Bunn DJ Company was the DJ, Irregardless did the catering, and Ambrosia provided the stunning wedding cake. For favors for the guests, Melissa and Chris had Christmas tree ornaments made commemorating the occasion. How special! What a wonderful Christmas wedding! My heartfelt congratulations to you both, Melissa and Chris!