Renewal of Vows Ceremony for Jessica and Matthew at Haywood Hall!

Matthew and Jessica contacted me way back in 2007 to marry them before he was deployed. Jessica was a rising junior in college and wanted to finish her degree while he was in the military. We arranged a small private family wedding in my wedding garden on 9/29/07. Their parents were there as I joined the two in marriage. They told me then that they wanted to have a large wedding in a year or two after Jessica had graduated from Sweet Briar College and so I knew I would be with them again.

Father of the bride escorts Jessica in for the beginning of the ceremony!

So, in May of 2008 they reserved June 20, 2009 on my calendar for their renewal of vows ceremony which would be more like a wedding with 50 to 75 guests celebrating their love and marriage. Their friends, Dan and Mary, were Best Man and Maid of Honor. They chose Haywood Hall in downtown Raleigh which has lovely gardens and a gazebo. We altered the words of their original ceremony to fit a renewal of vows and Jessica and Matt embellished it a bit to honor their friends and added the rose ceremony. So, this time surrounded by many friends and family members, we gathered once again to have a sweet ceremony and celebrate. Unfortunately Matt's parents were not able to be with us. Because the day after their wedding was Fathers Day, they chose to honor their fathers during the ceremony. Jessica wrote a sweet tribute to her father, John, and how much she would miss him when she and Matt relocated to Maryland later this year.

The band started playing the recessional music as the couple swept down the path!

Here we are after the ceremony laughing and cooling off before we took some more photos. Jessica's father was threatening to change into shorts and flip flops!

Jessica and Matt--Happily Ever After to you!

I look forward to seeing Jessica and Matt and her family again in September
when I officiate the wedding of Jessica's brother, Justin, and his fiancee, Velvet,
whom I got to see only briefly at this ceremony!

They had a large tent for the band, dance floor and tables for the guests.

This is their gorgeous wedding cake which was gifted to them by Jessica's Aunt Jean.

Vendors:

Haywood Hall: A lovely historic home with gardens and gazebo
in downtown Raleigh.
Contact the resident manager Cheryl Long.

Enroute: Wonderful jazz band with vocalist, Janet Clarke,
performing for weddings, receptions and rehearsals

Cinda's Creative Cakes

Nancy Thomas Photography
Nancy and her associate, Kristin Gattis, covered this wedding.

The English Garden Florist

Mitchell's Catering

I received this note from the couple 6/29/09:

Kayelily,

Thank you so much for everything! I did review you on wedding wire as you asked. It's a very cool website. I just wanted to send a quick note and say thank you for everything since I didn't really have much time to do so before you left on Saturday. We really appreciated all of your help and constant support through our wedding and our renewal of our vows. All of our guests loved the ceremony and really loved that you were able to crack some jokes and make it all more fun and less stuffy. Since we are a young couple we understand the seriousness of the commitment but we also prefer to have fun and enjoy it at the same time instead of being uptight and holding our breath through the whole thing.

If you ever need a recommendation please do not hesitate to show couples this email or give them my number. I'd love to convince everyone to use your services. We can't wait to see you in September for Justin and Velvet's wedding!

Thanks again.

Jessica and Matthew