I met Mark and Amber a year ago and it had been so long, I was afraid I would not remember what they looked like! But once I saw them at the rehearsal it all came back. What a great couple they are--so dedicated to each other and such great parents to Josh. I was honored to join them in marriage on August 3, 2013. I was also happy to get back up to Louisburg to see what was new at
Hudson Manor.
I have been doing weddings there since Melissa and Glenn Cogliatti bought the old manor house and have renovated, restored and transformed the property. They have added a lot of landscaping that has now matured and is lush from all the rain this year.
This path leads through the covered patio off the reception hall, down a winding lane to the sweet chapel below.
The newest addition is the sweet little chapel where weddings can be done in the case of inclement weather whether raining or snowing! It is great!
For Amber and Mark's wedding, we planned to have the ceremony in the circular garden area but the rain was threatening with a few drip-drops here and there so Melissa wisely moved the ceremony underneath the covered patio. If we had had a hard, driving rain, we would have used the chapel.
Taylor Pittman, our DJ, was set up on the porch of the reception hall and I plugged my microphone into his system. The sound was perfect and all the guests could hear every word of the wonderful ceremony Amber, Mark and I co-created for their special day.
Inside the reception hall was this beautiful cake by
Cinda's Creative Cakes. Always a masterpiece!
Everything was ready except that after the ceremony, the flower balls that lined the aisle were moved onto the tables on top of the floating candles--see photo below. Very clever! Ruth Payne of
Fleuressence did all the pretty flowers.
For their guestbook, the guests thumbprinted a leaf and signed it.
Sue Rakes, our photographer, and her assistant, were outside under the patio getting some photos of the groom and his groomsmen before the ceremony.
Because it was sprinkling a little, the wedding party entered from the reception hall and took our places.
We welcomed everyone, said a prayer, remembered those who were not with us, blessed the parents and recognized how special Josh, Amber's son, is to this marriage born this day, and launched into the story of how our couple met. They have a fun story and then they had told me separately what they loved about each other which they heard for the first time at their wedding.
They made their vows and exchanged rings and then it was time for the sand ceremony.
They had a foundation of white into which they all poured their sand together symbolizing family unity.
So happy for this day!
Josh, Amber and Mark, what a wonderful family. I wish you the best of everything and I know you will make the best of everything that comes your way. Mark, thank you for serving our country!
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