Brittany and Seth Tie The Knot at The Garden on Millbrook!

Brittany and Seth got married on November 4th, 2016 at The Garden on Millbrook in Raleigh. It was a beautiful day and a little breezy but comfortable.

The entrance of the venue features a grand piano on a striking black and white checkerboard floor. Always stunning.

The ballroom is expansive. The seating is set up around the dance floor and the DJ is set up on the wall with the arch decor.

Meet Ace, the beautiful chocolate lab that Seth has raised and trained since he was a puppy. Very well behaved and lovable.

The groomsmen and I are waiting for our cue to enter from the side door and take our places up front. 

Our flower girl, Kaydance, is ready to sprinkle some petals! 

Out of sight of the groom, our beautiful bride is waiting in the foyer with one of her bridesmaids. 

Outside the guests are taking their seats and our photographer Rob Miracle with The Pros is ready to capture the wedding images.

Time for the grandparents and parents to be escorted in. We are in the shade but our guests are facing the sun. 

Seth escorted his sweet grandmother in then stepped up beside me. 

The bridesmaids entered. Brittany's Maid of Honor is her mother. Kaydance makes her way down the aisle sprinkling the petals perfectly!

At this point Seth whistled for Ace who was with his handler in the back. Ace had the rings in a pouch hooked to his collar. Our canine ring bearer!

Seth detaches the rings and hands to the best man, Nate. 

Brittany's proud father, Edward, brings in his beautiful daughter to be joined in marriage to Seth. 

Ace then goes to sit with Seth's parents at that point while Edward transfers the bride's hand into the groom's. 

They face each other holding hands and I delivered a warm welcome to all followed by a prayer, remembrance of those loved ones no longer with us, and a tribute to their parents.

Seth is beaming at Brittany and she is smiling right back. What a joy to have made it to this moment! 

I stepped out from behind the couple to address the parents then I launched into the story of how our couple met and fell in love. They first met as freshmen at Millbrook High School 12 years ago.

They remained just classmates until their senior year. 

It was at a Halloween party at Brittany's that they realized they wanted more than just friendship and their relationship began. The rest is just history!

They each told me in confidence what they loved about each other, why they wanted to marry and what they were looking forward to in marriage. At this moment in the ceremony they are hearing what each other told me!

The vows were exchanged followed by the rings. 

They join left hands. Brittany helped Seth get the ring all the way on her finger. 

Then she placed the ring on Seth's finger. 

A closing blessing followed. The beautiful arch and flowers were furnished by Martha Mazur. 

The pronouncement of marriage is made and I invited them to celebrate their marriage with their first kiss as husband and wife..

They did not have any problems complying with my invitation! 

The Newlyweds! 

Ace joins them as they walk up the aisle into married life! 

Hey, we are really married now!

Brittany's mom, Susan, is escorted out by best man, Nate. 

I caught up with the couple for a photo of the 3 of us then my husband Dave (taking photos for this blog) and I headed out. Brittany and Seth, what a pleasure working with the wonderful couple you are. I love your decisiveness and having a clear vision. Makes my service for you so much better. I wish you the best life can offer forever and always!

I thank you also for the 5 Star review:
Reverend Kayelily was more than a pleasure to work with. She helped us build our ceremony and it turned out absolutely perfect. Kayelily's style of how she comes up with the personal stories is perfect. She will ask individual questions and surprise you the day of your wedding. Seth and I couldn't be happier with how our ceremony was presented. I would highly suggest the use of this reverend for any wedding. Kayelily was really open to our thoughts on religion and it is obvious to me she has a wonderful heart that is open to anyone's own way of thinking. Thank you Kayelily!

Krissy and Michael's Fabulous Wedding at the Carolina Inn!

Krissy and Michael's beautiful wedding was October 29th, 2016 at The Carolina Inn. I was first contacted about officiating this wedding by Michael's mother who was helping them out with researching vendors. His parents live in Tennessee. I was happy I was available and so when the couple, who live in Charlotte, were in town, we met and hit it off. 

After setting up my sound system and doing a sound check, I was off to find the bride and get the marriage license signed by the maid of honor. This incredible cake that looks like a box of Krispy Kreme Donuts was there. Titled "Michael's Chocolate Dream Cake" I am not sure what it was doing in the bride's suite but it sure was amazing. I am assuming that Cinda's Creative Cakes made it since they did the traditional wedding cake below. 

This beautiful cake was down in the Old Well Room where the reception took place. 

Back in the Bridal Suite Krissy is ready! Our sweet flower girl, Rebecca, niece of the bride, is ready too. 

Back to the area outside the Old Well Room, we watched the guys set up this ice sculpture. 

On the bureau outside in the hallway were family wedding photos of the bride and groom's parents and grandparents.

Sitting there next to the bureau were Krissy's grandparents John and Vivian. How wonderful to have them at the wedding. They were thrilled to be there too.

Florian Music plays heavenly music for the guests who are being seated. 

The pretty floral swirls in the aisle by Tre Bella Flowers. 

I love the curved seating arrangements. The first row awaits the family to be escorted in. 

The altar area on the steps are decorated with candles and white and gray pumpkins--a variation on the fall theme. 

Another view of the guests as we are lining up to be directed in by our wedding director, Tia Jones with Erin McLean Events.

After the seating of the grandparents and parents, Michael and I enter followed followed by his brother Will who is his best man.

The bridesmaids follow and are seated on the front row. Only the Maid of Honor, Ashley, sister of the bride will stand during the ceremony.

Here comes our beautiful bride entering from the portico escorted by her father, Ed. 

The guests stand in their honor.

The transfer of hands is made and the guests invited to be seated. 

Krissy and Michael took me to heart when I told them to choose the words they wanted spoken at their ceremony. They sent me a first draft after looking over all the material I sent them links to.

I love it when the bride and groom actively participate in the ceremony creation process. We began with a welcome, opening prayer, in memoriam, and blessing of the parents.

The telling of their story was next prefaced by words from First Corinthians. Exactly what happened the night they met in 2011 involved two different versions and the guests were invited to decide for themselves. It was quite humorous! Of course they met while students at UNC hence the wedding at The Carolina Inn. After the story they heard their secret paragraphs. Then the statements of intent,  vows and rings followed.

Krissy places the ring on Michael's finger.

I am not sure what is funny here but we are having a good time! 

A closing blessing!

                                               The moment they become husband and wife!

Sealing their vows with their first kiss as husband and wife!

Presentation of the Newlyweds! 

Ahh! Married at last! 

After Dave and i packed up my sound system, we hopped in my car and drove down the street to the Old Well on the UNC Campus right down the street from the Carolina Inn to get a photo of the 3 of us. Their professional photographer was J. Darren Photography from Greensboro. When I got there, there had been an unfortunate accident. The train of Krissy's gorgeous wedding dress had gotten caught in the axel of the golf cart and had ripped the skirt in the back. They had gotten it loose from the wheel but the back of the dress was not only in tatters but had black grease on it. Oh dear. Since I was parked on the street right there and kept a good pair of scissors in my car, I got them and literally trimmed off the tattered part of the train. But before they dashed back to the Inn, we posed for these photos and you would never know there had been a problem. Krissy was handling this so well whereas another bride would have been in meltdown! Fortunately when they got back to the Inn, her mother and sister used white safety pins and needle and thread and pulled the cut ends together and no one was the wiser until told what happened. So, any brides reading this, be very careful of your dress if you ride in a golf cart!

Krissy and Michael, a wonderful beautiful wedding! Unforgettable for so many reasons! I loved working with you to make your ceremony exactly what you wanted. Thank you for choosing me to join you in marriage. I wish you happiness, health and love forever!