I had met with Yu and Xiyu a couple of weeks before their wedding and we planned their simple ceremony. They were planning their wedding at
The Umstead in Cary and had hoped the weather would allow their ceremony to be outside in the garden courtyard. It was January 24th 2016 which turned out to be a snowy weekend in Raleigh. There was some question as to whether I could get out of my neighborhood onto a main road because I live at the bottom of a hill that was iced over. Thankfully it snowed on top of the ice the day before giving me enough traction to get up the hill where I left my car overnight. Then the morning of the wedding, Dave and I trekked to the car, and then just rolled down the icy slope onto the main road and made it!
When we arrived one of the ballrooms had been set up for the wedding.
This is how it looked outside the ballroom that beautiful Sunday morning!
We peeped into the ballroom across the hall from the ceremony to find the lovely wedding cake by
Ashley Cakes having the finishing touches applied.
Yu, his groomsmen and I entered after the parents were seated. Then the pretty bridesmaids followed.
Time for Xiyu and her father to make their entrance.
Xiyu's parents traveled from China for the wedding.
Yu was born in China but he and his parents relocated to the United States when he was a small child. Xiyu grew up in China and was here in the United States on a fiancee visa which required that she marry within a limited time frame if she wanted to stay. Of course she did and I am thrilled they chose me to join them in marriage.
They chose to have a totally American style wedding and Xiyu looked like a princess in her beautiful wedding dress.
They exchanged their vows and then the rings.
I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to kiss!
And so they did!
And away they go!
They headed out for some photos while the guests enjoyed some refreshments before the reception.
Amanda, on the left, is The Umstead's Social Catering Manager, and Nicole on the right is her associate. Welcome aboard lovely ladies! Love weddings at The Umstead.
Before the reception, we got a photo of me with the happy couple! Congratulations Xiyu and Yu! You are a great couple and I wish you all the happiness in the world!
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