Sealed with a kiss!

Sealed with a kiss!
Laura & Chris' Wedding at JCRaulston Arboretum

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Alex and Mike Wed at Second Empire Atrium!

Alex and Mike graduated from medical school the day before their wedding at Second Empire on May 13th, 2017. They knew their family and friends would be in the area for their graduation and the Triangle was the perfect venue for their wedding since they met in Durham during a "second-look" weekend at Duke in 2013.
When Dave and I arrived for the wedding, they were just coming in from getting some photos in downtown Raleigh with their photographer Casey Tarpy with Casey Rose Photography and her second shooter.
Mike is watching while his brother Brian signs the marriage license. 
The Atrium is such a nice light-filled room for a wedding. And the acoustics are great too without a microphone.
The guests are gathering--from the very young to some oldsters! 
This may be a little nephew of Alex's but I am not sure. 
The English Garden did all the pretty florals. 
Alex's brother Matthew on guitar and his friend Walter on violin provided very pretty music for the wedding. 
A closer look at the guitar, please! 
Are we ready to begin? Yes. Nicolle Roberts with Second Empire was our director. 
Alex's father, Greg, had to squeeze by the potted tree to get in!
And down the aisle they go! 
Welcoming the guests, a sweet prayer, remembering those who are no longer with us, and then a tribute to their parents led us to the Wedding Address which was the story of how they met and fell in love.
They have a really good story. We went through each year of medical school up to the present.
There was no shortage of humor either. The guests really enjoyed hearing this. In fact, Alex wrote me this today (3 days after the wedding): "Thank you so much for giving us a wedding ceremony we will never forget! It was truly the most special day and the heartfelt ceremony was the center of that. Mike and I feel so lucky to have found you. Also, multiple family members and friends have come up to us saying it was the best ceremony they have ever witnessed."
                                                             Time for the secret paragraphs! 
The vows and rings.......
Alex reads her vows to Mike from my book as she slips the ring on his finger.
After a closing blessing, I pronounced them married and invited them to share their first kiss as husband and wife!
The guests went into the tavern for cocktails while the couple thanked their musicians, then we went outside for a few final photographs.
Mike and Alex, congratulations. I loved your wedding and your story. Beautiful! I wish you the best always!

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