Amanda and Chris chose
Market Hall, a wedding and event venue in City Market in downtown Raleigh. The building has been many things in its long historic life including the original farmer's market, a restaurant and brewery. But that is all gone now and it is a wide open space that allows couples to create the wedding they have dreamed of.
The wedding day was June 23rd, 2018. The tables had been pushed to the side and the chairs readied for the ceremony in the center of the room.
Looking from the other direction you can see the bar area in front of the windows where the guests will enjoy cocktail hour while staff is flipping the room for the reception to follow.
Amanda and Chris chose a simple copper tubing structure focal point for the "altar" area of the ceremony draped with simple greenery flanked by tall floating candles. I brought my handy dandy table for the Anniversary Box to sit on.
The Anniversary Box holds a bottle of wine and during the ceremony the couple will add their sealed letters to each other to be opened on their first anniversary.
This dessert table was furnished by
Bittersweet and includes a small cake for the traditional cutting of the cake.
The Stone Age Romeos band was set up for their reception on the opposite side of the room from the tables.
Our wedding planner and director was Aneesa Glines with
Harmony Weddings. She did a great job pulling all the elements of this wedding together. Thanks, Aneesa!
I paid a visit over at Woody's across the side street where the groom and groomsmen were hanging out. The bridesmaids and bride were in an upstairs room over the venue getting ready.
Almost two years prior in July of 2016, I officiated the wedding of
Muffy and Adam. Amanda and Chris were at their wedding, loved their ceremony, and that is what prompted them to hire me as their officiant. It was great to see Muffy and Adam again and learn that they have since had a little girl. Congrats!
The weather suddenly went from a bright sunny day to a hard downpour of rain. The guys were still over at Woody's and that is Aneesa running from there back to Market Hall having bid the groom and his guys to come on over. Fortunately most of the guests had already arrived before the storm.
Jon Clark is our videographer and he has his tripod set up behind the guests for the ceremony while he roams around with the mobile camera.
The couple asked me to make an announcement before the processional requesting all cameras and cell phones be put away so that the guests could truly be with them in their hearts for the ceremony.
Then the wedding party processed in and took their places up front with me.
Amanda and her dad make their grand entrance!
The guests are standing in honor of the bride.
"Who gives their love and support to Amanda as she joins in marriage with Chris?"
After the presentation of the bride, all the guests were welcomed and thanked for making the journey to be with us this day.
"I ask all of you now to go to your hearts and open them as wide as you can as we join together in a moment of silence to raise your spirits high and become fully present to honor Amanda and Chris as they join their lives in marriage."
The next thing was the tribute to their wonderful parents--a sweet surprise for them.
Then I had the joy of telling the story of how Amanda and Chris met--at a dog park! In fact they credit their dogs for getting them together.
Once they connected they soon became inseparable. They eventually combined their canine households and went on many adventures.
Chris cooked up an elaborate proposal that took months of careful planning to pull it off--and he did!
One of the sweetest parts of the ceremony is when they each hear what the other told me about their love for each other.
The guests seem to be paying attention!
My sound kept cutting in and out. I tried adjusting my microphone but I later found out that this area of town has many broadband frequencies that interfere with the signal between my battery pack and the speaker.
Chris reads his vows to Amanda from my book. They wrote really funny vows and had to pause frequently because of the laughter from the guests.
Amanda read her vows then they exchanged rings.
Words of wisdom about marriage and their future......
The pronouncement of marriage and invitation to share their first kiss as a married couple!
After the kiss I presented them to their cheering guests and out they went!
The rain had stopped! Jon and Paul were poised to record this moment in time!
While the guests enjoyed cocktail hour, the wedding party were enjoying hugs all around outside prior to some photos.
What an amazing wedding party!
And then the Raleigh Trolley Pub came down the cobblestone street to cheer them on!
Amanda and Chris, I loved working with you! And your wedding was spectacular. I know you have a wonderful future ahead of you and I wish you all the happiness in the world!
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