Beautiful, Beautiful Wedding for Suzie and James at The Umstead!

I met Suzie and James in April to plan their wedding ceremony for September 15, 2012 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa, a fabulous upscale wedding venue in Cary. They sought me out because they wanted to have a non-religious ceremony that was focused on their love and commitment and reflected the two of them. Since that is my specialty, we were a good fit and got right on with the creation of their dream ceremony. They answered a lot of my questions from which I put together the highlights of how they met, what attracted them to each other and their favorite things to do. I also asked them each in confidence to tell me what characteristics they love about their partner, why they want to marry and what they are looking forward to as they begin their new adventure into marriage. All this was woven into the ceremony and since they provided me with lots of humorous answers, the ceremony was both sweet and serious, light-hearted and fun. The guests really got a bang out of their ceremony and we spent a good deal of time laughing together as you will see in these photographs. James and Suzie were such a fun couple to work with. They are inspiring in their self-confidence and steadfast in their love for each other which was very evident.

Our photographers for this event were Walters & Walters, a husband/wife team that is well known in North Carolina for their coverage of weddings and outstanding images. The florist is also well known in the Triangle as well--The Watered Garden.

Sweet Memories Bakery provided the simple yet elegant wedding cake.

The reception room was filled with gorgeous tables of elegant linens and floral arrangements flanking the dance floor.

Mark McNally with Joe Bunn DJ Company, right, provided both the ceremony and the reception music. Shown here with Dan with The Umstead audio team with the outdoor sound set up. My microphone easily plugs right into their Shure bodypack and we are ready to go!

The guests were all seated and it was time to begin. I entered first to anchor the ceremony space followed by James who proudly escorted his mother, Rose, to her seat then stepped up to join me.

James' father, Daniel, also his Best Man, followed closely behind and stepped up next to James.

Suzie's brother, Michael, proudly escorted their mother, Nancy, to their seats.

Our Maid of Honor, Jacquelyn, is next to enter and take her place up front.

Time for our beautiful bride and her father, Robert, to enter as Carrie, the wedding director with The Umstead, readies the train of her dress.

Everyone stands to honor the bride as she entered. She and her father stopped at the front row. He left her and went up to James and shook his hand and then joined his wife Nancy. Then Suzie walked up to James and me after handing her bouquet off to Jacquelyn.

And so we began the ceremony with a warm welcome to all the guests and an honoring of their parents and siblings. I often step out from behind the couple to speak directly to the parents and the guests and move from side to side.

I stepped back a bit to begin the story of how they came to know each other which like many good love stories, began at the company they both worked for in different departments.

There were quips about James trying to dazzle Suzie with his accounting knowledge, her figure-fitting pants and high heels, the conspiracy of their co-workers to match them up, and James' slowness in asking Suzie out--something he agrees he will probably never live down!

There were times that I felt like a stand-up comedian delivering all the lines with a straight face.

In Suzie's secret paragraph about what she loved about James, I told him she loved him for being such a good shoe shopper--among many more serious and endearing things. I told Suzie how much James was looking forward to getting married and especially wearing his wedding ring with the black diamonds! Their similar sense of humor is a definite area of compatibility!

The couple each added a funny line into very loving and serious words of commitment for their vows--his promising to pretend to enjoy the Lifetime Movie Network movies she has a weakness for, and her promising to pretend to care about the Chicago Bulls basketball games he watches! Then the rings.....James' ring with the black diamonds was stunning, I must say!  

 Let's make it legal now! 

 The grand kiss they promised me they would practice which obviously they did! 

"Family and friends, it is my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time......."

They wanted a group shot of everyone so our photographer had everyone gather at the back of the garden while he took several shots from the terrace balcony above them while my assistant, Marty, took this picture with my camera from the ground level.

The ceremony is over and we are still laughing! What a joyous and wonderful wedding, James and Suzie! It was so much fun working with you. You are so well suited for each other and I know your marriage will be wonderful and, of course, filled with fun and laughter!

Julie and Richard Had Two Weddings!

Julie and Richard met with me last April to plan their wedding ceremony for November 25, 2011at  Fearrington Country Inn. We worked hard to create a very memorable and meaningful ceremony for them. It was the second marriage for both of them and it was very important that this ceremony be very personal and dear to their hearts. Their story is very special and they felt like they have been handed a miracle in finding each other. Julie was quite happy to expound on the details of their meeting the first time and the subsequent events. Richard, on the other hand, travels a lot and had sent me a very brief summary of his side of the story. I told Julie I needed more material to work with and so she got on his case to call me which he did and as a result I took reams of notes and gathered fantastic material to work with in fashioning that section of the ceremony. We finalized the ceremony script by early October and were all set for their wedding the Friday after Thanksgiving Day. Later on in October, Julie called me and said that she and Richard really really wanted to get married on the magical date of 11/11/11 at 11:00 AM because of its significance and emailed me an article on it. The article: 

The number 11 is thought of as a "master" number in numerology because it is a double digit of the same number. When this occurs - the vibrational frequency of the prime number doubles in power.  The very basic & primary understanding of the number One is that of new beginnings & purity. When we see this digit doubled as with the number 11, these attributes double in strength.  The power of the number is further intensified this year because on November 11, 2011 (11.11.11) the number resonates three times.  The year 2011 is significant because the sum of 2011 is 4 (2+0+1+1=4).  In numerology the number 4 represents form, foundation, and structure.  It is spirit manifest into matter, or those things that bring everything "down to earth." 2011 is a turning point year where the divine creative spirit, represented by 11.11.11 sets the foundation for what is to transpire in 2012.

They were thinking of going to the courthouse and getting secretly married on 11/11/11and wanted to check with me to see if that would be okay--would it affect my doing their "public" wedding later. I told them it would not affect it; that their 11/25/11 ceremony would technically be a renewal of vows ceremony and the ceremony on 11/11/11 would be their legal ceremony and real anniversary date. Then I invited them to come to my wedding garden, weather permitting, on 11/11/11 and I would be happy to marry them instead of having a standard quickie civil ceremony at the courthouse. They loved it! So I wrote a much simpler and shorter ceremony for them but used the same vows and ring words from the ceremony we had already created but added some universal spiritual elements such as having them join left hands and right hands together to form the symbol of infinity "blessing their marriage in the eternal ebb and flow of the Universe" which fit in quite nicely with the significance of 11/11/11. I put a lightbulb in a napkin for Richard to break (they are both Jewish). On that chilly crisp fall magical morning, Julie and Richard, two witnesses--my husband Dave and my "roadie" Marty and I gathered in my wedding garden which was beautifully strewn with an abundance of fallen leaves.  Here are the photos of that day: 

 

 

 

I timed it so that I pronounced them married at 11 minutes and 11 seconds after 11:00 AM!

 

 

 And then it was official, Julie and Richard were wife and husband, at last! And so happy!

 Fast forward to 11/25/11 at Fearrington Inn in the Crabapple Garden.

11/25/11 was actually a warmer, nicer day weather-wise than 11/11/11 and Richard had let the cat out of the bag that they were already legally married so it was no longer a secret! 

This is the Garden Room. We had our rehearsal here the day before because it was cold and rainy outside. This room is so cozy and inviting with a crackling fire in the fireplace. We gathered here before the ceremony and it is where the guests congregated for cocktails after the ceremony.

The sand ceremony was set to go. Richard has three children and Julie two and they wanted to include them in the ceremony as well as their parents.

Everything is ready so I am taking a load off my feet before it is time for the guests to be seated. You can see what a beautiful, sunny, glorious day it is.

 

Craig and Ed with Arioso Strings arrived and got set up and went over the cues with Gilda McDaniels, the event manager for Fearrington. You will see Ed and Craig in many weddings on this blog. I love working with them and all the musicians with Arioso Strings.

The groom and his best man and son and I waited to the side of the garden until it was our turn to walk in.

Julie was escorted in by her father, Sandy. She is so beautiful and her dress is perfect for her.

Julie's sister, Nancy, was her Matron of Honor. Richard's Best Man was his good friend, Daryl. David, Richard's son, served as the groomsman and his daughter, Andrea, was his grooms-woman. David's other daughter, Michelle, was a bridesmaid, along with Julie's daughter, Hope. Unfortunately Julie's son, Alex, was not able to be with us on this day.

Julie's parents, Rhoda and Sandy, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year and Richard's parents, Marsha and Irving, their 53rd anniversary this year. Julie and Richard wanted to honor them on their special day so we surprised them with a tribute. (Poor Julie, the sun is right in her eyes when she looks at Richard!)

 

We included the Jewish wedding custom of the cup of wine ceremony where they each drank from the cup as I said: "L'Chaim, may your cup of life runneth over!"

 Pretty girls! 

Telling their wonderful story! 

 

 

They made their vows to each other again and then exchanged their rings which had been passed among their guests to be infused with their blessings for the couple.

Then it was time for the family unity sand ceremony. They included their parents who poured in sand representing Julie and Richard's heritages and serving as a strong foundation upon which Julie and Richard will build their marriage.

Then Julie and Richard separately poured in half of their sand making two more layers.

I called their children to come forth and each pour a layer of different color sand representing them. Hope poured in sand representing her brother, Alex.

Then Julie and Richard blended the rest of their sand together as they poured it into the container.

I placed the glass for Richard to break at his feet and made the pronouncement of marriage (again)!

When he broke the glass we all shouted "Mahzel Tov" which means congratulations and good luck and they kissed!

Awww... such a sweet kiss and such a wonderful couple!

 And away they go! 

Cheryl Kast, our wedding director with Fearrington, is such a delight to work with. I discovered that her lilting English accent is actually a South African accent where she grew up. Thanks, Cheryl, for another beautifully orchestrated wedding!

 The finished vase of pretty layers of symbolic sand. 

Julie and Richard, you are such a delightful couple and it was my pleasure to do two ceremonies for you. Thanks for being who you are and for your love which just radiates between you and all around you!