Iris and RJ's Wedding at the JC Raulston Arboretum!

Iris and RJ decided to have their wedding ceremony at the JC Raulston Arboretum and their reception at Caffe Luna on June 10th 2017. The day was beautiful and when Dave and I arrived, the 75 chairs were in place. 

They wanted to have the ceremony in the White Garden facing the pergola rather than the gazebo. 

Amy Kortus, our harpist, set up in a shady spot near the guests where she could see everything. 

Alex, our best man, prepares to sign the marriage license as one of their witnesses.

After the guests are seated, we get lined up on either side. First in is RJ's grandmother and his father, Richard who was lined up on the other side. They met in the middle and went to their seats.

You can see the others lined up on the other side. Our director, Christine, is in the middle cueing them when to walk. With her is Regina, one of our photographers with 1000 Words Photography.

After the parents of the bride processed in, the bridesmaids and groomsmen walked toward each other, met in the middle then entered down the aisle.

Meeting in the middle.

The bridesmaids were all lined up and the ring bearers were with Gabby, our Junior Bridesmaid.

Iris' sister, Holly, starts her procession, was met by Alex and entered.

Gabby wrestles with ring bearers Ryker and Sawyer to get them down the aisle despite the distraction of the guests while Maili, our flower girl and daughter of our bride, awaits with Karsten who is being very good!

Everyone made it  and now the kids are shifted into position to await our bride and groom. 

Waiting for the music to change for the bride and groom. (Kevin, with 1000 Words Photography, is ready to get a good shot of the bride and groom as they approach.)

Christine cues the music and then cues Iris and RJ to begin walking toward each other as I turned on my microphone and invited the guests to stand.

RJ got to the aisle first and awaits his beautiful bride! 

Closer and closer!

And so the ceremony began. There was a welcome to all their friends and family who had traveled from all over the place. Then the poem "Touched by an Angel" by Maya Angelou followed by recognition of their family members and remembrance of RJ's mother who was with us in spirit.

Then their story! In 2014 Iris was looking for a bass player for her band. So happened RJ is a bass player so a mutual friend introduced them. Although it was strictly business for Iris, RJ had been led to believe by his friend that there was a more romantic reason for them meeting. The friend in the long run was right because it was not long before they began dating and then officially became a couple. And, as they say, the rest is history!

Iris and RJ said their vows to each other while reading them from my book. 

Iris went first.

Then RJ.

The vows were sealed with their rings as they repeated lines after me to each other. 

A closing blessing from the Native American tradition.

I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to enjoy their first kiss as husband and wife.

Excellent!

I presented them to their guests and away they went! 

Holly, Maid of Honor, and Alex, Best Man followed. (Richard, RJ's dad in the black suit, waits his turn.)

Then the next couple.

And the next!

The last couple then Gabby and Maili without the children who had been intercepted by their parents!

Rudy and Lori, parents of the bride, exited then Richard and his mother. 

Iris and RJ, congratulations on your marriage and for putting together a great wedding! I hope it exceeded your dreams! I wish you all the best forever!

Cindy and Bob's Long Awaited Wedding/Renewal of Vows!

Cindy and Bob are such an inspiring and "persistent" couple! They have both had many life challenges in common raising their families so when they met, their compatibility was almost overwhelming and it was obvious they belonged together.  They met with me in September of 2009 to plan their wedding scheduled for March 27, 2010 at the Page Walker Arts and History Center in Cary. We began working on their ceremony that would include their children from previous marriages but then they had to cancel the wedding due to employment fluctuations and other things that cropped up. Cindy and Bob told me that they planned to reschedule and would let me know when they came up with a plan. Cindy kept in contact with me and later in 2010, she told me that they had just gone to the courthouse and gotten married in March of 2010 for legal purposes to make their lives easier. (I only wish they had told me that they were going to do that because I would have loved to have done a private elopement style ceremony for them but they did not know that at the time.) So, almost a year went by before they contacted me again to find out if I was available for a date in March of 2012. We ended up settling on March 17, 2012 for their wedding celebration, technically now a renewal of vows ceremony. Cindy and Bob re-wrote the original ceremony and included secret vows to each other that they did not hear until the ceremony. All 6 of their combined children were present for the celebration and we included the Family Unity Sand Ceremony. The venue remained the Page Walker Arts and History Center pictured above. I have done a lot of weddings there both inside, in the courtyard and in the adjacent garden. Theirs was in the Gallery.

The sand ceremony was ready to go with a container for each member of the new family.

Amy Kortus got her harp all set up and was warming up. 

Michael Williams of Michael's Memories Photography and Design and his wife, Marcy, were on hand getting lots of photos. They had been on board for this occasion since 2009 too! Cateringworks was doing the catering and the cake from Blue Moon Bakery did not arrive before I left, hence no photo.

Bob and I were ready to begin the processional. Bob's son, Jeffrey, served as his best man and followed just behind us.

After all their children had processed in, it was time for Cindy. You can see her friend, Tamara, who was directing the wedding for them.

Bob met Cindy half way down the aisle and together they came forward for the ceremony.

 

You might be wondering what that white drape above the fireplace behind us is. There is an art exhibition currently at the gallery and the piece of art hanging over the fireplace was just not appealing as a backdrop for a wedding so they cleverly rigged a tension rod between the beams and hung the curtain to cover it up without damaging it!

After we remembered their loved ones who have passed on by lighting a memory candle, talked about love and marriage and Cindy and Bob and their special relationship and they exchanged their secret vows, it was time for the family sand ceremony. First Bob and Cindy each poured in 1/2 of their sand individually making two layers.

Then I poured a little of each of theirs to sanctify their union. 

Jeffrey and his wife, Michelle, and their son, Griffin, then poured in a container of sand representing the three of them. Griffin is 18 months old and their first grandchild and he has just learned to walk.

Kira, Cindy's daughter and maid of honor, then poured her sand into the container.

Then it was Bob's daughter, Callie's, turn to add her sand. 

Next to pour was Kenny, Cindy's son, with his caretaker and Cindy's help.

Jennie, Bob's daughter, added the next layer. 

 Then Callie and Jennie brought their younger sister, Megan, forward for her part.

The three siblings of Megan then poured her sand in on her behalf. It was such a sweet ritual for these two families who are now joined together.

Bob and Cindy then joined their sand together to make the tenth layer of sand in the family container.

This container now symbolizes all the layers of this family blended together into one container. 

The pronouncement of the recommitment........"By affirming your love and exchanging your vows, you, Cindy and Bob, have recommitted to your marriage and to each other. Please celebrate with a kiss!"

 And they did! 

 

 

Bob and Cindy, preparing for your long awaited "wedding" has been the longest one I have ever had! I am so happy you found each other and that you finally had the ceremony of your dreams surrounded by your families and friends. Thanks for being so persistent! (BTW, little did I know when I first met Cindy whose email is "persistentcindy" that would be so identifying of her character. I know she had to be very persistent as the mother of a handicapped child and her persistence sure paid off!) Congratulations to you all!