Jacalyn and Nate Wed at the Wine Cellar at Angus Barn!

Jacalyn and Nate joined their hearts and their lives in marriage on December 16th, 2017 in the Wine Cellar of Angus Barn. Such a special and cozy place to get married surrounded by their families. 

When I arrived I was escorted through the kitchen and down the stairs into the Wine Cellar. The beautiful cake by Edible Arts was being unboxed at one end of the table, 

I met Nate and his family and his brother and Jacalyn's brother while we were waiting for the bride, her father, her mother and her stepmother to arrive. Nate's parents were here from New Hampshire for this wonderful occasion.

 And so Jacalyn was escorted in by her father and the ceremony began.

For the blessing of the parents, I invited them to gather close-by. 

After a blessing and words on love and marriage, they exchanged their vows.

 And then their rings. 

Nate placed the ring on Jacalyn's finger.

I declared them husband and wife and invited them to seal their union with a kiss!

Married at last! 

Delicious menu for dinner, of course! 

Happy to be married!

 Time to cut the cake.......

 The traditional feeding of each other!

 After dinner and cake, they went upstairs to the lobby for photos around the big beautiful Christmas tree!

Jacalyn and Nate! Congratulations on your marriage! Thank you for allowing me to join you in marriage. I wish you the best always! Merry Christmas!

Tom and Alissa's Fabulous Wedding in Angus Barn Wine Cellar!

Tom called me the end of February to see if I could officiate his and Alissa's wedding the evening of March 17, 2012. Delighted that I was available, I emailed him the contract and he mailed it to me with his check to reserve their date on my calendar. Then I wrote a "proposed" ceremony based on what he told me they wanted and what I thought they would like, emailed it to him and Alissa for their changes and to choose the vows they wanted. We were all set! I have done several weddings in the Angus Barn Wine Cellar and it is so much fun getting there. First of all, I must be escorted through the dining room into the kitchen down some curved stairs, through the chilly and dark wine cellar lined with floor to ceiling racks of bottles of wine, then through the door into the Wine Cellar dining room which is so elegant. I noticed that many of the chairs were draped with these pretty pink pashminas and assume they were gifts to the ladies from the couple. I have seen that done before and it so thoughtful of the couple.

Having arrived the first thing to do was to find the couple whom I had never met. So, I headed for the bar!

I knew that this woman in black with the cowboy hat and veil just had to be Alissa and it was!

I had no idea that these two were into horses and when I found that out, I got their horses' names and secretly planned a way to include them in the ceremony.

Tom was dressed in matching black and hat so he was easy to find. We went over the vows and I got the two witnesses to sign the license in the kitchen of the Wine Cellar and collected the rings. Along the way one of their guests recognized me and told me I had married a couple of their friends and they were looking forward to this ceremony. That is always so nice to hear.

When everyone had arrived, I took my place in front of the fireplace and waited for the bride and groom to make their way there and for all the guests to gather around us. The first thing I asked them when they got in front of me was had they practiced kissing with their hats on? Did they have a plan for how to turn their heads? They assured me they did and demonstrated for me! So with that out of the way, we began.

 

At about this point in the ceremony I said: "If Tom and Alissa could have figured out a way to get                                "Easy" and "Tex" into the Wine Cellar, they would surely be guests this evening." They loved it and so did their guests who knew that those were their horses! 

Tom is reading his vows and had forgotten his reading glasses. I offered mine but he declined! Look at the green glow of my diamond ring--I've never seen that before!

 

 

They had no problem kissing with their hats on! 

 

 

The deed was done and it was time to have some fun! 

 

Alissa and Tom, what a great wedding you created! It fit you both to a tee! Alissa, that bouquet you made is so pretty and so fragrant! I am so honored to have been a part of your special day. I wish you all the best in your lives and in your marriage!

Caitlin and Chris' Wedding at the Angus Barn Wine Cellar!

Caitlin and Chris put their wedding together quite efficiently and in a very short time. They chose the warm and cozy setting of the Angus Barn Wine Cellar for their intimate family wedding on Sunday evening May 23, 2010. I have done another wedding there and it is so much fun to be led by the Maître d' through the kitchen where the cooks and waiters always welcome you and speak to you like you are an old friend and then down into the chilly and dimly lit wine cellar then entering the beautifully appointed dining room with its own wait staff there to cater to your every whim. What a treat!

Here is the view from one end of the huge table looking toward the area where we will stand for the ceremony.

  And here is the view from the other end.

Here is Chris, our Maître d', (although I am not sure that is his real title but that is what I am choosing to call him!).

Isn't this an adorable little wedding cake? It is just right for this size wedding and so pretty too. It was made by the Once in a Blue Moon Bakery. 

Here are the happy bride and groom before the wedding. We are meeting face to face for the first time as we made all the arrangements via email and USPS. 

And so the ceremony begins. Chris was so serious but Caitlin was beaming. They met 5 years ago when they were both students in college. Caitlin at Meredith and Chris at NCSU. And, they are quite determined individuals having each earned two degrees during this courtship. They launched their careers and then last November found out that they were happily expecting a little girl in July. So, we included a blessing for the unborn baby in the wedding ceremony and may do another baby blessing ceremony after she is born. 

Here's the pronouncement followed by the kiss which I don't have a photo of!

Presentation of the new Mr. and Mrs. to their applauding families.

I received this sweet note from Caitlin two days later: 

"Thank you so much for officiating our wedding ceremony on Sunday night.  Not only did we love our ceremony and feel that it embodied our personalities and story perfectly, but our families loved it.  I of course didn't have a watch on, but I hear you not only made it there by 6, but you were early!  And since I know you had others before me, and let's face it...quite possibly weather delays, I truly appreciate it!

My grandparents down to my young cousins were thrilled with the ceremony you put together (that is no small accomplishment).  Chris and I loved it, and it was exactly the way I had envisioned it. Please know how much we appreciate you helping us create this beautiful ceremony and making it unique to us.  I have friends/coworkers who were married by you, and referred me to you, and I will certainly have your name in my back pocket for anyone getting married in the future!

Thank you so very much! Caitlin"

Caitlin and Chris, I wish you a wonderful marriage and family life and with your ability to accomplish all you have so far in your lives, I know you will succeed! I look forward to receiving a birth announcement in a couple of months from you too!

Amanda and Steven's Christmas Wedding at the Angus Barn!

Amanda and Steven live in Los Angeles and wanted a quiet family wedding in Raleigh where Steven grew up. They picked the famous Angus Barn for their wedding site and planned on about 12 guests. I did not meet them until I arrived for their sweet wedding the afternoon of December 23, 2009.

The Angus Barn has been in Raleigh forever as far as I know and is renowned for its fine food!

 

It was all decked out for Christmas with a beautiful tree in the foyer.  The wedding was in the Wine Cellar and a very gracious wait staff gentleman escorted me through the kitchen with steak and lobster being prepared and cooked, down a flight of stairs then through the cooled and dark wine cellar.

 

Outside the wine cellar was a beautiful cozy room with bar and fireplace that was amazing! The long table was exquisitely set and ready for the wedding feast! It is called Thad's Room and you can see and read more about it here.

I met Amanda and Steven for the first time then. Amanda teaches in the performing arts arena and Steven is in the film industry. He is so good looking that I asked him if he was an actor. He said no, he edits film in a dark room all day long! He graduated from the NC School of Arts in Winston-Salem.

We waited for some missing guests to show up then started the ceremony. Both of their mothers were present. Amanda's mother flew in from Texas to be with us. Unfortunately Steven's father was in the hospital and Amanda's father thought the ceremony started an hour later but they were remembered. I thank Steven's Uncle Andy for taking these photos with my camera.

The ceremony, at the request of the couple, was quite short and simple. They said their "I do's" and I pronounced them husband and wife.

Steven is closing in for the kiss!

And there it is! (Hmmm. Blogger has certainly distorted this photo!)

Our happy couple, now married! Congratulations, Amanda and Steven! May all your dreams come true! Maybe we will see you in the movies some day!

The Angus Barn also has The Pavilions, an outdoor site on a lake that accommodates large weddings with ample parking and a lovely reception facility that is temperature controlled so it can be used year round. I have two weddings coming up there in 2010 so stay tuned to the blog.