Laura and Charlie's Spectacular Autumn Wedding at the Barn at Valhalla!

Laura and Charlie and I met in June 2019 to plan their wedding ceremony which took place on October 26th, 2019 at the Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill. They specifically asked for a non-traditional secular ceremony and so that is what we created together.

The wedding day was beautiful and the barn was ready. A tent had been erected for the reception dinner. 

Their wedding date was just a few days before Halloween so they took advantage of that theme in many clever ways.  

This golden skeletal hand guarded the cards placed inside the box. Next to it are their wedding programs. 

Dave snapped this photo of Charlie's pretty mother, Carolyn, before the ceremony. 

A few photos and Halloween props on the table! 

In place of a guest book, they asked their guests to write notes and their names on the blocks so that whenever they play this game they can fondly remember them.

The deck and fireplace are located in the wooded area between the barn and the house the original owner built. The deck has been expanded to accommodate more guests. The Wedding Woman furnished the florals for the wedding. Note the pretty autumn spray on the top of the fireplace mantel.

Lanterns, candles, some pampas grass plumes, and greenery decorate the ceremony area in front of the fireplace. 

Add some mums!

They included the Anniversary Box unity ceremony in the wedding. The box with a bottle of wine was placed on the fireplace hearth at the ceremony site for them to put their sealed and unshared love letters into during the ceremony, then shared on their first anniversary.

Our DJ, Brian with McSound Productions was all set up to play the music for the processional and recessional with a set up also for cocktail hour on the deck and dancing in the barn later. I officiated his wedding too several years ago.  Always enjoy working weddings with Brian.

Emily with Events by Emily was our planner and director. Before the ceremony she lit all the candles. 

Kivus and Camera, the professional photographers, staged the First Look for our couple. Always a special moment and photo op! (photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

Just look at that gorgeous bride, the happy groom and the stunning bouquet!

(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera) 

Inside the house from which the wedding party will process, enjoying some laughs with some of their "wedding people."

The guests are taking their seats and John, one of the photographers, was making sure they filled in the chairs up front and along the aisle. Pictures of a wedding with lots of empty chairs look like folks didn't show up for the wedding! By the time we started, after a few late-comers arrived in costume (optional choice of dress), the chairs were all filled. Full House!

A quick photo of Emily and me. Thank you for everything you did, Emily, it was a great wedding!

After the grandmothers and wedding party took their places, Charlie and his parents, Terry and Carolyn, entered. They were seated and Charlie stepped up beside me to await his bride!
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

Laura and her parents, Russell and Rebecca, floated down the aisle as the guests stood in their honor.  

(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

Charlie is watching them approach as a few tears leaked from his eyes!

(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

After welcoming their guests, remembering those who could not be with us, then paying tribute to their parents and grandmothers, Marilyn and Doris, we enjoyed hearing the story of how Laura and Charlie met and fell in love spanning 9 years. They knew each other as acquaintances in high school but became friends when they were both students at Appalachian State. It was not long before their  friendship blossomed into romance and they have been together ever since.
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

After the proposal story, I moved back to my spot behind the couple and revealed their secret paragraphs--each one had told me in confidence what they love about their partner and what they are looking forward to in marriage. They did not know what the other told me until the ceremony. A tender moment that usually evokes a few tears.
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

They wrote their vows to each other and read them to each other from my book where the words were printed facing them. Then they exchanged rings.
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

After they placed their loveletters in the Anniversary Box, we had a closing blessing then the pronouncement of marriage in which I declared them husband and wife, equal partners joined in marriage. The KISS came next!
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

The guests cheered as I introduced the newlywed couple to them and invited them to stand and join me in congratulating them!
(photo courtesy Kivus and Camera)

Charlie and Laura! What a great wedding! Thank you for choosing me to join you in marriage. It was a pleasure working with you to create the ceremony you dreamed of. I wish you the best always!

Sarah and Clayton's Wonderful Wedding at the Barn at Valhalla!

Sarah, Clayton and I met in August of 2018 to plan their wedding ceremony for May 25th, 2019. Their event planner was Lillian Suarez Events and their DJ Rodney Holmes. They had chosen the Barn at Valhalla for their wedding ceremony and reception. Their photographer was Richard Barlow and videographer Twenty-one Films. Caterer was Fords Fluent N' Food, and wedding cakes/cupcakes by Cupcakes D'Amour. I was happy to join this extraordinary team of vendors! 

The wedding day arrived and it was beautiful! A bit on the toasty side but with the shady spot for the ceremony, we were good. I was delighted to find that the new owners of the venue had expanded the deck so that there was plenty of room for more guests and moving about without being scrunched in.

I first got plugged into the DJ sound system and did a sound check. Then I went over the processional and recessional cues for Rodney. He was excellent to work with and the sound was impeccable! 

The barn itself was ready for the guests after cocktail hour. 

I sat down to review the ceremony script ahead of time in the house where the wedding party and families were hanging out.

When all the guests were seated and before the ceremony started, I entered and made the unplugged announcement. Then the wedding party processed in around me.

Clayton's parents, Reba and Skip, entered first. Skip and I discovered that we were both students at the University of Georgia at the same time many decades ago!

Clayton and Baxter enter next. Baxter is an amazing well-behaved pooch!

The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered next. 

Then it was time for the many children in the processional including a little one in a wagon. 

I invited everyone to stand in honor of the bride and her beautiful mother who was dressed in traditional Korean wedding dress. (Sadly Sarah's father had passed away just two months before, but not before giving Sarah and Clayton his blessings and his wish that their wedding not be postponed.)

Sarah's mother placed Sarah's hand into Clayton's and was seated with the guests. 

On behalf of Sarah and Clayton, I welcomed their guests for this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of the unique and cherished people who have touched their lives throughout the years.

The words of welcome were followed by a prayer and remembrance of their loved ones who could not be present including Sarah's father and her grandmother in Chicago and many relatives in Korea.

Looks like Baxter is enjoying the ceremony! 

Then it was time to honor Sarah's mother, Sue, and Clayton's parents, Skip and Reba. 

I love to tell the story of how the couple met and fell in love and bring the guests from that day to the wedding day. It all began back in 2013 when Clayton was a post-doctoral fellow and Sarah a grad school student at UNC. They ended up working in labs next to each other. And since they were both single then ended up going to many events together and got to know each other. There were some laughable times for sure! Eventually they realized they really enjoyed being together and after a few rocky starts and stops, they fell in love.

Sarah is hearing for the first time what Clayton told me in confidence that he loves about her, why he wants to marry her and what he is looking forward to in marriage. Then Clayton heard what Sarah told me in confidence. Such a sweet moment for both.

They made their vows of marriage and sealed them with the exchange of rings. 

After a closing blessing, I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to share a kiss! 

And so the marriage is signed, sealed and delivered! Everyone was cheering them on. 

And out they step into their new married lives--Baxter is smiling too!

Can you tell that I am a dog person and was smitten with this cutie pie of a dog in his tux? 

Congratulations, Sarah and Clayton! It was a wonderful wedding and I am so glad you decided to go forward with this celebration with your family and friends. I wish you the very best always!