Brooke and Jake's Leap Year Wedding at The Bridge Club!

Brooke and Jake are such a fun-loving couple and they made sure their wedding reflected that. I loved working with them to make their ceremony a reflection of their personalities, their beliefs, love and commitment. Their wedding date was February 29, 2020, that rare leap year date that only comes around every 4 years. They chose the Bridge Club in downtown Raleigh for their venue.

When I arrived I went upstairs to find the bride and groom, parents and wedding party. 

The long tables were all set and ready for the reception to follow cocktail hour. 

Little framed notations about locations and events in their journey together were placed along the place settings. 

Back downstairs to the ceremony and cocktail hour area to get my witnesses to sign the marriage license and do a sound check with the DJ--Mike Steffan with High Impact Entertainment--before the guests were seated. This is a photo of the quiz and advice cards for the entertainment of the guests and feedback to the couple. Fun!

Our photographer--Kelley Deal, Kelley Deal Photography--was busy getting her settings right and scoping the area for good angles. Thanks to Kelley for sharing her photos with me which are designated in this blog. Other photos were taken with my iPhone 8+ by my sweet husband, Dave.

The "altar" area was a copper arbor by the couple who did their own florals. 

When the guests were all seated, the time was right and the wedding party and parents lined up, I entered first and made the unplugged announcement asking the guests to put away their phones and cameras. Then the processional of the parents and wedding party began.

When everyone but the bride was in place, I invited the guests to stand in honor of the bride. 

The bride and her father made their way down the aisle. 

Brooke's father answered my question and placed her hand in Jake's and everyone was seated. 

The ceremony opened with a warm welcome to everyone who had come from near and far for this wedding. 

(Photo courtesy of Kelly Deal)

Next came an opening prayer. 

Then I stepped out to address their parents in a surprise tribute to their love and support of our couple. 

Then the really fun part of the ceremony was telling the story of how Brooke and Jake met and their journey to their wedding day. (Photo courtesy of Kelley Deal)

They each answered questionnaires for me so the story reflected both points of view of what attracted them to each other and how they felt.

Brooke and Jake supplied me with great information to work with to create a very amusing story! 

There was lots and lots of laughter during the story and especially about the proposal that Jake planned and how it played out. (Photo courtesy of Kelley Deal)

Then Brooke got to hear what Jake told me he loves about her and what he is looking forward to in marriage. Then Jake got to hear what Brooke told me about her love for him. 

Jake was having so much fun, he was sweating. I took my hankie and reached up to wipe his forehead.

At this point I said "Getting married is hard work, isn't it, Jake?" Laughter! 

Then it was time for them to exchange their vows and rings. We included the Celtic tradition of handfasting as I bound their hands together with a handfasting cord. 

After wrapping the cord around their hands, a blessing of their hands followed.

They read their vows to each other from my book while their hands were bound.

Brooke says her vows to Jake.

I removed the cord which was symbolically replaced by their rings. 

A closing blessing then I pronounced them married and invited them to share their first kiss as husband and wife.

Finally happily married! 

The "after-kiss" moment when the reality sinks in that they are married!

The maid of honor handed the bride her bouquet and I presented the newlyweds to their guests!

And out they go into the next chapter of their lives together--marriage! 

(Photo courtesy of Kelley Deal)

(Photo courtesy of Kelley Deal) 

Brooke and Jake! What a great wedding! I loved working with you two and your wonderful sense of humor. You are so great together and I am honored you chose me to join you in marriage. Blessings to you now and always! I also thank you for the wonderful review you gave me on Weddingwire:

Cecil Jake Saunders , married on 02/29/2020 

 5.0 

If you are having anxiety over how to pick an officiant, know that you can't go wrong with this choice. 

Reverend Kayelily Middleton was the officiant for our leap day 2020 wedding, and we could not recommend her more highly. She listened to all of our concerns and then helped us design a customized ceremony for our wedding that shared our story with our loved ones. We have gotten so many compliments about the ceremony, including how entertaining Kayelily was, and how she must be an old family friend because it seemed like she’s known us for years. She is amazing at her job, probably because she has married thousands of couples! She guided us through the logistics of getting the marriage license, knew exactly what to do in the rehearsal, and will help design a ceremony just for you.

Jemalia and Udo Marry at the Bridge Club on February 18, 2017!

The Bridge Club at 105 W. Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh is a new wedding venue. This was my first wedding there and it was wonderful. The staff is so helpful and accommodating. They also have their own house sound system which is so convenient for me to plug my mic into.

The Bridge Club is on the second and third floors of what used to be a bank building with very high ceilings. It is right upstairs from the Death and Taxes restaurant. Bridge Club does their own catering.

The second floor is where the ceremony and cocktail hour were held. The reception was on the third floor. Here is where the ceremony will take place. The windows look out onto Salisbury Street. These pretty florals were by Kelly Odom Flowers.

Getting my mic on and doing a sound check. 

Phil on cello and Sherry on violin of Florian Music provided the ceremony and cocktail hour music. Always wonderful to work with! 

This is the spacious third floor where the tables are ready for the reception. The chairs for the ceremony will be moved up here. This is also where the bride and her maidens hang out before the ceremony.

Jemalia checks her messages while her mother and the three bridesmaids relax. 

My husband Dave was taking photos for me. I don't know what was happening here but looks like it was funny!

Confectionate Cakes made this lovely gold and pink wedding cake. 

Hannah, our flower girl, and Matthew, our ring bearer, are hanging out here, Hanna with her mother and Matthew with his sister, waiting for the ceremony to start.

After all the guests had arrived our director, Heather, cued the musicians and the mother of the groom, Femmie, and her partner, Simon, to enter and be seated.

Jemalia's mother, Lillie, and her father, Tony, enter next and Tony returned to bring in the bride.

Then it was my turn to walk as Heather motions for the guys to follow me. 

Udo and his family are from The Netherlands where they grow very tall people! This is his brother, Erwin. I felt like I was in the valley of the giants!

We are awaiting the flower girl and ring bearer and after a slow start they began processing in. All those people watching them is a bit intimidating to young children.

Heather did a great job of convincing them to walk down the aisle. Matthew took the ring pillow to Erwin and was rewarded with a pack of M&Ms!

Here comes the bride and her father! Heather fluffs the train. Jemalia is no shorty either! 

Joe Payne, our esteemed photographer, followed them down the aisle getting some good shots. 

Ahh! Here we all are. At 5'5" I was the shortest person in the wedding party. Udo and his brother and Jemalia's brother are all at least 7 ft tall!

After the welcome, we honored their parents. This was a sweet surprise to them. We also recognized Udo's teenage daughter, Fabienne. 

Then I got to tell the story of how Jemalia and Udo met and fell in love. Their journey together began exactly 4 years ago to the day. Udo proposed exactly one year ago to the day. And now the wedding--he wanted only one date to remember--February 18th!

Then they heard what each of them told me they love about each other. Some humor here too! 

They made their vows to each other then exchanged rings. 

I reached up to make the pronouncement! 

Ah...the sweet kiss! 

I introduced them to their guests and as they headed down the aisle I stepped into the center again for the recessional of the wedding party and parents then invited the guests to move to the back of the room for cocktails while the chairs were being moved upstairs for the reception. Meanwhile Joe took the wedding party outside and down around the corner to the Capital for photos. I packed up my mic and Dave and I headed out to find them for one more picture!

Congratulations, Jemalia and Udo! What a wonderful wedding you planned. You are a beautiful couple and I am so honored that you chose me to join you in marriage. I wish you the best life can bring!