Lucia and Seth's Fabulous Wedding at Melrose Knitting Mill!

Lucia and Seth met when they were both students at NC State. Their love of music led both of them to be DJs at the college radio station where they met and later fell in love. After graduation their careers took them west to California where they now live. But they wanted to get married in Raleigh where it all began. They chose the beautiful Melrose Knitting Mill for their wedding venue and set the date for March 31, 2018. They contacted me and we talked by Skype to plan their ceremony. 

Victorian Seasons was their florist and provided the florals. The draping is provided by the venue as well as the chandelier. The blue circular rug represents symbolically the circle of love Lucia and Seth stood in during the ceremony.

Daniel with Melrose behind the scenes stacking the Krispy Kreme donuts flanking this gorgeous wedding cake by Cake Dreams by Sally.

The "placeholders" are beautiful polished agate with the names in gold. Nice keepsakes for their guests. 

Outside and downstairs from the Mill is Mulino's Italian Kitchen the caterer for all weddings at Melrose. There I connected with Jessica Tilton, event manager and director for Melrose. It was a beautiful day.

Having done a First Look, the couple socialize with their wedding party while they wait for the guests to arrive and the ceremony to start. Dave and I went down to check with them and to get the witnesses signatures on the license.

Checking in with the musicians from the Bull City Syndicate Band who were providing the ceremony music. I brought my sound system to amplify my voice when there is no DJ.

A quiet moment alone to review the ceremony script. 

When it was time, I stepped out from the side curtain and took my place up front. Seth's parents, Al and Linda, processed in followed by Seth who escorted in Lucia's mother, Jennifer, then joined me up front. The first couple in the wedding party was Seth's brother and best man, Brett, and Sara, our maid of honor. Then Paige and Matt. Then Josh and Kate.

Now that the wedding party is in position, it is time for the bride and her father, John, to enter!

And down the aisle they go! Our professional photographer for this wedding was Samantha Floyd and her second shooter.

We began with a warm welcome to our guests. 

I stepped forward to surprise the parents with a special tribute from the bride and groom. Then I talked about what finding that special person in your life means. Following those lovely words, I launched into the story of how our bride and groom met and their lives to the present day. 

Daniel and Jessica are listening to the ceremony.

Then I shared with them what the other told me they loved about them. Lucia uses the hankie I handed her to blot some tears that leaked out!

After saying their vows to each other, it was time for the rings to be placed on each other's finger. 

Lucia's turn! 

We closed with words by Kahlil Gibran followed by the pronouncement of marriage and an invitation to share their first kiss as a married couple.

Oh happy day! 

Ladies and gentleman, may I present the newlyweds! 

Please stand and join me in congratulating Lucia and Seth, now husband and wife! 

The very happy couple! 

Sara and Brett exit    

Paige and Matt 

Kate and Josh 

Lucia's parents, Jennifer and John 

Seth's parents, Linda and Al

The guests were invited to go outside to the courtyard of Mulino's for cocktails while the ceremony space was being flipped for the reception and the couple took some photos.

Lucia and Seth! Thank you for allowing me to join you in marriage. Your wedding was so beautiful. I wish you the best forever!

Alexxis and Anthony's Fabulous Wedding at Sisters' Garden!

Alexxis and Anthony met with me last September and we began working on their ceremony for their wedding at Sisters Garden on May 29, 2011. When Dave and I arrived that Sunday afternoon, everything was ready to go. Alexxis was with our photographer, Terri with Carolina Mediastar, his assistant Sarah, and his son who was videoing the wedding. They had it covered! Here is a link to their blog where you can see more photos of this wedding!

 

The day was a pleasant one weather-wise and the tent shielded us from the sun. 

The chairs had these beautiful and fragrant star-fire lilies on them. Wait until you see Alexxis' bouquet! A Ming Rose Florist did all the florals.

This pedestal holds their wedding box into which they will put their love letters to each other during the ceremony.

Here is the runner, all ready to be rolled down the aisle after the last bridesmaid has entered and before the bride comes in.

Marc at Sisters' has this procedure down pat. The ushers roll it down the aisle to the other end where Marc is waiting with scissors and tape.

This beautiful cake is by Cake Dreams by Sally. It really fit in with the color scheme of fuschia and black.

The banquet room was ready for the reception and the DJ was setting up.

Our DJ was Joey Minner with JSA Entertainment. We had not worked together before but he expertly plugged my wireless receiver into his system and we crossed our fingers that the signal would travel through the closed glass door! And it worked perfectly.

We were ready to begin and the grandmothers were escorted in, then (above) Anthony's mother, Bethanne, and his father, John, entered.

Our Man of Honor, Antoine, escorted in the mother of the bride, Jirapa. Anthony and his men followed me in from a side door and the bridesmaids began processing in. There were 4 attendants on each side.

The runner was laid out and secured then Alexxis and her father, Cliff, entered.

This is about all of the ceremony photos Dave was able to get with my camera except the one below of the kiss!

I know Terri got a lot of great photos. You can see him crouching down in the aisle for this shot!

Alexxis and Anthony had a very special recessional, one I had not seen before. After I announced them to the guests, instead of them exiting, they hung back while the attendants walked down the aisle and stopped on both sides of the aisle where there were rose petals waiting for them. Then the couple walked down the aisle flanked by their attendants who threw the petals on them. I could not see much from my end of the aisle but I bet it was pretty!

Then the attendants paired up and recessed out.

Would you look at that gorgeous star-fire lily bouquet! And Alexxis' dress was simply gorgeous and very well suited to her. Anthony and Alexxis are such a handsome couple!

Alexxis and Anthony, all your careful planning sure paid off in a beautiful wedding. It was so special and the colors so striking like the two of you are. You seem very well suited for each other and I congratulate you and wish you all the best life can offer!

Amy and Scott Tie the Knot at their Wakefield Plantation Wedding!

Amy and Scott and I met on January 9th to plan their wedding ceremony set for March 26, 2011 at Wakefield Plantation Country Club. They wanted a small wedding with family and close friends and not a lot of fanfare. They chose to have no attendants and therefore we did not have a rehearsal. We got to work on their ceremony right away. Part of the ceremony was their story which I began to piece together from their answers to questions I asked. They sent me some very good material so I was able to write their story that included a lot of humor.  During the ceremony creation process they happily discovered that they were expecting a baby in September so we added a blessing for the unborn baby to the wedding ceremony. 

When we arrived, the cake by Cake Dreams by Sally was already there. Such a pretty cake following their color scheme of pink and green.

 

After a week of unseasonably warm weather in Raleigh, March 26 turned cold with drizzling rain but it was cozy and warm inside the Wakefield Plantation Clubhouse. Jacklyn, the venue's event coordinator was on hand to answer questions, coordinate vendors, and help sneak the bride up to the door from where she and her father, Wayne, would enter. Thanks, Jacklyn!

The tables were all set with the pretty linens, flowers , and special favors from the couple.

Amy and Scott got cookies that she grew up savoring.

 

Amy's mother, Gail, was there and ready to celebrate. We can see where Amy gets her beauty!

Ed Stephenson and Craig Hanemann were our musicians from Arioso Strings. I do a lot of weddings with these two guys and it was good to see them after the winter hiatus. This wedding is our first together for 2011. They were in fine form too.

 

This is a beautiful ice sculpture. I don't know who to credit for this lovely work of art. 

When all the guests were seated, we began the processional with the grandparents. Then his very elegant mother and father processed in (above). You can see where Scott gets his good looks!

Scott and I came in and took our places in front of the fireplace. Thankfully someone had discovered he had forgotten to eat something before the wedding and gave him a plate of hors d'oeuvres which he gobbled up. I found out years ago that the combination of hunger and nervousness can lead to falling out and we don't want that at a wedding!

Here comes our beautiful bride. She was a bit nervous too and told me she was worried about crying during the ceremony. Crying is perfectly fine. In fact, I would be a bit concerned if no emotion was showing on your wedding day. That's why I carry a hankie for the bride and groom, just in case. Both of them needed it today!

We included a Parents' Blessing which is a thank you and tribute to the couple's parents. Here they are standing to receive the tribute.

And, we included the baby! I ask the couple to put their hands on the baby while I read the blessing.

Next up was a reading of "The Art of Marriage," a popular reading for a wedding by Wilfred Arlan Peterson that they asked Amy's friend, Wendy, to present.

Then Elli, Scott's sister, read to us the beautiful "A Blessing for a Marriage" by Unity Minister, Reverend James Dillet Freeman.

It was time now for the couple's story. I took that opportunity to step out from behind them and away from the warmth of the fire behind me to speak to our guests who thoroughly enjoyed the story of how Amy and Scott first met on Match.com then Facebook becoming on-line buddies for almost a year before they met each other in person. And when they did, the rest, as they say, is history.

 

The grand finale was the kiss and they did as I suggested--make it long enough for your photographer to get a good shot! April Sirit of Evoke Photography and her assistant Rebecca were our photographers.

Amy and Scott, I am so happy you found each other, and found me! I know you have a very bright future together and please keep me posted next September when your baby boy is born!