Kristina and Richard Get Married at Crabtree Marriott!

Kristina and Richard were a delight to work with as well as being very much in love and devoted to each other. They actually met when they were in high school back in 2000. They dated then but went their separate ways. Out of nowhere eight years since they had seen each other, they stumbled upon each other on Facebook. Richard was living in Massachusetts and Kristina in North Carolina. This discovery led to an eight hour phone conversation which resulted in Kristina flying to Boston to spend her vacation with Richard in May of 2010. He told me that when he saw her get out of the car the evening she arrived he felt like he was 17 again! It did not take long for their love to be rekindled and a few weeks later Kristina moved to Boston. It was all very sudden and a bit abrupt but they have never regretted it. Now two years later they had returned to live in North Carolina and plan their wedding for February 18, 2012 at the Crabtree Marriott! I had such a fun time writing their story because they are quite a fun couple with a matching sense of humor. Then I had fun delivering all those funny lines at their wedding and experiencing their guests burst with laughter. Kristina's Dad said it was the best wedding ceremony he had ever heard!

Part of the large ballroom was partitioned off for the ceremony and the stage was set in place. They did their own floral decorations. I brought my handy little table for the sand ceremony and got my microphone plugged into our DJ's system. Our DJ was Brian Darocha with Complete Music. He was great to work with. Thanks, Brian!

Their photographer was Lesley Sagendorph and she prepared this photo for the signing of the guests.

It is always fun to do weddings at the Marriott because I get to see Julie Lee with the hotel. Julie and I have been working together on weddings for so many years now! She refers her friends and relatives to me for both weddings and baby blessing ceremonies. Thanks, Julie!

Our flower girl, Zoe, is ready to get down that aisle! Directly behind her is Brian, father of the bride, and to the right is Steve, father of the groom. That is Cori, bridesmaid, to the left.

Richard was hidden away while the bride scoots across the hall into an empty room to hide until it is time for her to walk down the aisle.

Our groomsmen, Chris, Steve, and Marcus are ready to escort in the guests as I speak to Richard to calm him down. He was rather antsy but said that once he got down the aisle he would be okay, and he was! Melissa, our honorary wedding director handed out programs and cued us in.

Missie, on the far left, is Maid of Honor #1, and Christina, in the middle is Maid of Honor #2. Cori, bridesmaid, and Brian, Father of the Bride, are on the right.

Once the mothers of the couple were escorted in, it was time for Richard and me to enter.

The Bridesmaids and Groomsmen entered as couples and then Zoe made her long walk down the aisle. She did a perfect job of scattering the blue and green silk petals down the aisle.

Everyone stands in honor of our beautiful bride! 

I stood to the side for the Parents' Blessing and to tell their wonderful story. 

Christina presented a reading entitled "To Love," author unknown. 

 

 They each read from my book a combination of vows and ring words. 

Then it was time for the sand ceremony. Their individual vases of sand overflowed the center container!

 

 

 Aaaah! Married at last! 

 Pretty sand layers! 

There was still enough light outside for pictures so we dashed out while the guests enjoyed cocktail hour.

So, here they are, Richard and Kristina, husband and wife! Richard told me before the wedding that had someone told him that he would be doing what he was doing today back in high school, he would have never believed them! Congratulations, you two! I wish you a lifetime of happiness and prosperity!

Elegant Wedding for Erin and Dean!

 Julie Lee contacted me earlier this year to see if I could officiate for her sister, Erin, and her fiance, Dean, on October 1, 2010. Of course I was delighted to do so. Julie is in charge of booking events at the Crabtree Marriott here in Raleigh and we have worked together for years. In fact, in 2003, I did a baby blessing ceremony for her niece and Goddaughter, Gillian, who, now age 7, was at the wedding with her parents, Melissa and Skip! Here is her photo! What a pretty and bright little girl she is. I loved seeing them all again!

In fact, here is a photo of Skip, Melissa, Gillian, Ed and Julie (Godparents), and me on that day in 2003.  

Back to the wedding! This is the reception in Salon C. It is really spectacular. What a transformation of the ballroom!

And this is the bride's face when she saw it for the first time right before she processed in with the bagpiper. 

This is probably the groom's cake. Dean is from London. I am guessing at this but it is probably his family crest. 

The ceremony was held across the hall in the meeting rooms all opened up to form one large one. There were approximately 130 guests. There was a nice long aisle for processing in which was good because a bagpiper escorted Erin in and then escorted the wedding party out at the end of the ceremony. 

These are Dean's children who were the attendants. There is Harry, Danny and Charlotte. Lexi, Erin's daughter, is somewhere behind them.

After we were all inside the ceremony room except for the bride, the doors were closed by Kelly, our coordinator from the Marriott. 

Meanwhile Erin had taken a look at the ballroom and then was ready to follow the bagpiper in. Don't have a good photo of that but I am sure our photographer, Brian Mullins, got a good one so watch his blog! 

That is Lexi, Erin's daughter, on the far left, then Charlotte, then Julie, the Matron of Honor. On the right is Jeff, the Best Man, Danny and Harry. The ceremony was quite sentimental and combined elements from both Dean's heritage and Erin's family. For the prayer, we played a recording of Erin's late grandfather singing The Lord's Prayer which is a custom in their family to play at weddings.

After the vows and rings, we had the family unity sand ceremony which included all four children and the couple mingling their sand together. 

This is what it looked likeafter all the sand was poured in. 

The pronouncement of marriage and the kiss! And it was time for the bagpiper to escort the wedding party out. 

Erin and Dean, I am so happy you found each other. I was honored to officiate your lovely and meaningful wedding ceremony. I wish you all the happiness and love in the world! 

Our Vendors

First of all, the Crabtree Marriott Hotel. A great place for a wedding and reception. All the amenities and plenty of parking too! Julie, thanks for asking me to officiate. Kelly, many thanks for running the show!

Brian Mullins, photographer, one of my very favorite photographers and such fun to work with. Thanks, Brian!

Fresh Affairs did the spectacular florals and decorations for the ceremony and the reception. Always breathtakingly beautiful! 

Blue Moon Bakery did the gorgeous wedding cake and groom's cake. Great job!

Jesse McPherson, Highland Bagpiper, provided the bagpipe music. He was great! He is from Sanford. 

Kiersten and Andrew's Wedding at the Crabtree Marriott on May 1, 2010!

Kiersten contacted me in early April for her May 1st wedding. I was so glad that I was available to officiate for her and Andrew. They put together one fabulous wedding!

Here is the line-up after all the guests were seated. They each had a set of grandparents in attendance. Then Andrew's mother, Gale, was seated by his father, John, followed by the mother of the bride, Irene, who was escorted in by Kevin, the best man. Then Andrew and I entered followed closely by Kevin and the groomsmen. The bridesmaids then entered in their pretty black dresses holding one calla lily each wrapped in red ribbon.

Kiersten is not only beautiful, but she is one determined young woman who knows what she wants. She was so composed and confident at the rehearsal that I think she surprised herself (and me!) when she teared up as her father, Michael, proudly escorted her in. Look at that beautiful bouquet with the lilies and the graceful spray of white orchids. I had a hankie waiting for her.

I was so amazed that Marty, using the zoom on my simple digital camera, got these photos from the back of the room. Of course I did lighten them up a good bit. The expressions on Kiersten's and Andrew's faces are priceless and show how much they were enjoying getting married, despite the tears that kept coming from Kiersten's eyes. Andrew just held tight to her hands to steady her. We included their "story" in the ceremony and everyone got a good laugh when I said "Andrew, you were first attracted to Kiersten’s eyes and her killer instinct. She is a tough one to get along with but you have been able to put up with her wonderful personality all this time and are now taking it on for life." Their vows to each other had some funny and sweet lines in them too.

Finally the pronouncement and the kiss as everyone applauded!

There they go! Mr. and Mrs. now!

Here is the wedding party and parents assembled outside the hotel. The rain was barely holding off.

Andrew, you are right about Kiersten's "killer instinct" and with her ability to make things happen like this beautiful wedding, I know you two will have a great marriage. I wish you all the best!

Our Vendors:

We thank the Crabtree Marriott Hotel and Connie Kendricks and her staff for providing the venue and fabulous service for this wedding.I really enjoy doing weddings here.

This is the ballroom being readied for the reception.

This lovely and whimsical cake with the princess kissing the frog on top was provided by Cinda's Creative Cakes. 

The music for the reception was a band put together by Steve Stelmaszekout of Norfolk, VA. He is a saxophonist and can provide live music for all occasions.

The lovely flowers were provided by The Flower Cupboard in Cary. 

Our photographer was Warren McCormack and he was assisted by Brian.