Leigh and Jared Get Married at the Doris Duke Center at Duke Gardens!

Leigh and Jared were so fabulous to work with and so dedicated to each other. They knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding and together we made it happen. Their wedding was at the Doris Duke Visitor Center on December 28th, 2019. I met with them on June 28th to begin working on the ceremony. Jared came from New Jersey and Leigh from Winston-Salem to meet with me. 

December 28th turned out to be a very nice day. Balmy and bright. When Dave and I arrived, the chairs were in position and the arbor by Bowerbird Flowers was ready. There was a tent with clear walls over the outer half of the terrace.

After getting the witnesses signatures on the license, I sat down to review the ceremony script. 

The arbor framing the "altar" was on the walk to the amphitheater and White Garden. It was too risky to plan for an outdoor wedding in December, but as it turned out, it would have been possible.

Ronnie was our DJ from The Pros. His assistant is there to help too. 

Inside the Center the tables are all set for the reception. The Catering Company of Chapel Hill catered.

Many guests have arrived and they are at the other end where the bar was serving drinks. 

Happily, Leigh and Jared hired Emily Thomas with Emily Katherine Events as their wedding coordinator at my suggestion. Neither of them lived locally so it was good to have Emily be the local go-to person.

The DJ announced that it was time to for the guests to take their seats for the ceremony. 

After the seating of the parents, on cue, Jared and our groomsmen and I processed in from the side door. 

The groomsmen are Alex and Derek (Jared's sons).

Lauren and Cameron  (Leigh's daughters) processed in side by side. 

Leigh was escorted in by her father Hank and son Ryan who stopped at the first row where the parents were standing. After the music faded I said: "I ask you, their parents and their children, will you bless Leigh and Jared in their marriage? Will you celebrate them in their times of joy, and support them and their marriage in times of hardship?" Of course they all answered "We will." 

Leigh handed off her bouquet, she and Jared faced each other and so the ceremony began. 

First there was a welcome to all who were there. Then a prayer. 

Then I stepped forth and addressed their parents and paid tribute to them for their love and support of Leigh and Jared. I then addressed their siblings thanking them for their love and support too.

The next part of the ceremony was to recognize the couple's children and tell them how important they are in this marriage we celebrate today.

And then it was time to tell the story of Leigh and Jared and their journey to this wedding day! My favorite part!

Leigh and Jared met at Duke University when they were both freshmen there in 1987. They were smitten with each other and dated for about 3 years and then parted ways for some reason neither of them can now remember. They lived their separate lives, developed their careers and raised their families for the next 20 or so years. As fate would have it, they eventually found themselves single after all these years and the memories of their earlier love of each other flooded back. They got in touch and  decided to  get re-acquainted by phone and email. It was almost a year before they saw each other and it looked worthwhile to continue this long distance relationship to see what might happen. And despite nearly universal skepticism that this relationship would survive, they are pleased  that they have beat the odds!  According to Jared, he's won the lottery! Jared proposed on a trip to Galapagos Island in 2018 with all their kids and everyone celebrated and the wedding planning began.

Now Leigh gets to hear what Jared told me he in confidence loves about her, why he wants to marry her and what he is looking forward to in marriage.

Then Jared gets to hear what Leigh told me about him. 

These two have a great sense of humor so there was lots of laughter! 

Our guests were having fun hearing all this. Their guests came from all the many areas of their lives past and present including some who were with them in college.

Then I asked them their vows and they exchanged rings. 

Jared told me after the wedding that he had been a nervous wreck and was trying really hard not to break down into tears. Awww!

After a closing blessing, I had the great privilege of pronouncing these two married!

Their first kiss as husband and wife--at long last! Oh happy days! 

Jared and Leigh! So wonderful to work with you and make your ceremony be every thing you dreamed of. I loved your wedding and wish you all the best forever!

Thank you for these wonderful words about me: "Jared and I want to thank Kayelily for an incredible wedding ceremony. We cannot tell you how many people told us how beautiful it was, and many said it was the most special they had ever seen - So personal and lovely... And so well-delivered, with the perfect combination of sentiment and humor. We were laughing through tears. So many thanks for her talents and efforts on our behalf! "

Caroline and Varun's Wedding in the White Garden of Duke Gardens on August 25th, 2018

Neither Caroline and Varun nor their families live in NC but because these lovebirds met while attending Duke University, they chose to have their wedding here in the White Garden in Duke Gardens. This is a beautiful amphitheater that is a wonderful setting for a wedding. I've done many ceremonies here and watched the garden develop and become lush and full. See previous weddings HERE.

From the gazebo across from the ceremony area where the DJ is set up, you can see the circular ceremony area and the visitor's center behind it where the cocktail hour and reception will be.

Our wedding director, Amanda Scott with A Swanky Affair, is placing the fans in the chairs for the guests. The day was not too hot, in fact it was quite comfortable with a thin cloud cover. An exceptionally "cool" day for August in North Carolina!

Under the tent that covers the terrace, their guest book consists of a plaque of North Carolina for the guests to sign.

Caroline's aunt had given her a hankie for the wedding ceremony and our maid of honor, Allison, has just brought it to me to place in my ceremony book where I can hand it to Caroline during the ceremony when the tears appeared! And they did!

Inside the visitor's center the staff is getting the tables set and adding the decor for the reception. 

This later photo shows the tables set up with their color scheme of Duke blue--of course! Cateringworks was catering this reception.  

This beautiful cake by Ashley Cakes  is ready to cut and enjoy! 

Their photographer, Joe Payne, and Caroline and Varun did a First Look at Duke Chapel then came to the garden for more. And now they are heading back to the holding area within the visitor's center while the guests arrive and take their seats. 

Dave grabbed a photo of the three of us before the ceremony just in case we didn't get one afterwards!

They chose their mothers to be their witnesses on the marriage license. 

Alex Choi with Vox DJ is all set up in the gazebo. I plugged my mic into his body pack and we did a sound check. It was perfect! Thanks, Alex, it was great to work with you again!

This open air cathedral shaped structure is right behind where the guests will be seated and from which the bridesmaids and the bride and her parents will process in for the ceremony.

All the plants have matured and are immaculately manicured by the garden staff. Always beautiful!

It was time to begin. Amanda cued Alex to begin the music and I walked in to take my place followed by the groomsmen. 

Then Varun escorted his mother who traveled all the way from India for the wedding to her seat then joined me and the guys.

The bridesmaids processed in next. Allison has just walked in and is turning around.

Alex changes the music and the bride and her parents began their procession into the ceremony! 

After her parents were seated and she joined Varun, we began the ceremony with a welcome to all the guests. 

They took a look out at all their friends and families who had traveled from far and wide to be with them on this auspicious day.

After a blessing and remembering those loved ones who could not be with us, I stepped out to address their parents and tell them how much Caroline and Varun love and appreciate them.

Then I had the pleasure of telling the story of how they met and fell in love. 

It was back in 2013 when Caroline was a senior and Varun had just arrived from India to begin grad school.

They met one evening in a local bar when they were out with friends. Varun and Caroline gravitated to each other and had so much fun talking and laughing together, they decided to see each other again. It was not long before they were inseparable. Caroline graduated and began applying to law schools and working locally while Varun finished grad school. Then they both relocated to the DC area--Varun to begin his new career and Caroline to begin law school. Varun proposed on the peak of a mountain overlooking the Shenandoah Valley in May of 2017 by reading a poem he wrote to Caroline which ended with "will you marry me?" Of course Caroline said yes so they took a selfie then hurried down the mountain to share the good news with family and friends!

At this point in the ceremony I am sharing with each of them what the other told me in confidence about what they love about them, why they want to marry and what they are looking forward to in marriage. It is such a tender moment and Caroline got to use the hankie!

Then they shared their vows with each other.

Varun places the Mangulsutra--a sacred black necklace--around Caroline's neck as I explained that this is an Indian wedding custom symbolizing the groom's acceptance to share his life with the bride.

Then I called for the rings which represent the unbroken circle of love.  

Varun placed the ring on Caroline's finger as he said words to her after me. 

Then Caroline placed the ring on Varun's finger and said her words to him. 

Just making sure the rings is all the way on! 

We closed with a blessing to send them on their happy journey!

I pronounced them married and invited them to share their first kiss as husband and wife.

Loving that! 

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

Presentation of the newlywed couple to their guests!

Up close shot of this beautiful sacred necklace--the Mangulsutra. 

Varun and Caroline! What a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple. I loved it and I think your families and guests did too. You were wonderful to work with. Thank you for giving me the honor of joining you in matrimony! My best for you always!