Kimberly and Michael's Wedding--A Dream Come True!

Kimberly and Michael have one of the sweetest love stories I have ever heard. They have known each other all their lives and grew up together.  Kimberly was born when Michael was two years old and he and his family visited them two days after her birth. Their families were so close all the kids thought they were related. Kimberly fell in love with Michael when she was a little girl but being the little sister of his childhood friend, Michael paid her no mind. She still felt the same many years later but Michael was too shy to respond to her asking him out. So, she finally gave up her dream and decided to go on with her life without him. Turns out their lives both followed similar paths and they had the same experiences in love and life. Many years later Michael took the initiative of contacting Kimberly on Facebook to apologize for his shyness and assure her that his rejection had nothing to do with her personally. He had to try really hard to get her to respond but finally at her sister's urging, Kimberly finally responded to Michael's requests. The sparks that had been buried so many years ago began to fly, starting with a 14 hour phone call! It was not long before they became a couple. Kimberly's childhood dream finally came true when they married on August 18, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Crabtree.

Embassy Suites in Crabtree has an open atrium with waterfall and area for the wedding. The bride descends the stairs on the left to enter.

Upstairs on the mezzanine level, the reception area has been set up but the centerpieces had not yet arrived when this photo was taken.

Quite an unusual wedding cake, wouldn't you agree? It was made to the couple's specifications to resemble a castle with moat and bridge. Veronica of Southern Gold Leaf Cakes created it for Kim and Michael.

Set up for the Unity Candle. If you look closely, the central container has a Celtic Trinity Knot engraved on it.

The processional began with the parents of the couple entering then the groom, groomsmen with me from the lower level while our DJ, Joey Browning with Joey's DJ Service, played "Sunrise, Sunset."  The bridesmaids followed to the tune of "I just want You" by Ozzy. The bride was escorted down the steps by her brother, Ben, to "Ours" by Taylor Swift. At the foot of the steps, Michael met her and together they walked down the aisle to be married. The pretty flowers were done by Gingerbread House.

And so we began with a warm welcome, prayer, remembrance of those who could not be with us, and a tribute to their parents.

Then I asked the guests to stand for a community blessing: "Do you promise, from this day forward, to encourage and love this dear couple, to give them your guidance, and to support them in their new life together?" Martin Kropf, photographing for BlueBox Weddings, was front and center getting the good shots!

Then it was time for the handfasting ceremony as the couple joined their hands together forming the symbol of infinity.

I looped seven different cords around their hands.  

 With each loop of the cord they answered a question and the binding was made. 

 The exchange of rings.....

 The lighting of the Unity Candle.....

The pronouncement of marriage fulfilling the dream of a lifetime for Kimberly now that Michael is finally on board!!

 Yay!

 

 Chatting after the ceremony.

Kimberly and Michael it was so much fun and so gratifying to be a part of your wonderful wedding and your touching story! You know I wish you all the best forever!

Another great wedding! Kyle Adams with Embassy Suites and I work together often and enjoy being a team to make a couple's wedding the best possible experience for them. Thanks for all you do, Kyle, and I am looking forward to working with you at the Sheraton in Chapel Hill soon! 

Family Wedding for Heather and Cameron at Embassy Suites at Crabtree!

Heather and Cameron and her two sons, Damien and Dominik, came to see me in February about officiating their wedding on June 16, 2012 at the Embassy Suites at Crabtree. They wanted a formal celebration for the declaration of their love for each other and to include Damien and Dominik in some way in the ceremony yet wanted a casual fun wedding ceremony. I read them a wedding ceremony that illustrated what they might want and they decided that they really liked the idea of putting their own wedding ceremony together, writing their own vows, and including the boys in a Family Unity Sand ceremony too. So we got started! I thank Kyle Adams at Embassy Suites for not only referring the couple to me but for also directing their rehearsal and wedding. She can really make a wedding event come together!

For those who have never been in Embassy Suites Crabtree, it has a tall open atrium that is covered by skylights and also has a water feature. The atmosphere is tropical and casual. This is a view from the upper stairs leading down from the mezzanine to the atrium floor. Marty and I arrived an hour before start time and set up my battery-operated sound system that works so well in this setting.

The couple had framed a photo of themselves with a picture frame (saw that on Pinterest!) and the guests were invited to write messages on the mat board.

Off the mezzanine level was the reception room and inside was the cake. It carries out their blue and green theme with teddy bears! They did not tell me who baked it for them but I believe it was a friend. 

When the guests were all seated and the parents had processed in, Cameron and his groomsmen and I entered and took our places.

Bridesmaid, Courtney, and Matron of Honor, Ashley, entered followed by our Maid of Honor, Katie, and our flower girl, Lea.

Damien and Dominik were in their places and waiting for the bride to meet them there at the bottom of the steps.

As the music for the bride started, I asked all the guests to stand in her honor.

Heather's father, Richard, escorted her down the floating stairway from the mezzanine down to where the boys were waiting and at that juncture, the boys escorted their mother the rest of the way down the aisle.

 

"Dominik and Damien, do you agree to share your mom with Cameron as they join in marriage?" They certainly did. I could feel a very close bond between the boys and Cameron!

After the welcome and prayer, I called the boys forth and told them how important they are in this marriage and then Cameron said a few words to them and presented them each with a watch to commemorate the day. It was so sweet!

Then I got to tell their story! Their friends played matchmakers because they could see these two together and finally Heather and Cameron caught on!  

 They made their vows of marriage and exchanged rings. 

Then it was time for the Sand Ceremony in which the bride and groom and the two boys poured their sand together. 

"Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and family be--a molding of your individual personalities, bonding together and forming one family, one heart and one life." 

Then I placed my hand on theirs, ready to make the pronouncement of marriage, when I noticed that both of them needed to wipe their eyes and their noses to be ready for the kiss!

 Time out for wiping eyes and blowing noses! 

 

 I think that kiss curled Cameron's toes a bit! 

It was my privilege and my delight to present the bride and groom, now husband and wife, to their family and friends!

 

Cameron and Heather, congratulations and best wishes! May all your dreams come true!

Ilisa and Eric Wed at Embassy Suites in Raleigh!

Ilisa and Eric are a great couple. I first met Ilisa over a year ago to plan their wedding for June 25, 2011 at the Embassy Suites across from Crabtree Valley Mall. I did not meet Eric until May of this year to finalize all the details of the ceremony. Ilisa and Eric have a sweet story which began in July 2008. Eric and Ilisa were both stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB but they did not meet there. They met because Eric was the “boy next door” and Ilisa was the “girl next door.” Seems they each bought a house which happened to be right next door to each another. Even more coincidently, they closed on their houses only one week apart!

 

This is the Embassy Suites lobby area which is all set up with the chairs for the wedding guests. It is a lovely open area that gives the feeling of being outdoors. There are many lush plants and some palm trees and a beautiful waterfall feature. We must have amplification for the people speaking in the wedding to be heard because like being outdoors, there are no acoustical surfaces to contain the sound and also to be heard over the sound of the water. That was not a problem as Brian McGuire, DJ and owner of McSound Productions was on hand to provide the music for the ceremony and the reception. His mobile sound unit was set up on the first balcony overlooking the area so he could easily survey the wedding ceremony and adjust the volume. Thanks, Brian! 

 

This is the view from the other end on the lobby level. The bridesmaids and the bride will make their entrances from the first balcony level down the stairs. Kyle Adams, the event/catering manager with the hotel, took care of every detail. She is so good and gets things done and done right! Thanks, Kyle.

This lovely cake was right in keeping with the royal blue color scheme. It was provided by Blue Moon Bakery.

The reception area with dance floor were set to go. Again the royal blue theme followed through.

 

When it was time to start the processional, Marty stationed herself here to get photos of the ladies processing in. The photographer, Chad Smith with Imageworx Photography, had asked us not to use flash because he had some slave strobes that the flash from other cameras would trigger potentially spoiling photos he was wanting to make without flash. So, I set my camera to a no flash setting and the photo below and all the rest are what we got. 

A rather overexposed, washed out photo. Neither Marty nor I were aware that was the result until I looked at the photos last night for the first time. Consequently, I don't have very good photos of the ceremony to post here and what I am posting are pretty poor in quality. Apparently the shutter speed was slowed to allow more light and the photos are overexposed and most out of focus.

 

After the three bridesmaids entered, Ilisa made her long walk down the steps. Her brother, Chuck, was most happy to have the honor of walking her down the aisle since their parents are deceased.

It was a very lovely and fun wedding. Their guests really enjoyed hearing how Eric and Ilisa met. They were both outside their houses next door watching fireworks in the distance. Eric was sitting on the back bumper of his truck and Ilisa who had been standing on her front porch walked over and introduced herself. This began a long series of neighborly deeds helping each other out with yardwork and Ilisa wanting a lawnmower just like Eric's and the adventure of getting it! Gradually the friendship developed into great respect and then love. And, as they say, the rest is history!

Ilisa and Eric, if Chad sends you some good photos of the ceremony, and I am sure he got many, please forward them to me and I will post on this blog so folks can have a better image of how great your wedding was! In the meantime, I hope you two are on a well deserved honeymoon! I loved working with you on your ceremony and was honored to be your officiant. I thank you for your dedication to serving our country and your dedication to each other and your families. May you have a long marriage of love, peace and joy!